Lutheran church in Rockford formally accepts LGBT community
By Jennifer Wheeler
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Jan 27, 2013 @ 09:31 PM
ROCKFORD — A rainbow banner outside Emmanuel Lutheran Church proclaims: “I Am Beautiful Inside,” encouraging the community to see the majesty in the congregation and themselves.
On Sunday, parishioners made that support official.
They voted in favor of Emmanuel becoming Rockford’s first designated Reconciling in Christ congregation, which advocates full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through ReconcilingWorks (ReconcilingWorks.org).
The decision was certainly not unanimous, but many say it will open doors for those who feel unaccepted in their churches.
“It makes me feel so proud that everyone feels they can be welcomed here. It’s a family,” member Christyn Rittenhouse said.
Even before the official vote, several gay and lesbian couples joined the congregation and served on staff. The organization performed blessings on those couples and planned to do so until it is legal for same-sex couples to get hitched.
The decision will not change the congregation’s status-quo, but it will help ReconcilingWorks move forward by promoting its values publicly, said Jack Ream, president of the congregation.
Members previously relied on the group’s website, newsletter and outside banner to inform others that they will not turn someone away because of sexual orientation. More…… (Continued on RRStar.com/news/x1631911031/Lutheran-church-in-Rockford-formally-accepts-LGBT-community)
“Emmanuel is finally coming out of the closet,” Ream said.
Some parishioners voted against the designation only to ensure that it wasn’t a unanimous vote, which could have put an unfavorable, unnecessary label on the group.
Ream declined to say how many of the 72 ballots cast supported becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation, but it was a “significant” amount.
Lifelong congregation member Cathy Schocker said Emmanuel has always had an accepting environment, welcoming people with various sexual orientations for years.
“It just shouldn’t even be a question,” she said.
Jennifer Wheeler: 815-987-1354; jwheeler@rrstar.com; @jenmwheeler
Copyright 2013 Rockford Register Star
The ReconcilingWorks (ReconcilingWorks.org) website says:
All people are welcome here. Why should we single out lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people?
The Reconciling in Christ Program doesn't seek special treatment for LGBT people. The reality is, however, that we live in a time where the voices of fear and misunderstanding often dominate the public discussion about sexuality. Tragically, these fearful voices are often all that are heard—and are sometimes taken to be definitive of what it means to be Christian. In fact, Lutherans Concerned continues to learn of Lutheran churches that shun LGBT people. Sometimes, even parents and other family of LGBT people are vilified.