[MLPnews] MLPNews May 10, 2004

[mlpnews at mylist.net]

      MLP News


      ....working for the full inclusion of LGBT people of faith
      in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
     Volume 1
      Issue 5
      May 9, 2004










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In This Issue

  10 Reasons to go to the Welcoming Presbyterians Conference
  Three More Churches plan More Light Sunday Activities
  MLP Board Statement on Van Kuiken Decision
  Got Your MLP Membership Card?
  Help Grow the Movement!

10 Reasons to come to Kansas City for the Welcoming Presbyterians Conference

10. Three organizations - one conference! Jointly sponsored by More Light
Presbyterians, The Shower of Stoles Project, and That All May Freely Serve,
this conference is one example of how our organizations work together for
justice, and promises to be one of the largest and most energized gatherings
of our movement.

9. MLP's 30th -Be part of the 30th Anniversary of MLP and our justice work
in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

8. Kansas City barbecue! Need we say more?

7. Bill Tammeus - Our keynote speaker is Bill Tammeus, award-winning
columnist for the Kansas City Star. Listen and learn from his experience as
a public ally in the Heartland.

6. Workshops - over 30 workshops designed to empower and inspire you to be
and make the change you want in your church, on your college and seminary
campus, in your community and presbytery.

5. Support local LGBT-affirming Presbyterians in Kansas City who have worked
hard for more than a year to plan this conference, and continue to build
inclusive community in the Heartland.

4. Music- Don't miss your opportunity to experience the weekend's music
under the creative direction of Patrick Evans, as well as performances from
the Heartland Men's Chorus ensemble and local jazz artists.

3. Get active - Join us in our work to change the church. Develop your
skills as an activist, educator, and agent of change in your church and
world. Meet and network with your colleagues in this movement!

2. Worship - Find restoration in the spirited, inclusive worship put
together by the ever-fabulous Patrick Evans and Shelly Holle, with preaching
by Martha Juillerat, Tony Hoshaw and Heidi Peterson.

1. Community - Meet others who share your passion for this movement,
newcomers and seasoned veterans alike. Come see what possibilities exist for
us on our journey together. Bring a friend, your partner, parents, family,
or a group from your church, presbytery or campus!

Register today! For more information about this conference and to register
online - go to www.mlp.org


Three More Churches Join More Light Sunday Preparations

Since MLP's announcement that June 6, 2004 will be the first annual More
Light Sunday grassroots action day, churches have already started to tell us
about their plans for participation:

  a.. United University Church (Los Angeles, CA): "We plan to make a big
deal out of MLP membership, plus the church will award memberships to about
5 folks and encourage those who are financially able to join on their own."
  b.. South Presbyterian (Dobbs Ferry, NY): "We'll be doing our 'LGBT
Celebration Sunday' worship. We'll have special music and possibly a guest
preacher. As part of the service, and during the Fellowship Hour that
follows, we will of course mention our More Light status, hand out
literature on MLP, etc."
  c.. Westminster Hills (Hayward, CA): "We'll use some of the hymns you
suggested and will have a guest preacher sympathetic to the movement. On
June 2, at one of our Wednesday night adult education events, we'll show one
of the MLP Hearts & Minds videos for our congregation and friends."
  d.. First Palo Alto (Palo Alto, CA) will show one of the Hearts & Minds
videos for its adult education program, incorporate More Light music in its
Sunday worship, and provide a rainbow-cookie reception (with MLP membership
forms available) after the service.
What's YOUR church doing for More Light Sunday? Use our online resource kit
at www.mlp.org/morelightsunday for ideas, then tell us about your plans at
morelightsunday at mlp.org

MLP Board Statement on Van Kuiken Decision

The Board of More Light Presbyterians applauds the decision by the Permanent
Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Covenant removing the conviction and
rebuke of The Reverend A. Stephen Van Kuiken for performing same-sex
marriage ceremonies. The Synod's decision notes that the Book of Order,
reflecting the mind of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., does not explicitly
prohibit ministers from performing such ceremonies. The decision correctly
interprets our constitution's openness to alternative views and actions. As
our society moves toward a greater understanding of what it means for two
people to love one another, it is important to resist inflexible positions
and ungraceful postures toward one another. The Permanent Judicial
Commission of the Synod of the Covenant has set a Christ-like example for
all of us.

Our denomination has much work to do in learning to honor the sanctity of
life-long relationships based on love and mutuality rather than shaky
definitions of gender status and procreative ability. We support the efforts
of our brothers and sisters in Christ who seek, in the light of the Gospel,
to shine more light onto the diversity of loving relationships which are all
part of God's good creation.

More Light Presbyterians is confident that both our denomination and civil
society will come to recognize the equal value of committed, mutually loving
adult relationships regardless of sex or gender; that society will honor
these relationships with all of the legal rights and responsibilities that
come with civil marriage; and that the full PCUSA will honor these
relationships by granting them the spiritual grounding and commitment that
comes with a religious marriage ceremony. In so doing, our society and our
church will grow to support all of our families and continue to build the
community of faith.


Got your MLP Memberhship Card?

As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, we've started a new tradition
of providing a full-color MLP membership card to everyone who renews their
membership in a given year. To get your card, be sure to respond to the
April MLP membership appeal that likely appeared in your postal mailbox a
few weeks ago, or contribute to MLP right now at
http://www.mlp.org/contribute.html . You can view the pre-press mock-up of
the 2004 membership card at www.mlp.org/images/card-2004-front.jpg and
www.mlp.org/images/card-2004-back.jpg. If you haven't contributed to MLP yet
this year, now's the time... get your membership card today, before we run
out!

Help Grow the Movement: Make your Friends into MLP Friends

Got that list of friends and neighbors whom you think should join MLP, but
you're too nervous to ask them? Never fear, now you can let MLP ask them for
you! Just drop an email message to grow-mlp at mlp.org with the names and
postal addresses of people you'd like us to invite to join the More Light
movement. Your friends will receive a friendly one-time postal letter from
us that explains what MLP does and invites them to join. We don't make phone
calls, and we only
mail them once. All names and addresses are kept confidential and are
managed only by MLP board members. So dig out that address book and let us
invite your friends to become MLP friends... just email us at
grow-mlp at mlp.org.





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