Celebrating Rev.Sofia Betancourt, New President of the Unitarian Universalist Association!

After following several stories of the collapse, splintering, schism of the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA), The United Methodist Church, Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC), it is good to end Pride month with a “feel good” story of a church that is celebrating and moving forward in embracing those of us who are LGBTQIA2S+. The Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) new President is a womanist theologian and ethicist who is a lesbian, the Rev. Sofia Betancourt. 

For years, there was criticism within the UUA about it’s hiring practices. The first woman elected to be President was the Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray. Rev. Peter Morales is the predecessor to Rev. Betancourt, who was appointed interim President after the brouhaha over the hiring practices regarding people of color in the UUA.

About her tenure as President of the UUA, Betancourt told Kathryn Post of the religionnews.com, that her priorities are as follows: “Communal care, collaborative leadership and facing the unknown together. She has also been clear that she views Unitarian Universalism as a living tradition that must creatively respond to the needs of today. “I think that a space that invites us to faith formation that is about the welcome and inclusion of all, while holding on to a very particular historical tradition, is powerful.” 

Here’s a link to the story: https://religionnews.com/2023/06/25/unitarian-universalists-elect-first-woman-of-color-openly-queer-president/

Amid the sad, anguishing stories of splintering, schism, fracturing, rescinding, and censuring LGBTQIA2S+ clergy and faculty at various churches and institutions of higher education, let us celebrate the election of Rev. Betancourt as the new President of UUA!

Amen.




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