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Reconciling Ministries Network

@rmnetwork.bsky.social
573 followers 197 following 132 posts

Reconciling Ministries Network is committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.

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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 11/07/2025
Before we are consumers, we are kin. Before we are consumers, we are siblings. Before we are consumers, we are of earth + spirit. Sometimes, we find ourselves having to rely on imperfect options. Those of us who live in rural places or experience poverty, or those of us trying to survive a crisis.
image contains two buttons – one pink with the label "local economy," and the other blue with the word "billionaires."
text says:
this last day of amazon’s annual sale is a prime reminder: how we spend our money is one way to live out our prayers.
local economy:
* build a healthier community
* nurture economic creativity & cooperation 
* foster trust & civic participation
* support your neighbors
* safeguard local jobs, making it attractive for people to stay
billionaires:
* subsidize wealthy shareholders and executives
* drain dollars out of publicly funded safety nets & projects
* reward dishonest business practitioners and abusive employers
* invest in a fractured global economy
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
independence,
we ask of you God,
from bondage of
all kinds.

from apathy

from savage cruelty

(we do this to each other,
to our own –
we do this)

from amnesia
(are we first neighbors
or are we consumers?
and who/what 
are the consumed?)

from despair,
which looks like anger.

from distance,
from separateness,
the one-act play of
independence,
deliver us, loving God.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 02/07/2025
If you don't know who your representative is, that's okay! You can look them up here: www.house.gov/representati... No need to be polished or speak steadily. Simply tell your elected official, who works for you and your neighbors, to reject this bill on account of the suffering it promises.
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed a budget bill that will endanger U.S. lives. 

The bill strips $1 trillion from Medicaid and SNAP food assistance funding.

17 million more Americans will lose life-sustaining healthcare. Families will go hungry. And yet, the national debt will increase by $4.5 trillion – all to pad the pockets of the hyper-wealthy.

The bill now returns to the U.S. House for consideration. If passed by the House, it will become law, casting Americans into poverty and injustice.

Today is a good day to call your U.S. representative – especially Republicans. It is an act of faithfulness to reject the suffering of our neighbors.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
🌎 WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT Immigration Justice & Congregational Care Led by Rev. Becky Schofield Motter (she/her) How can your church move from compassion to action when it comes to immigration justice? 🧡 Wonder. Discern. Act. 🗓️ Join us at Convocation 2025! Register today: rmnetwork.org/uncharted
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
📣 CONVOCATION WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT 🕊️ Come ready to imagine sacred disruption. 🔥 Leave ready to lead with bold, embodied gospel. 🗓️ Join us at Convocation 2025! Register now—both in-person & virtual tickets available! 👉 rmnetwork.org/uncharted
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
If you see today's issue of @usatoday.com on newsstands, flip it open and you'll find Rev. Dr. Izzy Alvaran (RMN's Director of Mission Impact) in the middle, speaking about the sacred responsibility of churches.
A screenshot of Rev. Dr. Izzy Alvaran's photo with the USA TODAY article around it.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
At Uncharted, we're blessed to look forward to preaching from Rev. Andi Woodworth – a gifted speaker and compassionate thinker. You may have seen Rev. Andi highlighted earlier this year in The Advocate and LGBTQ Nation where they lauded her as the first out #trans person to address...
A photo of Rev. Andi Woodworth smiling into the camera and the following text: with preaching from Rev. Andi Woodworth. Uncharted. Andi is originally from Atlanta proper. She is an ordained elder in the UMC and has served churches in various roles in Atlanta, Aragon, and Rome.

Andi loves helping people and communities grow through creativity, courage, and cooperating with God.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Uncommonly, needlessly cruel – a bill banning gender affirming care for adult Medicaid recipients has passed the U.S. House. It now proceeds to the Senate.
A photo of Harvey milk against a bold background. A caption on top says: Harvey milk day. Honoring those who exhibit, political bravery for the freedom and the dignity of us all. "I have tasted freedom. I will not give up that which I have tasted."
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
Crucifixion was a thousand different horrors. And among those horrors – its normalcy. The folklore of the cross, the image that many of us conjure today on Good Friday, is of three crucifixes on a skull-shaped hill.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
You may have this coming Palm Sunday on your mind – a ritual of scripture and community to remind us that Jesus was about our liberation. Our holy scriptures are full of histories of ordinary courage and extraordinary grace.
A photo of the tearful eyes of a child with the following text beneath it: 

What use is a strong dollar in the hands of someone who has none?

