Reconciling Works

ReconcilingWorks urges participation in May 17 International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia To North Americans, Idaho is a largely mountainous state in the northwestern United States. But around the world, IDAHO is becoming known as something else: the International Day Against Homophobia (sometimes with Transphobia as part of the name to make the acronym IDAHOT). […]

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia Many faith communities and organizations around the world commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) every year on May 17. These faith communities and organizations not only come together to highlight the intersections of faith and sexuality to remember victims of homo/bi/transphobia and to stand against religiously […]

Two members of the ReconcilingWorks Board of Directors have vacated their positions, which were filled on an interim basis at the board’s meeting earlier in March. Jeannine Janson, Yachats, Oregon, resigned from her position as Vice-Chair of Development. Her resignation signifies a retirement from many years of service on the organization’s board. She was the […]

Over 300 faith leaders–including over 45 ELCA Lutheran pastors and a bishop–support the freedom to marry in Illinois. Click on the graphic below to see their letter of support and the full list of signatories.    

A report from the Rev. Kim Beckmann in Chicago: In a Valentine’s Day session, the Illinois State Senate voted 34 – 21 yesterday in favor of SB 10: the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. This vote was a significant step toward making Illinois the tenth state to legally recognize and support the loving commitments […]

Yesterday, Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke of the Oregon Synod (ELCA), along with a large, ecumencial group of clergy in the Portland metro area, signed a petition in support of putting a call for the freedom to marry on the November 2014 ballot in Oregon. Bishop Brauer-Rieke also wrote a letter to members of the Oregon Synod, […]

ReconcilingWorks Welcomes Kari Lipke to Staff Kari Lipke joined the ReconcilingWorks staff in late July to help organize Lutherans in support of the Washington United for Marriage Referendum 74 campaign. Her work on the campaign was made possible, in part, through a partnership with Gethsemane Lutheran in Seattle.  At the successful completion of that campaign to […]

Illinois’ Augustana College to allow same-gender ceremonies on campus Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, announced in late November that it would allow same-gender weddings and blessings of unions on campus. In a letter sent to students, faculty and staff, the college’s president, Steve Bahls, explained that a recommendation had come earlier in the fall from […]

ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participationwww.ReconcilingWorks.org NEWS RELEASE For immediate release November 7, 2012 ReconcilingWorks celebrates victories nationwide for LGBT people ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation is reacting to yesterday’s election with joy at the sweeping victories for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in four states and for re-electing an ally to the presidency. “Ground […]

First United Lutheran, San Francisco, Returns to the ELCA On October 14, a service of Reconciliation and Healing was held at First United Lutheran Church, San Francisco, to mark an important decision in the life of the congregation: to accept the Sierra Pacific synod’s invitation to return to the ELCA so that they may better […]