Fools & Laggards: A Sermon by Helen Ryde

a quote from Helen's sermon: So, for better or worse, it is those people to whom I am drawn over and over again: the ones who perceive people like me as threats to the moral fabric of life in America. We are not supposed to bother with those folks; they can't change, we are told. It would be a waste of energy. But I can't turn away.

Delivered at Allendale UMC (St. Petersburg, FL) on Sunday, 18 August 2024

When I first started as an organizer at Reconciling Ministries Network, I was introduced to a concept called the “diffusion of innovation” – originally developed by Everett Rodgers in 1962, before I was born. We used this concept to describe working with a congregation through the Reconciling discernment process (whether to become fully affirming of LGBTQ+ people).

In this model, congregants are separated into five groups. These groups are: 

InnovatorsEarly AdoptersEarly MajorityLate MajorityLaggards
2.5%13.5%34%34%16%

When you plot these percentages on a graph, you get a bell curve: narrow to start, curving up to a peak right as the early majority shifts into the late majority. And way over to the right, on their own, are the laggards. 

It’s kind of a derogatory sounding term, isn’t it? “No one should bother trying to persuade the laggards. They are not going to change.” The “laggards” are those who are entrenched in a worldview opposed to the worldview you want to proclaim. 

But here’s the problem.

In my life, I find myself drawn over and over again to exactly those whom the world would tell us are hopeless cases: the laggards. The ones who are “never” going to change. 

In our scripture today, we hear Solomon asking for wisdom – for a discerning or hearing heart. This seems like a very good thing to want. Who can argue with that? 

Now, it is true that Solomon already had the things others might ask for if God showed up asking in their dream. Solomon had great wealth, he was the king, he had great power, and he had whole armies who followed his command. In terms of privilege, he was overloaded. The only things he lacked were age and experience. The Common English Bible translation has him saying: “But I’m young and inexperienced. I know next to nothing.”

So in that context and with the desire to lead his people well, he asked for wisdom. This was a sensible move. You could even say it was a kind and thoughtful move. He did not ask for more of what he already had. He asked for something that he hoped would benefit his community. Something to enable him to lead well. 

Wisdom elsewhere in Scripture

As I’ve been thinking about wisdom this week, I was reminded of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In that letter, he talks about human wisdom vs. God’s wisdom. He writes:

Hasn’t God made the wisdom of the world foolish? […] The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:20, 25

So when we talk about wisdom, we have to tread lightly. We have to pay attention to the source of that wisdom. We might find that some so-called “wisdom” is not so wise after all. 

Revisiting the Rodgers model: wisdom or foolishness?

So, what might God’s wisdom say about our friends, the laggards – the ones all the way over on the right side of our imaginary bell curve, those we should not bother with if we want to create change in a meaningful way. The hopeless cases. The ones who will never change.

In the Everett Rodgers resource I mentioned earlier, the laggards are described in this way:

Laggards can be resilient, but do not give them more energy than they deserve. They are a small percentage that will sound like they are the majority. They are not. You should hear them, but do not let them control the process.

Everett Rodgers

When it comes to organizing, this is true. But when it comes to compassion, kindness, and relationship, I think we have to have a more nuanced approach. 

Let’s say the laggards are those who are the farthest away from us, theologically. But if we are convinced that the gospel, the good news of Christ, needs to be good news for everyone, then surely we need to pay attention to the laggards too. 

We are not supposed to follow the values of the world. Each person, even the ones we consider a lost cause, is a child of God. 

Each person. Including the ones in the MAGA hats and accompanying t-shirts and paraphernalia… They, too, are beloved children of God. What do we do about them?

We will become them, from another direction, if we don’t discipline ourselves to continue to see them as our siblings, as our neighbors. Some of them literally are our neighbors. 

When I was a laggard

I am still very aware of the season in my life when I was convinced that the path for LGBTQ+ people was to deny who they were, and to seek God’s healing and release. I, too, was a laggard once. I was not an innovator, I was not an early adopter. I advocated for harmful practices. I could not be convinced otherwise. 

Helen with hands reaching up

So, for better or worse, it is those people to whom I am drawn over and over again: the ones who perceive people like me as threats to the moral fabric of life in America.

We are not supposed to bother with those folks; they can’t change, we are told. It would be a waste of energy. 

But I can’t turn away. 

Back in February of 2024, I was driving back from St. Louis to Lake Junaluska, and I decided to take the back roads and revisit the churches I had visited on my prayer pilgrimage to the disastrous special General Conference in 2019. 

In 2019, I had stopped at 35 churches. At each church, I prayed and left a letter expressing my hopes for the UMC and my prayers for their church and the LGBTQ+ people who had been present there over the years. 

As I retraced my steps this year, I learned that:

  • 24 (of 35 churches) remained United Methodist
  • 11 (of 35) had disaffiliated
  • 3 of those disaffiliated churches (11) have joined the GMC

On this year’s trip, I was traveling with more time. I reached out to each pastor to see if they would be open to meeting with me. And this time I had another letter, and some leaflets from the Parents Reconciling Network giving help and support to parents and family members of LGBTQ+ people. 

