Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches Shop

Purpose of the Coalition

Pride Flag.

The Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches is a collaboration of more than 80 churches and other ministries in the Chicago metropolitan area which welcome and affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We have two goals:

  • To spread the message of our members' LGBTQ-inclusion across the Chicago metropolitan area, mindful that a positive message about sexual and family diversity is a gift to all people.
  • To connect the leaders, members, and guests of our partner churches for fellowship and education, enabling support and resource-sharing for the practices of faithful welcome.

Join or Renew Your Partnership

Coalition Programs


Two young women.
Photo by Christine Allender.

Year-Round Programs

We work throughout the year to spread the message of inclusion and to connect our members to one another and to resources of interest to welcoming faith communities.

Weekly Advertisement

in the Windy City Times

Justice Witness on behalf of the CCWC, Planning Team members author relevant press releases and letters, and also sign petitions (for example, on marriage equality). In addition, we may encourage attendance in area protests, vigils and other gatherings for social change.

Group Emails:

Join the Coalition's Email List!

Coalition Calendar: The Coalition's calendar advertises events related to LGBTQ inclusion. Partner organizations may contact info@chicagowelcomingchurches.org for access. (Non-members may email the Coalition to submit announcements to the calendar.)

Occasional Gatherings are held three or four times a year. These are usually a blend of fellowship, worship and work.

Pride-Month Programs

Coalition Worship Service(s) feature ecumenical and LGBTQ pride themes during the month of June.

Other Events: A wide array of worship and educational events are hosted by our partners and/or cosponsored by the Coalition.

Pride Parade Witness: Each year, we turn out in force for an impressive witness of welcome in the Annual Chicago Pride Parade. For the last several years, 300-400 members of our partner organizations have marched together representing the Coalition.

Parade monitor and communion cups.
Photo by Christine Allender.

Service Opportunities

Our members and partners have many opportunities to support LGBTQ acceptance, inclusion and equality. We are developing a list of opportunities such as these:

Broadway Youth Center

Broadway Youth Center is a part of Howard Brown Health and is a haven for LGBTQ youth and young people experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Here, young people find a safe community as well as medical, social and mental health care services. All services are for youth, ages 12 to 24 regardless of their ability to pay.

Because we do not have a kitchen, the Center relies on food donations to provide breakfast and lunches for homeless youths. We are looking for partners to help us continue our meal program.

Partner congregations may provide anything from one meal a month, twice a month, or once a week, so whatever a church can assist with would be helpful.

For more information about how your congregation can participate, please, contact Tali Levy-Bernstein at TalliL@howardbrown.org. For more information about The Broadway Youth Center, visit howardbrown.org/byc/.

LGBT Refugees in Chicago

Chicago LGBT Asylum Support Program (CLASP) is an outgrowth of a nationwide group called LGBT Faith & Asylum Network (LGBT-FAN) which is dedicated to helping people who are seeking safety in the U.S. because of persecution based on sexual orientation or gender identity in their home countries. CLASP organizers hope to set an example in Chicago and be a model for other cities wanting to help this community.

CLASP is asking for help:

The offering taken at the Coalition's 2014 Ecumenical Pride Service went to CLASP.

Donations can be made in care of Broadway United Methodist Church.

Glenview.
Photo by Christine Allender.

How Churches May Become Coalition Partners

Please download these forms if your congregation is interested in becoming a member of the Coalition.

Contact us at info@chicagowelcomingchurches.org.

Co-Sponsored Programs

Co-sponsored programs include:

Co-sponsored programs are expected to be ecumenical.

Co-sponsored programs include these mutual benefits and responsibilities:

Co-sponsorship will be considered and approved by the entire Planning Team.

stacked church signs.
Photo by Christine Allender.

Our Partner's Programs

We are pleased to highlight the events of our partner organizations, as well the work of organizations who share our passion for LGBTQ inclusion and equality.

Partner organizations may promote their events on the Coalition's calendar. Events of other organizations may be posted upon approval.

Unless specifically indicated, events are not co-sponsored by the Coalition.

Coalition History

CCWC was born in August 2000 following the WOW2000 conference, the first nationwide conference of the ecumenical Welcoming Churches Movement. Held in DeKalb, Illinois, the conference planning was led by a number of Chicago-area LGBTQ people and their allies who committed to nurturing further local collaboration. Since its founding, the Coalition has grown from those first few member congregations to a list of over 80 churches and affiliates.

CCWC Seal

The CCWC Bylaws.

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