Reconciling in Christ

I can stay silent no longer.  Our congressional representatives must hear from me and as many others as possible who are angry at the dismantling of so many programs that benefit people across the full political spectrum. Focusing on one specific area, I am more than dismayed at the outlawing of programs aimed at ensuring Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in all aspects of our society.

We at St. Stephen’s have worked hard to qualify as a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) church. To reach that status we have agreed to “Clearly state a welcome to people of “all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions” or “LGBTQIA+” and name its commitment to "racial equity" or "anti-racism" in a Welcome Statement.” In my view of our congregation, we continue to live up to that agreement both in words and in actions those words inspire.

Given the current prevailing winds in Washington, it is not difficult for me to foresee the time when our ability to live out our mission as an RIC church may be in jeopardy, not because we no longer support this mission but because we are not allowed to do so.

So, I can stay silent no longer. It is past time for me to let my two Senators and my Congresswoman know where I stand.  I urge everyone who agrees with me to call your two Senators and your Congressperson to express your concerns and even your outrage at what is happening.  If you don’t know the telephone numbers you need to call, consider downloading to your phone the app 5 CALLS.  After entering some basic information, this app will provide scripts you can read if you choose and will auto dial the numbers for you. It only takes 5 minutes to reach all three offices and you can make the calls more than once a day. Let our voices be heard.

Bob Linderman