In 2015, Wilshire’s deacons appointed a study group to address questions about LGBTQ inclusion in the church.
Known as the Inclusion and Diversity Study Group (IDSG), these individuals worked deliberately and methodically for 18 months before making a recommendation in the fall of 2016 that Wilshire affirm its existing bylaws and thereby be clear that we have one class of church membership. Anyone who is a member of Wilshire is eligible for full participation in the life of the church.
In November 2016, the church voted to approve the study group’s recommendation as put forward by the deacons. With this vote Wilshire became a “welcoming and affirming” congregation.
Below you will find the various documents produced by the study group in 2015 and 2016. These are the resources and communications shared with the congregation. We offer them here in hopes they will be helpful to other congregations examining these issues.
The full story of Wilshire’s inclusion process is detailed in a book written by Mark Wingfield, Wilshire’s associate pastor at the time of the vote. “Why Churches Need to Talk About Sexuality” (Fortress Press), is available from most online book sellers as well as the Wilshire Library.
IDSG Seminar Presentation Slides >