What is a king but a terrorist if he disappears your parents in the dead of night?

What is a king but a fool if he wields holy scripture, upside down, like a weapon?

What is a king but a thief if he lines his friends’ pockets with the savings lost by a nation’s families?

On Palm Sunday, we remember:

No empire will overcome the kin-dom of God.

No empire can take from us our inheritance of philia – love between kin.

No empire will last. One day this, too, will be ashes.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
Journalist @erininthemorning.com reported that 17 MT Rep. representatives crossed party lines to help defeat a bill that would've threatened trans children's lives by targeting their caretakers. Before the vote, Rep. SJ Howell moved hearts with their speech, advocating for their own community.
A photo of a Montana landscape with a headline from Erin Reed from Apr 8 2025 in front: 17 Montana Republicans Cross Party Lines, Defeat Anti-Trans Bill After Nonbinary Rep's Speech

Then the following text above and below:

You're never "too old," "too old-fashioned," "too uninformed," "too entrenched" to let God change your heart.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 07/04/2025
The way of Jesus promises neither prosperity, health, nor safety. In times that test the texture and timbre of our faith, who do we say Jesus is? Where would Jesus be found today?
Photos depicting people harmed by this regime's actions including kidnapped Americans and green card holders and those mourning the demolishment of USAID. The following text from prosperity preacher Paula Williams says:

"an angel assigned to you
God as your enemies' enemy
prosperity
sickness removed
long life
increased inheritance
a special year of blessing"

These were things she said would alight on those who made a $1k donation to the Trump campaign

At the bottom of the image is a paraphrase of scripture: "what do we gain in exchange for our souls?"
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Convocation registration is live! Early bird pricing for a limited time. "Uncharted" will be a sanctuary in time and space, fueling and connecting people committed to LGBTQ+ justice at a time when our Church and our world need prophetic guidance. More info & registration: rmnetwork.org/uncharted/
A testimonial from a 2023 Convocation participant with the Uncharted logo on it and the tagline "Becoming the Church We Need Right Now"

“My hope has increased because your support gave me the reasons to believe there is a history, there is a future, there are chances to be and believe. 

Thank you. Gracias. I have no words to add my gratitude.”

Attendee of Onward to Perfection:
RMN’s 2023 Convocation
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
In this evening's Virtual Porch, 3 brilliant #trans #UMC pastors connect the dots between trans-antagonism and the current U.S. legislative landscape. And they show us a roadmap for the collective resistance needed right now. Sign up for free here. Hope to see you tonight! hubs.li/Q03f8dsN0
Upheld in Love: a Gospel Call for Trans Flourishing
Trans Day of Visibility
Monday, March 31, 7pm ET | 4pm PT

An RMN Virtual Porch feat. Pastor Katelyn MacDonald of Duke Memorial UMC in Durham, NC, Pastor Ben Weger of Trinity UMC in Madison, WI, and Rev. Andromeda Woodworth of Neighborhood Church in Atlanta, GA.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
In this Virtual Porch gathering, 3 brilliant transgender #UMC pastors connect the dots between trans-antagonism and the current U.S. legislative landscape. They show us a roadmap for the collective resistance we need right now. Sign up for free here: www.eventbrite.com/e/upheld-in-...
eventbrite.com
Upheld in Love: A Gospel Call for Trans Flourishing
RMN hosts 3 trans United Methodist pastors to illuminate the landscape of trans-antagonism today and a roadmap for progress and protection.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Convocation registration is now LIVE! rmnetwork.org/uncharted/ Uncharted is going to be a rich time of Reconciling fellowship, worship, and education. Together, we're going to learn to better embody Christ’s love and justice for LGBTQ+ people in the Church and beyond.
rmnetwork.org
Convocation 2025: UNCHARTED - Reconciling Ministries Network
Photos from Convocation 2023 by Joscie Cutchens & Jennifer Von Essen
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Many thanks to Jesi Lipp @artzfreak.bsky.social for this Affirmation of Faith to accompany this year's Trans Day of Visibility. Let this statement ground and encourage your congregation this Sunday!
A baroque-looking background with an angel whose color changes from pink to blue through 7 slides. The following text is split amongst the 7 slides.

