Proclaiming Who We Want To Be

The congregation I serve, St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rock Island, Illinois, begins almost every worship gathering with some words. Part wording from Reconciling Works of which we are a Reconciled in Christ (RIC) congregation. Part stand against centuries of racism. Part land acknowledgement. These words continue to evolve over time with additions and refinements as we grow in awareness and understanding.

We call these words our centering statement. They differ from the beliefs we chan...