Welcome & Reconciling Team
WHO WE ARE
We are an official team of the NE MN Synod made up of Rostered and lay persons who are members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. We are passionate about calling more PROCLAIM candidates in our synod.
WHAT WE DO
We partner with congregation councils and call committees to understand the blessings that come with calling a PROCLAIM candidate. We help clarify misinterpreted scripture regarding LGBTQ+ people. We also discuss with congregation members how to welcome and love our LGBTQ+ family members and neighbors and include them in all aspects of church life.
How to Invite Us to Partner with Your Congregation and When:
We find it most helpful when we begin a partnership at the beginning of your call process, but we can meet with your congregation members anytime before or after you have called a new Rostered Minister. Contact us through the synod office at (218) 724-4424.
Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Synod — Info Sessions
To discover if the Northeastern Minnesota Synod is ready to make the commitment to become a RIC Synod, the Welcome and Reconciling ministry team held several gatherings throughout our synod this past year. These gatherings included discussion, education, and resourcing around the topics of Welcome, Scriptural Lenses, and SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression).
The 2024-25 year format will be a one-day retreat with the three final topics of (1) Faith Stories from the LGBTQIA+ Community, (2) Intersectionality, and (3) Allyship. For those who missed the previous sessions, we will provide a brief review. Please join us at one of the following events this fall/winter:
Sat, November 16 at St. Andrew’s in Grand Rapids
Sat, December 14 at Gloria Dei in Duluth
Sat. January 25 at Messiah in Mountain Iron (Tentative)
Sat, Febraury 8 at Faith in Isle (Tentative)
Becoming RIC Synod Fall 2023 Info Sessions
First Forums 2023-24 — What Welcome Means
Sunday, September 10 2:30 PM at Messiah – Mountain Iron
Thursday, September 28 6:30 PM at Grace – Sandstone
Saturday, October 14 Info Session as part of the Walking Together event
Saturday, November 11 10 AM at Salem – Hermantown
Monday, December 4 6:30 PM at Faith – Isle
Second Forums — Lenses for Interpreting the Bible
Saturday, December 2 2:00 PM at Jessie Lake LC in Talmoon
Saturday, January 20 10:00 AM at Gloria Dei, Duluth
Sunday, January 21 3:00 PM at First LC, Hinckley
Sunday, February 25 2:00 PM at Trinity LC, Cook
Saturday, March 9 10:30 AM at First Lutheran, Little Falls
Third Forums — Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Terminology
Saturday, March 2 10:30 AM at Zion Lutheran in Cloquet
Saturday, March 23 10:30 AM at Bethany Lutheran in Onamia
Sunday, April 21 2:00 PM at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Virginia
Thursday, May 16 5:30 PM at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Duluth
LINKS
Proclaim
Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries
Reconciling in Christ
(RIC) ReconcilingWorks
Glossary of Terms
Human Rights Campaign
Resources
LGBTQIA+ Community-ELCA
