* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                        MORE LIGHT UPDATE

                           Spring 2003

                       Volume 23, Number 2

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                           HIGHLIGHTS



Celebrating Katie Morrison * Ordination Affirmed * Justice Can't 

Wait * Welcoming Churches * Our Families * Our Churches * God's 

Glorious Gadfly: Howard Warren * Brazil * A Reformation Sermon * 

Gender Identity * Presbyterian AIDS Network * Theological Task 

Force * WOW 2003.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                          FULL CONTENTS

        (Items in Electronic Version only marked with *)



*CHANGES

OUR COVER: Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis.

OUR PHOTOS

FEATURES

     Super Wonderful Katie Morrison

     Statement of the Board of Directors of More Light Presbyterians

     A Note from Marco Grimaldo

     GA-PJC: Remedial Case 215-8

     Morrison ordination upheld: Sexual orientation alone is no 

          disqualification, PJC rules

     Mt. Auburn Pastor Goes to Trial in Cincinnati

MLP

     A Declaration of Faith and Call to Action

     New Comprehensive Resource Lists Welcoming PCUSA Churches

OUR FAMILIES

     A Grandmother's Letter

     A More Light Letter of Appeal

     A Love Story

     General Assembly May Address Meaning of "Family"

     The United Church of Canada Endorses Same-Sex Marriage

OUR CHURCHES

     Coping with Fidelity and Chastity: Christ Church, Burlington VT

     No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

     G.A. Overture Seeks to Overturn G-6.0106b

HOWARD WARREN

     Celebrating God's Glorious Gadfly, the Rev. Howard Warren

BRAZIL

     More Light in the Tropics? Blame it on Rio

ON THE ROAD WITH MICHAEL

     Mediation and Incarnation in Louisiana, Kansas and Minnesota

*A REFORMATION SERMON

     "Faith that is Seen -- How shall We Testify?" by Deborah Mullen

PAN: Presbyterian AIDS Network

     Celebrating Dan Stoepker

GENDER DIVERSITY

     Address to the Presbytery of San Francisco by Erin K. Swenson.

THE H WORD

     Theology Group Discusses Homosexuality for the First Time

WOW 2003

     Celebrating the Ecumenical Welcoming Church Movement (story 

          in Spotlight)

OTHER EVENTS

JOBS

     Solo Part-time Pastor, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis

MLP OFFICERS

     MLP Board of Directors

     MLP National Liaisons

MASTHEAD (Publication Information)



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                 *We limit not the truth of God

                 To our poor reach of mind,

                 By notions of our day and sect,

                 Crude, partial and confined.



                 No, let a new and better hope

                 Within our hearts be stirred:

                 for God hath yet more light and truth

                 To break forth from the Word.*



-- Pastor John Robinson, sending the Pilgrims to the New World,   

1620; paraphrased by the hymnwriter George Rawson, 1807-1889.



                          SEXUAL ETHICS



      "More Light Presbyterians (MLP) envisions that 

      Christian sexual ethics marked by covenantal 

      fidelity shall be the standard for all 

      Presbyterians, irrespective of sexual orientation."

          -- MLP Board, September 1999.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



           For all ministers, elders, deacons, members

         and friends of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)



                    More Light Presbyterians

                 4737 County Road 101, PMB# 246

                    Minnetonka, MN 55345-2634



                        MORE LIGHT UPDATE

                    James D. Anderson, Editor

                           P.O. Box 38

                  New Brunswick, NJ  08903-0038

     732-249-1016, 732-932-7500 ex 8210 (Rutgers University)

              FAX 732-932-6916 (Rutgers University)

                Internet: JDA@mariner.rutgers.edu

                   (or JDA@scils.rutgers.edu)

                     Email Discussion List:

             MoreLightPresbyterians@yahoogroups.com

                    (To join, send email to:

        MoreLightPresbyterians-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com;

                    to leave, send email to:

       MoreLightPresbyterians-Unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com).



                MLP home page: www.mlp.org



     Masthead, with Publication Information at end of file.



    Note:  * is used to indicate italicized or boldface text.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



CHANGES



Board member Charles Booker-Hirsch has a new email address. 

Please delete morelight@comcast.net and add: 

morelight@provide.net.



And so does board member Ralph Carter, he writes: change my email 

address to rcarter2@rochester.rr.com.  I'm deleting the 

rcarter@rpa.net in June.



And our new liaison for transgender concerns, Sa`ra Herwig, has a 

new cell phone number. Here's her complete listing:



Sa`ra J. Herwig National Co-Liaison for Transgender Concerns More 

Light Presbyterians PO Box 474, Arlington, MA 02476 Cell: 781-

454-5231 sjherwig@earthlink.net



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



OUR COVER



Our cover features Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, 

MN. Bryn Mawr members and friends are celebrating "Friendship 

Sunday," September 2002, an annual picnic on the church grounds. 

Each Sunday's bulletin features a "more light" statement: "Bryn 

Mawr Presbyterian Church is a member of More Light Presbyterians. 

Following the risen Christ, and seeking to make the Church a true 

community of hospitality, the mission of More Light Presbyterians 

is to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual 

and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry and witness 

of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)." Thanks to the Rev. Lindsay 

Biddle for the photo!



