This resource was written by Kelsey Pacha, CLGS’ Youth Resources Coordinator, and made possible by a grant from the Atkinson Foundation. Through their generosity, CLGS has worked with congregations, parents, and religious educators in San Mateo County and beyond to create this resource.
While it is important to recognize and affirm key dates and events within the LGBTQ community, your welcome is even greater if you do not limit LGBTQ visibility to those times. LGBTQ people and their families who come to your worship services, teachings or programs will notice the presence of others who are like them. […]
What issues are most of concern to your local LGBTQ communities? How could they best be addressed in your area? You might want to consider hosting an online community forum to help raise awareness and talk about how this issue is affecting people in your neighborhood, town or city. You can invite community members, local […]
Did you know that half of LGBTQ people in this country live in states where there are no protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity? Many people think such discrimination is already illegal, but only 21 states and the District of Columbia ban discrimination in employment and housing; one other state, Wisconsin, […]
Part of being a vibrant inclusive faith community is creating affirming space not only for LGBTQ people but for our families as well. More than a quarter of same-sex households include children, with studies showing 28.7% of families overall raising children, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA. Among African-Americans, the number is even higher, with 34% […]
It is helpful to step back from time to time and take stock of where we are in creating congregations that genuinely welcome and include LGBTQ+ people. When you are working to expand your welcome, take a little time to inventory your leaders and ministries. At this halfway point in the year, we suggest asking […]
There are amazing people of faith around the world who are working to make our communities inclusive, accepting, diverse, and vibrant. This week, we encourage you to get to know some more of them, especially your neighbors from other faith traditions. We can learn a tremendous amount from each other. Working with those from other […]