We believe in the Creator, who made the day and the night, not separate but continually transforming into each other, and thus also gave us the dawn and the twilight, neither day nor night.

We believe in Jesus, the Child of the Creator, who is fully human and fully divine, challenging our simple understandings of biology; who before his disciples was wholly transfigured beyond their comprehension and beyond ours; who was tortured and murdered by religious authorities and the government for being who he was called to be; who was resurrected and returned to a body so changed that his dearest friends did not recognize him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who does not take one shape but many, coming to us in the form of a dove and of wind and of fire; who guides us into being the truest version of ourselves.

We believe in the God who revealed to Abraham and Sarah and Peter and Paul that their true name was not the one they had been assigned at birth; a God who does not make mistakes, because transgender people are not a mistake, but in their transness show us the image of a transformational and transcendent God.

We know that each of us, as the Church, is called to continual transformation so that we may transform the world. We know that, in that calling, we must work to dismantle systems that attempt to erase our beloved trans siblings from existence.

We believe in forgiveness and reconciliation, which unite us in a new understanding of what it is to be human. We believe in eternal life, in which we will all be made wonderfully and queerfully new in the Kindom where God reigns forever.A baroque-looking background with an angel whose color changes from pink to blue through 7 slides. The following text is split amongst the 7 slides.

We believe in the Creator, who made the day and the night, not separate but continually transforming into each other, and thus also gave us the dawn and the twilight, neither day nor night.

We believe in Jesus, the Child of the Creator, who is fully human and fully divine, challenging our simple understandings of biology; who before his disciples was wholly transfigured beyond their comprehension and beyond ours; who was tortured and murdered by religious authorities and the government for being who he was called to be; who was resurrected and returned to a body so changed that his dearest friends did not recognize him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who does not take one shape but many, coming to us in the form of a dove and of wind and of fire; who guides us into being the truest version of ourselves.

We believe in the God who revealed to Abraham and Sarah and Peter and Paul that their true name was not the one they had been assigned at birth; a God who does not make mistakes, because transgender people are not a mistake, but in their transness show us the image of a transformational and transcendent God.

We know that each of us, as the Church, is called to continual transformation so that we may transform the world. We know that, in that calling, we must work to dismantle systems that attempt to erase our beloved trans siblings from existence.

We believe in forgiveness and reconciliation, which unite us in a new understanding of what it is to be human. We believe in eternal life, in which we will all be made wonderfully and queerfully new in the Kindom where God reigns forever.A baroque-looking background with an angel whose color changes from pink to blue through 7 slides. The following text is split amongst the 7 slides.

We believe in the Creator, who made the day and the night, not separate but continually transforming into each other, and thus also gave us the dawn and the twilight, neither day nor night.

We believe in Jesus, the Child of the Creator, who is fully human and fully divine, challenging our simple understandings of biology; who before his disciples was wholly transfigured beyond their comprehension and beyond ours; who was tortured and murdered by religious authorities and the government for being who he was called to be; who was resurrected and returned to a body so changed that his dearest friends did not recognize him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who does not take one shape but many, coming to us in the form of a dove and of wind and of fire; who guides us into being the truest version of ourselves.

We believe in the God who revealed to Abraham and Sarah and Peter and Paul that their true name was not the one they had been assigned at birth; a God who does not make mistakes, because transgender people are not a mistake, but in their transness show us the image of a transformational and transcendent God.

We know that each of us, as the Church, is called to continual transformation so that we may transform the world. We know that, in that calling, we must work to dismantle systems that attempt to erase our beloved trans siblings from existence.

We believe in forgiveness and reconciliation, which unite us in a new understanding of what it is to be human. We believe in eternal life, in which we will all be made wonderfully and queerfully new in the Kindom where God reigns forever.A baroque-looking background with an angel whose color changes from pink to blue through 7 slides. The following text is split amongst the 7 slides.

