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Join our online group below for discussion and support from others in the group in between our meetings!
The Yahoo Group is for sharing your story,
general discussion, community building,
& for posting events, announcements, etc.
Only group members are permitted
membership to this online group. If you have
attended a RJ meeting and have given us
your name and contact info you will be
approved for membership. Just click the
link here to join.
Meet new friends and join together in a life-changing spiritual journey. Each meeting topic is designed as a stand-alone inquiry. So feel free to join in at anytime.
The Small Groups page has details for meeting times & places.
We strive to be a safe, welcoming, and confidential space for open & honest inquiry.
WELCOME HOME!
Let your conversation be always full of grace.
Colossians 4:6
We are glad you found us! Reconciling Journey is an affirming fellowship for gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgendered Christians, allies, and those seeking to explore a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
We gather together online and in person for personal and biblical exploration, intimate discussion and to affirm and support each other as we each make our Reconciling Journey through life.
GLBTQ persons and allies of all faiths are welcome as well as those
wishing to explore the love that God has for you just as you are.
This page was last updated: May 16, 2012
Reconciling Journey Ministries
Affirming GLBT Christians and seeers their daily walk
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"Reconciling Journey is for GLBT persons who have come to a crossroad,
…those who have rejected Christianity
but would like to come home;
…those who have disavowed or hidden
their sexual orientation because of the
church, but would like to come out;
… those who are both out and at home,
but long to deepen their walk with God
or desire to explore a relationship with Christ."
Quoted from Reconciling Journey
by Michal Anne Pepper
"Eventually, many lesbian and gay Christians come to a crossroad: we feel that we can either embrace our sexual orientation, or we can embrace our Christian discipleship. To do both seems impossible.
Some of us acknowledge our sexual orientation and grow into mature gay and lesbian persons. We learn to be comfortable with who we are and whom we love.
However, that comfort comes at a cost - the cost of our Christian faith. In order to shield ourselves from the church's intense homophobia, we separate ourselves from Christianity. We quit going to church. We put our Bibles on the shelf. We quit praying. We abandon any spiritual disciplines we once practiced."
"Some of us stay faithful as disciples of Christ, but neglect the most important part of ourselves: our capacity to love another human being and to create a life together. We tell ourselves that our relational isolation is the cost God extracts from us as faithful servants, so we sacrifice our lives as whole people."
Quoted from Reconciling Journey
by Michal Anne Pepper
Vision
We believe God extends the invitation to everyone to be fully reconciled to God through Jesus. We all have the opportunity to live abundant, whole, joy filled, and purpose driven lives. The challenge for GLBTQ people and their allies comes in living an abundant, whole life in a homophobic Christian community.
We need to come together in community to strengthen one another, pray for one another, and summon the courage to confront injustice and emotional violence of the historic church by living and serving God openly as redeemed, justified GLBTQ persons of faith.
Leadership
Core Values
Reconciling Journey's Executive Director Stacy McCaskill, began her own reconciliation journey more than fifteen years ago. Stacy's prayer is that God will empower GLBTQ Christians to fully embrace their identities, love themselves and others, forgive, heal, and be reconciled to their conservative friends, family, and communities. Stacy lives with her wife of more than fifteen years, Ronda DeVold. Ronda practices veterinary medicine at an Oswego clinic and Stacy teaches in the business department at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL.
Affirm and foster the spiritual growth and development of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, same gender loving, questioning, and queer Christians, their allies, and those seeking to explore and/or deepen their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
1. We embrace and claim for ourselves and in our time the Bible as an authoritative living witness to the Word of God and the Apostles’ Creed as a testimony of our faith:
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.2. God, who formed us in the womb and who knew us before we were born, intentionally and lovingly creating our whole being including our sexual orientation and gender identity; and preordained our whole authentic selves to be used as God’s chosen instrument unto good works and to the glory of Almighty God.
3. God invites us into a rich relationship offered freely by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; sealed and inspired by the Holy Spirit we discover a purpose driven and abundant life now and forever.
Virtual Networking
This workbook inspired our ministry and is the first book used in each new small group startup.
Mission Statement
Our Promise – Our Prayer
Our purpose is to learn from God and each other so that we can change & grow.
We will listen to one another openly, sympathetically, and with an inquiring mind.
We will approach each other as equals.
Transformative relationships are based on mutual trust. As such, we promise to…
• keep all dialogue, interactions, and exchanges private. What we say and share within the context of the group – stays in the group. • define ourselves, in our own time, as we feel most comfortable. • come with complete honesty and sincerity as we are enabled. • love one another without assumptions, conditions, or judgments.Make a donation to Reconciling Journey Ministries
via PayPal
Reconciling Journey will at at Rockford's first annual Pridefest June 9, 2012. Stop and see us.
