In 1992, First Congregational UCC was one of Madison's first faith communities to adopt a formal statement welcoming and affirming ALL people, regardless of sexual orientation. Here is the full text of the statement adopted by our church:

-- As a community of God's children, we, the members of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, acknowledge our shortcomings and our need to reach out to all who wish to affirm their faith with us in this community of faith and to worship with us as members of this congregation.

We acknowledge that the church has often judged and excluded from the community of faith gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons or has been complicit by its silence. We confess the presence of ignorance, fear and hatred in ourselves, in the church and in our society and we ask the grace of God to overcome them.

We invite and welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation/gender expression to join us in our journey of life and faith and to seek to covenant to be responsible to God and to one another.-- Open and Affirming Statement adopted 5/3/1992; revised 5/5/2002.

Active Members and Congregational Leaders
Members of the First Congregational United Church of Christ have welcomed into membership men and women of all sexual orientations. These men and women have responded by serving in positions of leadership in the congregation on all boards and the executive council including the position of Moderator.

Rainbow People


Members of First Congregational Church's Rainbow People (a fellowship of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) folk and friends) meet monthly usually following the second Sunday worship service for brunch or other activities. Details about the gatherings can be found in the weekly “Tower” newsletter.

Inclusive Worship
Annually the Rainbow People are responsible for planning and leading a worship service celebrating the inclusion of individuals of all sexual orientations in the worshipping community. These “Open and Affirming” celebrations have been held annually since 1995. Preachers at most of these Open and Affirming services have come from within the congregation. Service themes have included gratitude for the welcome extended by First Congregational, the importance of families, and how our church has been blessed by becoming an Open and Affirming congregation.

Several services have been enriched by the remarks of nationally known guest preachers. For example in September 1998 our preacher was Rev. Bill Johnson, Ed.D.. Rev. Johnson serves as Executive Associate to the Executive Minister for Wider Church Ministries, part of the national UCC collegium. During the summer of 1998 it was announced that a half million dollar scholarship fund for LGBT seminarians had been named in Rev. Johnson's honor. In October 2002, Rev. Dr. Mel White preached at this service. Mel White travels the country with his partner Gary Nixon seeking equality and understanding for God's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered children. While he was here, Mel White also led our adult forum and a Saturday workshop for area churches on applying the "soul force" principles of Gandhi and King to the struggle for justice for sexual minorities. Rev. Cheryl Burke was our guest preacher in October 2003. Rev. Burke, our former Interim Senior Minister, is now Association Minister for the Fox Valley Association of the United Church of Christ in Illinois.

Support for LGBT Families
Our church pastors have officiated at several same-gender union ceremonies, both in our sanctuary and at other locations. Children of lesbian and gay couples have been baptized and otherwise welcomed into our household of faith.

Interfaith Worship
In 1992, a First Congregational UCC member helped establish "Coming Out--Coming Together" in Madison, and members of our church continue their support of this group. Coming Out--Coming Together is an interfaith coalition that holds interfaith worship services, provides support for other congregations considering adoption of a formal welcoming statement to people of all sexual orientations, and encourages participation by religious groups in gay pride events.

Participation in Annual Pride Parade
Each year during Pride Weekend in July, our church participates in the Coming Out, Coming Together ecumenical worship service and then join more than a dozen other faith communities to march in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.

The Rainbow People, other congregational members and friends carry our “Embracing Diversity among God's People” banner that usually hangs in our church sanctuary. Our large rainbow flag and the marching maneuvers are a big hit with the crowd each year. We have even received publicity with front page photos in the Wisconsin State Journal (July 23, 2001) and the Capital Times (July 19, 2002).

Support for Individuals Living with HIV and AIDS
For several years, members raised pledges and participated in AIDS Walk Wisconsin which provided funding for the AIDS Support Network, but sponsored by AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. In 2003 members chose to participate in the new AIDS Walk, Roll & Stroll, presented by AIDS Support Network. Church members also raise pledges and participate in a week-long bike ride, ACT, which benefits individuals living with HIV/AIDS. First Congregational has hosted the annual local World AIDS Day Celebration of Life service on several occasions including 2001 when six panels of the AIDS quilt were displayed for a week in the sanctuary to acknowledge yet another anniversary in the fight against AIDS.

A Church with a Long Record of Leadership and Involvement in LGBT Issues
1992 First Congregational UCC became one of Madison’s first faith communities to adopt a statement welcoming all people regardless of sexual orientation.
1996 Several members of the congregation traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 1996 Names Project display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. During the three day display they served as quilt monitors, participated in the Candlelight March and prayed at the National Cathedral with people of many faiths for peace and an end to the AIDS pandemic.
1997 Our then Senior Minister Paul Kittlaus facilitated a group of Madison pastors who wrote and signed "A Madison Affirmation: On Homosexuality and Christian Faith". See A Madison Affirmation for text and names of affirmation signers.
1998 In February our church ordained Gayle McFarland as our first Minister of Christian Education for Children and Youth. Rev. McFarland was the first "out" lesbian or gay person to be ordained by a protestant denomination in Wisconsin.
2000 In August, several members of our church participated in “Witness Our Welcome” 2000 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, an ecumenical gathering of Welcoming Churches in the U.S. and Canada, but with attendees from around the world.
2002 In April, church members organized and hosted a weekend on the role of music as an aid in celebrating diversity, co-sponsored with Coming Out, Coming Together. Elaine Kirkland, a conductor and spiritual director whose compositions appear in the New Century Hymnal published by the United Church of Christ, led workshops and an ecumenical worship service at our church.
2004 In March, approximately 20 members of our church participated in a counter protest to eastern U.S. and local church groups protesting the staging of “Corpus Christi”. This play by Terrence McNally is a retelling of the Jesus story set in 1950s Texas, with a gay “Joshua” and his 12 followers. Protesters deemed the play sacrilegious; our church members welcomed theater-goers and passed out cards supporting free expression and LGBT people.

Visit the webpage for The United Church of Christ Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns