avanta7 | Oh! Oh! OH!

I think I found it, I think I found it!

After reading

ottawabill's thoughts on going to a Sacramento church and treating the drive as a time of meditation and spiritual renewal, I got on line and looked around at UMC congregations there. And I believe I found what I've been looking for. I just didn't know it had a name.

The church is St. Mark's UMC and it is a reconciling congregation.

I found the following statement in the February 15 church newsletter:
~~~~~
From the Reconciling Congregation Committee
What would the St. Mark's reconciliation statement be?

As part of the reconciling process, a church agrees on an official reconciling statement, which is then made public. Our committee has proposed the following Covenant of Reconciliation, along with our understanding of what it would mean to publicize the Covenant. The entire document, which has additional information on the UMC's national reconciling movement, is available at the Sunday-morning R.C.C. Patio table. (Please note that the Cal-Nevada Annual Conference, the regional conference to which St. Mark's UMC belongs, became an official Reconciling Conference in 1983.)

We believe that all persons are recipients of God's love and grace, and are infinitely and equally worthy.

We proclaim that all women, men and children are created in the image of God and that all are children of God.

We affirm and welcome the participation of bisexual, gay, intersex, lesbian, transgender and all other sexual and gender minorities in all aspects of the community of faith in our church home.

We likewise welcome persons of any age, race, ethnicity, culture, economic condition, physical or mental ability. We embrace and seek to affirm the beautiful, amazing diversity of God's creation.

We pray and hope our affirmation of the wholeness of all people will bring reconciliation and understanding to all.

We profess to be a Reconciling Congregation proclaiming God's grace and dignity for all people.

In addition to adopting this Covenant of Reconciliation, St. Mark's UMC pledges to make our welcome known publicly as follows:

a) Becoming an official member of the national Reconciling Ministries Network
b) Including this Covenant on all official church welcoming, membership and general materials and other church media
c) Including the phrase "A Reconciling Congregation" on its letterhead

Additionally, St. Mark's UMC understands its designation as a Reconciling Congregation to mean:

d) Considering further actions to end the discriminatory principles, policies and practices of the United Methodist Church against LGBTI people

e) Endorsing a Diversity Task Force for the purpose of ministry to LGBTI and all other groups identified in the Covenant, as part of the church's greater mission to be loving and inclusive of all of God's children"
~~~~~
This is what I've been looking for! Although my previous church home, Quapaw Quarter UMC, is not an official reconciling congregation, it practiced these same principles.

Now. If only the place lives up to my expectations. Heck, if it even meets them halfway! I'm planning on attending Sunday morning to check things out.

(One question. I know what LGBT in "LGBTI" stands for, but the I? Anyone care to enlighten me?)