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



OUR PHOTOS



Other photos have been contributed by Ann Boseman, Katie 

Morrison, Michael Adee, Bill Moss, Daniel Stoepker, John Martin 

and Jack Hartwein-Sanchez. *Send us your photos -- especially 

photos of More Light Churches!*



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



FEATURES



                 Super Wonderful Katie Morrison



Celebrating her Ministry, and her Ordination



We have sad news, and glad news. We begin with the sad news, 

that MLP no longer has the resources to support Katie's call as 

our national field organizer for youth, youth adults, college 

students and seminarians.



The glad news is that our highest church court has turned back the 

challenges to Katie's ordination. Katie was ordained by Redwoods 

Presbytery after she accepted her call to serve as our MLP field 

organizer.



First we publish the statement from the MLP board, followed by 

some commentary by board member Marco Grimaldo. Then we publish 

the complete decision from the high court, the Permanent Judicial 

Commission of the General Assembly, followed by the news story 

from the Presbyterian News Service.



Dearest Most Wonderful Katie, all of us wish you the very best as 

you seek a new call. I know we will still be working together, 

but we will miss you awfully much as our vibrant, exciting, 

exuberant field organizer. -- JDA.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



Statement of the Board of Directors of More Light Presbyterians



The Board of More Light Presbyterians (MLP) regrets to announce 

that due to financial constraints, we must close the position of 

National Field Organizer in which the Rev. Katie Morrison has 

served. Katie will be on leave as of March 31, 2003, and the 

position will end effective June 30, 2003. Two years ago, MLP 

took a bold step in calling Katie Morrison to serve as National 

Field Organizer. Sadly, like many other non-profits and churches 

in difficult economic times, MLP revenue has not grown as we had 

hoped and we cannot continue the position. We supported the 

position as long as possible, expending our reserves, and now we 

have no choice but to take this difficult action.



MLP is proud to have extended a call to Katie and to have 

supported her in seeking ordination. We are especially pleased 

that all challenges to her ordination have been resolved and 

Katie remains a member in good standing of the Presbytery of the 

Redwoods. As the first openly lesbian person to be ordained in 

the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Katie's work with youth and young 

adults and among seminaries and college campuses has greatly 

strengthened MLP's ministry.



Katie has represented More Light Presbyterians at numerous 

national church gatherings, and she has reached out to people 

both within the PCUSA and those who have been hurt or 

marginalized by the church and are questioning their 

denominational affiliation. A good example of her work to bring 

young leaders together is the team of activists whom Katie 

convened to create the very successful YAYA (Youth and Young 

Adult) retreat in January 2003. The leadership team included MLP 

liaison for Youth and Young Adults Elder Brian Cave, Union/Auburn 

Seminary student Letitia Campbell, the Rev. Cliff Frasier of 

Presbyterian Welcome, and UCC pastors the Rev. Curran Reichert 

and the Rev. Mark Montgomery. The team worked with Katie to call 

together 40+ YAYAs at West Park Presbyterian Church in New York 

City. The board remains strongly committed to working with young 

people and students and we will continue this work in new ways, 

building on strong board leadership, the support of local 

volunteers and the work of young committed activists.



Preaching, teaching, and building connections have been hallmarks 

of Katie's work with MLP and we are deeply grateful for her 

gifts. We commend the Rev. Katie Morrison for her service and 

ministry within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and we pray for 

God's blessings upon her.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



A Note from Marco Grimaldo



Dear MLP friends,



Thank you so much for your thoughts and continued commitments to 

our work. I have been reading your ideas proposing a fund to 

save Katie's position and I have to say that it gives me great 

hope for our movement. While the enthusiasm is strong for 

raising money to support the second national field organizer, we 

would simply be delaying what is already a difficult decision. 

We simply cannot sustain a second staff person over time and it 

would be unfair to ask anyone to remain in a position with this 

sort of uncertain future.



I am a board member of MLP. I served as the chair of the search 

committee that extended a call to Katie and I currently serve on 

the personnel committee and as chair of the development 

committee. As was said in the board statement, this has been a 

very difficult decision because it has an impact on Katie's life 

and on our ministry together. That said, it has been important 

for us as a board and I dare say for Katie that we focus on what 

this means for the long-term growth of More Light Presbyterians 

and our ministry -- especially our ministry with and among youth 

and young adults.



In the fall of 2001, it became clear that certain major gifts to 

MLP might not be available as we had hoped. The board initiated 

a series of phone calls to major donors and written appeals to 

solicit new funds but as the economy slowed we received very few 

commitments. In May and June of 2002, More Light Presbyterians 

announced during G.A. and in our More Light conference, that we 

anticipated a serious budget deficit approaching $90,000 by the 

end of the year. Even by eliminating this second field organizer 

position, MLP will spend about $35,000 more than our projected 

income for the year. Along with the 2002 deficit, this has 

significantly eaten away our reserve funds.



