We are happy to be asked more about our LGBTIQ+ welcome.
Didymus aligns itself with the Unitarian movement and is proud of that movement's long involvement with celebrating same-sex unions, campaigning for equal marriage, and marrying same sex couples in their churches.
Our group is not large enough to employ a minister but we are in contact with – and can call upon – Unitarian ministers elsewhere, should we receive enquiries regarding rites of passage, such as weddings, or celebrations of new life starts for people who are completing transition.
The Meeting House we hire for our gatherings is fully licensed for all weddings. It has already hosted at least one same sex wedding, which was presided over by a Unitarian minister. All other rites of passage, including child or adult baptisms, celebrations of new starts, funerals and celebrations of life, are permitted at the Meeting House.
Our monthly gatherings are perhaps the events you may be most interested in. And potentially they are the ones where we may let our attention wander, letting slip some blind spots and assumptions. Such slips will reveal our inconsistency and inability to stick to our aspirations 100% of the time.
We do try to use nongendered language when we are dealing with both theology and the divine and human aspects of our experience and intent. We do try to ensure we do not assume binary genders. We do try to be humble enough to be called out on our mistakes and amend ourselves, as would befit a congregation aimed at being ever more inclusive.
Most of all, we see "church" as being a place where we stand together in our honesty so as to change for the better. We are ready to be changed by people who come to us, recognising that the addition of even one new person to a group essentially re-forms the group anew – paraphrasing St Benedict, "God sometimes reveals God's wisdom in even the person the most inexperienced in that setting."
We are grateful to the Honest Church campaign for schooling us in presenting ourselves and allowing us to use their logo. Check them out at https://honestchurch.org.uk/
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