ELCIC Apology

ELCIC apology statement

to people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+

Adopted June 30, 2023

In 2011, one of the things we proclaimed was "This church upholds the dignity of all people. We recognize the image of Christ in every person and serve that person as Christ themself. In meeting diverse people, we begin with a core sense of respect for the value of each person as a unique child of God."

Today we apologize to the members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community for the ways we have not lived up to our commitments and to the ways we have treated you in the past and even now.

We want to acknowledge the harms that members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community have experienced in our church.

The times they do not receive welcome. The times they are denied the sacraments.

The times they are denied the chance to live out their vocation in the church.

The times they are denied marriage.

The times when they are expected to marry when they did not wish to. The times their gender identity or expression are not affirmed.

The times the commitments we made to them in baptism are not honoured.

We acknowledge the harms that we do not know and that people have not shared.

We acknowledge the harm experienced by those who still feel the need to be closeted and not live out their full identity in our church.

We acknowledge those who have left our church because of the harm they have experienced. And we thank those of you who have stayed in the church, suffered repeated harms, and continued to work for change.

With this apology we acknowledge the harms we as a church have caused and those harms we continue.

We have work to do and we cling to a hope that the entire church will learn from the past and work toward a future where all generations will feel acceptance, affirmation and celebration for the gifts they bring our church as valued children of God.