Annual projected income for More Light Presbyterians will be 

about $175,000 this year. This will be enough to pay for one 

field organizer and maintain the current funding for our national 

conference, general assembly programming, communications, as well 

as our education and outreach functions. The board is confident 

that with your help we will be able to build on a balanced budget 

for the coming years. Because we are currently working to 

strengthen the financial position for More Light, we believe it 

would be wrong to raise money for a position that we are not 

certain that we will be able to sustain over time. The reason 

that we took action now is because acting sooner not only allowed 

us to save money, but it allowed us to offer an appropriate 

severance package to Katie that is respectful and appreciative of 

her work.



Here's what you can do. Please help us by making a gift to More 

Light Presbyterians today. Some have suggested making a gift to 

a special YAYA fund that would allow MLP to focus more resources 

on outreach to Youth and Young Adults. If you would like to 

contribute to the YAYA fund or dedicate a portion of your gift to 

MLP for this purpose, please indicate this in the memo line at 

the bottom of your check.



Another way you can help is to make sure that your friends at 

church become members of MLP. The Church of the Reconciliation 

along with the Triangle Chapter of More Light Presbyterians in 

Raleigh/Durham, NC has taken leadership in a nation-wide 

membership drive for MLP. We are asking every More Light church 

to help us grow our membership. Our goal is to find 15 new 

members in every congregation. Some will help us with five new 

members, others may help us with twenty new members, but we 

really need every one of our churches to participate. Our 

friends in the Triangle Chapter estimate that if we average 15 

new members in each of our More Light churches during 2003, we 

will raise in excess of $80,000, making it possible for us to 

retire our deficit. You may also join MLP or make a contribution 

via our website at www.mlp.org.



Once again, thank you for your faithful support of More Light 

Presbyterians. No one is more sorry than I am at having to 

eliminate a field organizing position, but this is the best 

decision for the organization at this time. Please help us 

improve our financial situation so that we can continue to grow 

our ministry in the coming years. -- *Peace be with you, Marco 

Grimaldo.*



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                THE PERMANENT JUDICIAL COMMISSION

                     OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

               OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.)



                       Remedial Case 215-8



                    Presbytery of San Joaquin

                           Appellant,

                               v.

                 The Presbytery of the Redwoods,

                            Appellee



                  Edgar T. Hart, Steve Nesheim,

                 Larry Ballenger, Bill McDonald,

                Merle Wood, Rebecca Jordan-Irwin,

                       And Kent A. Webber,

                           Appellants,

                               v.

                 The Presbytery of the Redwoods,

                            Appellee



These remedial cases come before this Commission on appeal from a 

decision of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the 

Pacific (SPJC) dismissing the complaints for failure to state a 

claim in light of this Commission's decision in Wier v. Session, 

Second Presbyterian Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Remedial 

Case 214-5 (Minutes, 2002, page 339). (Hereinafter referred to 

as Wier 2).



Pursuant to *Book of Order* D-8.0103, this Commission finds that 

it has jurisdiction, that appellants have standing to appeal, 

that the appeals were properly and timely filed, and that the 

appeals state one or more grounds for appeal under D-8.0105.



                             History



On September 21, 2001, after receiving the report and unanimous 

recommendation of its Committee on Preparation for Ministry, the 

Presbytery of the Redwoods voted to ordain a self-acknowledged 

lesbian as a minister of the Word and Sacrament.         



Appellants Hart, et al. (Hart, et al.) are minister members or 

presbyters of the Presbytery of the Redwoods (Appellee). On 

October 9, 2001, they filed a remedial complaint alleging that 

Appellee had acted irregularly in voting to ordain because the 

candidate's self-disclosure of her sexual orientation triggered a 

duty of further inquiry that was not fulfilled. Their complaint 

requested a declaration of irregularity, an order setting aside 

the ordination, an admonition to Appellee to adhere to the *Book 

of Order*, and a remand for further examination of the candidate. 

Hart, et al. also filed a petition with the SPJC seeking a stay 

of enforcement of the decision to ordain, but were unsuccessful 

in that attempt, and the candidate was ordained on October 21, 

2001.



On November 19, 2001, Appellant Presbytery of San Joaquin (San 

Joaquin) filed a substantially similar remedial complaint against 

Appellee, except that they did not seek to set aside the 

ordination which had already occurred. San Joaquin also filed a 

separate remedial complaint against the SPJC with this Commission 

requesting a determination that the SPJC had abused its 

discretion in refusing to grant the stay of enforcement 

sought by Hart, et al. and seeking an order of reference under 

which this Commission would conduct any further proceedings 

involving this candidate and the Appellee. The SPJC appointed 

one of its commissioners to its Committee of Counsel to defend 

against that complaint.[1]



In a pretrial conference on March 4, 2002, the complaints of 

Hart, et al. and San Joaquin were consolidated for trial before 

the SPJC, and all parties were ordered to submit prior to trial 

an outline of the evidence to be produced and the theory upon 

which the evidence was relevant. On April 23, 2002, Appellee 

filed a motion to dismiss both cases in light of the decision 

rendered by this Commission on April 14, 2002, in Wier 2. In 

spite of this notice that Appellee would rely upon the pleading 

standards outlined in Wier 2, Appellants decided not to amend 

their complaints at any time prior to trial and the SPJC's ruling 

on Appellee's motion.



On May 17, 2002, the parties gathered for trial. Appellant San 

Joaquin challenged the composition of the SPJC on three grounds. 

