Reconciling Ministries Network

10/14/2026

That’s Taylor Whitley (she/her), our Director of Communications, and her mom, Beverly. When Taylor was a kid, she overheard her parents in the front seat quietly talking about a family member who liked girls. Their answer was simple: “I think we just love her like we always have.”

Years later, Taylor remembered that conversation when she came out to her mom. Like so many of us, she started by apologizing. Her mom stopped her and said, “Taylor, I love you more than anything in this world. And there is nothing to apologize for.”

National Coming Out Day was this past Sunday, and we’re still thinking about everyone who hasn’t heard those words, at home or at church. Our work isn’t done until every church says, without hesitation, that every child of God is welcome and affirmed for exactly who they are.

Help more churches say it out loud. Give today: RMNetwork.org/donate
Read Taylor’s email: https://mailchi.mp/7110950f1e9d/nothing_to_apologize_for

10/06/2026

"I've never felt anything but love from God."

At our National Coming Out Day service this past weekend, Rev. Andi Woodworth, Executive Director of Reconciling Ministries Network , told us what transitioning gave them: relief from a burden of anxiety they had carried for years.

"Before I was burdened. Then I became unburdened by the weight of trying to show up as somebody that I wasn't."

Andi is also clear that many Christians haven't been given the same welcome from the church that Andi has always felt from God. That gap is why we hold services like this one, and why we keep doing the work of inclusion, visibility, acceptance, and love.

Rev. Andi, thank you for trusting us with your story.

10/06/2026

Did you catch Julia's email today?

That's Julia Buckner, our Director of Fund Development, at age 5. She grew up in a little block church on a dirt road where she knew every pew, every face, and exactly where they hid the key to the back door. Church was home, and she never had to wonder whether she belonged.

Now, as a q***r United Methodist, Julia still looks for those little signs that say "you've got a place here," like a rainbow flag in the parking lot, pronouns on a nametag, or a warm welcome at the door.

With National Coming Out Day this Sunday, we're thinking about everyone still searching for a church where they can be fully themselves. Our work isn't done until every church is a place where every child of God is seen, welcomed, and affirmed for who they are.

Help more churches become home. Give today: RMNetwork.org/donate
Read Julia's email: https://mailchi.mp/a873af7eab13/knowing-youre-home

10/02/2026

At RMN, we believe the church should be a place where every person is safe, seen, and believed. That has to include survivors of sexual violence. We're joining General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in asking pastors and lay leaders to break the silence this Sunday. If you're not sure how, their resources are a good place to begin.

1 in 3 women in the US will experience sexual violence in her life. Jane Doe is not an anomaly on Cornell's campus. She's sitting in your church pews. To put it plainly: churches cannot be complicit in quietly condoning our culture of sexual violence. Every church needs to say something. Every church needs to do something. Now is the time for pastors and lay leaders everywhere to speak up.

Say something on Sunday. If you don’t know where to start, start here: https://gcsrw.org/staff-reflections/say-something-sunday-the-church-cornell/

10/01/2026

Spotted at Leadership Institute: a new sticker finding its forever home. Thanks for stopping by the RMN table and saying hi to Laura!

The work is not done until EVERY CHURCH is a church for EVERY CHILD of God.

09/30/2026

These are real words from people who've already signed up for Decolonizing Christianity. Pastors and laypeople who want to lead with more courage, understand their faith more deeply, and find their fire again.

If you saw yourself in any of them, we'd love to have you with us. Registration closes tonight.

Six online sessions with Dr. Ish Ruiz
📅 Mondays & Tuesdays, Oct 5–20, 7:00–8:30 PM ET
💲 $150, with limited scholarships and CEUs available

Register at bit.ly/RMNDCfall2026

09/29/2026

"As a faith leader, I am called to reimagine the church and dismantle oppression within the church in diverse or cross racial/cultural settings."

That's why one of our participants is signing up for Decolonizing Christianity with Dr. Ish Ruiz, and we'd love for you to join them.

Over six sessions, we'll look honestly at how Christian theology and ministry have been complicit in racial, sexual, and economic oppression, and explore the liberative possibilities emerging from feminist, q***r, and BIPOC theological traditions. Clergy and laity are both welcome.

Registration closes tomorrow, Sept. 30.
📅 Starts Mon, Oct 5 | Mondays & Tuesdays | 7PM EST
💻 Online | $150 | Limited scholarships available | CEU available

Register: bit.ly/RMNDCfall2026 (or link in bio)

09/28/2026

Just a heads up: registration for Decolonizing Christianity closes this Wednesday, September 30!

If you've been meaning to sign up, this is your sign. Dr. Ish Ruiz is leading six evenings this October on loving the church while telling the truth about it. We'll learn from feminist, q***r and BIPOC theologians who are helping us imagine something more faithful.

Mondays and Tuesdays, Oct 5–20, 7–8:30 PM ET on Zoom. The cost is $150, with a few scholarships available. We'd love to have you with us.

Register here: bit.ly/RMNDCfall2026