From the Minister, June 12, 2026
by Rev. Alex McGee
One of the greatest gifts one human can give another is the recognition of being seen. This is why babies thrive under attention from parents and community. This is why you, or I, under duress, do better when we can share vulnerably with another person and feel “seen.”
As Unitarian Universalists, we can offer this gift to each other and people in society who often have to make trade-offs about being seen. In June, for Pride month, we seek to make space in which people can bring their whole LGBTQ selves to UUFC.
Further, the Juneteenth acknowledgement reminds us of how many people lived enslaved lives, and then had to wait to be seen as free.
This matter of “being seen” has arisen in a new form in the past week in our country. The Department of Defense changed the forms that people fill out when enlisting in the military. No longer can a person check a box to claim the identity of “Unitarian Universalist.” Now, they are categorized as “Other.”
Let us not let this pass unnoticed. Please reach out to the military that you know who are also UU. Tell them that you see them! And read more in this statement from the UUA: https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/uu-military-chaplains-2026