First, it moved to recuse the commissioner who served on the 

Committee of Counsel in the separate case filed by San Joaquin 

against the SPJC on the ground that her role as counsel 

disqualified her from service. Second, it challenged the 

participation of the moderator on the ground that she had failed 

to enforce against the Appellee her pretrial order of March 4, 

2002, regarding the outline of evidence. Third, San Joaquin 

challenged the entire SPJC and sought a reference of its 

complaint to this Commission on the ground that the SPJC was the 

respondent in the separate matter San Joaquin had filed against 

it. The SPJC rejected all three challenges.



The SPJC then heard arguments on Appellee's Motion to Dismiss All 

Cases in light of Wier 2. It ruled that Wier 2 required 

dismissal of the complaints for failure to state a claim because 

nowhere did either complaint allege that the candidate self-

acknowledged a practice which the confessions call sin.[2]



                     Specifications of Error



1. That the motion to dismiss which was granted in favor of the 

respondent was not timely filed.



This specification is not sustained.



Contrary to the argument of Hart, et al,. D-6.0303 permits, but 

does not require a motion to dismiss to be filed with the Answer 

to the complaint. In this case, the basis for the motion to 

dismiss did not arise until the Wier 2 decision was rendered. 

Appellee filed its motion to dismiss nine days following that 

decision. We find this was timely.



2. That the motion to dismiss was based upon a case (Wier v. 

Session, 2002) that was not final as it is under appeal.



This specification is not sustained.



The decisions of the GAPJC are final and not subject to appeal.



3. That the SPJC erroneously determined that the complaint did 

not state a claim upon which relief could be granted.



This specification is not sustained.



4. That the SPJC erroneously found that the complaint did not 

state that the candidate was self-acknowledged in a practice that 

the Confessions call sin.



This specification was withdrawn, with Hart, et al. admitting 

that "self confession as a practicing lesbian ... was not actually 

alleged in the complaint."



5. That the SPJC failed to allow the Complainants to amend their 

complaint to conform to the Wier 2 standard.



This specification is not sustained.



The brief of Hart et al. states that they chose not amend their 

complaint lest they admit "that their case was ill-founded." 

Further, if Hart, et al did indeed possess sufficient or direct 

evidence of the non-compliance of the candidate to the 

constitutional standards for ordination, then three weeks is more 

than sufficient to amend a complaint.



6. That there was injustice in the process by the SPJC.



This specification is not sustained.



7. That there were error in the reception of evidence and error 

in hastening to a decision.



This specification is not sustained.



Since there was not sufficient ground to proceed to a trial 

wherein any evidence would have been received, there is no error.



                    Presbytery of San Joaquin

                     Specifications of Error



8. That the challenge to the commissioner who served on the 

Committee of Counsel for the SPJC should have been granted.



This specification is sustained.



Any time a member of a permanent judicial commission acts for or 

against a party as counsel, that commissioner should be recused 

from any further hearing involving the party. In the instant 

case, this error is harmless since San Joaquin's case is fatally 

flawed as discussed below.



9. That the challenge to SPJC Moderator should have been granted.



This specification is not sustained.



The Appellee sufficiently complied with the SPJC Moderator's pre-

trial order.



10. That the challenge to the entire SPJC should have been 

granted and that a reference should have been asked of the GAPJC.



This specification is not sustained.



Only a Session or a PJC can ask for a reference. There were not 

sufficient grounds for a reference to be mandated. The alleged 

disqualification and the alleged need for a reference arose only 

because San Joaquin had filed a separate case against the SPJC. 

As this Commission ruled in Presbytery San Joaquin v. SPJC, that 

effort was procedurally improper. Therefore, San Joaquin cannot 

seek to disqualify the entire SPJC based upon an improper 

remedial case.



11. That the SPJC erroneously cited the Wier 2 Decision as a 

basis for dismissal.



This specification is not sustained.



The Decisions of the GAPJC are interpretations of the 

Constitution under which the case was filed. That Constitution 

did not change. Further, the Appellants had sufficient 

opportunity and notice to amend their complaint to the Wier 2 

standard.



12. That the SPJC erroneously held that the complaint fails to 

allege a self-acknowledged practice that the Confessions call 

sin.



This specification is not sustained.



San Joaquin alleges the self-acknowledged homosexual orientation 

of the candidate but, by choice, left out any allegation 

concerning self-acknowledged practice in their complaint. Their 

reasoning was that, according to the LeTourneau Decision (1993, 

163, LeTourneau v. Pby of Twin Cities Area), orientation alone is 

sufficient ground for further questioning of a candidate. 

However, LeTourneau was determined prior to the adoption of G-

6.0106b, which specifies that a candidate who refuses to repent 

of any self-acknowledged practice that the confessions call sin 

is not eligible for ordination or installation. Orientation, 

therefore, alone is insufficient to make a person ineligible for 

ordination or installation. Further, this commission cured the 

theological defect of the LeTourneau Decision through the 

application of the doctrine of total depravity in Wier 2. The 

defect in question rested upon the assumption that one category 

of persons is more prone to sin than other categories of persons. 