There’s not time to recall all the conversations I had, but I attended a Sunday School class at one GMC church. It was a little awkward, to be honest, but I was able to leave the leaflets with the pastor. At another disaffiliated church, I chatted for an hour with one of the lay leaders. We had a fascinating conversation, and I was able to give him the information too. I encouraged him to read them and remember them when the next member of their church has an LGBTQ+ person come out in their family. 

Then, a few weeks back, Haywood County (where I live at Lake Junaluska) had its first-ever Pride parade and festival. 

Neighbors and fools in Waynesville

A little background on Haywood County: in the 2022 municipal elections, the county elected a 21 year-old college student to be our tax collector just because he was running as a Republican. The incumbent, a Democrat, had been doing the job in exemplary fashion for 10 years, but that was not enough for our electorate. Although the margin of his win was significantly lower than the other Republicans running, there were enough voters who just voted Republican down the ballot to get him elected. 

So, you can imagine, then when folks found out we were having a Pride parade, there was much angst, especially among the church folk. Haywood Baptist Association decided that a prayer meeting was necessary to protect people from our liberal agenda. The notice went out on Facebook: 

Coming this weekend, there are many Gay Pride events coming to Haywood County, especially in Waynesville. There will be a prayer meeting in front of the Waynesville County Courthouse this Friday at 6 PM. Men are encouraged to attend, but of course, women are welcome. There will be no preaching, just praying. Our intention is not confrontation, but intercession. We need spiritual awakening. God is our only hope.

Haywood Baptist Association via Facebook

I decided I wanted to be there too. 

I turned up. My friend Mitzi, who is Buddhist, was there too, with a sign about the Bible’s instruction to pray in secret. It was a great sign, but these folks were already determined to pray in public. After a while, she had heard enough and left. I stayed. 

Several men got up and shared a Bible passage and then led the group of about 80 in prayer. As I was listening to them, and listening to the passages they had chosen to share I began to get a nudge that they needed to hear another Bible passage – one from Acts 10. 

I brought the Bible up on my phone, read it through a few times and became more convinced that I wanted these folks to hear it. After about 30 minutes or so, it seemed like their gathering was winding down. I didn’t want to be seen as disruptive, so I waited until it was clear they were done. Then I moved to the front of the group, to the steps that the leader was standing on and asked if it would be okay for me to share a scripture. I was wearing my green Love, Justice and Service Deaconess/Home Missioner t-shirt. 

To my surprise, the leader said yes. And more surprisingly, many stayed to hear what I had to say. I read a passage from Acts 10, when Peter has a vision and essentially changes his mind about what kind of foods are considered clean and unclean, which led to the early Church welcoming Gentiles into their community. 

I told the Baptists that I understood there are many ways to interpret that scripture, but that I wanted to offer it to them with an open heart, to ask them to consider that – perhaps – God doesn’t call “unclean” those they call “unclean.”

One of the chaps there started getting a little mean, and the leaders shut him down quickly. Then, one of them asked to pray with me. I said “sure,” so long as he would not pray for me to be straight. And next week, he and I are going to have coffee together. I’ve no idea where the conversation will go, but I remain convinced that these are always conversations worth pursuing. 

So, why tell these stories? Well, I’m pretty sure doing that kind of thing is not for everyone. We’re not all called to the same path. What is wisdom’s guidance for one of us might not be for another. That’s fine. 

I also acknowledge that as I embark on these adventures, I carry a lot of privilege with me. I am white, I am employed, I have housing, health insurance, a partner, a supportive community, and an English accent – which for some reason seems to make people want to listen to me more. 

The wisdom of the world says: don’t waste your time with the laggards. Don’t spend your energy on the ones who are determinedly opposed to your values, your hopes, your dreams of an equitable and love-centered world. 

But the Bible tells us that the wisdom of this world is foolishness to those who follow Christ, and the values of the kin-dom we seek are a mystery to those who have no understanding of that kin-dom. 

There are many ways to be fools for Christ, to follow God’s wisdom and not the world’s wisdom. 

The world would have told you to turn away those seeking housing – that no good can come of it. But that’s not how you all responded, [Allendale UMC]. You responded by following the foolishness of Christ – the abundant and generous love of Christ. 

The world tells us to turn away from those we can’t understand, those whose values feel anathema to us. But that is not God’s way. God’s way is to turn toward them, maybe even to seek them out, the way the shepherd went after the one lost sheep. 

There’s a hymn I love called “The Summons.” It has many memorable lines, but the verse I want to leave you with this morning is this:

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name? Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same? Will you risk the hostile stare? Should your life attract or scare? Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

John L. Bell, et al

Will you seek God’s wisdom? The foolishness of following Christ into places and toward people that the world says are a hopeless case…

Let’s just see what God might do. 

