What is a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation
The purpose of the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program is to ensure the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; work for racial equity and commit to anti-racist work; and to support the national program.
As a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Congregation, we make the following commitments.
Clearly state 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 a Welcome Statement.
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We are open to calling LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC (Black, Brown, Indigenous, Person of Color) Rostered Leaders. A Rostered Leader is any clergy/pastor or deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); this commitment extends to all areas of leadership within the life of your community.
We allow sanctuary/community space to be used for LGBTQIA+ weddings and blessings.
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We make a meaningful contribution annually to support the national RIC program.
Good Shepherd Welcome Statement
We at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are called to love God, Family and Neighbor through Prayer, Teaching and Action. We welcome All because God welcomes All, regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or relationship status. We welcome all without regard to physical or mental health, socio-economic circumstances, imprisonment by bars, addiction or depression, or any of the many other things that too often divide us. In our promise to welcome all, we commit ourselves to the work of anti-racism, in institutions and internally; interpersonally and structurally. Our unity is in Christ. We commit to honor and uplift the voices and lived experiences of all God’s children and welcome their leadership, knowing it will bring growth. We hold ourselves accountable, individually and collectively, to love our neighbor through ongoing education and the intentional pursuit of physical, emotional, and spiritual safety for those in our community. We recognize that we, individually and as a community, have room to grow in living out God’s radical love, trusting that God is guiding us through this journey of welcoming and working for justice and equity for All.
Galatians 3:23-29: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for All of you are one in Christ Jesus.”