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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

general discussion &

for posting events,

announcements, etc.

Meet new friends and join together in a life-changing spiritual journey. Each month's topic is designed as a stand-alone inquiry. So feel free to join us anytime.

Join us for our monthly small group bible study and fellowship or at our monthly movie nights. See our locations page for details and topics (past and present).

Also see our ministry-wide calendar of events for more details!

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 study and monthly fellowship for gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and transgendered Christians, allies, and those seeking to explore a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

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 4, 2008

Reconciling Journey Ministries

Affirming GLBT Christians and seekers in their daily walk

Click here to go to our new MESSAGE BOARD site!! Let us know what you think.. should we keep this? Replace our Yahoo site or keep both?

"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."

from Reconciling Journey by Michal Anne Pepper

"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 calls both straight and GLBTQ persons to be fully reconciled to God through Jesus. We have the opportunity to live abundant, whole, joy filled, and purpose driven lives. The challenge for GLBTQ people 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 Ministries Board of Directors includes Rev. Jen Nagel (ELCA), Rev. Dr. Michal Anne Pepper (author of Reconciling Journey), Stacy DeVold-McCaskill (Executive Director), Dr. Ronda DeVold, Karen Leimberer, and Dave Olszanowski (all co-founding members of RJM).

Stacy DeVold-McCaskill began her own reconciliation journey more than twelve 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 life partner of ten years, Dr. Ronda DeVold, DVM, in Aurora. Dr. DeVold practices at a local veterinary clinic and Stacy teaches in the business department at Rock Valley College in Rockford, IL. They are both active members of Lord of Life Church in Oswego, IL.

The Naperville group is currently studying this book.

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.

Further Group Resources

This workbook inspired our ministry and is the first book used in each new

small group startup.

Streamwood and Rockford are

currently studying from this workbook.

Click here to find a small group near you.

Mission Statement

MESSAGE BOARD: Once you sign up, you will have to wait for approval from the moderator before being allowed on the site. That process can take up to 24 hrs.

Note also that this is separate from the yahoo group. This MESSAGE BOARD is for indepth discussion on specific topics.

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.

OUTING GOD RETREAT