Reconciling family – right now, I’d like you to clasp your hands like I’m holding yours. I have heartbreaking news to share with you, and I wish I could do this with you in person. On the morning of Tuesday, September 2nd, Helen Ryde died unexpectedly in their home.

For 13 years, Helen worked tirelessly through RMN for LGBTQ+ justice and inclusion in The United Methodist Church and beyond. For most of those years, they were an Organizer, with a deep faith in God’s transformative power and the skills needed to partner with God in this way. 

I mourn because Helen had so much left to do – not just through their role at RMN but in the love they had yet to receive and give, their compassion and thoughtfulness, their authenticity and courage. Helen had the rare ability to accept all kinds of people in their multitudes.

In their community, they were a stalwart friend to people marginalized by oppression. They were uniquely courageous – in spite of or perhaps because of the harm they experienced at the Church’s hand. In a world where we too often segregate ourselves by our convictions, Helen Ryde forded the waters with grace time and again.

All this persistence, all this generosity, paid off at the 2024 General Conference. As a delegate and co-convener of the Queer Delegate Caucus, and through over a decade of grassroots organizing, they were a key leader in the transformation of our denomination. And they knew that much more had yet to be done. They additionally served as Secretary for the General Board of Church & Society and on the Racial Audit team of the Methodist Federation for Social Action. 

Please pray with me for their wife Kate, whom they affectionately called Mrs. Lovely; they were together for over 25 years, never short on love or adventure. Pray also for Helen’s mother, their sister and two nieces, and their stepmother, stepsister, and stepbrothers. 

My prayers also go out to you, beloved, as I know our Church and our world have been made better because of Helen. There’s hardly a corner of the Church that their wisdom and dedication didn’t touch. It may have been your heart or your church changed by Helen’s love. You may be serving an appointment made possible by the advocacy of saints like Helen. You may have been open-minded and dipped your French toast sticks in ketchup, as Helen assured us was a perfectly normal British thing to do.

Earlier this year, Helen and Kate (and dear friends Robin and Bishop Karen) traversed the Camino Portgués – a 180-mile portion of el Camino del Santiago. For Helen, this was a pilgrimage of faith and friendship. Every day presented another opportunity to encounter the Divine in the face of another.

My hope is that each of us can reflect on the constellation of gifts Helen embodied. Perhaps in their honor, we each shoulder a part of their legacy. The Way is a journey, Helen knew well, and not a destination. Undoubtedly, we’ll see their footprints on the road ahead.

Yours,

Jan Lawrence (she/her)

Executive Director, Reconciling Ministries Network

With deep gratitude, we share that Rev. Emily Bagwell, RMN’s Director of Resource Management & Development, will be shifting from full-time to part-time with us as she responds to a call to serve a local church in Richmond, Virginia. 

Beginning July 1, Emily will serve as the pastor of Centenary UMC – a Reconciling Church that is ready to receive her steady, bold, and collaborative leadership.

Emily first joined the RMN team in the wake of the 2019 General Conference. She came to us under the Pacific Northwest Conference’s Safe Harbor provision, a pathway that allowed Emily to keep her clergy credentials intact while she lived out her call in ministry beyond the local church. The Reconciling movement has been richly blessed because of that provision — and because of Emily.

During her time leading our resource management and development efforts, Emily helped build and organize the crucial educational resources that RMN has offered over these past six years. She not only oversaw the creation of these resources, but she also mobilized countless Reconciling United Methodists to first take part in their creation, and then to use them. Through her leadership, congregations and individuals across the connection are equipped with meaningful and theologically grounded tools for the work of kin-dom building.

It is no surprise to us – or to anyone with the pleasure of knowing her – that Emily’s heart is still rooted in pastoral ministry. As Emily returns to her vocational core, we give thanks for the developments in our Church that make her return possible. Emily’s contributions to the Reconciling movement thus far have helped clear the way for other LGBTQ+ people to step into ministry with courage in our changing denomination.

Photos by Corbin Payne

We’re grateful that Emily isn’t going far. Her continued presence in a part-time capacity is a gift to both our staff and the movement. As she steps into this new pastoral role, we send our prayers with her — for a smooth transition, for deep joy in ministry, and for the people of Centenary about to be blessed by Emily’s leadership.

Laura Young will transition into the role of Director of the LGBTQ+ Center for Resource Development and Congregational Engagement, and Emily will support her in that role.

Thank you, Emily, for the faithful, grace-filled witness you offer in every field of ministry you encounter. We’re cheering you on with love.

By now we hope you’ve seen the RMN emails and social media posts introducing our 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. We also know that January has been a demanding month so if you missed it, we encourage you to take a look. Trust us: it’s worth a read! 

As part of our new plan, the Organizing Team is being reorganized and is transitioning into new roles. This is both exciting and daunting. And, if we’re completely honest, it’s a little sad too. We’ve loved being your Organizing Team!

