While many experience our world as a place of alienation and brokenness, we as a community of the Baptized are called to share God’s grace, welcome, and love with everyone. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness, and we are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing and justice within our society. We affirm that in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one and all people share the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God.
We confess we have betrayed this oneness in particular ways as it relates to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and race, causing deep wounds that have betrayed the Gospel. While it is not exhaustive, this welcome is meant to address these specific wounds. Some of the ways we make known our care and concern is by affirming the following:
- That LGBTQIA+ people are welcome within the sacramental and public life of this congregation.
- That LGBTQIA+ people are welcome into membership of this congregation upon making their affirmation of baptismal faith.
- That LGBTQIA+ people are invited to share in all aspects of this community including gifts of administration, teaching, and leadership.
- That this congregation will wholeheartedly share the community space/sanctuary for LGBTQIA+ weddings and blessings.
- That this congregation is open to calling any rostered leader including one who may be LGBTQIA+, Black, Brown, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.
Furthermore, we recognize the intersectionality of a person’s experience of gender and race, and therefore commit to the hard work of becoming antiracist, as we live into our welcome.