More Good News from the South! Presbytery of Greater Atlanta approves 08-B

Tuesday, February 24 2009 @ 06:29 PM

Today, February 21, at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia, the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta affirmed the 218th General Assembly's Ordination Amendment 08-B by a vote of 243 YES to 233 NO with 5 Abstentions.

The Ordination Amendment vote in 2001-02 by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta was 235 Yes, 283 No. So, the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is yet another presbytery in this extraordinary trend of presbyteries "flipping" their votes from NO in 2001 to YES in 2009. The first presbytery to "flip" from opposition in 2001 to affirmation in 2009 was the Presbytery of Western North Carolina.

The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta includes more than 100 congregations and over 45,000 members spanning 20 counties including rural, urban, and suburban areas of Georgia. The presbytery's ministry center is at Druid Hills Presbyterian Church, Atlanta.

The Mission Statement of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta reveals why a vote to end discrimination against LGBT Presbyterians and their families is possible within this presbytery:

"The mission of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is to witness to the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to connect and empower congregations in their local and global ministries."

The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is a supportive network of 110 churches with the mission of helping each church to be the best it can be--to connect, equip and empower congregations to carry out their missions--especially those objectives particular churches cannot accomplish alone. The focus of our presbytery's missional life is connecting congregations to each other and to the larger church of Jesus Christ.

Source of presbytery information: http://www.presbyteryofgreateratl.org

Special thanks to all those working to end discrimination against LGBT Presbyterians and their families now in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. You are an inspiration.

We are grateful for the witness, leadership and service of Rev. Erin Swenson, Rev. Dana Hughes and Ormewood Park Presbyterian Church, a welcoming and affirming More Light Church; Mardee Rightmyer, Carol Seaton and Mickie Williams and the many other allies and supporters in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.

We want to offer particular gratitude to Rev. Debra Peevey, Associate for Outreach, MLP, and Rev. Tricia Dykers-Koenig, CN, for providing outreach and serving as resource persons with this presbytery.

We want to alert all of you working in local presbyteries to pass 08-B to prepared for any of the "No Action" efforts in your presbytery and be ready to address them.

For educational resources and our Resource Packet from the Answering God's Call to Serve! Yes on 08-B Campaign -- go to http://www.mlp.org/answeringgodscall

Thanks be to God for this stand for justice and call to the end to discrimination in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta! Together We are building a Church for all God's people.

with hope and grace,

Michael

PS -- Special thanks to Bruce Hahne, recent National MLP Board Member and Elder, First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, CA, a More Light Church for number-crunching and analysis of trends so far for Amendment 08-B -- go to http://yeson08b.blogspot.com/

Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., Executive Director & Field Organizer

More Light Presbyterians, 369 Montezuma Avenue # 447, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 USA (505) 820-7082, michaeladee@aol.com, www.mlp.org

Answering God's Call to Serve!

For resources, stories, presbytery vote tally, and news from More Light Presbyterians

YES on 08-B Campaign go to http://www.mlp.org/answeringgodscall

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