None of us is going anywhere; we’re all still here to support you. A gradual transition is underway, allowing us to meet current and changing needs in a more focused way. 

If you would like to make a donation to honor the work we’ve done together as Organizers and as a movement, we’ll use your investment to fuel this coming iteration of our advocacy.

Click to make a donation

Each of us is taking on a lead role for a specific part of RMN’s strategic plan, and all of us will continue supporting each other, assisting with specific tasks as needed, and benefiting from the collaboration that makes us such a great team. There is a lot of natural overlap in our roles. Here are our new titles with a brief description of each.  

Rev. Dr. Israel (Izzy) Alvaran

Director of United Methodist Connections

As Director of United Methodist Connections, Izzy will nurture relationships between RMN and diverse partners across the denomination, including annual conferences, boards, agencies, caucuses, and conference-level Reconciling teams. Izzy will also support churches and groups beyond the United States who wish to become a Reconciling Ministry. In cooperation with institutional and grassroots groups alike, Izzy will support efforts to ratify and implement worldwide regionalization for a more equitable Church.

Laura Young

Director of United Methodist Connections

As Director of Congregational Engagement, Laura will serve as the staff lead on relationships with U.S. congregations of all jurisdictions and theological identities. She will support churches and groups discerning a call to become a Reconciling Ministry and equip existing ministries for greater impact – both in their local settings as well as collaboratively across the connection. She aims to nurture new church starts and strengthen partnerships between Reconciling Ministries.

Helen Ryde

Director of Mission Impact

As Director of Mission Impact, Helen will support congregational engagement and resource development. They will also contribute to improvements in RMN’s tech and operations landscape, including management of new infrastructure to be designed and rolled out in the next two years. In this role, Helen will increase RMN’s capacity and holistic impact.

We’re equally excited about the way this new structure bolsters the resources RMN will be able to offer. Relationship building and continuing education remain an essential part of our commitment to LGBTQ+ safety and affirmation.

Over the next few months we’ll be in conversation with Reconciling leaders (using our former jurisdictional boundaries) to touch base on shared ministry, important partnerships, and opportunities.  

As you can see, this is a purposeful pivot to meet the needs of the moment. We are committed to being nimble, trying new things, and tweaking the process along the way.  

Thank you for your grace as we embrace and navigate this exciting transitional season!

For over 40 years, Reconciling Ministries Network has defended the rights and sanctity of queer and trans lives.

That defense has taken the following forms:

  • Activism and public protest
  • Organizing legal defense funds for clergy under attack
  • Equipping congregations of diverse theological backgrounds to become increasingly inclusive
  • Shepherding ministries through the Reconciling process, creating a network of almost 1,500 LGBTQ+ affirming ministries around the world.
  • Throwing our weight against the doors of the UMC in coalition with other justice-seeking organizations

What we’re witnessing are the violent thrashes of an old paradigm – one that wields ungodly influence and power but that knows its end is now conceivable. 

Among the legislative evil done this week are:

  • Attempts to erase trans people and identities from the government, public life, human services, and legal recognition
  • Efforts to end refugee resettlement in the U.S. – a basic program of human good-will
  • A recommitment to tearing apart families seeking shelter in the U.S.
  • The abandonment of international climate change agreements

Know that Reconciling Ministries Network remains committed to the life and liberation of all of God’s LGBTQ+ people – in their diverse backgrounds and bodies. We will not abandon the project of securing every church and every community as a place where LGBTQ+ folks belong.

For the time being, let’s keep this in mind:

1. The chaos and the terror are the point.

We build resilience in relationship. The chaos and the terror of the incoming regime are designed to make us feel afraid and alone. They signal to regime supporters that the regime deserves their gratitude and support.

We will feel afraid because the harm is real. But you are not alone. At any point, at any time: remember that you are lifted in prayer. Lawyers are mounting their legal defenses. Counselors are taking their seats as their hotline shifts begin. Pastors are preaching courageously to soften hearts of stone. You are worth fighting for.

2. In times of crisis, humans come together. So, lean into your human nature and love recklessly, fiercely, in the face of despair.

You may have heard before that “no one is coming to save us.” And yet, history shows us that, time and again, we come to each others’ aid. We get creative about resistance. We do not let despair have the last word.

3. Take lessons from those who’ve experienced apocalypse before. 

The pain of others, past and present, can never be reduced to lessons for our benefit. 

And, those of us unaccustomed to large-scale crisis have much to learn from those who’ve experienced colonialism, political uprisings, natural disasters, genocide, the disappearance of staple foods and ecosystems, the silencing of language, and more.

4. Put your finger on the pulse at the intersections of your communities. 

We get free when we all get free. Jesus did not have only one beatitude. Nor did he only exhibit empathy for some at the exclusion of others. 

Jesus knew that people experience different forms of oppression through our different circumstances and identities. 

