Greetings!

by Leo Bancroft
Region 1 Regional Coordinator

Hello!  If we haven't met, my name is Leo Bancroft (he/him), and I am the Region 1 Regional Coordinator for ReconcilingWorks.

I am new to this volunteer position since April, after Karen and Paul Jolly retired from 11 years of faithful service.

God's love is big enough for everyone, and I am committed to helping churches be places of love, belonging and welcome for all, especially those in the LGBTQ community.

Region 1 includes Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Idaho and Washington, and I am a volunteer with a day job in the tech world, so I wanted to put together this blog to give us all a chance to connect, teach, inspire, encourage, and help one another.  

This first launch includes a few reflections from folks from different synods in this Region.  

• Mary Lauver from the Eastern Washington/Idaho Synod reflects on the power of welcome
• MaryAnn Nelson from the Southwest Washington Synod shares her thoughts on the Supreme Court ruling on the freedom to marry for all
• David De Block from the Northwest Washington Synod shares his reflections on Pride
• Preston Blackburne from the Oregon Synod shares his photo reflections on Pride

And be sure to check out the Events page to find out opportunities in your area.

Enjoy!  and thank you for all you do!

Portland Pride

Photos used with permission from Preston Blackburne

Rejoicing in the Freedom to Marry

A Reflection from June 26, 2015 - Decision Day
by MaryAnn Nelson, Southwest Washington Synod

My daisy plant opened its flowers today. I had checked it last night and it was ready to bloom but not open. The daisies are planted in remembrance of  our wedding . We will have shared in all the many, many rights of marriage for 41 years in August. 

Today is a historic day! I cry tears of joy at the Supreme Court’s decision to recognize the fundamental right for all people to have equal access to marriage. For the first time, the U.S. government , working through the Supreme Court, has recognized love is love. They have recognized that committed, loving relationships of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are all equal and will have equal protection under the law in all states and the District of Columbia. 

The ruling is a blessing for my family. Washington state is a marriage state already. My boys are planning their wedding for next summer. I am a mama and I worried that my boys would be offered a wonderful job in a state that  would not recognize their love. However this ruling will mean that our son and our almost son in law will gain the protections of marriage throughout the United States, all fifty states.  Our younger son was in a domestic partnership some years ago—we called it marriage. They carried cards to prove their relationship at that time. If a medical problem came up the card came out to prove what their relationship was, to make sure they could be together in an emergency. I have never carried my marriage certificate in case my husband had a medical emergency. And Jacob and Brandon will not have to carry proof of their relationship when they travel throughout the United States.

This ruling is a cause for celebration! I am carrying my Kleenex with me as I work today. My happiness  is dripping down my face. However please remember that this is one step. There are still many injustices based on sexual orientation and gender identify and expression in our country. Together working with people of faith we can continue to work for justice and equity for all of God’s  people.

I will pick daisies to put on the altar of Stella Lutheran Chapel Sunday.  And  I will rejoice with my church family!

Add your church to the growing list of congregations who provide marriages for LGBTQ couples

A Reflection on Seattle Pride

by David De Block, Northwest Washington Synod

For the past 4 years I have been one of the main organizers for the Contingency of Loving Lutheran that have registered under Open Door Ministries banner. Each year has been different in its own way, but every year we stand for the same thing, LOVE. We are the visible representation that Christianity is not a black and white set of rules that requires one to give up a part of themselves to have faith or share the joys of Christian Community. We are all broke people who live in a confusing and chaotic world, but are united under the life and lessons of Jesus Christ.

I don’t know that I have anything particularly inspirational to say when it comes to Seattle Pride March. It’s a rather large production with 3 speaker points, hundreds or registers, and an hour or two of waiting around to start moving down the 2 mile trek down 4^th Ave. When I first started helping to get folks to come I started with a list of 20 congregations from around the Pacific Northwest, some good contacts, and a passion to help organize. With a dozen experienced churches who’d been marching for years I coasted my first year. The second year we had a huge bump with Referendum 74 passing and the Freedom to Marry being the law of the land! We added over 150 Loving Lutherans representing 17+ congregations/organizations. It was an exciting time.

The third year I had a friends wedding, but excitedly began to add office administrators to the growing number of declared Reconciling InChrist Congregations and organizations to help get the word out more efficiently. Leaving it in the hands of others, we had a similar turn out to the year before. This past summer, Northwest Washington Bishop Kirby Unti marched in front of 23+ Congregations and Organizations totaling 200+ Loving Lutherans as we celebrated National Marriage Equality in America.

From year to year I’ve learned one very valuable lesson, Love Grows. It grows through relationship committed to compassion. It flourishes when people confront stereotypes and fears with an open heart.

 

The most exciting thing this year for me was getting to know those within the various Lutheran Congregations that are witnessing in their local context. Several people marching with us were individuals who were not a part of a Reconciling in Christ congregation but had a strong desire to move their community toward becoming one. I shared where I could relate and offered to help them connect with resources in the Lutheran World because we all know Reconciling Works!

Blessings,

David De Block

Coordinator of Intergenerational Ministries

Central Lutheran Church

Seattle WA

A Beautiful Witness

by Mary Lauver, Eastern Washington/Idaho Synod

After Trinity in Pullman, WA became an RIC congregation, we started attending the local Palouse Pride event. We had a table with a banner reading “Welcoming Churches”. A couple of beautiful young women with shining faces and bright eyes, Jennie and Joy, approached our table and Jennie began the conversation with “I love God, but I don’t love that I can’t be totally who I am at the church I attend. I can’t hold Joy’s hand during the service, and it bothers me a lot!” I replied, “well, you could come to Trinity and hold hands; you would be more than welcome.” 

A few weeks later, Jennie and Joy came, and I sat with them, and when I saw them holding hands, I cried. They became valued and loved members of our congregation, helping serve communion, sometimes singing in the choir, and making good friends with some parishioners, especially our retired campus pastor and his wife. 

Their careers and families took them to ‘the Holy Land’ of Minnesota, and we were sad to bid them farewell. When our campus pastor died, Jennie and Joy drove virtually non-stop from MN to WA to attend his memorial service, spent a few hours with us and then drove all the way back. 

It was a beautiful witness to the difference it can make in peoples’ lives when a church makes an intentional and public welcome to ALL people. We love and miss you, Jennie and Joy!  (Joy on left, Jennie on right.)