We believe in the Creator, who made the day and the night, not separate but continually transforming into each other, and thus also gave us the dawn and the twilight, neither day nor night.

We believe in Jesus, the Child of the Creator, who is fully human and fully divine, challenging our simple understandings of biology; who before his disciples was wholly transfigured beyond their comprehension and beyond ours; who was tortured and murdered by religious authorities and the government for being who he was called to be; who was resurrected and returned to a body so changed that his dearest friends did not recognize him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who does not take one shape but many, coming to us in the form of a dove and of wind and of fire; who guides us into being the truest version of ourselves.

We believe in the God who revealed to Abraham and Sarah and Peter and Paul that their true name was not the one they had been assigned at birth; a God who does not make mistakes, because transgender people are not a mistake, but in their transness show us the image of a transformational and transcendent God.

We know that each of us, as the Church, is called to continual transformation so that we may transform the world. We know that, in that calling, we must work to dismantle systems that attempt to erase our beloved trans siblings from existence.

We believe in forgiveness and reconciliation, which unite us in a new understanding of what it is to be human. We believe in eternal life, in which we will all be made wonderfully and queerfully new in the Kindom where God reigns forever.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
This afternoon + on April 8th, enfleshed, Soulforce, and @queertheology.bsky.social are teaming up to put on an educational webinar re. trans lives and trans rights at stake. Learn how your church can extend welcome and safety. Register here: www.transformingheartscollective.org/people-of-fa...
transformingheartscollective.org
People of Faith: Defend Trans Lives — Transforming Hearts Collective
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
"I’m not scared in the least. Because we have fought so many battles — the elders. We have fought so many battles, with medicine, with HIV, with marching on Washington, with watching our friends die,” [says Renata Ramos, a 63-year-old trans Latina]. From @19thnews.org
19thnews.org
From Stonewall to now: LGBTQ+ elders on navigating fear in dark times
LGBTQ+ elders share what survival looks like under a hostile political regime and their advice to young people on taking action, even when they're afraid.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
If you're at the Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR) General Meeting, we'd love to see you! Come by the RMN table for some merch and good company. #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #bmcr
A photo of a hand holding the RMN bookmark that came in the BMCR tote bagA photo of the swag at the RMN table at the BMCR General Meeting
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Our homes of worship are special places in our communities – full of potential for transformation and healing. Here are some attainable ways to extend an invitation when many are looking for religious community as a shelter for the soul. #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch
What can your Reconciling Church offer a hurting world right now?

There are lines connecting to 9 photos representing the nine ideas on the next slide][text on second slide includes the following ideas:
- host a gentle movement class
- lead a group study with Reconciling resources
- host a sober meet-up like a game night or drag performance
- provide a basic legal clinic with church or community experts
- host a dance party
- offer cover letter & resumé review for people recently fired
- provide childcare so LGBTQ+ parents can have a date night
- put on a queer/trans-focused worship service
- watch a queer/trans movie or show & discuss]
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
One of our top 10 reasons why your church or community should still consider becoming Reconciling is that it's a way to extend God's love. Did you know that only 2-3% of United Methodist churches around the connection are Reconciling? That means that in up to 97% of United Methodist churches:
The following text in speech bubbles:

- Wait, didn’t they vote out the anti-LGBTQ+ policies at the last General Conference? So...

- Why should we become a Reconciling Ministry?

- 1. To extend God's love

Like all of us, LGBTQ+ people deserve a place where they can worship, serve, and find faith community. Jesus intentionally invited all and uplifted those who were downtrodden. As followers of Jesus, so should we. 

Especially in a time of heightened cruelty against LGBTQ+ people, it is countercultural and sacred to live in the courageous spirit of love.

