"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:
just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."

~ John 13:34-35

Celebrating 10 Years as a Reconciling Congregation

In this passage from John, Jesus offers himself as "the way" you and I are to love one another. To demonstrate by example, he ate with societal rejects, welcomed the stranger, fed the hungry, healed the sick, and spoke truth to power. At Saint John's, you and I seek to live out Jesus' mandate in many ways, not the least of which is through intentional efforts to communicate a radical sense of belonging and community. 

One serious obstacle to creating such a community has been our denomination's 50-year history of anti-LGBTQ+ prohibitions. The United Methodist Church's Social Principles declared the practice of homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching," excluded "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from ordination, and banned the celebration of same-sex unions or marriages in our churches. 

The restrictions created by this discriminatory language severely limited ministry to and with LGBTQ+ persons, leaving many feeling abandoned and dismissed by the church. For years, many members and staff of Saint John's worked to remove the harmful policies. Finally, after numerous intentional "listening" sessions and tough conversations, a vote was taken on May 31, 2015, on whether to become a "reconciling congregation" by affiliation with the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). The vote was 93% for affiliation and the congregation moved forward by adopting an inclusion statement: "At Saint John's UMC, we affirm that all persons are of sacred worth and we welcome everyone, without exception, to participate fully in the church's life and ministry."

Reconciling Ministries Network began in 1983 in response to our denomination's restrictive policies regarding gays and lesbians. Its purpose was to develop a program in which local churches could declare their welcome of and support for homosexuals. Today RMN has grown to 1,439 Reconciling Ministries and 46,369 Reconciling United Methodists in five countries. Through 40+ years of educating, advocating, and organizing, RMN helped secure the removal of the hateful and discriminating provisions of our United Methodist Discipline at the 2024 General Conference. However, recognizing that the removal of discriminatory policies does not eliminate discrimination, RMN continues to provide resources to help churches welcome and embrace LGBTQ+ persons. 

When my wife, Annette Jones, and I retired to Austin and were looking for a church, we found that home at Saint John's, one of only 27 Reconciling Congregations and Communities within the 203 churches in the Rio Texas Conference. Saint John's is in a unique position to set an example and encourage other congregations to widen their circle of inclusion, creating more safe spaces for LGBTQ+ lay and clergy to flourish and thrive on their faith journeys. May we accept the challenge to make amends for the harm done and do our part to take the work of reconciliation into the community and other Rio Texas churches.