January 2026 Article

Hello Pilgrim family & friends! Welcome to 2026!

We lift up in gratitude, Tracy Abler and the Congregation of Sisters of St Agnes (CSA), for providing the December meal for Open Circle Unitarian’s Church Café Q’s (LGBTQ+ youth) monthly gathering. CSA really had to do meal prep!! When asked what they wanted for their December gathering the youth responded: “We would like “KFC” style, since we no longer have a KFC in town! Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, potato logs, biscuits.”

And then Tracy and her ‘crew’ added baked but undecorated Christmas cut out cookies with ALL the fixings! No questions asked – just giving! And we give thanks for that too!!

We are ready for Café Q meal volunteers for 2026! Please review our link to the Sign Up Genesis calendar for 2026 meals and sign up for the month that works for you!

Cafe Q LINK Please see Sue Kaiser with any questions: suekai@aol.com/920.946.5563

Friends, as we move forward into the New Year – we look to deepen our understanding of what it means to truly BE Open and Affirming! We invite you to attend our Open and Affirming education session on January 25, 2026 following our worship service. As we contemplate the final content for this education session there are several topics of discussion we are considering:

Understanding our ONA Covenant: Discussions on why a public ONA statement is important to explicitly welcome LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, reducing the possibility of misunderstanding who is included in the “welcome”.

Intersectionality of Justice: Exploring the current challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly those at the intersections of racism, poverty, and gender-based violence, and how the church is called to respond with faithful public action.

Shifting Power and Shared Leadership: Making intentional space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people to lead within the church community, ensuring the voices of those most affected by injustice are centered.

Community Building and Outreach: Strategies for ONA churches to become a visible and reliable presence in the local LGBTQ+ community, especially regarding issues like protecting youth from bullying or advocating for equal protection under the law.

“Our Whole Lives” (OWL) Programs: Some churches use the UCC’s comprehensive lifespan sexuality education program, which incorporates religious values and up-to-date information on gender and sexuality, as a basis for discussion and education.

We look forward to sharing the end of 2025 with you and learning and growing WITH you on January 25, 2026 as we continue our ONA learning journey.

Wishing you well in 2026. Your Pilgrim ONA Team!