Stay tuned for all top 10 reasons
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
With Lent already underway, we don’t want you to miss out on what this Lenten devo has to offer – centering, invitation, delight, and gentleness. Use the code devo50 to take 50% off now. If price is a barrier for you, then DM us. We’d love for you to have it: hubs.li/Q03bT8xL0 #devo #umc #lgbtq
hubs.li
Into the Wilderness: a Reconciling Lenten Devotional - Reconciling Ministries Network
Through this devotional, you will explore what it means to be a people of justice, mercy, and love in the face of discomfort and uncertainty. In the wilderness, transformation is possible, both in us and in the world we are called to help shape.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
Congratulations, @pcusa.bsky.social, and thank you for your example! We affirm that the mere elimination of explicit discrimination is not enough. Repentance, learning, and change must follow. pcusa.org/news-storyte... #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #pcusa
pcusa.org
Amendment 24-A wins approval from a majority of presbyteries
LOUISVILLE — Covenant Network of Presbyterians and others are hailing presbyteries’ approval of Amendment 24-A, enshrining, for the first time, recognition of LGBTQIA+ people in the Constitution of th...
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has put out a #Surveillance Self-Defense guide to protecting ourselves from online spying by government entities and others. If you're a justice-seeking church or individual, check out the guide for free here: ssd.eff.org #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #trans #queer
ssd.eff.org
Surveillance Self-Defense
We’re the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an independent non-profit working to protect online privacy for over thirty years. This is Surveillance Self-Defense: our expert guide to protecting you and y...
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Many of us may have come to believe that anger was sinful or fearsome. When we clue into Jesus' anger over mistreatment of people on the margins or our desecration of the image of God in one another: we can learn what matters to God.
An image of daisies with large, bold text in front: "Be angry without sinning." - Ephesians 4:26
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Please give a warm welcome to the newest Reconciling Ministry of the movement: Hanford First UMC of Hanford, CA! You can visit their website here: fumchanford.org #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch
Two photos – the top is of Hanford First UMC, which is a large white Spanish-style building. The second is of the congregation's people in the sanctuary looking into the camera, mostly smiling.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
A disappointing number of nonprofits, including RAINN, the Boy Scouts of America, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, have preemptively taken mentions of gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues off of their websites. Others are renaming their diversity officers.
A quote from Timothy Snyder in his book, On Tyranny, in his chapter titled, "do not obey in advance." "Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves, without being asked. 

A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do."
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
With those in your church, your neighborhood, or community organization: this may be a good time to take stock of the riches you have in your midst. 1. What do you possess that you’d be glad to give? Perhaps that’s a meal or professional legal advice or a spare room for someone passing through. 🧵
A rainbow gradient background, with text in front that's all stated in the posts' text.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Please give a warm welcome to the newest Reconciling Ministry of the movement: Wild Wesley Folx, a Regional Reconciling Group based around Rock Hill, SC! Wild Wesley Folx calls themselves an "all-access United Women in Faith unit." You can connect with them on Twitter/X at @wildwesleyfolx.
A photo of 8 participants from Wild Wesley Folx standing in a line and smiling at the camera. They're standing in front of a wall.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
RMN's executive director Jan Lawrence speaks in solidarity with the Collective of Queer Christian Leaders to queer and trans Christians. Read the full statement by the CQCL here. Kathryn Post reports for @rns.org 1/3 religionnews.com/2025/03/05/t...
religionnews.com
Queer Christian groups oppose Trump orders in Ash Wednesday statement
(RNS) — The statement is signed by 11 Christian LGBTQ groups representing tens of thousands of constituents and roughly 5,000 congregations.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
To our participants in the Queer Theology course starting today: may you be blessed by the wisdom and knowledge held between you, and may they be for the blessing and the healing of the world. #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #queertheology
We pray for the start of RMN’s Queer Theology course with gratitude to: Dr. Luther Young, Jr., The Resource Management & Development team, the 2025 RMN Fellows, the 24 students enrolled in this course. Below that is a description of the Queer Theology Course: a 6-week class for elders, deacons, and licensed local pastors. Strengthen your spirit and sharpen your skills to protect God’s LGBTQ+ beloveds in a time of spiritual crisis. Taught by Dr. Luther Young, Jr. (pictured in front of stained glass rainbow windows) sociologist & public theologian, BUSTH
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Out of the palette of God's creativity and power, we come and we return. Nothing of you is wasted, beloved. Nothing is lost to the memory of your Creator or to our collective. #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #ashestoashes #lent #dusttodust
- [ ] Finish Belle 🌱‘s art

