LGBTQ
No matter who you are,
Wherever you are on life’s journey
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE.
Rockville United Church is open and welcomes all persons: gay, straight, lesbian, bi, trans, questioning, all those in between, and those who love them.
The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning) Outreach Group
Meets monthly after worship (12:15 pm) in the Conference Room to share lunch, reflection, prayer, discussion, and planning activities. We welcome all!
Members and Friends of RUC gathered before the Surpreme Court to advocate for marriage equality. They carried our signs: Amen - Advocate for Marriage Equality Now. See the links below for a video including one of our beloved sisters speaking.
|
This should be the link to the video: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8711154 Link to the full article online with video embedded: |
Our Mission Statement
As members of an Open and Affirming, More Light congregation called by God to love one another, the LGBTQ Outreach Group of Rockville United Church strives through advocacy, education, words, visible signs and actions to welcome all into a place of sanctuary and community celebrating differences in sexual orientation and gender identity.
For more information, please contact us. contact us.
The LGBTQ Group celebrates the RUC advocacy for Maryland Marriage Equality and the states just stance.
A sermon regarding Same Gender marriage and biblical interpretation:
http://www.rockvilleunitedchurch.org/worship/series/simple-gifts/gift-be-simple
What does marriage mean to me?
Voices from the members and friends of Rockville United Church May 5, 2013
What does marriage mean to me? I'm not sure. It's always been available to me. I took it for granted. So, when my future husband and I decided to join together, we, of course, were married in the church with the blessing of the church and in the sight of God. I cannot even imagine how my gay and lesbian friends feel who are denied this basic privilege. They are in the sight of God, but where is the church? ----Mary Sue, female, married straight ally in her 70’s
Marriage means sharing your life with a special friend who you would do anything for – and who would do anything for you. Marriage means that you support each other’s dreams and help to fulfill them. Marriage is a process in which your love continues to grow. Marriage brings a humble, awesome and wonderful recognition that God brought the two of you together. Thus it is very special to be able to celebrate this with a wedding ceremony in a church. We would wish the same for every couple. – John, age 73, male, married straight ally
Love is hard to articulate, but anyone who has experienced its power can tell you how it knocks them over, makes them feel and see life in beautiful colors, and gives them reasons to wake every day. It builds from the inside out, a crescendo, and a climax of emotion that will envelope your body into a state of well-being and security. Marriage is also all of this and more. It takes those preliminary steps and builds more layers over time. It becomes the link of two hearts and the stability of commitment. Marriage to us is the opportunity to understand life and love on a whole other level. It means we can share our joys and disappointments, our pleasures and our problems, our likes and dislikes, and most of all, our souls. We can make decisions together that will affect the other, and yet remain companions. Marriage means we are the other, the half, the whole, the shoulder and the ear, the inside and out, and the crescendo and climax. Marriage with love and commitment is the reason why we want to wake every day. --Michelle & Sarah, married lesbian couple in their 30’s
Marriage is the bond between two people whom love each other. To go through the good times, the bad times, and all other of life’s little obstacles. – Tim, age 27, engaged gay man
Marriage means commitment to another with the blessing of God and Jesus Christ. Marriage is love, communication, and service to each other. Marriage is a benefit to the community and to society. Marriage is a blessing to the individual by making us one with God, Jesus, and community (society) as a whole. – Tabitha, age 34, engaged lesbian
Heavenly union with all the joys and love. Companionship and aging together. – Jim, age 90, married straight male
A condition where two lives combine into a lifetime of loving partnership to create and extend a family. To experience life together – the ups, the downs, the good times and bad, raise kids, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, enjoy the extended family. To be able to have a better, more complete life together – than separate. The sex of the partner is not as important as their love and commitment. – Chuck, age 84, male married for 60 years to the same woman
A covenant between 2 people who love each other and commit themselves to each other to live with and for each other, for the rest of their lives. – Sharon, age 67, female, single, never married, straight ally
Declaring to my family, my friends, the world, and my God that this person is the one I love and who I want to enjoy life with. -- Chris, age 57, male, married, straight ally
A God-given gift was sent from above so wedded bliss developed. Grand to have a soul-mate to share life’s joys together. Joy comes from helping each other and our families to create happiness and security. – Joan, age 81, female, married, straight
Love and happiness – Virginia, age 83, female, widowed, straight ally
Best friend, companionship, unconditional love, children, expanded interests, loyalty – BC, age 80, female, widowed, straight ally
Sharing your life with the person you love, gay or straight. You love who you love. – Linda, age 70, female, married, straight ally
Life-long commitment, an opportunity to grow as a human being and in faith, a safe place to raise a child, a right that should not be denied to people regardless of sexual orientation. – Denise, age 55, married female, straight ally
Marriage is a partnership. A spouse is someone who laughs with you, listens to you, grieves with you, and celebrates with you. A marriage creates a new unit and adds to the family of each partner. – Elizabeth, age 59, female, married, straight ally
A special connection you’ve found in a person built on love and trust. A person that will love and support you through the ups and downs of life that you want to spend the rest of your life with. – Sandra, age 35, engaged lesbian
Marriage has become the core of my life. It means commitment, fidelity, weaving a life with a trusted partner, sharing everything but also nurturing relation with many people, in my case many women and having a life and interests of my own. Marriage has made me a better person because my husband is an honorable, good, loving, and caring (man) and I try to emulate him in many ways. – Carroll, age 78, married heterosexual woman
