Tis also the season, though, to take time to reflect on the past year and upcoming New Year, the time to reach out to help others who might be in need, and, for some of us, the season to connect with the religious part of ourselves. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or Bodhi Day, you can find services where you don’t have to worry about being turned away because of your sexual identity.

Thankfully, we are living in a country during a time where you can find an LGBT or LGBT-friendly religious institution during the holidays – or any time of year. So don’t be left out in the cold. Whether you are reconnecting with a religious affiliation from childhood or just curious about a religion that may or may not be familiar to you, there is a warm group waiting to welcome you.

The Metropolitan Community Church, is the “world’s first church group with a primary, positive ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender persons.”

MCC has a presence in just about every continent. Thousands flock to this lively organization, which began in 1968, to connect or reconnect with their Christian practice. Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, says, “this Christmas season, more than 250 local MCC congregations located in 28 countries will offer holiday programs and services ranging from children’s programs and special sermons to candlelight services, special concerts, Christmas pageants, social events, and programs to provide food, clothing and gifts to those struggling in today’s difficult economy.”

For those of you who celebrate with latkes and dreidels, the World Congress of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Jews is a great resource to get your bearings on where you can safely and queerly celebrate Hanukkah this year.

Started in 1974, the organization now boasts 50 chapters in 14 states. The World Congress pledges that “our vision is an environment where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Jews worldwide can enjoy free and fulfilling lives.” Check the World Congress site to find local services near you.

Kwanzaa, the annual African American celebration of family, community, and culture, is not just for heteros. With the theme, “to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves,” the 21st annual LGBT Community Kwanzaa will be held at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Services Center in Manhattan’s West Village Dec. 27.

Co-hosted by more than a dozen queer, minority organizations, this event promises to be a lively and well attended. The program includes a full day of activities, starting with an African Market and ending with Karamu, the community feast.

Western Buddhists are known for being especially tolerant of sexual diversity. In fact, that’s what makes Buddhism so appealing for many formerly Jewish, Christian, and otherwise LGBT folk.

The Gay Buddhist Fellowship in San Francisco and Queer Dharma in New York City are two LGBT-specific Buddhist organizations that you can join. Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is not an LGBT Buddhist organization, but they are known to be very diverse and inclusive.

While there is no official Buddhist holiday at the end of December, (Bodhi Day, or the day that commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment, is often celebrated in December, but the date varies depending on the lineage), the Buddhist Sanghas, or centers, offer regular sessions where you can meet like-minded religious folks in a safe atmosphere throughout the holiday season and any other time during the year.

Al Fatiha is an LGBT Islamic organization that “promotes the progressive Islamic notions of peace, equality and justice. We envision a world that is free from prejudice, injustice and discrimination, where all people are fully embraced and accepted into their faith, their families and their communities.”

The organization is a non-profit NGO, founded in 1998. Al Fatiha now runs seven chapters, all of which are in the United States. The organization is extremely politically active, participating in everything from asylum support and HIV/AIDS work to interfaith outreach and education and advocacy. They also hold retreats and conferences in conjunction with Families of Color Network, a project of the national office of PFLAG.

Believe it or not, there is even an organization called A Common Bond, which is a worldwide support network for GLBT former and current Jehovah’s Witnesses, with chapters in Atlanta, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Mississippi, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, New Hampshire, Palm Springs and Texas.

Jesse Dean, communications director of ABC, said, “we seek to move beyond the intolerance displayed by Jehovah’s Witnesses in matters of sexuality and religion and kindly implore the “Society” to focus instead, on open theological discussion.” While typically Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate holidays, the organization did hold a gathering on December 7th and, “some begin to celebrate holidays and start individual traditions while others are uncomfortable in celebrating holidays. We provide non-judgmental support to any personal decisions in this regard,” offered Dean.

Other attractions in the 10-day festival include parties, an open-air market, gay-themed films, an ice skating rink and religious services on Dec. 25.

ProGay group chairman Frank van Dalen said Monday the event is intended to increase the choices for homosexual men and women during the Christmas holiday week.

“Right now, there’s not much to do,” he said.

The festival will also encourage people to think about homosexuality and religion, Van Dalen added.

Some Christian groups protested. The organization Christians for Truth said the idea “mocks the core concepts of Evangelism.”

“By putting Joseph and Mary down as homosexuals, a cracked human fantasy is being tacked on to history from the Bible,” the organization said in a statement urging the city and organizers to cancel the event.

The manger, with actors playing the parts of Joseph and Mary, goes on display Dec. 21.

Van Dalen said it was not intended to be offensive, but was meant as a “wink” at heterosexual assumptions.

“Christmas is about more than religion, it’s also about love and families, not to mention shopping,” he said. “Two men or two women can form a family too these days, even one with a child.”

Gay marriage was legalized in the Netherlands in 2001, and adoption rules are the same here for gay or straight couples.

Van Dalen said the Pink Christmas initiative was also intended to help promote Amsterdam as a gay capital after a decline in its reputation in recent years.

A study last month found that homophobia is an ingrained problem in the city despite the Dutch reputation for tolerance, and physical attacks on gay men are a weekly affair.

The Human Rights Campaign on Monday released its 2009 “Buying for Equality” to help consumers identify hundreds of businesses and brands that support equality and fairness in the workplace for the LGBT community.

The guide includes listings from a record 260 companies that received a perfect 100 percent score on HRC’s 2009 Corporate Equality Index, an annual report on company policies related to diversity & inclusion training, non-discrimination policies and access to healthcare for LGBT employees and their families.

“With this year’s economy, we need to make sure every dollar we spend goes to businesses that have earned the right to call you a customer,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

“Every day, we make choices that send a powerful message about our values, our principles and our ideals.  We do it every time we make decisions on how to clothe and feed our families or what investments to make.  Where we spend and invest our dollars has remarkable potential to positively affect the LGBT community because it reinforces what many companies know: fairness is good business.”

The guide is broken down into sections including Apparel & Accessories; Banking & Finance; Eating Out; Home & Garden and Technology.

HRC also has a separate list of the businesses and organizations that supported California’s Proposition 8. The amendment passed on Election Day that eliminates the right for same-sex couples to marry in the state.  Although several Fortune 500 companies and organizations contributed to the No on 8 Campaign, no Fortune 500 companies were found to have contributed to the Yes on 8 Campaign.

This is the fourth year the Human Rights Campaign has published the “Buying for Equality” guide. This year, it included businesses that did not respond to survey request over the past three years.

According to a Witeck-Combs/Market Research.com study, the buying power of the LGBT community is estimated to be $759 billion in 2009.

“During difficult economic times, our nation’s businesses know that every dollar spent by consumers figures into the success of their organization,” said in a statement.