Rev. Ellery Dykeman and Denise Dykeman

First Lutheran Church, ELCA

Rev. Kathy Hintz

Senior Warden

All Saints Episcopal Church

The Rev. Kim Becker

Northwest Regional Coordinator

Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota

Rev. Rachel Simonson

Lutheran Campus Ministry, MSU

Rev. Natasha Woitzel-Kolles and Jared Kolles

ELCA

Rev. Janet Mathistad

ELCA (retired)

All Minot

Rev. Kim Gifford

ELCA

Burlington

Stephanie Fournier

Hope Lutheran

Surrey

Bishop Craig A. Schweitzer

Western ND Synod-ELCA

Bismarck

The Right Rev. Thomas C. Ely, Bishop Provisional

Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota

Fargo

Rev. Joe A. Larson                                                            

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

Fargo

Bishop Tessa Moon Leiseth

Eastern North Dakota Synod-ELCA

Fargo

Rev. Deborah J Blood

Fargo

Rev. Gretchen Deeg

UCC Pastor

Bismarck

Reverend Edith A. Love

Unitarian Universalist Church of Fargo-Moorhead

The Rev Dr John Floberg

Rector, Standing Rock Episcopal Congregations

Ft. Yates, Cannon Ball and Selfridge

Pastor Gail Hagerty

Heart River Lutheran Church / Bridges of Hope

Mandan

Rev Dr Gretchen Daneke Graf

Family of God Church ELCA and UCC

Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, Minn.

Mr. Murray G. Sagsveen

Lutheran Church of the Cross

Bismarck

Rev. Grace Morton

People’s United Church of Christ

Fargo

Pastor Jon B. Olson

Erhard, Minn.

Rev. Donna Olsen

Senior Minister

Hope 4 All UHM Interfaith Community

Grand Forks

Hannah Vanorny

United Church of Christ

Bismarck

Pastor Leanne Simmons

First Presbyterian Church

Bismarck

Rev. Dr. Peter and Vicki Schmidt

ELCA, retired

Serving LaMoure parish as interim pastor

Pastor Dick Smith

Trinity Lutheran Church

Bismarck

The Rev. Steven Godfrey

Diocesan Minister

Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota

Fargo

Deacon Ashley Tangen-Greenwood

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Bismarck

Rev. Marty Toepke-Floyd, Senior Pastor

First United Methodist Church

Jamestown

Pastor Tammy Toepke-Floyd

First Congregational United Church of Christ

Jamestown

Rev. Derek Harkins

ELCA Pastor

Bismarck

Sandra Holbrook

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Fargo

Camille Grothier

United Church of Christ

Bismarck

Bill Patrie

United Church of Christ

Bismarck

Marcia Patrie

United Church of Christ

Bismarck

Rev. Sylvia Bull

ELCA Pastor

Bismarck

Phyllis Johnson, 

Vice President, Eastern ND Synod

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Grand Forks

Rev. Michelle Webber

First Congregational UCC

Moorhead, Minn.

Pastor Micah Louwagie

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

Fargo

Rev. Zanne Ness

Episcopal Priest

Chaplain at Ministry on the Margins

Bismarck

Peter Edwards 

Spiritual Director 

Fargo

Rev. Sharayah Robinson

ELCA Pastor

Kathryn-Nome-Fingal Parish

Rev. Karen Van Fossan

Authentic Ministry

Fargo

Deacon Beth Lipp

St. George’s Episcopal Church

Bismarck

Pastor Laurie A. Natwick

Fargo

Amy Phillips

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Fargo

Dan Rice

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Fargo

Christie Iverson

Episcopal Church

Bismarck

Rev. Karl Kroger

McCabe United Methodist Church

Bismarck

Pastor Ray Baker

Faith United Methodist Church

Fargo

Rev. Kyle Symanski

ELCA

Valley City

Gerard and Loretta Hegstad

Heart River Lutheran Church

Mandan

Lisa Ahlness

ELCA pastor

Bismarck

Deacon Erin Power

Fargo

Rev. Martin Avery

Serving Mayville and Gran ELCA

Deacon Jodi Lorenz

ELCA

Underwood

Debra Hoffarth

First Lutheran Church

Minot

Barb Solberg

First Lutheran Church

Minot

Rev. Jared Carson

St. John Lutheran Church

Fargo

Janet Fisher

First Lutheran Church

Minot

Rev. Carol Wendel

ELCA Clergy (retired)

Bottineau

Rev. Lisa Lewton

St. John Lutheran, ELCA

Dickinson

Pastor Connie Monson

ELCA

Rugby

Rev. Helen Beth Kuhens

Fargo

Rev Bradley Dokken

ELCA Pastor

Bismarck

The 2023 Legislature has over a month of work under its belt, with hundreds of bills being considered by our state representatives and senators.  As they consider these bills, we hope each legislator is guided by spiritual values we all hold dear – values such as compassion, kindness, charity and love for all people created in the image of God.

However, as ordained and lay faith leaders from across North Dakota, we believe a number of bills fall short of those shared values. More than 20 bills target our LGBTQ+ family, friends, neighbors, and parishioners. These bills contribute to an environment where LGBTQ+ young people already face bullying in schools and experience greater struggles with depression, chemical dependency and suicide.

These bills run the gamut from banning trans athletes from participating in school sports to endorsement of conversion therapy – a long discredited and dangerous practice.  These fear-based bills are efforts to remove people from participating fully as members of our society, Church and communities.

Those who support these bills argue they will somehow protect our kids. They will not, because the real threats to children across this country are poverty, hunger, lack of health care, gun violence, bigotry, social pressures, mental health… and bills like these.

We believe God calls us to love one another and care for the needy. We believe Jesus preached a Gospel that embraces the marginalized. We believe that LGBTQ+ people are beloved children of God. We call on our legislators to oppose bills that would harm the people of North Dakota, and support legislation that reflects the true values of North Dakotans – values that guide us to care for one another and build a state that welcomes everyone.