Blacksburg church opens its doors to members of LGBTA community

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender individuals are openly welcomed at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Blacksburg. The church voted last week to actively seek recognition for what they have done from the Unitarian Universalist Association.

“Over the past year, the congregation went through a program, ” said Christine Brownlie, the church ’s Reverend. “We ’re making a move from just passive acceptance to becoming more active. ”

The congregation voted in a large majority to seek recognition from the UUA for the preparation they had undergone. Ninety members of the church voted in favor, whereas only two opposed, Brownlie said.

Virginia Tech LGBTA has worked closely with Brownlie in past campus activities. The Rev. presided over the same-sex marriages held on the Drillfield earlier this semester.

“Tech ’s location in southwest Virginia is a lot like the rest of the south, ” said LGBTA president Heather Black, a junior biology major. “Mostly in Christian religions, there are a lot of people who are strict in their religion. They aren ’t as accepting and that ’s something we deal with a lot. ”

While the Blacksburg sector of the Unitarian church has recently claimed activism in the fight for homosexuals, Brownlie said they have welcomed people of any sexual orientation for a long time.

“We ’re different from other denominations because for about 15–20 years, the church has ordained regardless of sexual orientation, ” Brownlie said.

While some on-campus organizations such as the Newman Community and Campus Crusade for Christ feel all churches should welcome parishioners without concern for sexual orientation, Brownlie said the difference is the Unitarian activism.

Campus Crusaders member Bryce Whited, a graduate biomedical engineering student said he felt sexual orientation should not play a role in whether someone should be allowed to be a member of a church, but he didn’t feel same-sex marriages should be recognized because they were illegal.

“I definitely think they should be welcomed into the church though, ” he said.

Father Richard Mooney, the Catholic Campus minister at the Newman Community also said he hoped everyone would welcome gays and lesbians and he felt the Unitarian church was a good addition to Blacksburg.

Former Chair of the College Republicans Beau Correll, a senior international studies and political science double major disagreed.

“I think Unitarians are way off in la-la land, ” he said. “I wonder why they are the only people who conduct same-sex marriages. It makes me question their legitimacy. ”

While the Unitarian movement is a step forward for members of the LGBT community, Black said she didn ’t expect other churches of the community to make rapid movement in the direction.

“It ’s probably going to be a rarity. Churches are very slow when it comes to things like this, ” she said.

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