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More Light Presbyterians |
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| "Letters from a
Birmingham Assembly" highlights MLP Dinner
Michael Adee gave the keynote talk at the More Light Presbyterians
Celebration Dinner on June 15, the opening evening of the 217th
General Assembly. He told his own story and many others about living
into the questions of life, and into answers, as he learned to affirm
his own identity as God’s gift.
Adee's talk >> [6-28-06] |
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"More Light on PUP Decision, Justice Now or Later?"
Media release from More Light Presbyterians' National
Board of Directors
June 20, 2006.
Birmingham, Alabama. Earlier this evening after a spirited
three-hour debate, the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church
(USA) voted by a margin of 57 to 43% to approve the Theological Task Force's
Peace, Unity and Purity Report and its recommendations.
Bear Ride, Co-Moderator, said of this decision: "This is
not where we had hoped to be, but this is where we are - not an altogether
unfamiliar place for those of us who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or
transgender. And yet, somehow we remain in the Presbyterian Church (USA)."
The approval of the Task Force Report and its
recommendation to not send a constitutional amendment from this year's
General Assembly that would have removed the discriminatory ban against
faithful LGBT Presbyterians seeking ordination inevitably led to the defeat
of the Heartland Ordination Overture. "We are grateful for the 22
presbyteries that believed in the full embrace of our LGBT sisters and
brothers who came to Birmingham to work for justice. MLP is committed to
bringing ordination overtures every General Assembly until our Church gets
it right," responded Kim Smith King, Co-Moderator.
Michael J. Adee, National Field Organizer said, "How long
will the Presbyterian Church continue to be a church for heterosexuals only?
People tell me that they don't like it when I say that. When it's no longer
true, I'll stop saying it. I kept thinking that being in Birmingham would
challenge and inspire our Church to do justice now. And in the midst of the
Assembly's decisions today, the words of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. give me hope: 'The arc of history bends toward justice.'"
Bear Ride and Kim Smith King, Co-Moderators, More Light
Presbyterians' National Board of Directors
www.mlp.org |
| On the
defeat of the Heartland overture [6-17-06]
At 3:18 PM central time today, in a virtual tie, the Committee on Church
Orders voted 30 in favor, 28 opposed on a motion to DISapprove the Heartland
overture, which calls for the deletion of G-6.0106b.
This committee vote means that the Heartland pro-LGBT delete-B overture
and its 21 supportive overtures and concurrences have received a nominal
thumbs-down from the committee, however the vote is so obviously divided
that it may have little significance when the General Assembly plenary
session begins. As MLP Birmingham and Legislative and Judicial Affairs team
member Mike Smith noted via phone, "Now we'll go to the floor and see if the
General Assembly is equally close... we're going to try to win this thing!"
Your Right Now postcards, your prayers, your financial support, your More
Light Sunday participation, all of these have made a tremendous difference
in our work for justice at General Assembly. Our prayers are with our MLP
General Assembly ground team as they shift to the next stage of this year's
political efforts: advocacy for the Heartland overture on the floor of
General Assembly.
A statement from MLP field organizer Michael Adee follows this message.
More updates and news from Birmingham will be available throughout
General Assembly at www.mlp.org - be sure to check in daily to stay current.
________________________________________________
More Light Presbyterian members, supporters, donors, allies & friends,
June 17, 2006 From the 217th General Assembly, PCUSA, Birmingham, Alabama
RE: Perspective on the Church Orders' Committee vote today on the
Heartland Ordination Overture
Minutes ago, the Church Orders' Committee of the General Assembly voted
30-28 to disapprove the Heartland Presbytery Ordination Overture that would
have removed discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
persons in our church.
While this vote is a disappointment, of course, this is not the end of
possibilities within this Assembly for justice to be done here in
Birmingham. Several other options remain including a minority report, a
hearing on the plenary floor of the entire Assembly, etc. This remarkably
narrow vote is a message to the Assembly that there are indeed those in the
Church willing to remove barriers to LGBT persons following God's call to
service.
Those of us here in Birmingham witnessed many allies coming forward to
speak from within this committee asking for fairness, the welcome and
affirmation of LGBT people in our Church, and to end discrimination. With
the committee discussion of the ordination overture, many thoughtful,
articulate, passionate voices spoke for change, for fairness, for
justice.... calling for the committee, and our Church, to recognize the
sacred worth and gifts for ministry of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender persons.
