Exodus 32:1-14
Aaron and the Golden Calf

Hi ChristChurch Members,

 

Our RIC team has been hard at work on making our community a more welcoming and inclusive place.

Our committee members recently created a welcome statement and sent it out to ChristChurch members for feedback and to gauge the temperature of our people.

In our non-binding straw poll, we asked this question:

 

The Welcome Statement affirms this community’s commitment to welcoming, including, and celebrating people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expression. If a vote were held today on the Welcome Statement, how would you respond?

 

YES wholeheartedly.

YES, but I would appreciate more education.

YES, but I would appreciate more scriptural engagement

YES, but I would suggest the following changes to the statement…

NO, because I need more____________. (fill in the blank)

 

I am pleased to share that nearly 90% of survey participants said they would support the welcome statement wholeheartedly.

 

A couple of people asked for education and scriptural engagement which we intend to offer you. We are starting on October 18^th, and every third Sunday after, to provide some sort of education and conversation from the RIC committee. Please join us after coffee hour to learn more about our journey.

We will be offering a book study after church soon and we are still working with our friends at the WQRC to provide community education on LQBTQ+ topics.

 

We also received some suggestions for minor changes and additions which we took to heart and we fine-tuned the statement last week. See below for the updated Welcome Statement.

 

For the very small number of survey respondents who answered NO, the committee had robust conversation, discussed the concerns with the church council, and made the decision to move forward with the process. The committee is committed to ensuring that there will continue to be open dialogue throughout this process.

 

We have shared our survey results and action plan with our Church Council, and they are supportive of our work.

 

In the future, we will be asking the congregation to vote, in a special congregational meeting, to approve our new welcoming statement and to become a Reconciling in Christ congregation, publicly welcoming people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. Your committee members are available to meet with you to answer questions and to have a dialogue about our goals and dreams for this welcoming journey.

 

Your RIC Committee:

Sallie Bullock

Tracy Litterer

Rhonda Eppelsheimer

Ilena Schultz

Chris Radford

Michael Gross

Revised Welcome Statement for Community of ChristChurch - September 2020

Community of ChristChurch is an open and affirming Christian community that lives in God’s love and grace. We strive to welcome and include all people because we believe God loves and welcomes all people. Regardless of race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, physical or mental ability, political stance or theological perspective or anything else that might divide us, you are welcome here.

 

What this means is:

 

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here:

If you are young or old, you are welcome

If you have brown skin, black skin, white skin, or any color of skin, you are welcome

If you are an immigrant or refugee, you are welcome here.

If you are married or single or partnered, separated or divorced, you are welcome

If you are gay or straight or queer, you are welcome

If you are transgender, you are welcome

If you are a man or a woman or non-binary, you are welcome

If you cannot hear, see or speak, or have physical or intellectual differences, you are welcome

If you are sick or well, you are welcome

If you are happy or sad, you are welcome

If you are rich or poor, powerful or weak, you are welcome

If you believe in God some of the time or none of the time or all of the time, you are welcome

 

You are welcome here.

Come with your gifts, your pain, your hope, your fears

Come with the traditions that have helped you and hurt you

Come with your experiences that have made you and broken you

Come with a mind ready to engage, and a heart open to discern

Come and listen for the Sacred Spirit that calls you to love your neighbor wholeheartedly, seek justice, create peace and practice compassion

You are welcome here!

OR Synod Assembly: a two-day Zoom event!

• Friday, November 6: 3:00 pm-8:30 pm
• Saturday, November 7: 8:30 am-4:00 pm

Click here to register. Registration closes Friday, Oct. 23 

Synod Assembly is going online this year and will be held November 6-7th on Zoom.  

What is the Oregon Synod?

The Oregon Synod is one of the 65 synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is a community of faith that shares a passion for making positive changes in the world. Our faith is built around a strong belief in God, as made known in Jesus Christ. Through service, advocacy, worship, and education, we practice our faith, grow in our relationship with God, and experience God’s grace in our lives.

Here in Oregon, we are over 30,000 some Lutherans in 111 congregations (including Trinity Lutheran in Tulelake, CA.) We welcome you everywhere we are, and we thank you for helping make the world a better place for everybody.

One way to understand the Synod Assembly is to think of it as the OR Synod's Annual meeting. There are votes and resolutions to review. 

Assembly will only be $25 a person. While this is an exciting new thing, we also recognize this may change how and which people will participate. In this very different year, this is the compromise we have had to make to hold Synod Assembly in 2020. We hope this will be a valuable and interesting experience for us all! 

ChristChurch gets to send two (2) voting members. Violet Thetford has already volunteered to be one of our voting members. We are looking for one more. If you are interested please email Pastor David by Friday, October 16th. 

 REVEALING RELATIONSHIPS:  RACISM AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

 

Why are Communities of Color disproportionately affected by the coronavirus? How does our society treat a largely Black and migrant labor force of service and agricultural workers? When disaster strikes, who is served, and who isn’t? Are racism and disaster response interrelated? If so, what can we do about it?

• WHEN: Saturday, October 17, 2020, 10:00-11:30 a.m. PDT (9:00 a.m. ADT and 11:00 a.m. MDT)
• PANEL: Alaide Vilches Ibarra, Executive Director, Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, Oregon
  LaVeta Gilmore Jones, Co-Executive Director and Community Organizer for Leaven Community/Salt & Light Lutheran
  Sr. Kelly Tazuko Marciales, Director ELCA Organizing for Mission Network
  Rev. Dave Brauer-Rieke, ELCA Region 1 Disaster Preparedness and Response  – Webinar Moderator

Community of ChristChurch

This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here.