What does it mean to partner with RMN?
The 2020-2024 General Conference made enormous strides – removing 52 year old anti-LGBTQ+ language and policies from our United Methodist Book of Discipline. While we celebrate this significant milestone, we know that a change in policy doesn’t equal a change of heart throughout the UMC.
Our churches and conferences are not equally inclusive or affirming of LGBTQ+ persons. Discrimination and harm continue, and so our work continues as well – starting with the transformation of our hearts and congregations.
Reconciling churches, communities, and campus ministries partner with RMN as Reconciling Ministries.
This is a commitment to ongoing collaboration and co-leadership to achieve LGBTQ+ justice and full inclusion in the life and leadership of The United Methodist Church, both in policy and in practice.
Reconciling Ministries engage in the ministry of reconciliation in two ways:
- Outreach, affirmation, and intersectional ministry with and for LGBTQ+ persons in the local setting.
- Creating ongoing opportunities to build relationships, engage in dialogue, participate in continuing education, and advocate for official UMC positions related to LGBTQ+ safety and affirmation, as well as UMC policies that ensure ordination and marriage equality.
Following a recommended discernment process, Reconciling Ministries are required to affirm this statement with a vote demonstrating at least 75% support.
“We celebrate God’s gift of diversity and value the wholeness made possible in community equally shared and shepherded by all. We welcome and affirm people of every gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, who are also of every age, race, ethnicity, physical and mental ability, level of education, and family structure, and of every economic, immigration, marital, and social status, and so much more. We acknowledge that we live in a world of profound social, economic, and political inequities. As followers of Jesus, we commit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and pledge to journey in solidarity with all who are marginalized and oppressed.”
Resources for the Reconciling Process
The following resources can support your journey toward becoming a Reconciling Ministry. We encourage your full Reconciling team to study them together.
Getting a healthy start
- Changing Hearts and Minds, Changing Policy, Changing Practice
- A theory of change that guides RMN’s work
- Why should we become a Reconciling Ministry?
- Overviews of the Reconciling process. These are essential!
- Invite your team to become individual Reconciling United Methodists
Study resources
- The history of RMN’s required foundational Reconciling statement
- Foundational statement discussion guide
- Intersectionality
- Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit
- An ecumenical resource with helpful tips for graceful engagement across differences of opinion. We recommend browsing through Steps 1- 6.
- Access only the Congregational Assessment Tool from the Toolkit
- The stages of inclusion
- Educational resources from RMN and beyond
- Glossary of Terms
Logistics
- Best practices for voting
- Sample straw poll
- Sample ballot
- The final 5 steps – Take a peek in advance!
- Online form to notify RMN of your vote – Take a peek in advance!
- Next steps for new Reconciling Ministries
- Conversation starters for both new and not-so-new ministries to help answer the question, “We’re Reconciling; now what?”