Word from Pastor Lisa: A Reconciling Congregation

Pastors Donna, John, & Lisa

We celebrate our recent church conference vote to become a Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) Congregation. On Sunday, Aug. 20, we agreed by 95% (89-2-3) to this important step on our journey of being a church that is open to all, especially those who are LGBTQIA+. This Sunday, Aug. 27 we will rejoice together at 9:30 and 11:45 a.m. with Rainbow Worship in honor of this decision and PrideFest the day before. We will take a congregation photo for RMN, so please wear either an FUMC T-shirt or a brightly colored shirt.

We express our gratitude to the Reconciling Core Team under the leadership of Ellyn Pruitt for their work over the last eight months on prayer, listening sessions, the survey, and individual conversations. Team members include Fran Klinger, Sam Kizer, Mary Jane Packard, Nancy Macklin, Sara Baysinger, Riley Roberts, Linda and Ed Stephenson, Jupiter Canada, and Stephanie Dickinson. We’re also grateful to all who have prayed, advocated, and worked for a more inclusive church over several decades and helped bring us to this moment.

As we give thanks, we also know there is still much prayerful, holy work ahead of us. Some of these areas include:

·         Our hospitality. Once formally approved, we will place the RMN welcoming statement on our site, and we will be listed on the RMN website as a congregation that welcomes all. By God’s grace, we will keep stretching ourselves to make this so in intersectional ways.

·         Our church policies. The Governing Board and Vision Team will continue holy conversations around same-sex marriage and weddings, as well as supporting people who are LGBTQIA+ as clergy.

·         Our denomination’s stance. We can be advocates for changes in the Book of Discipline at the 2024 General Conference. 

We also know that reconciliation is a journey, and we all come to this congregation with different experiences around LGBTQIA+ belonging in the church. While some of us are rejoicing at this decision, others us struggle because we have been raised in families, communities, or cultures that are not affirming. Some of us want to welcome people who are gay or lesbian, but we don’t understand about pronouns and gender identity. Still others of us affirm this decision, but we wonder what will happen around weddings and clergy in this church when our denomination remains exclusive.

Wherever you are on the journey, as long as you seek to love God and all of your neighbors (no exceptions), you are welcome here. As Methodist Founder John Wesley declared: “If thine heart is as my heart, if thou lovest God and all [hu]mankind, I ask no more: Give me thine hand.” Let’s walk hand in hand where Jesus leads us. May it be so.