About our Reconciling Congregation

A Reconciling Congregation is a United Methodist local church that makes a public statement welcoming all persons, regardless of sexual orientation, to participate fully in its congregational life. In addition to local churches, many campus ministries, annual conferences and other UM groups have adopted “reconciling” statements.

Why we are a Reconciling Congregation

There is a significant witness to why congregations make a public statement: We want our community to know that we welcome everyone.

Many local church and Christian leaders are public about their antigay actions and statements. Therefore, Reconciling Congregations must be public about their desire to be in ministry with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons. The overwhelming view within the lgbt community today is that they are not welcome in churches. We need to overcome that perception. As Christ’s People, we are called to end isolation, to break down barriers of division, and to preach the Good News.

A public statement is our evangelism, our witness, to speak God’s Love for all persons. Remember Jesus’ statement about hiding your light under a bushel (Matt. 5:15). Rather than a decision to be kept quiet, the decision to become a Reconciling Congregation is an event to celebrate.

Resources

A good place to start your search for additional resources on reconciling ministries is http://www.rmnetwork.org/