Nebraska Synod ELCA

by Pastor Tobi White

Our lives are filled with acronyms: ELCA, LGBTQIA+, ROTC, NCIS (I’ve been binging the series again). We assume everyone knows what they mean because we assume everyone is an insider. This is insider knowledge. But we know what happens when we assume. So, perhaps it’s best to spell it out. What do we mean when we say we are RIC? We mean that we are Reconciling in Christ. Well, what does THAT mean?

In 1974, an organization called Reconciling Works was birthed. Their identity was (and still is) centered in seeking justice within the Lutheran faith communities for people who identify within the LGBTQIA+ community. For the past 50 years, they have continued the work of helping people in this community access the right to worship, lead, and live within our Lutheran congregations without fear. Because the honest truth is that many, if not most, Lutheran congregations of the past have exiled the people of this community through hurtful words, actions, and edicts.

My congregation, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln, became a RIC congregation in January of this year. It was a nearly-5-year process of conversations, education, and loss. Yes, we lost people who felt that this was going too far. But we’ve also gained. We’ve gained energy and hope. We’ve gained several folks in the LGBTQIA+ community who are tentatively engaging in worship with us, waiting to see if they’re really welcome or if it’s just words. And I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Reconciliation is a term we throw around a lot in Christian circles. We often speak as if it is a natural element of relationships and a natural consequence of forgiveness. It is not. It requires rebuilding trust. And it is a lifelong process of renewing that trust. That is why we are called Reconciling (and not Reconciled) in Christ. Through the work of Christ, we continue to rebuild trust among a community to whom we have much to repent and from whom we should expect little and still receive forgiveness. Thanks be to God for the ministry that allows us to be redeemed by the cross of Christ!

To become a RIC congregation, there are three primary things you need to agree to:

1. Clearly state a welcome to people of “all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions” or “LGBTQIA+” and name its commitment to “racial equity” or “anti-racism” in its welcome statement.
2. Be open to calling an LGBTQIA+ and Black, Brown, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC) Rostered Leader.
3. Allow sanctuary/community space/ to be used for LGBTQIA+ weddings and blessings.
4. Make a meaningful contribution annually to support the national RIC program.

(To learn more about the process, go to www.reconcilingworks.org.)

Pastor Tobi White serves at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln, NE.