Advocacy Group: Reconciling Ministries Network

The United Methodist Church is one of the mainline denominations in the United States that is slowly moving toward full equality for GLBT people. An organization working hard to faciliate that is the Reconciling Ministries Network. Here is some information from their website:

The Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) is a growing movement of United Methodist individuals, congregations, campus ministries, and other groups working for the full participation of all people in the United Methodist Church.

As of March 2009, the RMN encompasses 259 Reconciling Congregations, 34 Reconciling Campus Ministries, and 75 other Reconciling Communities and Ministries. There are over 80,000 Reconciling United Methodists.

Reconciling Ministries Network mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our Church and world into the full expression of Christ’s inclusive love.

Guiding Principles
Reconciling Ministries Network is a Christian and United Methodist organization. Its work is guided by the following core principles:
1. Spiritually GroundedReconciling Ministries Network is committed to the justice imperative of the Gospel and grounding its ministries in the Wesleyan practice of personal and social holiness. RMN is committed to utilizing inclusive language and respectfully recognizing the diverse approaches to scripture, tradition, reason, and experience of the congregations and communities with whom it relates.
2. ReconciliationReconciling Ministries Network is committed to reconciliation that leads to the healing and transformation of animosity into a loving relationship amongst all God’s children. Authentic reconciliation requires peace with justice.
3. Overcoming OppressionReconciling Ministries Network aspires to fulfill our baptismal covenant to resist oppression in whatever form it presents itself in our movement, church, and world. RMN has a commitment to ending institutional racism, sexism, and economic injustice by working at the intersections of oppression and focusing on an ongoing examination of internal processes and external actions at all levels including its selection of issues and organizing strategies.
4. Integrating Sexuality with SpiritualityReconciling Ministries Network believes that human sexuality is a good gift from God. RMN is committed to supporting the integration of healthy, loving expressions of sexuality and spirituality for everyone. In particular, since the Church so often has sought to deny their full humanity, we celebrate the sexuality and spirituality of LGBT persons and pledge to provide resources that lead to a deeper understanding of God’s precious gift.
5. RelationshipsReconciling Ministries Network acts in hospitality across theological divides and is committed to the creation of community, interconnectedness, and deep relationships.
6. Systems ChangeReconciling Ministries Network is committed to policy change and the creation of long-term solutions and practices that create full inclusion in The United Methodist Church and our broader society. RMN works for full equality in membership, ordination, and marriage for God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children.
7. StewardshipReconciling Ministries Network is committed to the stewardship of its organizational resources—the people, time, talent, and treasures—that God provides for transformation of our church and world.
8. Organizational Authenticity Reconciling Ministries Network is committed to operating in a way that mirrors the change we hope to create in the world. Towards that end, we commit to honesty, integrity, excellence, equality, justice, dignity, civility, diversity, inclusion, and creativity. This includes continuous soul searching in all organizational practices and the provision of ongoing continuing education to all staff and board members to enhance skills and develop growth.

Click here to read much more about this organiation on its website.