From the open hearings before the Church Orders' committee to the
Overture Advocates' presentations, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender Presbyterians spoke of their faith, love for God and God's
Church, and their calls to ministry. Each time a LGBT person finds their
voice, to courage to speak, to offer a witness this counts, this is a "win."
Many heterosexual allies, parents and friends stood to speak their truth,
how they changed their hearts and minds, and why they believe that our
Church needs to remove these barriers.
Special thanks to all of the Sessions and presbyteries that sent
Ordination overtures to this General Assembly. Our work is not over, the
committee vote was close, many possibilities await us there in Birmingham in
the next few days.
Much gratitude to all of you at home, and in church, praying for this
Assembly, and for our Church to "get it" .... to recognize that all of us
are children of God, that all of us are created in the image of God,
unconditionally loved by God, and the Gospel is "good news" to all persons,
not just heterosexuals. It is my continued deep hope and prayer that this
Assembly will bring a "good word" to LGBT persons, our parents, families and
friends. It is my continued deep hope and prayer that this Assembly "do
justice" and do justice now.
To keep up with MLP and "GA News" I encourage you to keep going to the
MLP Website - www.mlp.org MLP Board Member
Bruce Hahne is closely monitoring G.A. business and MLP activities and
posting them on our national website.
For those of you who are like me gay, or lesbian, bisexual and
transgender, let us "remember who we are" as children of God, created good
just as we are and unconditionally loved by God just like our heterosexual
sisters and brothers. No matter what the PCUSA does or says this week, it is
my prayer that no LGBT, queer or questioning person, younger or older, doubt
that they are a child of God and loved by God.
So, do not lose heart in being who you are, or in loving God and
neighbor, offering mercy or doing justice. It is gratifying to know that the
many dozen MLP'ers who are here praying, working and witnessing in
Birmingham that we are not alone, that you are here with us, in heart,
prayer and spirit, too.
Now, back to the MLP educational/outreach booth in the G.A. Exhibit Hall.
Stay tuned for more news from Birmingham -
www.mlp.org
with hope and grace,
Michael Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D.
National Field Organizer, More Light Presbyterians |
|
MLP comments on a recent interview with
former Moderator Rev. Jack Rogers
[5-23-06] "Presbyterian
leader has written that homosexuality is not a sin and should not be a bar
to ordination," writes Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch staff
writer Alberta Lindsey. Lindsey's interview with the former PCUSA Moderator,
the Rev. Jack Rogers. Her article gets to the heart of the matter that
faces our beloved Presbyterian Church (USA) next month in Birmingham.
I find it ironic that it is an article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch
that quotes Jack Rogers this time since our last General Assembly was in
Richmond. Lindsey's article ends with this quotation from the distinguished
theologian, scholar, author and former Moderator Rogers:
"When we use the proper methods of biblical interpretation and return to
the fundamental teachings of Jesus -- love God and love your neighbor -- God
will be able to heal our divisions."
More Light Presbyterians joins Jack Rogers in this hope and prayer that
indeed all of us will return to the fundamental teachings of Jesus -- to be
about "loving God and neighbor" which is made possible by knowing and
affirming that all of us are first loved by God.... that all of us are
children of God, created in the image of God, and unconditionally loved by
God.
And, that all means all, not just some.
Together We are Building a Church for All God's People!
with hope and grace,
Michael
Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., National Field Organizer
More Light Presbyterians, 369 Montezuma Avenue # 447, Santa Fe, NM 87501,
(505) 820-7082,
michaeladee@aol.com,
www.mlp.org
The complete article >> |
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Legislative recommendations
[5-14-06] More Light Presbyterians
has issued a brief statement of their recommendations for action on the
various overtures -- and the Theological Task Force report -- which will be
considered by the 217th General Assembly. |
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More Light Presbyterians Opposes
Recommendations of the
Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church
[4-29-06]
The National Board of More Light Presbyterians thanks the 20 members of
the Theological Task Force for four years of devoted work, prayer and
reflection. Their task was daunting and they are to be commended for their
faithful service to our beloved church.
However, the
recommendation of the Task Force that the 217th General Assembly adopt
"no additional authoritative
interpretations, to remove no existing authoritative interpretations, and
to send to presbyteries no...constitutional amendments that would have the
effect of changing denominational policy in the main areas of the Task
Force’s report..."
continues to deny the lives and ministries
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Presbyterians right now.
