[MLPnews] MLPnews May 14, 2006

[mlpnews at mylist.net]

www.mlp.org 	

*
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 3
Issue 6
  May 14, 2006



 

 

 


In this issue:

    - Volunteers Needed for General Assembly
    - More Light Sunday signups smash previous record, with more on the way
    - More Light Sunday becomes More Light Month at First Yorktown
    - MLP's "Right Now" More Light Sunday postcards go to press
    - Celebrating the Life & Ministry of Rev. Robert Moore... a father &
    son, family & church story from Tucson, Arizona
    - More Light & Presbyterian Men.. stories from the 2006 National
    Gathering Chicago
    - Michael Adee in the news - "Open Doors, Open Hearts" in Missouri
    - Five Days of Reconciliation: MLP in Missouri
    - MLP's Right Now petition - why one church signed
    - MLP releases GA legislative recommendations: "Yes" on Heartland,
    "No" on Task Force recommendations

    *Action reminders:*
    - Hold a More Light Sunday event
    <http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday/action.html> at your church on
    June 11
    - Host a 'Right Now' house party <http://www.mlp.org/houseparty> on
    June 10 or 11

*Volunteers Needed for General Assembly*

Are you going to General Assembly?  Let us know you'll be there, so that 
we can send you detailed information
about MLP's activities at General Assembly.  Just drop an email message 
to MLP General Assembly coordinator Vikki Dearing at dearbunt at aol.com 
and say "I'll be at GA".  She'll be in touch with more information, 
including opportunities for you to help MLP in Birmingham.


*More Light Sunday signups smash previous record, with more on the way*

In a sign of the growing strength of the Presbyterian LGBT equality 
movement, church More Light Sunday signups 
<http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday/action.html> for 2006 have surpassed 
last year's record 
<http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20050626180411122> of 36 
participating churches, with a month still left to go before More Light 
Sunday <http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday> on June 11.  The 
participating church count presently stands at 41 and should climb even 
higher as more church signups come in throughout the month of May. 
Signups are literally coming from across the country, from Florida to 
Alaska (we're still holding out for Maine and Hawaii)... 

There's still time to sign up your church for More Light Sunday 
participation - see our online church signup page 
<http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday/action.html>.
*Read more... <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060510175036258>*


*More Light Sunday becomes More Light Month at First Yorktown*

/ First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown <http://www.fpcyork.com/> 
recently dropped us this note about their plans to take More Light 
Sunday <http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday> and turn it into a month of 
visibility. Thanks to First Yorktown for its upcoming month of More Light!/

"Our session has decided to dedicate the entire month of June to 
Morelight awareness. In addition to speakers and inserts and the dvd, we 
will be flying our rainbow banner all month outside our church and 
holding special community events such a free showing of 'Tying the Knot' 
with a discussion with the film-maker as part of the program....  Maybe 
this news will encourage other congregations to "come out of the closet" 
in June!"

Peace,
Angela Skinner, First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown



*MLP's "Right Now" More Light Sunday postcards go to press*

/(See the online version of this article 
<http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060504113540727> to view the 
postcard images.)/

As part of our resources for More Light Sunday 
<http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday> this year, MLP has produced a 
special "Right Now / Write Now" postcard, available to all churches 
which participate in More Light Sunday, which allows people to write and 
send a message of support for LGBT equality to the General Assembly 
commissioners.  The postcards are now at the printers, and we're very 
happy with how they look. In the web article 
<http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060504113540727> are thumbnail 
images - click each image to see a larger version. 


*Celebrating the Life & Ministry of Rev. Robert Moore... a father & son, 
family & church story from Tucson, Arizona*

/(Reflections by MLP field organizer Michael Adee)/
With a mix of joy and gratitude for the life and ministry of our brother 
and friend, the Rev. Robert Moore, and sadness because of his untimely 
death this week that I offer these reflections. Robert served as parish 
associate, St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, Tucson, AZ and was a 
co-founder of the Luminarias de Cristo More Light Presbyterians' Chapter 
in de Cristo Presbytery with his eldest son, Matt. Robert was one of the 
most gentle persons and most loving pastors I have ever met.

