Inspired by the radical hospitality of Jesus Christ, Fourth Church welcomes all of God’s children into the life of the church regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, physical or mental ability, mental health, educational background, economic situation, religious background, or documentation status.

Our mission statement affirms this commitment to be “a light in the city, reflecting the inclusive love of God. Comforted and challenged by the gospel of Christ, we strive to be a welcoming, serving community. ... We affirm the worth of all and nurture each individual’s spiritual pilgrimage.”

For more than twenty years, Fourth Church, which is a partner congregation of the Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches, has been a publicly welcoming congregation of LGBTQ persons. In 1997, John M. Buchanan, then the Pastor of Fourth Church, was one of the founding co-moderators of The Covenant Network of Presbyterians. Fourth Church’s Session supported overtures to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) that eliminated the denominational ban against LBGTQ persons being ordained and supported Presbyterian pastors conducting same-gender marriages.