OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

In response to the failure of Amendment O

After our experience with Amendment O, More Light Presbyterians and That All May Freely Serve hope to work together with others in our church to strengthen our covenantal and family relationships. We hope to work with you toward stronger, faithful, and meaningful relationships for all church members. Many of us as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of faith are grateful -- as our heterosexual sisters and brothers are -- for the opportunity to have our committed relationships recognized in the faith community of which we are an integral part. Our families and our friends join with us to stand in support, and to honor our commitments in deeply sacred moments for all present.

We hope that the defeat of Amendment O is not only about preserving the historic right of sessions and ministers to fulfill pastoral responsibilities, but also about celebrating and supporting mutual and healthy relationships. We live in a time when many heterosexual and non-heterosexual relationships are in trouble, due in part to a lack of support from the Church. This lack of support has come both from a failure to undertake serious, forthright education on human sexuality and from a failure to instill in church members a sexual ethic that is honest and practical. We call on our Presbyterian Church (USA) to create venues in which we may learn from each other and work toward healthy human relationships, in all their forms.

Mitzi Henderson, Co-Moderator
Bill Moss, Co-Moderator
More Light Presbyterians

Jane Adams Spahr, Minister Director
That All May Freely Serve