5. Do not cancel one another so swiftly that no one is left standing in your circle.

Practice gratitude for the people and circumstances that have taught you. That can take the form of extending grace to those who are just now learning what you’ve already learned.

In the long haul of building the kingdom of God, we need one another. We raise one another.

Dear beloveds:

Greetings from Jan Lawrence, RMN Executive Director, and Rev. David Meredith, RMN’s board chair. May the awe and communal delight of Epiphany be with you in this season.

We United Methodists belong to a lineage of reformation. 

  • We come from the liberating love of Jesus, which peers and pours into an uncertain future with boldness and in connection.
  • We come from the Anglican Methodist contemporaries of John Wesley, and those whose hearts were strangely warmed across the world.
  • We come from the Reconciling movement – a tide of justice seekers with faith enough to transform the Church and the world.

It is on those heels that Reconciling Ministries Network presents its 2528 Strategic Plan: a blueprint for reformation to face the needs of people, churches, and a denomination in holy liminality. 

The reformation on which we’re embarking is both internal and external:

  • An internal drive to adapt to meet the needs of a changing Church.
  • An external challenge to Reconciling Ministries to take up the mission of expanding affirmation so that every church everywhere is a safe place for queer and trans people.
  • An external commitment to the lasting liberation of God’s LGBTQ+ people of all identities from oppression and violence.

New Strategic Direction

Over the next six months, you’ll learn more about RMN’s 2528 strategic direction. We’ll share with you:

  • RMN’s major goals and initial strategies
  • A new board structure created to provide guidance and oversight as we pivot
  • New staff roles and structure to support our changing work
  • Our plans to hold the institution accountable to the decisions we made at General Conference

Our 2528 strategic plan makes new life possible. Some of the ways you’ll see the work of RMN change include:

  • Expanded responsibility to the whole Church, not just Reconciling Ministries or those in the process;
  • New relationships with United Methodist entities, made possible now that the funding ban has been lifted;
  • Deepened partnerships with congregations in Central Conferences; and
  • Preparation for a future where all church plants may begin as Reconciling Ministries, and where Regional Reconciling Communities may become church plants under the right circumstances

But amid the changes, we still commit to the following:

  • Developing educational resources for congregations, no matter their beliefs about LGBTQ+ people in the life of the Church;
  • Guiding congregations on the path of Jesus toward sacrificial welcome and love;
  • Supporting the ratification of regionalization; and
  • Nurturing the partnerships that trailblazed this past General Conference’s progress (and that will form the denomination’s leading edge!)

Conclusion

RMN’s work is just getting started. We may have accomplished part of our reason for being, and we celebrate that win. However, responding with love and authority to General Conference decisions is a whole other matter. 

Our congregations and Church are not yet harbors of welcome for LGBTQ+ people. Too many congregations and pastors have received permission to keep living as though the rules haven’t changed. Too many times, the “big tent” takes priority over open hearts. 

Real people are still being harmed by the very Church that they love. Real churches are still constructing cultures of silence. LGBTQ+ people are explicitly told that, although the requirement to discriminate is gone, the Church still isn’t ready for our involvement.

Therefore, our reformation arises from the pain points of this new era. For over forty years, RMN has functioned foremost as a conduit of activism.

Now, we choose to become a means of mission and accountability.

We hope our 2528 Strategic Plan shows you where we’re headed – together as wider hearts, minds, and doors for congregations and a Church of bold belonging.

Read the 2528 Strategic Plan here

Your companions on the way,

Jan Lawrence, Executive Director

Rev. David Meredith, Board Chair

First, we pray with you – beloveds of God who are weary of oppression:

The Spirit intercedes on our behalf, even now, translating our litany of groans too deep for words.

Lest we lose our humanity, incline us with gentleness toward one another’s suffering. Lest we lose ourselves, o God, bind us to the example of our friend and brother, Jesus.

Soften the bed of nails on which we lie, for we are tired and the road ahead is unclear at best, and we could use the rest. Commit us to the care of one another in these days and years to come.

Steady us now, o Steadfast One. With the warmth of your arms, press us onward.

To the Church:

All eyes are on you now. Because we are in the same business, we know that every word you utter may be criticized. And yet, this moment calls for boldness. To abdicate our prophetic responsibility now would be treasonous to the kin-dom of God.

Trust that, in our boldness, we will not make everyone happy. We may be called to unexpected partnerships and unpopular stances. Hold fast to your values. Hold fast to one another, and work toward a shared vision of compassion and justice.

The results of this past week’s election have promised pain, dehumanization, and exile to queer and trans people, those with disabilities, people experiencing poverty, people of color, women, and those who are immigrants and refugees. They have also promised an increasingly destabilized geopolitical landscape and the abandonment of ecological responsibility.

We are past the point of entertaining mass suffering as a possibility. How will we now, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, drive a spoke into the wheels of injustice?

