By Grace Terry

Convener of local chapter PFLAG

BYRON– Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) of Middle Georgia will hold its first organizational meeting on Monday, August 13, 2018, at 7:00 pm at Unity Spiritual Life Center, 303A Main St., Byron, GA 31008. The meeting is open to all interested persons and there is no cost or fee to attend.

Future meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm at the same location. For directions to the church, visit

http://www.unityofcentralga.com/contact-us.html .

According to the website of PFLAG’s national office (www.pflag.org), “For over four decades, PFLAG has provided support to families and allies who are in need, through peer-to-peer meetings, online outreach, and telephone hotlines. PFLAG National also offers a huge variety of resources and programs that provide support for those in need.”

PFLAG has 400 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple generations of American families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “In Georgia, there are local chapters of PFLAG in Atlanta and in Valdosta, but none in between,” according to Grace Terry, convener of the new local chapter. “This new chapter will fill that gap and help to meet the needs of middle Georgia families who have not had this resource conveniently available until now.”

PFLAG National and all local chapters are non-sectarian, non-denominational, and are not affiliated with any particular religious institution. Although chapter meetings may be held in buildings owned by religious communities, chapters are not programs of – nor do they promote the religious beliefs of – those organizations.

Beth Boilott, Spiritual Director of Unity Spiritual Life Center in Byron, stated, “We extend our hospitality to PFLAG with no conditions or strings attached and without any expectation or intention of teaching our spiritual beliefs during the meetings. This is in complete agreement with PFLAG’s national policy.”

Addressing broader concerns, the PFLAG website states, “We commit to fight for fairness inclusive of people’s sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic position, religion, level of mental or physical ability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other perceived or actual characteristic. …PFLAG reaffirms that unity and inclusion and a shared commitment to human dignity of all people are critical to fight discrimination and bigotry in any form so that all families can live free of fear.”

For more information, visit www.pflag.org or call 727.487.3207 to speak with the convener of the Middle Georgia Chapter.