http://elcic.ca/Documents/documents-title.cfm

https://elcic.ca/employment-agreements-and-letters-of-call/

COMING OUT TO YOUR CONGREGATION

BEST PRACTICES AND ADVICE

FROM FELLOW RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO HAVE LEFT THE CLOSET

2018

This resource is written from our particular perspective as Rostered Ministers (ordained pastors or consecrated deacons) in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. We do hope and believe, however, that the insight we gleaned from the experiences of Rostered Ministers is helpful to people serving in different capacities such as: pastors in other denominations, leaders of youth ministries, etc. If you’re not a Rostered Minister in the ELCA, please feel free to make use of this resource in whatever way you see fit and to adapt it as needed to fit your own context and polity. In order to make this resource accessible to as many people as possible who might find it useful, we’re using the term “religious leaders” since we recognize that “Rostered Ministers” doesn’t mean much outside of our own denomination.

INTRODUCTION

If you’re reading this, then you are embarking on a journey that may seem impossible, perilous, or maybe even foolish, but we believe it will be worthwhile and ultimately very beneficial. There is no right or wrong way to come out, but in a religious context, there are often additional layers that make it difficult.

“This admission comes from a life’s journey of discovery, growth and revelation. My own study, preaching, teaching, and spirituality have allowed me to grow in faith and I find myself trusting more deeply everyday in the very thing I have been called to proclaim, the love and grace of God. From that trust I have discovered comes new life and the courage to face my own fears. I am now conscious that to be authentic I must not only preach the truth, I also have to live it. I can no longer proclaim to you that you should live lives of transparency and vulnerability without fear unless I also do the same.”1

The resource we have put together here is tailored to the specific dynamics of religious leaders who are not currently publicly identified as LGBTQIA+, and are at a stage in their life and journey of self-discovery when they desire to share this part of their identity in order to foster more authentic, healthier relationships between themselves and their congregation, or the institution in which they serve. This is a spiritual transformation too. Churches have historically been places of extreme vitriol and violence towards queer people, but they have also been shelters, sources of inspiration, and liberating environments for us to thrive. Today we invite you to the open welcome of God’s house and the life you have been formed to lead.

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EASTERN SYNOD HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY

This policy has been developed to serve as a guide and a frame of reference for the Health and Safety Representative and for all employees of the Eastern Synod office.

Every effort will be made to provide a safe, healthy work environment and to act in compliance with all applicable workplace health and safety legislation.

Each employee must protect his or her own health and safety by working in compliance with the law and with safe work practices established for the Eastern Synod office. All employees should consider health and safety in every activity.

Employer Commitment

The employer will take every reasonable precaution to provide a safe and healthy workplace for Synod Office employees. In addition to developing and posting a Health and Safety policy in the office, the employer will instruct, inform and supervise Eastern Synod office employees on how to protect their health and safety and to take every reasonable precaution in doing so. The Eastern Synod will:

• Establish and support the Health and Safety Representative to carry out his or her duties;
• Post all materials required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and monitor any required preventative maintenance programs;
• Inform workers of hazardous materials and train them on storing, handling, using, transporting and disposing of these materials;
• Receive and review recommendations from the Health and Safety Representative and provide a written response within 21 days.

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CRITICAL INJURY RESPONSE POLICY INTENT

The purpose of this policy is outline procedures for responding to and investigating a critical injury sustained in the workplace.

DEFINITIONS

A Critical Injury is defined as an injury that:

• Places life in jeopardy;
• Involves unconsciousness;
• Results in substantial loss of blood;
• Results in a fracture of leg or arm, but not a finger or toe; (note: the fracture ofmore than one finger or more than one toes does constitute a critical injury if it isan injury of a serious nature);
• Results in an amputation of leg or arm, but not a finger or toe; (note: theamputation of more than one finger or more than one toe does constitute a critical injury if it is an injury of a serious nature. Involves burns to a major portion of the body; or
• Results in the loss of sight in an eye.If the extent of injury is unclear but it appears that the potential exists that the injury may fall under the critical injury definition, treat the accident as a critical injury. Refer to the OHSA website: https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/hs/critical_injury.php

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FIRE SAFETY & EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN
Introduction
It is the responsibility of each employee to know and understand the Eastern Synod’s Emergency Evacuation Plan developed for the synod office building.

Each employee is responsible to be familiar with the locations of all fire alarm pull stations, portable fire extinguishers, exits and telephones.

It is the responsibility of each employee to know if anyone in the synod office is temporarily disabled and would require assistance in an emergency evacuation.

The Health and Safety Representative is responsible to check each floor – or to assign a person to check – to ensure that every person has safely evacuated the building.

In Case of Fire

• Activate the fire alarm by pulling the nearest pull station. The fire alarm is monitored by Counterforce Security System. Counterforce monitors the fire alarm system and batteries every 3 minutes.
• If possible, extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher.
• Leave the fire area.
• Close, but do not lock all doors behind you.
• Use exits to leave the building immediately.
• Do not return until it is declared safe to do so by Fire Officials.
• Using designated crosswalks, meet other evacuees across Weber Street adjacentto the sign for the St. Louis Adult Learning Centre.

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