And to those of us who enjoy more power than we know how to wield in service of the kin-dom:

We follow the example of one whom the Empire tried to bury. Thousands of years later, and still his message has not dimmed. Trust us when we say that this love that discomforts – that upsets the mighty and wealthy and scorches the well-traveled road – will persist and undermine the machinery of Empire again and again.

Again, we say to those of us who live on the margins of this world:

Empires do not last. We belong to a God who does. When God took on a form like ours, God chose the company of the oppressed. You are no stranger to the God of love. And they have given us their Spirit and the gift of one another.

When your hope runs low, let us hope for you.

The work of the Reconciling movement could not be more important now, even though we serve in a Church that has lifted the requirement to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people.

If you’d like to make an investment in the safety and thriving of queer and trans people, please consider making a donation to Reconciling Ministries Network – thank you! You can do that here.

Make an investment in justice

Although the Book of Discipline’s language has changed, there are still United Methodist churches in most of our towns that have yet to open their doors to queer and trans folks. So, we celebrate, but we press on as well.

For most churches, it’s not hatred that keeps the doors shut. Rather, queer and trans people are born every day into faith communities that say, “We’ll talk about LGBTQ+ issues if LGBTQ+ people ever show up at our church.”

But unless a church has only five members, there are likely LGBTQ+ folks already there, already serving and giving, unsure if they are welcome.  

That’s why, at the end of this historic year, we’re committed to Inform, Inspire, Ignite. And we invite you to be, too.

The Church is not at the finish line. The Reconciling movement has achieved a major goal, but we’ve only advanced to the next mile marker on the path of justice. And that sheds light upon the work uniquely before us at RMN.

Inform:

RMN provides critical information about LGBTQ+ people, identities, and issues, making known the ordinary belovedness of all God’s children. We develop rigorous, specialized learning opportunities in league with experts from around the connection and in a variety of formats including Virtual Porch gatherings and group learning curricula.

Note: Keep an eye out for a new RMN study resource on trans inclusion in churches – coming soon!

Inspire:

RMN inspires action in service of a vision for justice for LGBTQ+ people in all their intersecting identities. We connect individuals with RMN’s extension ministries for deeper collaboration. We nurture congregations on their way to becoming Reconciling. We equip Reconciling people to become local champions for affirmation.

Ignite:

RMN ignites this movement for inclusion and affirmation. We connect Reconciling people to opportunities for justice-making.

Now, we’re also resourcing the denomination so that LGBTQ+ affirmation may become a part of our Church’s DNA. We’re scaffolding toward a future where church plants start their lives as Reconciling Churches – where Reconciliation is the default setting.

That brings us to an exciting announcement:

(If you use Google Calendar, you can save the date with this link.)

Save the Date! Convocation 2025 will be here before you know it.

Join us on July 24 for pre-conference gatherings and workshops, and block off July 25 – July 27, 2025! We look forward to being with you in Madison, WI, for this transformative experience.

Inform, Inspire, Ignite reflects the heart of RMN’s mission. Every gift you make will help us expand programs and publish resources that foster critical dialogue in the Church, uplift people on the margins, and empower faith communities to embrace inclusion.

Whether you give $10 or $1,000, your financial support matters, and it brings us closer to a Church where every congregation’s doors are open to us all.

Support a Reconciling Future for the Whole Church

Title: Director of Fund Development & Strategic Initiatives

Status: Full-time, exempt

Reports to: Executive Director

Location: The candidate must be able to work remotely

Compensation: $65-85K/year, commensurate with experience. Salary may also be adjusted based on the cost of living in the area where the applicant lives. Available benefits include health insurance, dental, vision, 401(k).

Application deadline: End of day, Sunday, October 13, 2024. We welcome early submissions.

Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) Reconciling Ministries Network is committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.

High-Level Requirements

Reconciling Ministries Network seeks a full-time director of fund development & strategic initiatives to head our ongoing fundraising, operational, and strategic program needs. This individual will work with a small, devoted team and galvanize a movement’s generosity.

Reporting to the executive director, this professional must have an established background in leading nonprofit development strategies, managing audit responses related to fund development, managing the fundraising registration process, and supporting staff and volunteers. 

This role involves organizing large-scale fundraising initiatives, working with board members, managing our annual fund, and building relationships with donors, congregations, partner organizations, staff, and volunteers. The director of fund development & strategic initiatives will also implement and manage major giving and planned giving fundraising strategies.

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree, five years of faith-based nonprofit fund development experience, and 10 total years of fund development experience. They should also be a skilled user of CRM software and other fundraising technology used in daily job duties. This includes donor reporting and analytics and keeping up-to-date donor engagement records.

You may thrive in this rewarding position if you possess the following:

Demonstrated effectiveness in nonprofit fundraising

  • We’re looking for a professional passionate about mobilizing a movement to support a $1.5M-$2.0M/year budget.
  • The landscape of philanthropy is dynamic! This person must maintain competency in nonprofit fundraising through continuous self-directed learning.
  • The Reconciling movement has committed advocates. This individual must be able to build and lead teams of volunteers.