Robert and Matt's lives, ministries and legacies tell an amazing story 
of a father and a son, a family and a church. They remind us what is 
really means to be family, to be the church.*
Read more... <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060501083158942>*


*More Light & Presbyterian Men... stories from the 2006 National 
Gathering Chicago*

/(From our field organizer Michael Adee)/
Hello from Chicago. Ralph Carter, MLP Board member and I have been 
participating in the 2006 Gathering of Presbyterian Men. This national 
conference is sponsored annually by the National Council of Presbyterian 
Men of the Presbyterian Church (USA). "Love your neighbor as yourself" 
is this year's theme based upon the Gospel of Luke 10:27b.

In addition to serving as an Elder, Deacon and on the More Light 
Committee of his local congregation, Third Presbyterian Church, 
Rochester, NY, a More Light Presbyterian Church, Ralph has organized a 
Presbyterian Men's group within Third Presbyterian. *
Read more... <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060501083643946>*


*Michael Adee in the news - "Open Doors, Open Hearts" in Missouri*
/
The Columbia Tribune <http://www.columbiatribune.com> (Columbia, MO) 
published a piece recently that mentions MLP field organizer Michael 
Adee's upcoming training and outreach visit to a 5-day event organized 
jointly with the local PFLAG chapter. Extracts appear below, or you can 
read the full article 
<http://www.columbiatribune.com/2006/Apr/20060429Feat002.asp> online./

*Open doors, open hearts*
Church members discuss struggles of gay Christians.
By MARCIA VANDERLIP, April 29, 2006

About 10 years ago, Linda and Clayton Hayes walked into their 
neighborhood church because it was convenient.
"Looking back," Linda said, "the church was probably not the best thing 
for our son, Nicholas."...

For the past 18 months, they have worked with a network of groups to 
find ways to promote thoughtful dialogue about gays and Christianity. 
It's time, she said, for other voices in the Christian community to be 
heard.*
Read more... <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060504225949944>*


*Five Days of Reconciliation: MLP in Missouri*

/(From our field organizer Michael Adee)/
More Light Presbyterian members, supporters, donors, friends & allies,

Hello from Columbia, Missouri. I am here completing "Five Days of 
Reconciliation," an ecumenically-oriented, collaboratively-sponsored 
educational outreach campaign with the goal to create and support safe 
places for LGBT persons and their families in faith communities and to 
challenge discrimination against LGBT persons in both church and civil 
society.  Linda Hayes and Steve Clayton are coordinators of this 
five-day educational outreach in their community of Columbia as part of 
the Faith-Based Outreach Committee associated with PROMO, Protecting 
Rights of Missourians <http://promoonline.org/index.html>, a statewide 
LGBT equal rights organization. National MLP supported this effort along 
with the Liberty Education Forum <http://www.libertyeducationforum.org/> 
of Washington, DC, and PFLAG Columbia <http://pflag.missouri.org/>, the 
Open Door Ministry <http://pflag.missouri.org/opendoor.html> of Missouri 
United Methodist Church, Columbia.
*Read more...* <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060508161210634>


*MLP's Right Now petition - why one church signed*

Soon after we announced our first-ever online petition, "A Call to 
Justice - Right Now" 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/mlp/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=226>, 
we found that not only individuals, but also church sessions were 
signing on in support. Rev. Patrician Barth of Takoma Park Presbyterian 
<http://www.takomaparkpc.org/> in Maryland sent us this statement about 
why their session felt it was important to sign on. You can still sign 
the petition and leave your comments at www.mlp.org/rightnow 
<http://www.mlp.org/rightnow>. We'll soon assemble the comments into a 
collection to make available to commissioners at this year's General 
Assembly in Birmingham.

