Unitarian Church forms Outreach Denton

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.dallasvoice.com/unitarian-church-forms-outreach-denton-1080319.html

Programs and meeting space will be made available for LGBT youth, seniors and other groups


When a teen at Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship came out, the Rev. Pam Wat knew just what to do — hook her up with her high school’s gay/straight alliance.

Problem was, the teen attended a small school near Denton that had no GSA.

Then a lesbian member of the congregation lost her partner. Wat wanted to refer her to a grief support group — but couldn’t find one in town that could guarantee the woman would be welcome.

Wat, who moved to Denton from San Francisco last year, quickly realized that a number of services she was used to having readily available, were simply not available in Denton. But it was the death, in December of a congregation member War called “our gay activist.” This man, she said, was the one who kept the congregation up-to-date on concerns in the LGBT community. Last fall he brought attention to the teen suicide problem. This spring, after his death, Wat said, there was a noticeable lack of information about LGBT issues.

That’s when Wat knew she had to jump in. So she called a summit at the church.

About 90 people attended the June 1 meeting to discuss the local needs of the LGBT community. The result was the creation of Outreach Denton.

Members of six local churches attended, including Harvest MCC of Denton and Trinity Presbyterian Church. Both offered their facilities as well.

Wat said that people who attended signed up to volunteer in a variety of areas, but the youth issues attracted the most attention and will be the first addressed.

LGBT teens needed a safe space and a meeting place without traveling to Dallas or Plano. Youth First Texas has offered to provide some training in July for volunteers putting together the Denton youth group.

Wat said that the group might open as a Denton branch of the organization, similar to the Collin County YFT satellite.

Others expressed interest in reviving PFLAG.

[damntexdem]

1. Glad to see the mention here. A member of my family is involved in it.

And it is greatly needed here.

[lightningandsnow]

2. Unitarians are pretty awesome.

:)