 Support for Amendment 08-B continues as does MLP's campaign work in every presbytery yet to vote even after the opposition to ratification secured the simple majority vote of 87 votes on April 25. In recent days, 4 more presbyteries voted YES on O8-B, with 3 of those presbyteries shifting from opposition in 2002 to support in 2009.
Detroit Presbytery approved the 218th General Assembly's Ordination Amendment 08-B by a vote of 141 - 92. Lehigh Presbytery, in Pennsylvania, voted 60 - 46 - 2 for Amendment 08-B. The Presbytery of Minnesota Valleys voted 44 - 37 - 1 to approve Amendment 08-B.
Detroit, Lehigh and Minnesota Valleys became the 29th, 30th and 31st presbyteries to "flip" from opposition to ordination equality in 2001-2 to support for Amendment 08-B in 2009.
The Presbytery of Southern New England voted 97 - 50 for Amendment 08-B, a significantly higher margin of support for ordination equality than in 2002.
We now stand at 73 supportive presbyteries which is already 31 more than the final count of 42 in 2002 with a dozen presbyteries yet to vote. The last presbytery vote is scheduled for May 30. Special thanks to all those working to end discrimination against LGBT Presbyterians and their families now in Detroit, Lehigh, Minnesota Valleys and the Southern New England presbyteries.
We wish to thank specifically Rev. Celeste Lasich, Ken Collinson, John Lovegren, Brian Spolarich and Alan Kiste, Rev. Chuck Booker-Hirsch, Dick Hasbany, Ralph Jones, and Presbyterian Promise, for working for justice and equality in your respective presbyteries.
And, we are grateful to Rev. Debra Peevey and Sonnie Swentson for providing educational resources and information on Amendment O8-B. All of you are an inspiration!
The 31 Presbyteries that have flipped from "NO" in 2001-2 to "YES" in 2009 so far include: Western North Carolina, Lake Huron, East Tennessee, Cimarron, Southeastern Illinois, Charlotte, Maumee Valley, Great Rivers, Scioto Valley, Sheppards & Lapsley, Tres Rios, New Hope, Greater Atlanta, Ohio Valley, Arkansas, Yellowstone, Whitewater Valley, Transylvania, Eastminster, West Jersey, Mackinac, Newark, West Virginia, Philadelphia, Grace, Wabash Valley, Salem, Western New York, Detroit, Lehigh and Minnesota Valleys.
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.
Thanks be to God for the Presbyteries of Detroit, Lehigh, Minnesota Valleys, and Southern New England for taking a stand for justice and calling for the end of discrimination in our Church. Together We are building a Church for all God's people.
73 Presbyteries have voted so far for Amendment 08-B. This campaign is not over!
Have Faith. Continue praying. Keep working.
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
Answering God's Call to Serve! YES on 08-B Campaign
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