Marriage is a blessing. Marriage is a gift – a present we give to each other day by day, for the rest of our lives. Marriage is a commitment to actively love each other, support one another, guide and follow, advise, counsel, and care for each other. We are shelter, protection, and guardian for our mutual lives and goals and dreams. Marriage is a blessing. – Katie, age 33, married lesbian
A commitment between two people to share their lives with one another in a romantically, spiritually, and emotionally loving way. – Zelinda, age 63, partnered straight woman
Two adults who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together. – KW, age 60, female straight ally
Marriage means two people committing to love one another in the eyes of their community – sharing their joy with friends and family through a wedding. Marriage to me is between two people (no matter their sexual orientation) and God. – Genny, age 55, widowed, female straight ally
To me, marriage means to have a commitment of love and spirituality between two people and God. – Brooke, age 26, female, married, straight ally
It means being connected and committed to that special someone in a committed relationship that is recognized by the partners that be (i.e., government and society at large) including church, school, community, and neighbors. It means being equal to everyone else in a similar relationship. – Jim, age 60+, gay male planning to marry
A life-changing gift of grace which meant my heart of stone became a heart of flesh. – Frank, age 75, married, male heterosexual ally
I believe our love is a sacred marvelous gift of God. At our wedding we promised to love, support, and honor each other forever. We did it with the blessing of our families, our friends, our churches, and our communities. Despite challenges, the unconditional love in our marriage has allowed us to grow both individually and together and given us unbelievable joy! We are best friends! May the church bless and sanctify marriages of all couples and be a good beginning to married life. – Beth, age 72, married for 50+ years, female straight ally
Marriage to me is the great joy of spending the rest of your life with your best friend. Having an advocate for happiness and a consoler in times of hardship. I feel lucky every day to be married to my wonderful wife. – Rachel, age 30, married lesbian
I support committed relations & marriages regardless of the gender of the couple. Being committed partners in a meaningful relationship is more important in my mind than the gender of the couple. A successful marriage is not dependent on gender. – MAS, age 54, male married to female
Loving, sharing, devoted union between two people. It is a pact, a covenant with each other and God, as well as each individual and God that you will be a sharing, monogamous couple that will be committed to staying together through good and bad. Chris, age 56, widowed straight male
Sharing life – working together -- caring for mate – establishing family. EJ, female straight ally in 80’s
Marriage means making a loving commitment to another person to share your entire self and life. Who you are and what you are should matter only to the two of you. Stephanie, age 70, married, straight ally
Marriage means a life-long commitment to partnership in love for the benefit of oneself, each other, and the children. – Sylvia, age 56, female, married 24 years, straight ally
Both the experience of transparent love and the exposure of transparent love. – David, age 60, married straight male
Marriage means loving another person enough to share your lives together – knowing that there will be both good times and bad times – but knowing that love will be the thing that binds you, comforts you, and sustains you. It means putting another person’s needs equal to or above your own. It means making your home a safe haven from the world. Any two people can do this and will be the better for it. – Beth, late 50’s, female married 30+ years, straight ally
Marriage is committing to another person to be your best self every day and to see your partner as his/her best self every day. Some days we get closer than others, but the effort makes us each a better person. Marriage is about the commitment to try...and it has nothing to do with gender. --Ann, straight woman married 26 years.
Events
Capital Pride Parade - see our photos: http://www.rockvilleunitedchurch.org/interact/photos/ruc-walks-2012-capital-pride-parade
Come Join Our LGBTQ Group for the Capital Pride Parade
Saturday, June 9, 3:30PM
On Sunday our LGBTQ group decided to wear red if we have red.
So we meet in the blue area, the same place we were last year between 24th and 25th on N street. There will be workers in blue shirts to assist you. We end at 14th and N. Thomas Circle. The City National Church will have refreshments as they did last year and bathrooms. Hotels along the parade route have offered to have their bathrooms open. The parade starts earlier this year at 4:30 we are to be in place by 3:30. I will be there with our signs, banner and the dove. I will not have any wood sticks for the banner or signs if you have your own signs bring them the banner works well with out a frame I think we are in good shape. Of course bring water, comfy shoes, snacks and any other comforts of life you think of. Some of you are meeting at metro stops please let me know so I can get you all together if you want to travel with one another. Remember the trains are on the Sunday schedule.
------------------------------
The LGBTQ Group and Friends - will attend a showing of Next Fall (described below) on Sunday afternoon, February 26th, at 3:00pm. The show is at the Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, MD.
Two men in love, two parents in denial, two friends on speed dial. Next Fall is a contemporary love story that will make you smile, laugh, and cry. It won the hearts and minds of Broadway, capturing a 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award as Best New American Play and a Tony Award nomination for Best Play.
Annual Blue Christmas Service: a worship service that offers hope and comfort for those who feel blue at Christmas.
2011 LGBTQ Worship Service & Fall Event: Speaker: Rev. Chris Glaser, a widely known lecturer and writer who has devoted his professional career to reconciliation between the church and the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community. http://www.chrisglaser.com/
2010 LGBTQ Spring Event: Speaker: Dr. Mary Elizabeth Hunt, co-founder of WATER (Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual.) http://www.waterwomensalliance.org/
2011 LGBTQ Spring Event: Pizza, screening, and discussion with youth of Bullied! A Student, a School, and a Case that Made History. A beautiful documentary that chronicles one student’s torment at the hands of anti-gay bullies and offers an inspiring message of hope to those fighting harassment today. o Teaching Tolerance: http://www.tolerance.org
Annual Capital Pride Festival: float building and marching in the Capital Pride parade in 2011.
Marriage Equality: lobby for Marriage Equality legislation with the Maryland State delegates.
Equality Maryland: http://www.equalitymaryland.org/
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force: http://thetaskforce.org/
