HRC Blog

Members of the Church of Latter Day Saints and Mormons who love their faith but no longer feel welcome in the church are joining forces and taking a public stance on LGBT inclusion in their congregations and in their states.  Recently at Community of Christ in Northwest Washington, 100 Mormons gathered for a full-day conference called Circling the Wagons that included strategies of building more inclusive Mormon communities. I was privileged to be part of a panel discussing how Mormons can get engaged in the campaign to protect marriage equality in Maryland. 

I’m always inspired when people of faith refuse to allow the denominational authorities to define their faith for them. Mormons at this conference reflected the best values of the LDS church—a strong sustaining love of God and God’s people that manifested itself in a deep compassion for all our families and all our neighbors. There were many painful stories of rejection and condemnation from the LDS church leaders, but there was an even stronger sense of the urgent need for these Mormon leaders to be the voice of transformation that can empower the church to live into its core values. 

Read a comprehensive summary of the conference.