The doctrine of total depravity teaches us that not only do all 

fall short of the glory of God, but that there is no part of our 

person that is not in need of the redeeming grace of our Lord 

Jesus Christ. Thus, sexual orientation alone would be no more 

sufficient or reasonable grounds for further questioning than 

would singleness, obesity or any other categorization. In other 

words, stereotypical profiling is not a reasonable or valid 

ground for singling out a candidate for additional questioning. 

Therefore, if a person does not self-acknowledge a practice that 

the confessions call sin, then a governing body has a positive 

obligation to make further inquiry only if it has direct and 

specific knowledge that said person is in violation of the 

ordination and installation standards of the Constitution. In 

order to faithfully hold the essential tenet of total depravity, 

there must be a higher pleading specificity as to what 

constitutes the grounds for reasonable cause prior to inquiry. A 

hunch, gossip or stereotype is not a sufficient ground to compel 

a governing body to make further inquiry. Reasonable grounds 

must include factual allegations of how, when, where, and under 

what circumstances the individual was self-acknowledging a 

practice which the confessions call a sin.



                              Order



IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the decision of the PJC of the Synod 

of the Pacific is affirmed.



IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Stated Clerk of the Synod of the 

Pacific report this decision to the Synod at its first meeting 

after receipt, that the Synod enter the full decision upon its 

minutes, and that an excerpt from those minutes showing entry of 

the decision be sent to the Stated Clerk of General Assembly.



IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of 

San Joaquin and the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of the 

Redwoods report this decision to the Presbytery at its first 

meeting after receipt, that the Presbytery enter the full 

decision upon its minutes, and that an excerpt from those minutes 

showing entry of the decision be sent to the Stated Clerk of the 

General Assembly.



Jesse Butler, William Carlough, Mildred Morales, and Daniel 

Saperstein, members of this Commission, were not present for the 

hearing and took no part in the deliberation or decision. As a 

representative from the Synod of the Pacific, Wendy Warner, 

recused herself and did not take part in the hearing, nor did she 

take part in the deliberations or the decision in this case.



Dated this 3rd day of March, 2003.



                            Endnotes



[1] This Commission rejected San Joaquin's effort to charge the 

SPJC with abuse of discretion in a case to which San Joaquin had 

not been a party because San Joaquin lacked standing. See 

Presbytery of San Joaquin v. Permanent Judicial Commission of the 

Synod of the Pacific and Synod of the Pacific (Minutes, 2002).



[2] Appellant San Joaquin belatedly sought to amend its complaint 

only on August 29, 2002, after it had filed its notice of appeal 

of the SPJC's decision.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                   Morrison ordination upheld



   Sexual orientation alone is no disqualification, PJC rules



                       by John Filiatreau

                    Presbyterian News Service



Louisville, March 5, 2003 -- The Permanent Judicial Commission of 

the General Assembly ruled on March 4 that sexual orientation 

alone "is insufficient to make a person ineligible for 

ordination" or even warrant a closer-than-usual examination of a 

candidate for ordination.



"If a person does not self-acknowledge a practice that the 

confessions call sin, then a governing body has a positive 

obligation to make further inquiry only if it has direct and 

specific knowledge that such person is in violation of the 

ordination and installation standards," the commissioners ruled. 

"A hunch, gossip or stereotype is not a sufficient ground to 

compel further inquiry."



The so-called "fidelity/chastity" provision of the constitution 

of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), G-6.0106b, says that a person 

who refuses to repent of "any self-acknowledged practice that the 

confessions call sin" is ineligible for ordination or 

installation.



The PJC said "reasonable grounds must include factual allegations 

of how, when, where and under what circumstances the individual 

was self-acknowledging a practice which the confessions call 

sin."



The case arose in September 2001 after the Redwoods Presbytery 

voted to ordain Katie Morrison, a self-acknowledged lesbian, on 

the unanimous recommendation of its Committee on Ministry.



The following month, seven minister members of the presbytery 

filed a remedial complaint in which they claimed that the 

ordination was "irregular" because the candidate's self-

disclosure of her sexual orientation "triggered a duty of further 

inquiry that was not fulfilled." They asked for a declaration of 

irregularity, an order setting the ordination aside, an 

admonition to the presbytery to "adhere to the *Book of Order*," 

and a further examination of Morrison.



They also filed for a stay of enforcement, but that request was 

denied.



San Joaquin Presbytery filed a similar complaint in November 

2001, although it didn't ask that Morrison's ordination be set 

aside. It further contended that the Redwoods PJC had abused its 

discretion in refusing the stay of enforcement. The two 

complaints were consolidated before trial.



Redwoods moved for dismissal, contending that the complainants 

had not stated "a claim on which relief could be granted" because 

neither complaint alleged "that the candidate self-acknowledged a 

practice which the confessions call sin."



The GA PJC said San Joaquin made no allegation concerning self-

acknowledged practice because it believed, on the basis of a 1993 

decision, that sexual orientation alone was sufficient for 

further questioning. However, the commissioners said, that 

precedent was superseded by G-6.0106b's "acknowledged practice" 

standard. G-6.0106b was put in the *Book of Order* in 1997.



