Pronouns as Welcome

Starting on Pride Sunday (June 27), as you enter the Sanctuary for in-person worship, you will now see on the registration table a book of postage-sized stickers with pronouns. If you would like to wear a pronoun sticker this or any Sunday morning, you can choose he/him, she/her, they/them, and/or a blank sticker onto which you can write your pronouns. We encourage you to wear this sticker on your shirt or name tag as you feel comfortable. 

Using these stickers is a part of our continuous work toward becoming a more hospitable and inclusive church. Simply put, using people’s pronouns and gendering them appropriately (that is, in the way that they desire and not simply the way they look) is a concrete way that we can show God’s love to others. When we introduce ourselves with our pronouns and wear a pronoun sticker or pin, we create a safe space for others to share their gender identities. We make it clear that we accept and affirm everyone.

For more information on pronoun use, you may revisit the materials from a recent Sunday Seminar led by Jeannie Gainsburg, the author of the book The Savvy Ally, read this article by the Reverend Shanea D. Leonard about the use of pronouns as a justice issue, and check this website: mypronouns.org