Reconciling in Christ Conversation

Last weekend we had a good congregational conversation about our belonging to the organization that was called, Reconciling in Christ, and is now called Reconciling Works. It is celebrating 50 years of ministry of encouraging ELCA congregations to be welcoming of LGBTQIA+ individuals. It is not a part of the ELCA organizational structure, but is an accompanying organization that works alongside ELCA and their congregations. Here is their mission statement from the webpage.

“Since 1974, Reconciling Works: Lutherans for Full Participation has advocated for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community.”

Zion was encouraged to join this organization in 2006 by the Diversity Team and its member, Bea Beyerhelm at the Annual meeting and has continued to be a member since. The reason we were having the conversation is in the last couple of years Reconciling Works has added to their core values and asked all present and future congregations to re-adopt four core values/practices.

At the end of this article are the four values statements. Overall, the majority of those present at the meeting were comfortable with adopting these statements. This event was held to get a temperature of how people at Zion were feeling about these changes, so that we could discern how much more conversation or education we needed to do in order to put a vote on the 2025 Annual Meeting agenda. When asked, the group felt like we did not need to have any further group conversations to bring it to a vote.

We know that not everyone could be at that meeting. If you would like to have a chance to share your thoughts, or ask any questions, please feel free to contact a council member or Pastor Marsha in the next couple of months. In our effort to be transparent we want to give everyone a chance to hear about and share their thoughts concerning this commitment Zion would be making toward both, being welcoming of LGBTQIA+ individuals, and working towards more racial equity in our society.

1. Congregation clearly states a welcome to people of “all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions” or LGBTQIA+ and name its commitment to “racial equity” or “anti-racism” in its welcome statement. Anything in bold and quotations must be included in your RIC Partner Welcome Statement to meet Reconciling Works commitments.

2. Be open to calling an LGBTQIA+ and Black, Brown, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC) Rostered Leader. A Rostered Leader is any clergy/pastor or deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA); this commitment extends to all areas of leadership within the life of your community.

3. Allow sanctuary/community space to be used for LGBTQIA+ weddings and blessings.

4. Making a meaningful contribution annually to support the national RIC program.