ABOUT US 

The United Church of Christ Suncoast Rainbow Coalition of the Greater Tampa Bay Area is a Ministry Team of the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ.  We originally operated informally in the greater Tampa Bay area since 2002, by starting out as a monthly social gathering of gay men in area UCC congregations.

However, we quickly developed into an outreach vehicle in the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bixexual, and transgender) community and evolved into a LGBT-straight coalition, continuing in cooperation with and on behalf of UCC clergy and congregations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Sarasota, Manatee, and Polk Counties.

The UCC Suncoast Rainbow Coalition meets regularly (every 4-6 weeks).  You are welcome to join us!

During the time we have been in existence, we have organized or sponsored the following:

• Informal social gatherings for gay UCC men;

• Fellowship gatherings for LGBT UCCers and straight supporters/allies;

• A local presentation by Ron Buford of the UCC's Stillspeaking Initiative;

• A "Get to know the UCC" picnic for interested members of the Tampa Bay LGBT community;

• Staffed a table at the St. Pete Pride Street Festival;

• Staffed a table at Sarasota Pride;

• Staffed a table at Tampa Winter Pride;

• Staffed a table at the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Business Expo;

• Created and printed thousands of brochures explaining the UCC to the local LGBT community that provided location and contact information about area congregations (distributed at public events such as Pride and the Film Festival);

• Sponsored a half-page color advertisement in the Film Festival booklet (distribution of 10,000);

• Purchased an advertisement to accompany a multi-page feature article about the UCC in the Gazette (a LGBT news magazine with a circulation in the Tampa Bay area of over 40,000).

• We continually participate in events throughout the Tampa Bay region.  Click here to see pictures.

• We helped sponsor a resolution (which was passed) to help educate congregations in the Florida Conference of the UCC about how to declare themselves Open and Affirming.

• We organized "A Celebration of Faith and Diversity" with Equality Florida and the Human Rights Campaign in November 2007.

We also strive to serve as an educational resource for congregations considering declaring themselves Open and Affirming, provide speakers, organize workshops, and network with other LGBT and supportive organizations (faith-based and otherwise).