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Reconciling In Christ

WHAT IT MEANS

Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregations publicly welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people into the life and ministry of the church. They are accepted onto a national roster maintained by ReconcilingWorks after adopting an afffirmation of welcome at the full congregational level. Other denominations use terms like "Open and Affirming" to describe the same concept.

While First Lutheran Church has long been a place where all people and all families have been embraced and accepted, the congregation decided in 2013 to formalize its welcome to the LGBTQ community -- and to all people who have been historically marginalized by the Church -- by adopting an Affirmation of Welcome and becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation.

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.

– Galatians 3:28

AFFIRMATION OF WELCOME

We of First Lutheran Church publicly and joyfully state that we welcome, without exception, all people regardless of race or ethnic background, sexual orientation or gender identity, marital status, physical-mental ability or disability, economic or employment status, age or level of education, or struggles with addiction. We recognize that each person is a unique creation of God, made in God’s image, with gifts to share in this community of faith.

All are welcome at First Lutheran to worship God, receive the sacraments, and share in fellowship and service. All members of First Lutheran commit themselves to exercise their faith, treasuring one another’s similarities and accepting their differences in the spirit of love and good will as we continue to discover what it means to be “Reconciling in Christ.”