In June of 2018, the Living Water Ministries Board of Directors received a letter signed by 185 constituents urging Living Water Ministries to explore becoming a Reconciling in Christ faith community. In short, the Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program is for congregations, synods, colleges, seminaries, and other Lutheran organizations and ministry communities who have made a public commitment to welcome, include, and celebrate people of all races, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, abilities, and socio-economic statuses.
Delayed by the pandemic and after a long process of prayer, conversations, and support of synod assemblies and constituents, the Living Water Ministries Board of Directors voted on March 6, 2024, to officially become a Reconciling in Christ Community.
Living Water Ministries feels particularly called to create communities that are relevant and meaningful to people of all races, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, abilities, and socio-economic statuses. We also maintain a commitment to being a ministry that prioritizes racial equity and anti-racism efforts as a faithful response to Christ’s command to love others. As we endeavor to authentically create space for all of God’s children, we find ourselves glimpsing the reign of God “on earth as it is in heaven.” It’s in this pursuit of the reign of God that we see lives and the world transformed. It’s in this pursuit of the reign of God that our mission & vision are made real.
A summary of the process LWM followed to become RIC is shared below in the timeline. To learn more about the Reconciling in Christ Community and to find other RIC communities, visit their website http://www.reconcilingworks.org/