Ability to distill strategic vision into organizational initiatives

  • This position requires creativity to develop engaging advancement campaigns.
  • This individual will have strong written and oral communication skills.
  • Of course, the right person for this role is committed to RMN’s vision and mission.

Primary Responsibilities

The director of fund development & strategic initiatives will oversee the following responsibilities.

Manage relationships with RMN’s committed supporter base.

  • Manage donor stewardship program from identification of donors through acknowledgement of gifts
  • Manage donor relationships
  • Identify and steward foundation relationships and prospective donors across donor segments
  • Develop and implement a strategy to increase financial commitments from large congregations
  • Connect volunteers and supporters to fundraising opportunities
  • Seek opportunities to activate donors’ philanthropy through endowed funds

Steward RMN’s organizational development objectives.

  • Develop a fund development strategy in alignment with the organizational strategic plan; provide periodic updates to the executive director
  • Develop an annual fund development plan
  • Design and direct campaigns and events in service of fund development objectives
  • Manage grants by identifying opportunities and writing proposals and reports
  • Identify additional new sources of revenue
  • Improve upon the current planned giving program 
  • Identify and create custom donor and CRM reports as needed
  • Stay up to date with fundraising, nonprofit, and philanthropy trends

Mobilize RMN staff and board members to collaborate toward fund development goals.

  • Equip RMN staff, in collaboration with the executive director, to work toward fund development goals
  • Collaborate with board fund development chair to support board fund development efforts, including ways to meet “give or get” fundraising commitment

Qualifications

You may be the right candidate for this position if the following statements describe you.

You have a demonstrated commitment to justice and inclusion in the Church.

  • Understanding of the issues faced by LGBTQ+ persons in society and within The United Methodist Church;
  • Experience working within faith-based organizations with broad knowledge and experience working with congregations, clergy, and related organizations and individuals
  • Successful work experience in groups that are diverse across races, ethnicities, gender identities, and sexual orientations;
  • Commitment to active spiritual grounding, radical hospitality, and peace with justice;

You have experience working in the fast-paced world of nonprofit fund development.

  • 5-10 years demonstrated effectiveness in nonprofit fundraising, with at least 5 years in faith-based fundraising
  • Adept organizational skills and self-motivation under limited in-person supervision
  • Proficiency with one or more CRM tools, with the ability to define and generate reports
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace
  • Strong working knowledge of electronic communication modes including email and social media (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn)
    • Familiarity with the following software is a plus but not required: Salesforce, MailMerge, MailChimp, Click & Pledge, Canva

You can represent the causes that matter to you with passion and professionalism.

  • An interpersonal communication style that models grace and positivity (on the phone, via email, and face-to-face)
  • Conflict management skills
  • Collegial and collaborative spirit
  • Ability to lead diverse teams

Reconciling Ministries Network is committed to a diverse and multicultural workforce. We encourage LGBTQ+ candidates, persons of color, and immigrants to apply for all job openings. If you don’t meet all the qualifications but still believe you’d thrive in this position, we encourage you to apply, as well.

To Apply

To apply, please send the following to jan@rmnetwork.org by end of day Sunday, October 13, 2024:

  • Resumé
  • Cover letter
  • 1-3 samples of previous writing (don’t worry about the length or topic)

Hiring Process

  1. Cover letter and resume review
  2. Phone screen from a staff member for qualifying applicants
  3. 30 min. interview with the executive director and/or other RMN staff
  4. 60 min. interview with the executive director and board members
  5. Reference check and offer, with an expected start date 2-4 weeks after offer

Dear Reconciling family,

For the past 9 years, I’ve had the honor to serve as the Director of Fund Development at RMN. These have been some of the most fulfilling and meaningful years of my career. However, the time has come for me to pass the baton.

As of October 1, 2024, I’m retiring from RMN. I’m excited about this major life transition, and I’m sorrowful to leave behind an amazing team.

I still remember my first day here. I was greeted with an avalanche of welcoming emails and voicemails. Never had I experienced this kind of reception. But then, that’s what this movement is all about, isn’t it? Reconciling people like you not only talk the talk of welcome, but you truly walk the walk. Thank you for teaching me so much about this spirit-filled faithfulness.

You hold a very special place in my heart. From my desk – my point of view, I saw every day that the efforts and generosity of our movement have made a real difference.

Finally, while I will no longer be a member of the RMN staff, I will always be a part of this movement for LGBTQ+ justice. Right alongside you. And I hope to get to see and visit with you in the seasons to come.

My personal theology is centered in community-built justice. I believe deeply that we cannot be the Church unless this body includes everyone. I have seen glimpses of what is to come, and it’s a vision worth pursuing.

Grace and peace,

Kathy Cheney-Egan

P.S.: It would mean so much to me if you’d celebrate my retirement with me by making a donation to support the Reconciling movement. You can also feel free to leave me a message. I’d cherish your words. Thank you!

