Affirmation of Welcome
Resurrection Lutheran Church
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us.
2 Corinthians 5:17-20a
As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people in our world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Our world is a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness. We are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society.
We affirm with the apostle Paul that "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) We acknowledge that this reconciliation and unity include persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including but not limited to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer.
Because such persons are often scorned by society and alienated from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following:
- that persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities share the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God;
- that persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities are fully welcome within the membership and leadership of this congregation upon making affirmation of Christian faith; and
- that as members of this congregation, persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities are expected and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation.
Updated & Approved by Church Council, 23 March 2006
Invite • Include • Involve • Inspire + In Christ