Reconciling in Christ

Welcoming & Affirming all of God's Creation

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod affirms that all God’s children are called to cultivate a bold and boundless love for Jesus and God’s beloved creation.

As such, you are beloved and welcome as you are, whatever your race, culture, ethnicity, age, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, disability status, mental health status, socioeconomic position, family status, or background, and you are welcome wherever you are in your faith journey. You are a unique child of God. You are accepted and affirmed not despite your differences but precisely because of all your differences and gifts.

As a synod, we commit ourselves to embracing the work of racial equity, social and economic justice, and environmental care, and we welcome leadership by rostered and lay leaders who are LGBTQIA+, Black, Brown, Indigenous, or Persons of Color. Together, as through Jesus, we joyfully and inclusively love and serve our whole community, the Church, and the world.

Affirming of the LGBTQIA+
Community since 1989

In 1989, the Metro D.C. Synod adopted an affirmation of welcome for gay and lesbian Christians, thus being recognized by ReconilingWorks.org as a welcoming Synod to the LGTBQ+ community. Then in 1991, the Metro D.C. synod assembly voted to accept and affirm homosexual persons as rostered ministers to serve in the church. In 2023, the above welcome statement was adopted by the synod assembly.

Find a Congregation Near You

There are 1,015 Reconciling in Christ congregations in the U.S. – 30 of them reside in the Metro D.C. Synod. A list of RIC congregations in the Metro D.C. Synod is provided below.

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Join the Reconciling in Christ Ministry Team

The Reconciling in Christ ministry consists of members who gracefully engage in building a culture of welcome and inclusivity within the congregations of the Metro D.C. Synod.

If you are interested in learning more about this ministry or joining, please reach out to team chair, Philip Moeller, at ric@metrodcelca.org.

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Upcoming Events

Explore Reconciling in Christ Potluck & Conversation

April 7 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Well, maybe it's time to put away the mittens, but perhaps not time to pull out your swim shorts. Still, how about a compromise and coming to a potluck? The Synod Reconciling in Christ Team invites all interested parties to...
Learn More about Explore Reconciling in Christ Potluck & Conversation

Ministry Resources

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RIC Sunday Celebration Resources | January 28, 2024

ReconcilingWorks wants to celebrate with your faith community and is excited to offer these resources for the 2024 RIC Sunday. Many RIC communities celebrate RIC Sunday on the last Sunday in January. This year, that lands on January 28, 2024. ReconcilingWorks encourages you to celebrate on a date that is meaningful for your community. Be sure to use this day as a time to recommit to your partnership as a RIC faith community, discern ways to live into your RIC partner commitments, and set new milestones for the year to come.

2024 Book List

The RIC team at Emmanuel Lutheran in Vienna, VA has curated a collection of faith-based books featuring different aspects of the LGBTQIA+ experience. Emmanuel plans to feature one book in their publications monthly throughout 2024. Your congregation is encouraged to explore these listed texts with others in your community and grow in Christ’s love for all people.

ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation

Since 1974, ReconcilingWorks has advocated for the full welcome, inclusion, and equity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual/aromantic (LGBTQIA+) Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their Church, congregations, and community.

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The Trevor Project

Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people under 25.

Trained counselors are available 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the TrevorLifeline now at 1-866-488-7386.

Ally's Guide to Terminology

The words we use can have a powerful impact on our conversations. Designed for new allies who want to support the LGBTQIA+ community, but often face an array of confusing terminology and language, this short guide offers an overview of essential vocabulary, terms to avoid, and a few key messages for talking about various issues.

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PFLAG D.C. CHAPTER

Family support and acceptance is critical to the health and wellbeing of people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer...and PFLAG has been at the forefront of this work for over four decades. Find out more about how we have been supporting thousands of families across the country and around the world, and the ways in which we can provide that support to your family.