The commissioners pointed out what it called "the theological 

defect" of the 1993 decision (in LeTourneau vs. Twin Cities 

Presbytery): an "assumption that one category of persons is more 

prone to sin than other categories of persons."



"The doctrine of total depravity teaches us that not only do all 

fall short of the glory of God, but that there is no part of our 

person that is not in need of the redeeming grace of our Lord 

Jesus Christ," they wrote. "Thus, sexual orientation alone would 

be no more sufficient or reasonable grounds for further 

questioning than would singleness, obesity or any other 

categorization. In other words, stereotypical profiling is not a 

reasonable or valid ground for singling out a candidate for 

additional questioning."



James V. Jones, a California elder who represented San Joaquin 

Presbytery in an oral hearing on Feb. 28, emphasized that the 

case was not an action against Morrison, who he said "has erred 

not at all."



"This is not a case about a candidate, not a disciplinary 

hearing," he said. "It is about a remedy for a manifest 

irregularity. ... The failure of the governing body ... to 

inquire and see whether or not this person is in error."



Asked why he would have singled out Morrison for further 

questioning, he replied, "The answer, very precisely, is G-

6.0106b."



Jones told the commissioners, "There must be a remedy for an 

ordination that has gone awry. ... If it is patently 

unconstitutional, how can we not remediate?"



The GA PJC's ruling affirms the synod PJC's dismissal of the 

complaint.



                 Installation Versus Ordination

             New Trail Ordered in Albany Presbytery

                 over Installation of Gay Elder



In another high-profile case involving homosexuality and church 

service, the GA PJC ordered a presbytery trial of a church 

officer's objection to the installation of a gay elder to the 

session of West End Presbyterian Church in Albany, NY.



The commission ordered the Synod of the Northeast to return the 

case to the PJC of the Presbytery of Albany for a trial of a 

complaint filed by elder Daniel J. McKittrick after the West End 

session examined Scott Edwards and two other elders-elect on 

April 29, 2000. McKittrick said Edwards' examination was 

insufficient because he wasn't questioned about his self-

acknowledged homosexuality. All three elders were installed for 

three-year terms the next day.



McKittrick asked the presbytery PJC to set aside Edwards' 

installation. He said Edwards had told his examiners that he was 

gay and was in a 15-year relationship with another man. 

McKittrick also complained that the session moderator had cut the 

examination short, then hurried the installation, to forestall 

debate.



McKittrick said during last week's hearing that Edwards "made 

some statements, basically said he understood the constitution, 

but didn't agree with it and didn't intend to abide by it."



"There's some social action at work here," he added. "They want 

to send a message."



Arguing that Edwards' installation violated the 

"fidelity/chastity" clause, McKittrick asked the presbytery PJC 

to declare the examination "irregular" and to set aside Edwards' 

installation pending a proper examination.



McKittrick claimed that officials of Albany Presbytery, "a couple 

of self-appointed guillotines," put out "terrible disinformation 

... accusing my wife and myself of un-Christian acts in this 

case" and pursued "a two-year campaign to keep me quiet." He 

charged the presbytery with "bullying, stacking the deck, 

silencing dissent."



He said pursuing the case had made him "a pariah in my own church 

... considered a homophobic type of person, which I am not."



"I just want the record set straight," he said. "I have no evil 

intent for Scott Edwards. ... (But) if we throw our process out 

the window, there goes Presbyterianism."



Jerry McKinney, representing the West End session, said its 

members had "attempted to comply with the constitution ... to the 

best of their ability." He argued that McKittrick should have 

filed a disciplinary case rather than a remedial one.



McKittrick responded, "How do you file a disciplinary case 

against a whole presbytery?"



The presbytery and synod PJCs both ruled that, because ordination 

and installation are essentially the same, an installation cannot 

be set aside by remedial action, but only by disciplinary action. 

McKittrick disagreed, arguing that installation and ordination 

are separate. He drew a distinction between "perpetual" and 

"temporal" functions of office, contending that the "temporal" 

function of service on session could be set aside without 

impairing the "perpetual" function of ordination. The GA PJC 

agreed with McKittrick.



The commissioners also said the synod PJC erred when it ruled 

that McKittrick's complaint did not "set forth facts upon which 

relief could be granted." They said a PJC has authority to 

"either order such action as is appropriate, or direct the lower 

governing body to conduct further proceedings in the matter."



The GA PJC urged the synod and presbytery PJCs to "act with all 

due speed" to schedule a trial and reach a decision before 

Edwards' term expires on April 30.



As to McKittrick's request that the installation be set aside, 

the commission ruled that, when a challenge to an installation is 

"predicated upon presumed guilt of an individual installee, then 

a disciplinary case, not a remedial (one), is in order." They 

said a presbytery PJC could set aside an installation only "after 

a full trial on the facts alleged to constitute an irregularity," 

and only if it concluded "that the session erroneously decided 

that the candidate was eligible (an irregularity) or that the 

session failed to conduct a proper examination (a delinquency)."



The commissioners agreed with McKittrick that the one-day period 

between examination and installation offered "no practical 

opportunity for a protesting or dissenting party to seek a stay 

of enforcement."



