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The National Board of Directors and national staff of More Light Presbyterians stand in solidarity and prayer with Rev. Janie Spahr and her faithful support for marriage equality and pastoral care. The inspired and loving ministry of our beloved friend and colleague in ministry, Rev. Janie Spahr, is so much a faithful witness to a loving and just Church and society for all of God's people that she has been charged for being a responsible and caring pastor by officiating at legal marriages of same gender loving couples. "We rejoice in the faithful pastoral ministry of Janie Spahr. God created all of us for love and companionship, and we all deserve to have that love recognized and celebrated in marriage," Rev. Janet Edwards, Co-Moderator.
"The growing support for marriage equality within the USA and around the world reveal a remarkable shift in the recognition of same-sex love and relationships. Love is not restricted by gender any more than it is by race, ethnicity or religion. One needs only look around to recognize the changing face of relationships within our families, congregations and world. Love makes a family," Michael J. Adee, Executive Director & Field Organizer.
We call all Presbyterians to join us in celebrating Love and praying for Janie and her trial on August 24 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Napa, CA. "Please join us in praying for the commission of Redwoods Presbytery. We celebrate the love and commitment of the same-sex couples who will testify at the trial. It is our hope and prayer that the conscience and the call to pastoral care for Presbyterian ministers will be recognized and honored in the decision of this commission. In addition to Janie's ministry being on trial, so is marriage equality and pastoral care. We are grateful for Janie and all Presbyterian ministers who follow their heart, conscience and call to ministry by caring for same-sex couples and their families, too. Together we are building a Church for all God's people," Trice Gibbons, Co-Moderator.
Rev. Janet Edwards and Trice Gibbons, Co-Moderators, More Light Presbyterians. Michael J. Adee, Executive Director & Field Organizer, and the National Board of Directors and Staff, More Light Presbyterians.
The Redwoods Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has charged Rev. Spahr for officiating at the marriages of committed same-sex couples during the period in which the State of California legally recognized these marriage, June 17, 2008 through November 3, 2008.
The trial begins next week on Tuesday, August 24 and will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Napa, CA. Several More Light Presbyterians board members will be in attendance.
Rev. Spahr's trail is set against the landmark decision in City and County of San Francisco v Arnold Schwarzenegger where Judge Vaughn Walker overturned California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage. Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, the moderator of the 218th General Assembly, spoke at the rally after the repeal of Proposition 8.
The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will hear arguments on appeal during the week of December 6. The court issued a stay of Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling until their decision is made.
In addition to Rev. Spahr, eleven couples will testify during the trial proceedings. You may view their stories and photographs at the trail website.
As the trail begins next week, there are three ways to follow the proceedings:
Rev. Jean Southard spoke at MLP's Educational Luncheon today about marriage equality and her trials in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Jean Southard is a retired Minister of the Word and Sacrament and officiated at a legal wedding of two women in Massachusetts. Charges were filed in the Presbytery of Boston and were dropped on August 22, 2009. This decision was appealed to the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast. The Synod ruled against the Presbytery and Jean. The Synod decision will be appealed.
Here is Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow’s speech at the rally after the repeal of Proposition 8 in a ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker. Reyes-Chow was the moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is the pastor of Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco, California.
Text:
“I also know that many of my people have influenced this particular journey in non-positive ways. I stand before you also confessing for the Christian church for too many times in our words and actions have created pain and violence. I stand before you confessing for those who have proclaimed a message of Biblical literalism and cultural narrow-mindedness that has oppressed rather than liberated. I stand before you at this time to confess for far too many of us well meaning straight allys who have not spoken out for justice that we need to step out now more than ever [applause]. This is a time of great celebration. This is a time when Christian around the world who will continue to push for justice must come out and stand, stand long and advocate the message of God to those Biblical literalists who have poisoned our understanding of marriage, sexuality and love. We will no long stand and allow the message of hope, compassion, justice and love to be drowned out by the screams of hatred, oppression and injustice [applause]. We will no long stand and see our friends, our family, our congregations members and strangers be denied the same civil rights that so many of us have been granted for a life time. There is a time that we must each embrace our call to speak out, act out of our place of privilege, risk our power, our authority, our comfort and assure that justice, compassion and love prevail. This is such a time. This is now. Thank you and God bless.”
