Help ReconcilingWorks welcome the newest Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community: Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Fairfax, VA).
Their welcome statement reads:
“At Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fairfax, Virginia, we believe that each individual is a child of God, made in God’s image and reconciled through grace by our Savior, Jesus Christ. As a community of the people of God, we are called to minister to all people of our world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness. We are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society. We affirm with the apostle Paul that in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female” (Galatians 3:28). Christ has made us one.
In response to the overwhelming love of God, we stand in awe of the wideness of God’s mercy. In faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, mindful of our Lutheran emphasis on grace, and rejoicing in the celebration of our shared baptismal journey, we welcome as members of our extended family all those who have ever felt excluded by the Church because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, physical or mental challenges, financial resources, or family status.
Rejoicing in God’s abundant grace, we extend a special welcome to all. Whatever your perceived “differences” and whether you are a believer, a doubter or a seeker; in Christ’s love, we welcome you into our common bond as God’s children, justified by grace.”
Learn more about Bethlehem Lutheran Church at: www.blclife.org.