"The Presbyterian custom of conducting business 'decently and in 

order' should not be converted into a race," they wrote. "We 

encourage governing bodies to permit sufficient time so that 

there can be no intimation that any governing body intended to 

shield its action from scrutiny."



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



          Mt. Auburn Pastor Goes to Trial in Cincinnati



In a related story, *The Presbyterian Outlook* has reported that 

"an investigating committee in Cincinnati Presbytery has 

recommended filing charges against Stephen Van Kuiken, pastor of 

Mt. Auburn church."



Van Kuiken and Mt. Auburn Church have rejected the "chastity" 

amendment in the *Book of Order*, G-6.0106b, and also unequal 

marriage rights/rites in our church. See story in *The 

Presbyterian Outlook*, March 10, 2003, p. 3-4.



Later, also on March 10, Soulforce announced Van Kuiken's trial 

date via the internet: April 7-9, 2003. Stay tuned! -- JDA.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



MORE LIGHT PRESBYTERIANS



            A Declaration of Faith and Call to Action



Santa Fe, NM: At its board meeting February 17, 2003, the Board 

of Directors of More Light Presbyterians unanimously approved "A 

Declaration of Faith and Call to Action," in order to provide an 

unmistakably clear strategic direction for the organization.



This strategic vision builds on the September 2002 statement, 

"Shine the Light," which affirms the use of multiple strategies 

to resist Amendment B and other forms of injustice in the church. 

Some misread this prior statement as potentially accepting, for a 

time, the "fidelity, chastity" language in our constitution. In 

"A Declaration of Faith and Call to Action," the MLP board offers 

a bold statement that we believe stands on its own.



"A Declaration of Faith and Call to Action" is intended to be 

shared and used in multiple ways, including as a liturgical 

resource.



                    More Light Presbyterians



            A Declaration of Faith and Call to Action





                    Justice knows no season.



                      Justice cannot wait.



            An unjust standard is no standard at all.

     

Church polity on sexuality divides families and makes enemies of 

friends. Its effect is to make liars trustworthy and truth-

tellers unworthy of full participation. It stands ethics on its 

head.



This should trouble every Presbyterian.



Yet many say "Not now, later." "Be patient: the time is not 

right." Yet they cannot -- or will not -- tell us *when* the time 

is right.



                    Justice knows no season.



                      Justice cannot wait.



We believe the time has come to stand for those denied full 

participation in our church: lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 

transgender Presbyterians whom God has called to ministry.



We take this stand because our conscience tells us that we have 

no other choice.



We join the ranks of Presbyterians who have upheld our historic, 

biblical witness and Reformed tradition in the face of pressure, 

opposition, and personal cost.



We do this not because it is easy, but because it is hard. We do 

this because it is right. -- Unanimously adopted February 17, 

2003 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                   New Comprehensive Resource

                 Lists Welcoming PCUSA Churches



"All are welcome here." So say many church signs, worship 

bulletins, church members or pastors. But how do lesbian, gay, 

bisexual and transgender persons and their families know if this 

welcome is real?



MLP is pleased to announce a new resource launched today to 

connect welcoming churches with the people that seek them. The 

information bank, available via the web at 

http://www.mlp.org/findmap.html, provides church names, addresses 

and phone numbers, links to web sites, and information about 

specific actions each church has taken to demonstrate its 

welcome.



"We get so many queries each week from people all over the 

country seeking a church home and a community of faith that will 

welcome them, with their partners and/or children. There is a 

great need for this kind of public information. It's a great 

evangelism tool for welcoming churches," said Donna Riley, Web 

Developer for More Light Presbyterians.



In addition to our listing of congregations that have discerned 

and decided to affiliate and identify as More Light Presbyterian 

Churches, there are hundreds of other congregations that have 

offered other ways of striving to create a more welcoming 

atmosphere within their churches. The Welcoming Church List 

includes congregations in 46 states and the District of Columbia 

that are: "More Light" affiliated churches that are governing body 

members of More Light Presbyterians; churches that have created 

welcoming and affirming statements; churches who have affirmed 

the Covenant Network's "A Call to Covenant Community" and churches 

who support regional evangelists for That All May Freely Serve.



While we would hope that every church on this list would and will 

be able to respond with a real and consistent welcome to LGBT and 

their families, we know that there can be variations of 

experiences in any given church.



Should you want further information on a church on this list, 

please contact Michael Adee, National Field Organizer, More Light 

Presbyterians at MichaelAdee@aol.com or 505-820-7082.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



OUR FAMILIES



Our families continue to be rejected by our churches. Ann 

Boseman, a proud grandmother to Jacob, the brand new son of her 

daughter Julia and Julia's partner Melissa, wrote the following 

letter to her PCUSA congregation in North Carolina, where she has 

been a member for 47 years. The session refused to recognize both 

mothers at Jake's baptism!



                     A Grandmother's Letter



To the Session, 1st Presbyterian Church



From A.B., in Buenos Aires



Having physically removed myself from the northern hemisphere and 

realizing what was presented to you without presence of the 

family of those concerned, I know it is necessary to attempt to 

balance the thinking of the session.



There are now faces to go with the words gay and lesbian. As 

this issue becomes more personal, and more people come "out," 

hostile rhetoric is no longer acceptable. We have no need for 

this culpability that has stained the church.