While we value the call
for discernment in the form of prayer and dialogue, true discernment is not
possible unless all members of the church are free to speak openly about
their lives and faith experience without fear of retribution. It is
unreasonable to expect that LGBT Presbyterians will be in a position to
share their witness while the threat of litigation under G-6.0106b remains.
Further, it is unacceptable for our church after 30 years of struggle to ask
our LGBT members, their families and supporters, to continue to wait while
the church debates the worth of their membership.
The More Light
Presbyterian Board calls for a decision right now for the full
inclusion of all God’s children. We urge the PCUSA to delete G-6.0106b from
the Form of Government and to set aside all authoritative interpretations
that support discrimination against our LGBT members and officers. We
commend the presbyteries that have sent overtures calling for this change.
The church must not fear continued debate and discussion in the legislative
process, for when all voices are heard, we may also hear the voice of the
Holy Spirit.
We commend to the
church the document of the 195th GA, Historical Principles,
Conscience, and Church Government, which states: "the diversity of the
church is its strongest asset in seeking to discover God’s will...The church
protects its own minority point of view as if it were protecting its future,
recognizing that the dissenter may well represent the will of God."
For over 30 years, the
PCUSA has violated this principle by failing to protect LGBT Presbyterians
from discrimination and obloquy. G-6.0106b must be removed if the church is
to be able to repent and embody
Peace with justice – Unity with
equality – Purity with wholeness.
[Source:
Michael Smith, for MLP. Posted 4-29-06] |
Complete list of delete-B overtures
and concurrences
[4-29-06]
This list, provided by More Light Presbyterians, includes all known delete-B
overtures and concurrences, with links to specific MLP articles and a vote
count when available. |
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More Light
announces plans for GA Reception and Dinner
[4-29-06]
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Reception -- 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Celebration Dinner -- 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
For details, and recipients
of the 2006 David Sindt, More Light Church and More Light Chapter Awards
>> |
| More
Light Presbyterians issued the following Call to Justice as Presbyterians
approach the 217th General Assembly: |
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More Light Presbyterians
March 17, 2006
A Call to Justice
RIGHT NOW
Justice knows no season.
"The time is always ripe to do
right."
- Martin Luther
King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail
The time is RIGHT NOW for disciples of Jesus Christ to stand up
for those denied full participation in our church - lesbian, gay, bisexual
and
transgender sisters and brothers whom God has called to ministry.
Recommendations that would maintain the church’s discriminatory policy on
ordination say once again to "wait," "be patient," "the time is not right."
"There
is such a thing as being too late...
We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now."
- Martin Luther
King, Jr.
The time is right now to move beyond our fears:
fear of the unknown
fear of denominational schism
fear of those who are different.
Jesus proclaimed a bold faith, challenging disciples to "Fear not!"
It is time to do right, now, and trust God’s inclusive love.
"God is love... There is no fear
in love, but perfect love casts out fear."
1 John
4:16,18
The peace, unity and purity that the church seeks cannot and will not come
at the price of denying justice and equality. Our scriptures and our
prophets teach us that our dream of community
requires an equal place at the table for all God's children.
"I
appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream
to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood
for lesbian and gay people."
- Coretta Scott
King
The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls for
Peace with justice
Unity with equality
Purity with wholeness.
The time is
RIGHT NOW!
[Source:
Michael Smith. Posted 4-8-06] |
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Do you want to
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notes when something new is posted here.
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This website has been created by a number of progressive
organizations related to the Presbyterian Church (USA), with two
main purposes: 1. We
want to share our concerns and views with commissioners and others
attending the Assembly, and with anyone else who is watching from
afar. While some of our groups focus on one area of concern
and others are more general in their focus, we are all committed to
the wholeness of our world, which we understand to involve justice
and peace and the well-being of all people; and we are committed to
the wholeness and health of our Church and its witness and service
in the world.
2. We want to get to know
you better and serve your concerns and needs in any way we can.
So we will invite you to share your views with us and with one
another with any email responses or questions. We'll invite
your responses with links here and there, and we'll try to post
those that seem to contribute to our conversations.
Just send a note now, and tell us how we can be helpful!
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