Reconciling in Christ (RIC)

In January of 2025, Atonement Lutheran Church became a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregation when we adopted the following Welcome Statement at our annual meeting:

Atonement Lutheran Church-Welcome Statement

We at Atonement Lutheran Church are committed to embodying the inclusive and reconciling love of Jesus Christ. We provide a loving welcome for all God’s children. People of any sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, family structure, economic status, ability, or disability, are invited into this sacred space not only as members of our community but also as volunteers and leaders. We also stand firmly in our commitment to racial equity. We believe that every person, regardless of who they are or how they identify, is a cherished child of God.

In a world that often feels divided, we strive to be a beacon of unity and love. Our church is dedicated to being a place where justice, understanding, and compassion drive our actions and interactions. We actively seek to dismantle systemic inequalities and work towards a world where all people can thrive and feel valued.

Here, you will find a welcoming community where every person is respected and celebrated. Each person is valued for their unique God-given strengths, and we invite you to join us in this journey of faith, understanding, and mutual support. We are excited to walk alongside you in this journey of reconciliation and shared growth, always guided by the grace and love of Christ.

We need Jesus. We need each other. We serve a world in need.

YOU ARE INVITED to join us for a four-week study of Conscience and Conversation, starting Monday, August 10, at 7:00pm. This study was developed by the ELCA task force leading a reconsideration of one key part of the ELCA’s social statement on sexuality.

Back in 2022, the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly (our highest governing body, which meets every three years) authorized editorial changes to the social statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, which were completed and approved by the Churchwide Assembly in 2025. The 2022 assembly also authorized reconsideration of the “church’s current concept of the four positions of bound conscience” found on pages 19-21 of Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust.

When Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust was originally approved in 2009, the “bound conscience” section was the church’s way of trying to make sure there was room for people on all sides of the issue of same-sex marriage. “Although at this time this church lacks consensus on this matter, it encourages all people to live out their faith in the local and global community of the baptized with profound respect for the conscience-bound belief of the neighbor.” (p. 21)

How we disagree in a church that believes it is called to pursue justice and peace together remains an ongoing concern. This study does not look at the issue of how to regard marriage for couples of diverse sexual orientations. The study begins with the understanding that people today, including ELCA Lutherans worshiping in congregations together, have different, deeply-held beliefs about this issue. Since we don’t all agree, how do we best move forward together? What is negotiable and what is not? How do we best create space for a variety of viewpoints?

As we discuss these topics we will also be putting into practice some ways of framing our conversations to help them be useful and avoid unnecessary anxiety. At the end of the four-week study we will share information on how to share your opinions directly with the task force leading these reconsiderations.

Please join us on Mondays at 7:00pm, from August 10th through August 31st, to learn about and discuss how we as Lutherans understand what it means to disagree on important topics. We look forward to seeing you there.