Reconciling Works

The ELCA has been working for the past year on developing a “Social Message on Gender-Based Violence” (GBV). JamieAnn Meyers and Nicole Garcia, board members of ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation, participated as consultants on this project, which is headed by Mary Streufert, Ph.D. Mary is the Director of Justice for Women in the Office […]

The heart of the Reformation, “the doctrine by which the church stands or falls,” as Luther wrote, is “justification by faith.” To people dreadfully anxious about their salvation, Luther declared that our behavior–whether good or bad–had nothing to do with fixing our relationship with God. God fixes the relationship … as a gift. Being true to the Lutheran confessions means using the principle of “justification by faith” to ask afresh in every era, “what shall we say now in order to be life-giving today?”  

Four hundred and ninety-six years later, ReconcilingWorks is asking YOU that same question. What will we say, what will we do, that’s life-giving for LGBT people? 

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the local church house door, calling for spiritual renewal and ecclesiastical reform. Luther’s words touched off a worldwide movement that turned the Church inside out, revealing the central core of the Gospel message of God’s unconditional love and acceptance of all in Jesus Christ.

For 40 years ReconcilingWorks has and continues to work for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the life of the church and society. The work of many heroes and saints—that is, of members, volunteers, donors and supporters just like you—have helped create safe places for LGBT people and families to worship and thrive. 

But our work is not done. ReconcilingWorks knows both church and world remain in great need of reformation and renewal. We know it is critical for welcome to be a lived experience for all, not just a statement attached to the church door.

As we mark 40 years of reform and renewal, will you celebrate ReconcilingWorks by supporting the work we still have ahead of all of us? Make a financial gift of $40 in commemoration of our 40th anniversary or of an amount meaningful to you.

Please help us keep turning the world inside out, honoring the wisdom and courage of Martin Luther and all the saints who have come before us. DONATE NOW.

  The ELCA’s Working Group for Ministry to and with Same Gender Couples and their Families needs your input. As part of the Working Group’s mission to encourage conversations and resource sharing throughout the church about ministering to and with LGBT couples and their families, the Working Group has developed a questionnaire to discover what […]

Post by ReconcilingWorks. Spirit Day encourages all to make a public witness against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. Observed annually since 2010, individuals, congregations, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes “spirit” on the rainbow flag. Suggested prayer petition for Oct. 12 (Anticipating Spirit […]

What is Ally Week? Ally Week, taking place this year October 12-18 is a whole week where we can engage in a national dialogue about how everyone can work to become better allies to LGBT youth. Whether you’re a lesbian adult working to make schools safer for today’s youth, or a gay student organizing to […]