[MLPnews] MLPnews August 29, 2006

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MLP News

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....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 9
  August 29, 2006



 

 

 

In this issue:

        * Call for information: tell us about any anti-LGBT post General
          Assembly activity in your Presbytery or within your church <#13>
          <#1>
        * Open Hearts & Spirits, More Light at the PW Churchwide
          Gathering, Louisville, KY <#1>
        * More Light Church pastor's message: "Real Christians Don't Gay
          Bash" <#2>
        * Michael Adee, MLP field organizer and silver medalist <#3>
        * MLP chapter in the news: MLP Nashville and the 2006 Chapter
          Leadership Award <#4>
        * Director of Christian Education - Boston, MA <#5>
        * More Light Montreal: International Conference on LGBT Human
          Rights, and the First World Outgames <#7>
        * Conference Notice: "Transforming Faith", Oct. 21-22,
          Corvallis, Oregon <#9>
        * Regional MLP event: Open Doors MLP chapter, September 24,
          Laurel, MD <#10>
        * MLP in Portland, and notes from Michael Adee <#11>
        * Anti-gay group calls for a judicial moratorium... for
          themselves <#12>

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------


            Call for information: tell us about any anti-LGBT post
            General Assembly activity in your Presbytery or within your
            church

    We're starting to hear reports from a variety of locations in the
    country about a new wave of anti-gay Presbyterian legislative and
    judicial efforts, focused on getting presbyteries and individual
    church sessions to enact strict anti-LGBT interpretations either of
    the Book of Order or of the Authoritative Interpretation passed by
    the 2006 General Assembly.

    If you're aware of this type of anti-LGBT activity taking place, or
    about to take place, within your presbytery or session, you'll help
    the entire More Light Movement if you can write a few paragraphs
    (short is fine, long is OK too) about what's happening locally and
    send it to us at news at mlp.org. We'll edit your notes for clarity and
    publish a news item here on the MLP web site blog.

    You can also send us the full text of any motions, policy
    statements, or other material considered from the floor of your
    Presbytery or which will become a matter of public record in
    Presbytery or session minutes. And if you have a local More Light or
    similar LGBT-supportive team that's organizing to put a stop to the
    latest round of anti-gay efforts, feel free to tell us about that
    too - what are you doing, what worked, what didn't work, etc.

    More Light supporters who need specific Presbyterian legal or polity
    advice should, as always, feel free to contact MLP's liaisons for
    judicial affairs, Bear Ride and Mike Smith. You can find their
    contact information on the MLP board member contact page
    <http://www.mlp.org/staticpages/index.php?page=board>.


            Open Hearts & Spirits, More Light at the PW Churchwide
            Gathering, Louisville, KY

    July 13, 2006, Louisville, KY - from our field organizer Michael Adee

    Hello from Louisville, Ky, the Presbyterian Church (USA) Center,
    home of the Louisville Slugger baseball bat factory, and the
    Triennial Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women.

    Since Thursday of last week, I have been lovingly surrounded by
    3,000 women and a few men, at this wonderful Churchwide Gathering of
    Presbyterian Women from around the country and our world. NNPCW, the
    National Network of Presbyterian College Women, also held their
    gathering in concert with this larger one.

    MLP joined friends from TAMFS to offer an educational/outreach booth
    in the Exhibition Hall with the theme, "Building a Church for All
    God's People." Hundreds of visitors stopped by our booth for
    conversation, and to receive educational materials so they could be
    of support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender daughters and
    sons, friends in their own congregations, etc. Friends from Central
    Presbyterian Church, Louisville, a More Light Church, helped us with
    outreach at the booth and participated in our other programs.

    [Read More...
    <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060713190736129>]
    <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060713190736129>


            More Light Church pastor's message: "Real Christians Don't
            Gay Bash"

    July 27, 2006, Austin, TX

    Progressive Christians tend to be nonjudgmental and to feel that
    challenging the intolerance of others is itself intolerant. For that
    reason we often sit by silently when Fundamentalist Christians
    criticize homosexual persons. We tend to think of this as being
    open-minded.

    Not that long ago, it was considered consistent to be a Christian,
    and yet, hold slaves. The day came when slavery was understood as an
    affront to the gospel itself. I want to suggest that the day has
    come when Christians must declare that gay bashing is an attack on
    the gospel and that real Christians do not participate in any form
    of discrimination.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060727201738581>


            Michael Adee, MLP field organizer and silver medalist

    July 27, 2006, Chicago, IL

    MLP's national field organizer Michael Adee recently took some time
    off from his ongoing schedule of nationwide church visits and
    grassroots organizing to compete in the Gay Games VII in Chicago,
    playing tennis. He sends us this note and photos after winning a
    silver medal in the mixed doubles competition. Congratulations to
    Michael for being both a fantastic field organizer and a fantastic
    tennis player!

    More Light Presbyterian members, donors, supporters, allies and friends:

    Hello from Gay Games VII in Chicago!

    Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best are the commitments
    lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender athletes make when they compete
    in the Gay Games. The Gay Games were envisioned by the Tom Waddell,
    the late USA 1968 Olympic decathlete.

    This is my fourth Gay Games to participate in and compete in tennis.
    Over 10,000 athletes from over 40 countries competed in 40 sports
    along with arts and cultural events celebrating the lives and gifts
    of LGBT persons.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060727202433473>


            MLP chapter in the news: MLP Nashville and the 2006 Chapter
            Leadership Award

    July 27, 2006, Nashville, TN

    The MLP Nashville chapter, recipient of MLP's 2006 Chapter of the
    Year award, has received some press coverage about the award in the
    local Nashville Out and About online newspaper. Extracts appear below.