CONCLUSION Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
REMEDIES Plaintiffs have demonstrated by overwhelming evidence that Proposition 8 violates their due process and equal protection rights and that they will continue to suffer these constitutional violations until state officials cease enforcement of Proposition 8. California is able to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, as it has already issued 18,000 marriage licenses to same-sex couples and has not suffered any demonstrated harm as a result, see FF 64-66; moreover, California officials have chosen not to defend Proposition 8 in these proceedings.
Because Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses, the court orders entry of judgment permanently enjoining its enforcement; prohibiting the official defendants from applying or enforcing Proposition 8 and directing the official defendants that all persons under their control or supervision shall not apply or enforce Proposition 8. The clerk is DIRECTED to enter judgment without bond in favor of plaintiffs and plaintiff-intervenors and against defendants anddefendant-intervenors pursuant to FRCP 58.
You are invited to The Believe Out Loud Power Summit in Orlando, Florida, October 9-11, 2010. The Believe Out Loud Power Summit is an advanced training for leaders in the Welcoming Church Movement.
There is no cost to attend The Believe Out Loud Power Summit, but you will be responsible for travel, hotel and food expenses. The Institute of Welcoming Resources has negotiated excellent rates at the hotel and you may use these rates three days before and three days after the summit if you would like to vacation in Orlando.
At The Believe Out Loud Power Summit, you will build concrete skills in key areas of organizing and movement building. These skills include building effective Presbyterian teams and campaigns; intersectional work with race, faith, aging and economic justice; leadership; media and messaging; fundraising; and much more.
Scholarships are available. As we begin a national ratification campaign for the Ordination amendment, this leadership event will be an excellent training for that work in your church and presbytery. We want to support Presbyterians committed to LGBT justice and equality in our Church and world to be able to join us at this extraordinary leadership training event. Please contact Michael Adee at (505) 820-7082 or michael@mlp.org to apply for a scholarship.
The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) passed a measure lifting the decade long ban on ordaining openly LGBT clergy. The ordination changes now go through a Presbytery wide ratification process. Hours after the ordination vote, commissioners postponed the discussion on marriage. Michael Adee and others provide some key perspectives about the General Assembly in a July 15 article in The Bay Area Reporter.
In striking down the celibacy requirement, the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted "one standard for all," said Michael Adee, executive director of More Light Presbyterians (http://www.mlp.org), an LGBT advocacy organization. "Instead of looking at one's marital status or sexual orientation or gender identity, it's about a person's life, faith, and character," he said.
Previously, candidates for ordination as ministers, deacons, and elders were held to a "fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness clause," which in effect, Adee said, "mandated compulsive heterosexuality or the imposition of celibacy or chastity, depending on how one reads the text."
Under the new overture, the wording of "joyful submission to worship of Christ" replaces the language of "fidelity" and "chastity."
Oklahoma native Heather Grantham, a seminarian at the Marin County-based San Francisco Theological Seminary, considers the new ordination standard "a better and higher standard," she said, adding, "It's a step forward on all fronts, whether gay or straight."
Now, "it's not all about sex," said Grantham, who attended General Assembly in two capacities, young adult and theological student advisory delegate. She also serves as family ministry director for the Noe Valley Ministry Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, which is a More Light welcoming and affirming congregation.
In the last year, the District of Columbia’s City Council and Congress approved same gender marriages as legal for the District. Many of us applauded the hard work of many who testified, agitated, and bent history’s arc toward justice. It was due to the strong work of the city council, human rights advocates, LGBTQ organizations, and a committed core of ministers called The D.C. Clergy United. I am deeply proud to have played a small part in the work to make a positive move in this essential civil rights issue of my generation.
When I found a haven within the Reformed family almost twenty years ago, it was as a battered ex-fundamentalist/evangelical who saw love and affirmation within its walls. Many of my gay and lesbian friends had already abandoned the church because it was a place where they felt excluded. Yet, I felt mentored in my beliefs and deeply supported by friends in the PC(USA). They helped restore me to a faith that had been so deeply damaged and broken by legalistic moralists. I grieve when I think of those church leaders who related that this was a denomination where my conscience could be free and that there was a place for me. I am glad that they have passed on and do not have to endure the pain that some of us face these days. Unfortunately, our pews and clergy have become more aged, so when we discuss the approval of same gender marriage in the Presbyterian Church (USA), our church has resorted to becoming that same legalistic church of old.