*Statement of Takoma Park Presbyterian*
At Takoma Park Presbyterian Church, we strive to be "A Church for All 
People." Throughout scripture we learn that God's concerns have always 
been love and justice.
*Read more...* <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060505202813568>


*MLP releases GA legislative recommendations: "Yes" on Heartland, "No" 
on Task Force recommendations*

/We're pleased to announce here the public release of our legislative 
recommendations for the 2006 (217th) General Assembly. The 
recommendations provide MLP's endorsement, or unendorsement, of various 
items of business coming to this year's General Assembly 
<http://www.pcusa.org/ga217/> in Birmingham. We'll be mailing a copy of 
these recommendations to every GA commissioner along with a cover letter 
and additional resources. You can read the full recommendations document 
below, or you can read the PDF version 
<http://www.mlp.org/docs/mlp-legislative-recs-2006.pdf>./

*More Light Presbyterians
Legislative recommendations for the 2006 (217th) General Assembly*
All overtures listed below are items of business in committee #4, Church 
Orders.
The Theological Task Force report is an item of business in committee 
#6, ecclesiology.

*1. On Overture 002 (Item 04-01), the Heartland Overture*
More Light Presbyterians recommends a /yes/ vote on this overture, which 
arrives at General Assembly supported by 21 similar overtures and 
concurrences from Presbyteries around the country.

*Rationale for support: *
Passage of the Heartland Overture will move the PCUSA forward into the 
twenty-first century and begin a healing process by eliminating unjust, 
unbiblical, and unPresbyterian discrimination from our ordination 
standards. Institutionalized Presbyterian discrimination against 
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people began in the late 
1970's and has now caused nearly 30 years of suffering, destruction of 
lives and careers, judicial attacks, and the forced exodus of talented 
pastors and laypeople from our denomination. The time is Right Now for 
the PCUSA to put an end to these policies which have caused, and 
continue to cause, intense damage to the Church and to the human soul. 
Any delay simply makes the problem worse.
*Read more... <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060513140818147>*


*Action reminders:*
(You can read more about these actions at the top of our web page at 
www.mlp.org <http://www.mlp.org>)

*Hold a More Light Sunday event at your church on June 11*
More Light Sunday <http://www.mlp.org/morelightsunday>, our annual day 
of action to support LGBT equality, is coming on June 11, just days 
before the start of General Assembly in Birmingham. Can you commit to 
help your church plan an activity 
<http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=mls2006signup> that will 
win hearts and minds for LGBT equality? We're looking for dozens of More 
Light supporters nationwide to talk to your adult education committees 
and to your church session leaders to plan an event for *"Justice /Right 
Now/"* <http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=mls2006signup>, 
our national More Light Sunday theme for 2006.
*Host a More Light Sunday event at your church. 
<http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=mls2006signup>*


*Host a 'Right Now' house party on June 10 or 11*
As part of our pull-out-all-the-stops approach to More Light Sunday 
weekend this year, MLP is encouraging all of our supporters to host a 
house party for More Light Presbyterians 
<http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=houseparty2006> on June 
10 or June 11. These dates fall immediately prior to the start of 
General Assembly in Birmingham and are a great time to introduce friends 
to MLP as well as hear the latest information from MLP leaders about our 
General Assembly plans.
* Sign up to host a 'Right Now' MLP house party at your home on June 11 
or 12 <http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=houseparty2006>*
*
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------

MLPnews is published every 3-4 weeks by More Light Presbyterians 
<http://www.mlp.org>.  Text not attributed otherwise is copyright (c) 
2006 More Light Presbyterians.  MLP permits and encourages the 
noncommercial forwarding of this email message in its entirety.  Send 
your news items and (small) photos to news at mlp.org.  To subscribe to 
MLPnews, visit www.mlp.org and use the MLPnews subscription box at the 
top of the web page.  To unsubscribe, reply to this message and let us 
know your email address.

More Light Presbyterians is a member-supported, 501c(3) organization 
which works for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and 
transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness of the 
Presbyterian Church (USA) <http://www.pcusa.org>.  Your financial 
contributions are a key part of our witness, activities, and efforts to 
bring equality to the PCUSA.  You can contribute to MLP online at our 
secure Groundspring site 
<https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=7550>, or print and 
mail in a paper contribution form 
<http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/resources/joinform.htm>.  For stock 
donation inquiries, please email us at membersupport at mlp.org 
<mailto:membersupport at mlp.org>
<http://www.mlp.org/join.html>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mylist.net/archives/mlpnews/attachments/20060514/9f812f6b/attachment.htm
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/gif
Size: 7913 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mylist.net/archives/mlpnews/attachments/20060514/9f812f6b/attachment.gif