For those who love riding trains, a cross-country trip from New York to San Francisco in a sleeper suite would be a real treat. But that ride would be longer and three times more expensive than flying. Only those privileged with time and resources can afford that train ride. The way we do church can be just like that. Some regions enjoy privilege and access, while others don’t. 

The Love Train can and should accommodate as many people as possible – from all over our United Methodist connection, especially those struggling to get on board. Surely we want to extend respect, equity, and the ability to minister effectively in each of our distinct missional contexts. We might not think alike, as John Wesley said, but we can love alike. 

We are proud to say that our RMN staff provided organizing leadership in the years leading up to and throughout General Conference. And the work continues. Our journey to a fully inclusive and affirming Church includes a critical next stop: ratifying (at the annual conference level) the Worldwide Regionalization (WWR) petitions adopted by General Conference.   

What is Worldwide Regionalization? WWR reorganizes our current Church structure into regions with equal legislative authority to enhance effective ministry in every missional setting. We are on a worldwide journey together and the Love Train spans the globe. Regionalization lays down the tracks to make this a smoother ride. This flyer sums it all up. Here is a more detailed presentation.  

What is the impact in each region? WWR gives the United States its own Regional Conference with the authority to legislate more LGBTQ+ affirming policies and practices – applicable only in the U.S. This restructuring of our polity also allows for conversations to continue in all regions still wrestling with the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the life of the Church. It is crucial that our annual conferences ratify the constitutional changes in this legislation.

What is the ratification process? The petition to “amend the Constitution to create Regional Conferences on a worldwide basis” was adopted by 78% of General Conference delegates, but that was only step one. Constitutional changes also require a two-thirds aggregate vote across all annual conferences around the world. A successful ratification vote by the annual conferences is required for Worldwide Regionalization to take effect.

How can RUMs make a difference? 

  • Host a discussion about WWR in your Sunday school class or small group ministry. Talk to your pastor about facilitating a church-wide conversation. 
  • Contact your annual conference office or your general conference delegation for resource persons. You can use these materials and the “Ask UMC series.”
  • Visit with your pastor about serving as the local church lay delegate to your AC. 
  • If the lay delegate(s) from your local church are already secured, contact your district office and volunteer to serve as a district/at large/equalizing delegate. (ACs use different terms for this same type of delegate)
  • Every clergy person, active and retired, has a vote at Annual Conference but not all retired clergy attend each year. Look for ways to encourage and support retired clergy so they can be present and cast a vote for ratification.

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All trains need a conductor, and that’s true of the Love Train as well. Who’s driving this one? 

Some might assume that the institutional Church would take the lead and serve as a strong proponent of moving us forward, but that expectation is probably not realistic. In fact, since General Conference (GC), we’ve noticed that leaders in some Annual Conferences (ACs) have continued a pre-GC posture and are prioritizing the fears of the more conservative members in our United Methodist family.  

The truth is, our Reconciling movement and especially our Reconciling Churches and Communities are driving the Love Train. Reconciling Ministries have the experience and have made the commitment, not just to the absence of mandated discrimination achieved at GC24, but to a future of LGBTQ+ safety and affirmation, and to intersectional justice. Reconciling United Methodists (RUMs) and Reconciling Ministries continue to lead the way – serving in key roles throughout their districts and conferences, and encouraging churches in their areas to help keep the train on track and moving in the right direction.   

What does that look like in practice? Here are some suggestions.

  • Contact your AC office and inquire about their plans to help churches engage in conversation about what is now possible after the changes to the Book of Discipline. 
     
  • Consider hosting a study in your community or district. Consider this new RMN resource: Next Faithful Steps: A Guide for Reflection & Action After General Conference 2024
     
  • Email churches in your district letting them know you are available to help facilitate conversations about LGBTQ+ inclusion.  
     
  • Reach out to churches in your area who already lean toward inclusion and visit about their interest and potential in exploring that calling. Offer to share stories of the Reconciling process at your church. 
     
  • Start planning ahead to AC 2025. Visit with other Reconciling Ministries about offering a workshop at AC next year. Ask the Conference Office to make this part of the official schedule. 
     
  • Visit with your pastor about the important votes on the agenda at AC 2025, and volunteer to serve as a lay delegate. 
     
  • If lay delegates from your local church are already secured, contact your district office and volunteer to serve as a district/at large/equalizing delegate. (ACs use different terms for this same type of delegate)
     
  • Contact your District Superintendent (DS) and/or Bishop about serving on the District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOM) or the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry (BOOM). (The DS, in consultation with others, nominates persons to serve on the DCOM. The bishop, in consultation with others, nominates persons to serve on the BOOM)

This is just a brief list of helpful actions that we hope you and/or your Reconciling Ministry will consider. Depending on the needs of your specific setting, you may have additional ideas to share and brainstorm. We’d love to hear from you! 

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