This fall, Good Shepherd members have several opportunities to engage in the RIC process.
The Reconciling in Christ (RIC) discernment process recommends that we present a Welcome Statement to the congregation prior to the vote planned for this November. We share this here to gauge support for the Welcome Statement.
The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd seeks to be a place where God’s unconditional love is given and received in the spirit of hospitality and service to all members of the community. Specifically, this includes: members of the LGBTQIA+ Community, people with disabilities, persons who are neurodiverse, the elderly, individuals trapped in poverty and need, those living with mental illness, persons who have felt excluded by the church, and those suffering discrimination related to: race, socio-economic class, ethnicity, education level, family structure, citizenship status, faith background, and any other prejudices that marginalize anyone in God’s infinitely diverse family.
We live out our vision by:
- Publicly making ourselves known as a Reconciling in Christ congregation that invites members of the LGBTQIA+ Community, Black, Brown, and Indigenous Persons of Color (BIPOC) Community into all aspects of our communal life, including rostered leadership roles.
- Affirming and welcoming people from all other marginalized groups by being a place where they feel safe and accepted.
- Offering ongoing educational opportunities to further enhance our understanding of each other and awareness of our own personal biases.
- Encouraging public visibility and advocacy around issues of justice, equity, and inclusion
- Making a meaningful annual contribution to the national RIC program
We strive to be a place where differences are honored, barriers are dismantled, and authentic belonging is cultivated and nourished. Because each of us is differently gifted, we need each other to form a community of acceptance, care, mercy, and mutual engagement. We invite you to bring your whole self to Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and find it to be a place where you can belong and make a difference in God’s world.
Submit Feedback by September 27th about the Welcome Statement here
Recently Rev. Scott Paradise and Rev. Tom Karge sat down with former Good Shepherd pastor Ted Schneider and recorded an interview discussing Good Shepherd as an RIC congregation. We'll post the full interview here, but be sure to join us on October 11, 2026 after the service for an in-depth discussion with Scott and Tom as they share interview highlights.
Join us on Sunday, November 8, 2026 as we welcome Bishop Stephen R. Herr. Bishop Herr was called to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod on June 7, 2025 — beginning his term last September. Bishop Herr will preach on Christ’s call for us to welcome all for who they are.
The following week, on November 15, 2026 at the Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting, we will vote on whether we wish to become a Reconciling in Christ congregation.
Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd is committed to living out the unconditional love and radical hospitality of Jesus in our WORSHIP, in our SERVICE to the world, and in our SHARED LIFE. This vision statement, that we adopted in 2013 (and continually seek to live into), holds up the unconditional love and radical hospitality we see in Jesus as our model and inspiration.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus’ boundless love and willingness to extend relationship to those who were considered to be outsiders, or worse, is compelling as well as challenging. In stories like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) and the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), we see such love and hospitality in action. The statement challenges us to be a congregation that strives to truly embody that love and hospitality in our life and ministry—to welcome all, to treat all with love and respect, and to break down the barriers that divide “us” from “them.” With that in mind we have undertaken a Journey of Discernment toward becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation, continuing to welcome people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, the neurodivergent, and remaining committed to racial equity/anti-racism.
As we pursue RIC designation, we understand this to be an ongoing and deliberate process. Multiple questions and concerns will arise, requiring important dialogue and deeply listening to one another and to God’s Spirit. We recognize the process should not be rushed nor focus on a particular outcome. Such prayerful and community-based conversations will require time — prompting questions, comments and concerns. They will be responded to one-on-one, by way of forums, stories, Bible studies, liturgical teachings, guest speakers and visiting preachers. It is a deliberate effort to ensure that all members of the congregation have had ample time to ask questions and share concerns. This would all take place well in advance of ultimately, having an informed congregational vote on becoming a truly inclusive church.
We invite you to pray for discernment and engage in this important dialogue as we undertake this faith journey. We believe all of us want to be a congregation that proclaims the Gospel by its words, but even more so by its actions, and by the type of community it is, so that the love and hospitality of Jesus might be seen and experienced by all. We believe RIC designation is an important vehicle for helping us achieve that objective while letting others know who we are as a congregation.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding Reconciling in Christ please feel free to reach out here. We will do our best to answer as promptly as possible.