A dusty background with the following text in front: “to dust you shall return" as in, also: Your ancestors are with you, in the very air you breathe. and. You belong to creation and were thoughtfully, lovingly made. and. You, yourself, are an ecosystem of organisms, so where is the line between self and not-self? and. You are not foreign to any place on this earth.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
Your trans beloveds need your support now more than ever. If you've been blessed to have a trans person in your life, and if all this is a little new to you: come with us! Parents Reconciling Network is hosting a Virtual Porch conversation TOMORROW (March 4) @ 12pm ET | 9am PT. You'll hear from:
eventbrite.com
[PRN VP] Your Trans Child: Beyond Acceptance to Understanding
PRN board member Janet Duke & San Diego FUMC Youth Ministry Director Aries Ramirez talk about understanding our trans loved ones.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Hey friends, is it feeling heavy out here today? Hold hands – even with the neighbor whose rooster awakens you, even with the awkward newcomer at church, even with the friend who does that thing that drives you up a wall. 🧵
A photo of ants creating a bridge to traverse the space between one fern frond and another. Around the photo, it says:

I'm sorry – it's true: we will not make it across alone. It's a very good thing, then, that we are not alone.

- Homeland Security lifts Biden-era ban on surveilling LGBTQ+ people and advocacy groups
- U.S. military to identify transgender service members and terminate their careers
- Multiple U.S. states introduce legislation to challenge legal same-sex marriage
- Iowa legislature votes to strip trans people’s civil rights protections
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
If you've been blessed to have a trans person in your life, and if all this is a little new to you: come with us! Register here for Tuesday's Virtual Porch conversation: www.eventbrite.com/e/prn-vp-you... #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #trans #transgender
Parents Reconciling Network is hosting a Virtual Porch conversation this coming Tuesday @ 12pm ET | 9am PT. You'll hear from:

• Janet Duke, board member at Parents Reconciling Network
• Aries Ramirez, Youth Ministry Director at FUMC San Diego, CA
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Thank you, Cynthia Astle of @um-insight.bsky.social, for this call to champion our United Methodist Social Principles. These are foundational values of our global body and a launch point for the strength and direction of prophetic witness. baptistnews.com/article/soci...
baptistnews.com
Social Principles are basis of UMC opposition to Trump policies – Baptist News Global
They use the Social Principles to determine how to respond to a society undergoing radical, chaotic and often cruel changes.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Many of us are participating in tomorrow's Feb. 28 Economic Blackout as a form of protest. Could tomorrow be the start of our re(new)ed commitment to generative businesses instead? #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch #dei #blackout #economicblackout #feb28blackout
Tell us your [Walmart, Sam's Club, Target, Amazon, Goodreads, Whole Foods, Alexa, Amazon Web Services, Ring] alternatives for a local & global economy that is more: robust, resilient, sustainable, equitable, diverse, creative, un-surveilled, just, participatory, courageous
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Reposted by Reconciling Ministries Network
Bishop Karen Oliveto @bishopkarenoliveto.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753–1784), kidnapped from West Africa at age 7, became the first African American to publish a book of poetry. “In every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance.” #BlackHistoryMonth
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Into The Wilderness is a Reconciling Lenten devotional available now! This 6-week collection of scripture, reflections, practices, and challenges is a companion for times when our heart feels sparse. Let's return to the essential commitments we made on this journey with Jesus.
rmnetwork.org
Into the Wilderness: a Reconciling Lenten Devotional - Reconciling Ministries Network
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Today is your deadline to apply for Queer Theology, a course with Dr. Luther Young of BUSTH! Now is the time for clergy to explore queer theologies and ethics for the healing of our congregations. The Good News is very queer news indeed. Learn more and apply here: rmnetwork.org/course-queer...
rmnetwork.org
Queer Theology Course Application - Reconciling Ministries Network
Thank you for your interest in Queer Theology with Dr. Luther Young! This course is a unique opportunity for 25 participants to collaboratively explore queer theological thought and its practical […]
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Tomorrow at 12pm ET | 9am PT, Episcopal Divinity School is hosting a free webinar "exploring the legal rights of churches, what it means to provide sanctuary, and how faith communities can support undocumented families while staying within the law." www.eds.edu/programs/whe...
eds.edu
When ICE Comes to Church: Faithful Resistance and Legal Protections
EDS empowers Episcopal church leaders with a bold and inclusive vision for a more just future.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
We're accepting applications for Queer Theology, a course with Dr. Luther Young of BUSTH, through this coming Monday! Now is the time for clergy to explore queer theologies and ethics for the healing of our congregations. Learn more and apply here: rmnetwork.org/course-queer...
rmnetwork.org
Queer Theology Course Application - Reconciling Ministries Network
Thank you for your interest in Queer Theology with Dr. Luther Young! This course is a unique opportunity for 25 participants to collaboratively explore queer theological thought and its practical […]
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
If you've been on U.S. federal government websites lately, you may have seen a yellow header complaining about the existence of transgender people. RMN is one place where you can learn about trans people, lives, and issues in a spiritually + scientifically responsible manner.
Feb 19, 2025