    Nashville More Light Presbyterians chapter receives 2006 National
    Chapter Leadership Award

    The National Board of More Light Presbyterians presented the More
    Light Presbyterians in Middle Tennessee chapter with the 2006
    National Chapter Leadership Award during the 217th meeting of the
    General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Birmingham,
    Alabama on Thursday June 16, 2006. This award was given in
    recognition of the chapter's work within the greater Nashville
    community to further the mission of More Light Presbyterians...

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060727203545128>


            Director of Christian Education - Boston, MA

    July 28, 2006, Boston, MA

    Church of the Covenant <http://www.churchofthecovenant.org> is
    looking for an Interim Director of Christian Education. 12-15 hours
    a week, $10,000 to $15,000 per annum, depending on hours and
    experience; benefits as eligible. This position will focus on
    children's CE and is intended to be a one-year appointment, starting
    around September 1. Church of the Covenant is a federated
    congregation, PC(USA) and UCC, More Light/Open and Affirming, in
    Boston's Back Bay.


            More Light Montreal: International Conference on LGBT Human
            Rights, and the First World Outgames

    August 13, Montreal, QC

     From our field organizer Michael Adee.

    Greetings from Montreal, Canada and the first International
    Conference on LGBT Human Rights. 2,000 participants from over 100
    countries came to the Palais de Congres for this extraordinary
    conference which preceded the 1st World Outgames in Montreal. This
    is my MLP study leave and a way to have MLP represented and
    connected to such a life-giving, life-saving, history-making event
    focused upon creating a legacy for global human rights.

    The conference was organized with five themes: essential rights,
    global issues, the diverse LGBT community, participation in society
    and creating social change. The five plenary sessions focused on one
    of five continents. Internationally-reknown keynote speakers
    included: Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human
    Rights, Geneva; Martin Cauchon, former Minister of Justice and
    Attorney General, Canada; Claire L'Heureux-Dube', Justice of the
    Supreme Court, Canada; Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson; and
    Martina Navratilova, tennis legend and activist.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060813005736504>


            Conference Notice: "Transforming Faith", Oct. 21-22,
            Corvallis, Oregon

    MLP's Oregon Chapter is one of the supporters of this conference,
    and previous MLP co-moderator Erin Swenson is one of the keynote
    speakers.

    The Community of Welcoming Congregations and the Center for Lesbian
    and Gay Studies present an interfaith conference:

    /Transforming Faith: A Transgender Witness/

    Saturday, October 21 - Sunday, October 22
    First United Methodist Church
    Corvallis, Oregon

    Celebrate with us as we seek to educate communities of faith in the
    spectrum of gender identities and issues, which impacts all of us;
    to begin to dismantle binary gender constructs and their reign in
    misogyny and homophobia; to nurture the original Blessing of body
    sexuality and gender expression

    Keynote: Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, "Omnigender and a New
    Reformation"

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060816180535156>


            Regional MLP event: Open Doors MLP chapter, September 24,
            Laurel, MD

    A local event notice from Open Doors chapter board member Alice Hissey

    On Sunday, September 24 at 5:00 PM Oaklands Presbyterian Church in
    Laurel, MD will host the Annual Open Doors/More Light Presbyterians
    Meeting and Pot Luck Dinner.

    We are planning a meaningful worship and program. Our guest pianist
    for the evening worship will be Jay DeWire, currently a Ph.D.
    candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Maryland,
    College Park.

    Rev. Ann Philbrick from Heartwood will help us to debrief this
    summer's General Assembly. More details will follow but we wanted to
    announce the date so that you could put it on your calendar and
    spread the word.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060818191916320>


            MLP in Portland, and notes from Michael Adee

    June 20, 2006, Birmingham, Alabama.

    Our field organizer Michael Adee sends us these thoughts inspired by
    the MLP Cascades (Portland, OR) chapter's upcoming participation in
    a local festival event.

    More Light Presbyterian members, donors, supporters, friends & allies:

    MLPs from the Cascades Presbytery MLP Chapter and the Portland area
    More Light congregations are participating in a community-wide
    interfaith festival on September 17.

    Because sexual orientation, gender identity, same-gender loving
    relationships and families are human conditions that are part of the
    entire human family, they cross cultural and religious tradition
    lines as well. While it might not be part of our consciousness,
    there are gay Muslims, or lesbian Jews, bisexual and transgender
    Buddhists, of course. Or Muslim parents with gay children. I am
    grateful to see local MLPs in Portland participating in this kind of
    interfaith event.

    I would encourage all More Light Churches and local MLP Chapters to
    consider this kind of outreach when an interfaith opportunity
    presents itself in your area. Be vigilant and creative in taking
    advantage of interfaith opportunities in addition to ecumencial
    ones. One challenge is to consider and select educational resources
    that provide a welcoming model of a faith community for others to
    see, as well as resources that might be relevant across religious
    tradition lines.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060818192724495>


            Anti-gay group calls for a judicial moratorium... for themselves

    August 26, 2006, Lexington, KY

    Presbyterian News Service recently reported that the New Wineskins
    Initiative -- a schismatic organization which recommends that
    sessions seek to defund the PCUSA General Assembly -- sent a letter
    to GA Moderator Joan Gray and Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick
    asking for a moratorium on disciplinary, administrative, and legal
    actions against churches seeking to leave the PCUSA and take their
    property with them. The request for a moratorium was precipitated by
    the passage of the Theological Task Force report, which the New
    Wineskins blog claims has "opened the door to the blatant disregard
    of biblical standards." Extracts from the PNS article appear below.

    [Read More...] <http://www.mlp.org/article.php?story=20060826112034488>

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