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"Growing up, I was taught that I was a beloved child of God. At Dumbarton, I feel that love, abundantly."
- Laura F.

Reconciling Congregation

In February of 1987, after years of discussion, education and prayer, the Dumbarton congregation adopted a Statement of Reconciliation.  Each year we celebrate and reaffirm our calling and committed response to being a reconciling people.  The following statements were made by members of the congregation in response.

 "What does it mean to you to be a member of a reconciling congregation?"    

When I travel the country I visit other Reconciling Congregations, and say I'm from Dumbarton UMC. I'm greeted like a member of the family - folks have always heard about Dumbarton. And, many visit us when they are in DC. The on-going witness of Reconciling Congregations is an island of hospitality for many people who, otherwise, find themselves unwelcome in The United Methodist Church. - Chip A.

Having been members of a Reconciling Congregation, we can’t imagine participating in one that is not Reconciling. - Harry and Arlene K.

Our son Floyd is so much more than his sexuality. He is a bright, warm, loving, caring, compassionate human being. He, along with his partner in life, Carlos, are working hard at building a caring and loving family-- giving their children, Keott and Dylan, the nurturing love God intended every human being to enjoy. It pleases us no end that Floyd is honest with himself, with us and with his world, and that he lovingly and graciously accepts and affirms who he is. - Wave and Tom S.

The great thing about being at a Reconciling Congregation, with a healthy contingent of queer folk, is that I can be open about being gay, without feeling reduced to being nothing but gay. - Dirk H.

Being a Reconciling Congregation brings blessings a hundred-fold. - Mary K.

Being part of a reconciling congregation allows me to serve Christ with honesty and dignity - I can teach and nurture without any fear of being rejected. - Doug N.

One of my images of what heaven is like is that it is a place where all people can dwell, and not be afraid to be accepted for who they are in the presence of God's love. Being a part of a Reconciling Congregation is important to me because it reflects, to me, that particular image of what heaven is like. - Janet H.

There is so much trust, love, acceptance and positive energy in this congregation--we can't imagine worshipping anywhere else! - Amy H. and Steve V.

A Reconciling Congregation affords me the opportunity to worship in my Methodist heritage with honesty, integrity and validation without conditions or qualifications. I'm accepted and so is my spouse. Our commitment and union is celebrated as another gift from God. - Christy G. and Kim C.

My membership in a Reconciling Congregation means a tremendous amount of growth. When the process of becoming an RC began, I was very homophobic, this has been a different chance for me, and very liberating. There was once a time when I answered 'no' to the question of whether I'd want a gay person teaching Sunday School. Now I answer 'yes'...that was one of the hard questions. One of the things that came out of our decision to become a Reconciling Congregation led to was a group of us men, who were having problems with the issue went to Whitman-Walker for a one on one dialogue with some of the men there. We realized that 'both sides' had fears. It's been fascinating to see how we've all changed. It's been a tremendous growing experience, and that's why I go to church--to be challenged. Now I say, "why was I so uptight?". - Mike B.

You can't be prejudiced against people you know. I grew up 50 miles from the definition of "macho", where as a high school kid, calling someone a homosexual was the worst thing you could say. When I first heard of Reconciling Congregations, I said, "no way". Now sexual orientation doesn't matter much at all. I've come a long way.  - Jim S.

Hearing peoples' stories and experiencing with them how it felt to be closed out, excluded helped me to see how I was doing that in my own life to other people over other issues. The gay community's willingness to be open and vulnerable with me enabled me to be open to other people too. - Barby M.

For me, accepting the idea of a Reconciling Congregation was a gradual transformation. I came from favoring openness in general, but being rather hesitant about a gay man teaching my junior hi son's Sunday School class, to realizing that these were completely baseless fears. The gay man was no more likely to be preying on my child than a heterosexual person, and both were minute possibilities. Either way, it didn't matter. After passing that hurdle, I found wonderfully warm, fabulous friends in the gay and straight communities. Such fabulous friendships...at this point, whether someone is gay or straight is of no consequence to me. It's the whole person what engages me. - Joan C.

I know this sounds trite, but some of my best friends are gay. Two of my college roommates were gay. The gay people who have come to Dumbarton have brought such talent, this is not the reason for becoming a Reconciling Congregation, but is one of the benefits. It widens our lives. - Alan M.

We talk about widening the welcome. I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and had little or no experience of connecting with people who were homosexual. The Reconciling Congregation opened up a whole new world to me. I've been excluding people without even knowing it. I'm so glad that all of that opened up for me, and that I've been in touch with so many people who are different from me. That's the kingdom of God. - Jackie M.

A lot of liberal people often say that "those Christians" are unaccepting of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people. DUMC breaks the mold by simultaneously being a Christian community and one accepting of g/l/b/t's.   - Sue A.

When I talk to other churches about being a Reconciling Congregation I always bring up the image of the radically inclusive Jesus, and how he was always going against the flow. Being a Reconciling Congregation is the most congruent way of living the gospel. - Cindy P.

I couldn't be in any other kind of congregation. - Ralph F.

How wonderful to be in a place where all are welcome. - Sam S. and Don T.

It's just natural to me. - Ginnie F.

It's being a part of something that's practicing the gospel. When my uncle came to this church, he was finally able to accept that his son was gay, and to encourage him to be himself. Before, he wanted to keep his son's gayness a secret. - Ginnie L.

First I am a part of a Reconciling Congregation, because I'm of a different culture than the majority of Dumbarton, and I'm learning another different culture here too. The children really enjoy it, they say "when we go to the U.S. we go to our church". We enjoy everyone there, and the variety of cultures-Philippino, African American, and the different sexual orientations reflected are good too. The pastor is also wonderful, no one can lead a Reconciling Congregation like Mary can. - Miguel M.

My involvement in a Reconciling Congregation comes from my Christian value that everyone should be included. In Christ's life, he demonstrates the call to be with oppressed people everywhere. - Nan M.

Dumbarton has been an RC all of my life. It just seems natural. - Bethany Q. (age 14)

Coming from a Catholic background, I like the singing and participation, you're more involved in the service. I can feel the love in the church, when we're singing the Doxology, or "Go Now in Peace", I look around and feel such deep love. - Cheryl C.

[Melany, in response to Cheryl's comment:] One Sunday, I looked up and saw Carlos, Floyd, and Keott (Dylan wasn't here yet) and Floyd's parents. Keott had his head on his grandma's shoulder. That's what church is about, families being together regardless of size or shape or color or orientation, and that's not unusual for Dumbarton. - Melany B.

We think the church should extend a wider welcome to everyone. It's the only church our kids have ever known. - Bill and Cecile N.

I don't know anything different, it's natural. - Peter N. (who was about three when DUMC became an RC)

Growing up, I was taught that I was a beloved child of God. At Dumbarton, I feel that love, abundantly. - Laura F.

DUMC hosted a 'shower of stoles' each of which honor a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person called to ordained ministry.