Reconciling Community at St. Matthew’s

The Reconciling Community within St. Matthew’s UMC seeks to welcome and affirm all who enter our doors. We actively support those in The UMC denomination who are currently working toward full inclusion and affirmation of all marginalized groups especially our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We believe that full inclusion including same sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination are following the teaching of Christ and are true to our Wesleyan heritage of “do no harm.”

Welcoming Statement

The Reconciling Community within St. Matthew's United Methodist Church of Annandale, Virginia, seeks to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. We affirm the sacred worth of every person and will work toward their full inclusion and participation in The UMC, including marriage and all aspects of ordained and lay ministry.

●     Through education, honest dialogue, and affiliation with the Reconciling Ministries Network we strive to bring about a more inclusive and accepting society.

●     We welcome, affirm, and celebrate people of every age, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, marital and parental status, physical and mental abilities, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic condition, and spiritual journey.

●     We invite all to join us in our efforts to achieve greater love, understanding, mutual respect, justice, and peace.

Current Initiatives and Activities

Leadership

●     We encourage and lead discussions about full inclusion in a variety of settings within St. Matthew’s and the larger UMC.

●     Our community actively participates in welcoming all people to St. Matthew’s.

●     The Lay Leaders report monthly to Church Council.

●     Contact Karen Chevalier (karenschevalier@gmail.com), Carolyn Andrukonis (candrukonis@gmail.com), or Judy Hall (jhall63795@cox.net) to learn more.

Study

●     Contact Karen Chevalier (karenschevalier@gmail.com) to join the Way Forward Sunday school class. All are welcome.

●     We are active participants in the UMCNext movement working toward eliminating the harmful language concerning those that identify as LGBTQ from The UMC Book of Discipline, umcnext.com

●     We are allied with Virginia Methodists For A New Thing, anewthingva.com

●     We pray for love and participate in peaceful resistance.