Ministry Teams

Gay and Lesbian Ministry: A  Task Force of the Witness and Service Ministry Team

The Witness and Service Ministry Team strategic direction: We will enhance lives of service to deal with social needs and issues that arise in local communities or across the synod.

The Gay and Lesbian Ministry Task Force exists to assist congregations in welcoming gay and lesbian people and their families in the church. Established in 1998, it is part of the social ministry network of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The task force provides resources, information, and education about the full inclusion of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in Christ into the life of the church, an inclusion to which we are called by longstanding ELCA documents.

Resources Available

• Synod Resource Center
• Reconciling in Christ Information
• Web Resources

Synod Resource Center

Many printed, audio, and video resources are available in the Synod Resource Center. See below for a list of titles and authors. For a complete list plus a description of each resource, click here.

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Reconciling in Christ Information

Assistance can be given to congregations that are considering becoming Reconciling in Christ (RIC) congregations and who want to state their welcome publicly. If you are interested in any of the services provided by the task force, please contact glneps@yahoo.com.

Synod Reconciling in Christ Congregations and Organizations

• Arndt's Lutheran Church, 1851 Arndt Road, Easton 18040-8147; http://www.arndtslutheran.org/
• Egner Memorial Chapel, Muhlenberg College, 2400 W. Chew St., Allentown, PA 18104-5564
• Lutheran Campus Ministry – Kutztown University, 15175 Kutztown Rd., Kutztown, PA 19530-9201
• Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 3461 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Emmaus, PA 18049-1523; http://www.holyspirit-emmaus.org
• Lutheran Youth Fellowship, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, ELCA, 2354 Grove Road, Allentown PA 18109-3044
• Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, 2354 Grove Road, Allentown PA 18109-3044; http://www.godslove.org
• St. John Lutheran Church, 37 S. 5th St., Allentown, PA 18101-1607; http://stjohnsallentown.org
• St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, 330 Ferry St., Easton, PA 18042-4539; http://www.stjohnseaston.com
• St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, 474 Vine St., Bethlehem, PA 18015-1640; http://stpetersbethlehem.org
• Trinity Lutheran Church, 527 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601-3420; http://oldtrinity.org/
• Zion United Lutheran Church, 1919 Route 209, Brodheadsville, PA 18322-7753; http://www.zionulc.com/

Click here to read statements of welcome that have been adopted by synod congregations and organizations.

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Web Resources

Lutherans Concerned/North America (http://www.lcna.org/): A national organization that works for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Lutherans in all aspects of the life of their church and congregations.

PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; http://community.pflag.org/Page.aspx?pid=237): PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.

What Does the Bible Say about Hope, Homosexuality, Hospitality? (http://www.oregonsynod.org/bookoffaith/hhh/index.html): A multimedia presentation by Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke, Oregon Synod, ELCA.

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