Lutheran Volunteer Corps (Solidarity Stole)

“What does the Lord require of you but that you do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8

We are members of the Lutheran Volunteer Corps living out the tenets of community, simplicity, and social justice in the Midwest. As part of our commitment to a year of service, we live in community and together we are seeking to do what is right and just. Our dedication to social justice has opened our eyes to the injustices that permeate all institutions in society, including the church.

We believe that all people are teachers and that we can learn from one another. For many of us, the church is one of the most influential teachers in our lives. When the Lutheran church teaches love and inclusiveness yet practices intolerance and exclusiveness, the messages become blurred and inconsistent. The church is a community where relationships are developed and our faith is nurtured. Diversity in sexual orientation, race, class, gender, and age strengths this community and broadens our concept of faith.

We, 37 members, staff, and friends of Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Milwaukee call on the ELCA to change the guidelines in its Vision and Expectations document and the Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline document, so our community can reach its full potential. We also stand in solidarity with those who have been barred from serving their faith community because of their sexual orientation and pray for the day when all of God’s people will be fully accepted in the church.

Originally a part of the collection of stoles housed by ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation, this stole was donated by them to the Shower of Stoles Project in 2015.