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Reconciling in Christ (RIC)
Being a Reconciling in Christ partner congregation is vital for our church. It embodies our commitment to embracing diversity and fostering inclusivity at Shepherd of the Valley. By openly welcoming our neighbors in the LGBTQIA+ community, we create a space where all can fully participate and experience God’s love without judgment.
This partnership reflects our dedication to living out Christ’s message of compassion and acceptance for everyone.
In 2021, our Church Council approved the idea of creating an Equity Task Force (ETF). This group was charged with looking at SOTV’s ministries and operating structures to see if there were opportunities to be welcoming and inclusive of more people. Staff, Council, and others in church leadership have heard for years that SOTV feels “like home.” And yet, there are people who have visited SOTV on a Sunday morning after attending our Block Party or other community events, but didn’t come back. For being a large church, we certainly look very homogeneous. If we spent some time looking at ourselves through an equity lens, is there something we could learn that might help this special place feel “like home” to more people?
The Equity Task Force (ETF) was set up for a one year duration, where people who expressed interest and were approved by Council would spend time learning together, diving into ministry areas, making recommendations, and ultimately evaluating and prioritizing recommendations that would then go to staff and Council. One of the early recommendations made and agreed to by the team was to begin the process of becoming a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) partner. Reconciling in Christ (RIC) is the designation that Lutheran churches might seek to help communicate their desire to welcome and fully include the LGBTQIA+ community in their Christian community. RIC is part of the organization called ReconcilingWorks, which is an independent Lutheran organization that works collaboratively with the ELCA. While many people in the LGBTQIA+ community seek this designation when looking for a church home, we’ve learned that this designation can communicate a broader message to people of other marginalized groups: you’re welcome here.
While many congregations that begin the process to become an RIC partner don’t complete the process with a vote to formally become an RIC partner, the process includes congregational dialogue and learning, which the ETF thought could help inform and prioritize other recommendations to come. The pastors and Council agreed, and the process began in the summer of 2021 by posting in the News for the Flock that we were looking for people to help lead the congregation through the RIC journey. More than twenty people expressed interest, and ultimately twelve chose to be part of the team.
In order to begin understanding congregational sentiment, the RIC team developed a survey which was administered in 2021. Of those who responded to the survey, 76% said they wholeheartedly supported becoming an RIC congregation, 14% said they wanted to learn more, and 10% said they did not support this designation. There seemed to be enough support to continue the RIC process so we dug deeper into survey data.
The survey identified areas where the congregation wanted more information. The biggest topics of interest were what scripture teaches, how this would impact our congregational life, the benefits and outcomes of this designation, and the ELCA’s position on human sexuality. The RIC team planned opportunities for learning in these areas and more. They created listening sessions and a series of videos (linked in the resource section below), to hear feedback on how the congregation felt about continuing this process, and to provide further education. After these learning opportunities, another survey was administered in the fall of 2022. Of those who responded to the survey, 86% said they now wholeheartedly supported becoming an RIC partner.
Based on these results, it was recommended to the Church Council that we have a vote to formally become an RIC partner. In a special congregational meeting held at SOTV on May 7, we voted to be a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) partner. This recognizes us as a congregation that is fully welcoming and affirming of our neighbors in the LGBTQIA+ community. The motion passed with 90% yes votes!
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Affiliated with the ELCA and Saint Paul Area Synod