Any information on this page about gender identity is accurate and connected to the immutable biological reality that there are more than two sexes. 

The current U.S. regime rejects a rigorous and informed understanding of gender and thereby promotes harm to children and adults. This page reflects biological and spiritual reality, and therefore the Empire rejects it.

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Reconciling Ministries Network 
(and then our mission statement)
...is committed to intersectional justice across and beyond the United Methodist connection, working for the full participation of all LGBTQ+ people throughout the life and leadership of the Church.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
We may not ever become comfortable with seeming contradictions, but to be open to the gifts of a world becoming kin-dom, we must learn to hold them nonetheless. With whom can you shoulder the load? Who can balance their weight on yours?
A picture of a precarious rock cairn and the following text:

As followers of Jesus, we get to exercise the discipline of holding opposites in tension.

Grief for what is and those who will suffer.
Hope for what is and what is to come.
Hardened grit and determination.
Tenderness and softness, which are a kind of strength.
Sorrow that death must precede new life.
Joy that new life is a promise.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 14/02/2025
You're invited to a Virtual Porch gathering online on Tue., Feb. 25 @ 7pm ET | 4pm PT! “This is the DEI that the Lord has made” is a 1-hour Virtual Porch panel discussion about #DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.)
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Pastor Joelle Henneman of United Methodist Church For All People in Columbus, OH: “There’s an incredible amount of fear, as there should be. I’ve heard mothers share stories of their children waking up crying in fear,” said Pastor Joelle. www.10tv.com/article/news...
10tv.com
‘We are all in this together’: Local church pastor weighs in on immigration and deportations
Joelle Henneman, the pastor at United Methodist Church For All People, said the church is a place for everyone.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 12/02/2025
UMC+other Christian + Jewish orgs are suing the U.S. regime for disobeying sanctuary laws. Bish. Ken Carter: “Church property is a sacred space where the faithful gather to worship, serve and find community in Christ without fear." @umnews.bsky.social TY Heather Hahn www.umnews.org/en/news/unit...
umnews.org
United Methodists join suit against Trump policy | UMNews.org
United Methodists are among the Christian and Jewish bodies suing to prevent ICE agents from intruding on their ministry with immigrants and their worship.
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Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Applications are open for RMN's Queer Theology course taught by Dr. Luther Young, Jr., of BUSTH! We hope to design this course for laity in the future; at the moment, it's geared toward clergy who want to gain confidence as allies and public prophets. Apply here: rmnetwork.org/course-queer...
rmnetwork.org
Queer Theology Course Application - Reconciling Ministries Network
Thank you for your interest in Queer Theology with Dr. Luther Young! This course is a unique opportunity for 25 participants to collaboratively explore queer theological thought and its practical […]
120
Reconciling Ministries Network @rmnetwork.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
"But who knows?" Each of us is called to be a song of God's love, justice, and mercy. Today, what melody can you play on the strings you were given? #faithfullylgbtq #lgbtq #umc #unitedmethodistchurch
"In fact, if you don’t speak up at this very important time, relief and rescue will appear for the Jews from another place, but you and your family will die. But who knows? Maybe it was for a moment like this that you came to be part of the royal family.” Esther 4:14 CEB
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