On the issue of same gender marriage, I stand with the teaching of Pauline Christology when he claims to the uncircumcised gentiles of Galatia and Rome “against such things there is no law.” I do not believe that our 219th General Assembly, or anyone for that matter, has the authority to bind the conscience on matters that the Spirit of God is directing portions of her church. I therefore cannot follow the definition of marriage set out by our current Book of Order. Through prayer, careful study of Scripture and discernment, I believe that this definition is unnecessarily restrictive to our members whom we claim have full membership rights within our churches.
The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met from Friday, July 2 to Saturday, July 10 in Minneapolis, MN. The following links provide a summary of the posts to More Light Presbyterians 219th General Assembly Blog.
MLP will host a Marriage Equality luncheon on July 6 at the General Assembly. There are thousands of same gender loving couples in our Church. We want you to be part of a tapestry of LGBT couples creating a "Love Makes a Family" display at this educational event. Send your favorite family photo in digital format to antony@mlp.org. Please let us know if you want to be included in the online gallery as well (see below).
To inspire you to send in your photograph, check out this photo gallery of couples who have already sent in their pictures and given us permission to include them in the online gallery.
Today is the deadline for receiving rainbow scarves from knitters and crocheters all over the church. And according to Susan Robertson who is receiving your love gifts at her home in the Twin Cities area, we have at present 796 ready for GA. Wow!!
But you may remember, we hope to have 1,500—enough for every commissioner and advisory delegate because we assume that every one will want this symbol of God’s unconditional love for all creation. The chart on right will automatically update as scarves arrive in the Twin Cities.
Do you have yarn left? Do you have energy left to knit and send some more?
Because Susan lives near GA, we can receive them for giving at GA until July 3 so keep them coming!! Here’s a reminder of where to send them.
In thanks to those of you who have contributed to this witness and as encouragement to those who will knit and crochet between now and July 3, I want to share with you this wonderful prayer sent to me last week. The rainbow scarves knitted so lovingly in that church were dedicated during worship as has happened in several places. As they prayed, it was for their knitters and for every one of you wonderful servants of Christ:
God of justice and God of love, we give you thanks for each hand that participated in the creation of these rainbow scarves. We give you thanks for their color, colors that remind us that you have intentionally created a beautifully diverse world. We give you thanks that they are a reminder to us of your unending love for your creation. Breathe your Holy Spirit upon these scarves, so that, as they make their way to Minneapolis, and as they are placed around the shoulders and necks of members of your body at the General Assembly, these scarves might be trumpeters of your Good News that your love is an inclusive love. May the Church live into this Good News, being leaders in your world, rejoicing in your extravagant love, and actively praying and working to end discrimination in the church so that your love might be known and felt by all. In the name of the Creator, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Please keep knitting and praying your way to GA!!! Thanks!!
Peace, Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards Co-Moderator for More Light Presbyterians
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The National Board of Directors and national staff of More Light Presbyterians stand in solidarity and prayer with Rev. Janie Spahr and her faithful support for marriage equality and pastoral care. The inspired and loving ministry of our beloved friend and colleague in ministry, Rev. Janie Spahr, is so much a faithful witness to a loving and just Church and society for all of God's people that she has been charged for being a responsible and caring pastor by officiating at legal marriages of same gender loving couples. "We rejoice in the faithful pastoral ministry of Janie Spahr. God created all of us for love and companionship, and we all deserve to have that love recognized and celebrated in marriage," Rev. Janet Edwards, Co-Moderator. 
The Redwoods Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has charged Rev. Spahr for officiating at the marriages of committed same-sex couples during the period in which the State of California legally recognized these marriage, June 17, 2008 through November 3, 2008. 
Judge Vaughn Walker has overturned California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage.
The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) passed a measure lifting the decade long ban on ordaining openly LGBT clergy. The ordination changes now go through a Presbytery wide ratification process. Hours after the ordination vote, commissioners postponed the discussion on marriage. Michael Adee and others provide some key perspectives about the General Assembly in a July 15 article in 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) met from Friday, July 2 to Saturday, July 10 in Minneapolis, MN. The following links provide a summary of the posts to More Light Presbyterians 219th General Assembly Blog. 
