Our journey began as we reflected on the personality of our congregation. Chartered in 1927, it was a mere toddler when the Great Depression struck. Those first St. Paul saints struggled just to survive, and survive they did. Foreign missions became a critical focus later on, followed with timely shifts in ministry closer to home. Tutoring Hispanic children on Chicago’s west side and responding to a virtual wave of refugees flowing into the suburbs from Chicago following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Afterward, children from this same area spent two-week summer vacations in our homes through project ‘Friendly Town’, which was a cooperative effort with other churches in Wheaton. At one time we housed a Life Skills Center for mentally ill people trying to achieve independent living. More recently, space has been given over to an adult daycare center and our members also participate in an overnight shelter project for the homeless.

With each new challenge we have re-defined who we are: a community of believers, with all our warts, willing for the sake of the Gospel directive, to teach, baptize, feed, clothe, shelter, make peace, console, reconcile and love. It seemed plausible that we could challenge ourselves once again and take up the task of speaking out for those among us whose voices have been stifled or silenced because of their sexuality. A pastoral suggestion led us to Lutherans Concerned where the tools were provided and our process began. A task force was formed to see if our congregation would be amenable to adopting a Statement of Welcome and Affirmation for gay and lesbian persons. Four men and four women worked within a timeline of six months. Educational opportunities were offered through forums, small-group meetings, videos and printed materials. Not all members of this task force were of one mind and all of their meetings were open to visitors. An obvious pattern of venting, mentoring and healing began to emerge. The sharing of stories brought forth pain and fear. Often the task force watched as visitors ministered to one another.

The ultimate response was silence, which continued until the first Sunday of June, 1998. We had been working in a vacuum. But, not quite…. through this process a Spiritual presence wrapped around us that seemed, at times, almost suffocating. Through the wounding came new, precious relationships. Today our Statement of Welcome and Affirmation stands, beautifully framed, at all three entrances to our building.