Our pastor tells me that we are all born with adverse 

proclivities and it is up to us to temper these.



A former ex-gay tells how he was taught to play basketball 

through his ex-gay ministry and now he is gay and can shoot 

hoops. This probably would *not* work with lesbians as they tend 

to be athletic anyway. (With Billy King's help our First Pres. 

team was runner-up state basketball champions -- Julia was on the 

team! Julia also won the Hoggard Award -- not for best female 

athlete, but best athlete!)



As a local political party used their homosexual fear tactics to 

raise money and garner votes, you also have been led into narrow 

thinking. Not one time does Jesus mention homosexuality. Not 

once in the Bible is female homosexuality mentioned. It's 

blasphemy to bring in Leviticus without continuing with "Stone 

the rebellious child" etc., etc., etc.



Are we heading in the direction that we feel more comfortable if 

homosexuals wear the Star of David embossed with a pink triangle 

as was mandated by the Third Reich? Do we have a right to subject 

this group of God's children to the pain of rejection, the 

anguish of exclusion and the consistency of abuse? God will 

continually reach out for any reason to show his inclusive love, 

mercy, and grace.



I've felt grief and shed many tears that this church was offered 

the chance to show great leadership and failed the opportunity by 

choosing to deny God's blessings of grace, support, and care to 

these "sheroes."



There are many seats at the table. If we are to be followers of 

Jesus, love must triumph over law.



The 210th General Assembly recognized and honored the natural 

desire of humans for procreation and it's place in God's plan.



If you are near Julia's office on 6th Street, I hope you will 

visit Jake and his nursery.



I dare not be silent as God cherishes all and dignifies all as 

his gifts. I hope the lonely will find companionship, the 

frightened will find comfort, the abused will know safety, and 

those who have lost hope will rediscover the blessing of their 

baptism. I regret that you could not see that Jacob has two 

parents. The *Book of Order* in its inclusiveness does not say 

parents -- one male, one female. It says parents. Paul says 

(Gal. 3:28) "In Christ there is no male or female." ... This is 

"hate." Hate will rub off on you -- homosexuality will not.



I regret that this baptism could not have taken place before the 

congregation to show its love, vitality and strength, but because 

of your decision, Melissa could not stand up in front of these 

disapproving representatives with her family. I hope her family 

never knows how this church accepted her pregnant and then to 

deny who she was.



The church is in trouble for not choosing to support God's 

blessings of grace, support and care to *anyone*. 

*Discrimination is not acceptable.* You discriminated against 

this family. I hope that you will not let this right-wing cabal 

hijack this church.



It is an abomination to invalidate one's heritage because of 

their sexuality. It took 50 years to get women's ordination from 

the time it was brought up. I hope it won't take this long to 

bring homosexuals out of their "dark ghettos."



Presbyterians seem to have a proclivity to hide behind wording 

and process to avoid their responsibility towards bigotry.



It it time for the church to get out of the pelvic region and 

back into spirituality.



You are only heterosexual by chance. You have rejected a very 

fine person as a parent. Julia has shown a huge amount of 

integrity in this county and I am proud to be her mother. She 

never denied who she was on TV, radio, and in response to 

newspaper attacks, and she has represented us brilliantly, and 

now the session, who has taken vows, chooses to deny that she is 

Jake's parent. God knows that Jacob William Boseman-Jarrell has 

two parents, two mothers.



If you have a homosexual in your family, I hope you embrace this 

person. I wish you the blessing God has bestowed on our family 

for having this daughter and sister. It has given us the 

advantage of knowing some of the most loving and outstanding 

people of our community. Hold them close to your heart.



When Bob, Scott, and I voted *no* at Presbytery on chastity in 

singleness and fidelity in marriage, I was concerned for those 

warehoused in homes for disabled adults and aged. We negate their 

sexuality also, maybe due to our ignorance. ... We are *striking* 

at what it means to be human. Any plan that divides the 

individual, igniting conflicts between body and soul or intellect 

and emotions, is, has been, and always will be *unhealthy.*



Any religious body, with accepted authority, should never 

alienate one from their sexuality. A graceful response could 

generate an outbreak of faith, love, hope and a greater truth 

than we now understand.



Still crying tears of sadness for the church I so loved for 47 

years, Ann Boseman.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                  A More Light Letter of Appeal



January 21, 2003



Dear Pastor,



You do not know me, but I once knew and admired your grandfather, 

and at present, you and I both know a woman in great travail. If 

it has any bearing on your attentiveness to my words, let me 

further introduce myself by saying thai I was born in Davidson 

where my father was a professor at Davidson College and where I 

grew up hearing some of the finest theological minds in the 

Presbyterian Church and beyond. After marrying a graduate of 

Davidson and later serving the Church as a missionary in Korea, 

and after birthing seven children, surviving a tragic divorce, 

and graduating from Duke Divinity School, I was ordained as 

minister of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA in 1978. At present, 

I am officially retired but, as a volunteer, serve as parish 

associate at The Church of Reconciliation in Chapel Hill and 

share in the adult teaching and contemplative prayer ministries 

in this congregation.



I write to you today out of real compassion towards and concern 

for my long-time friend, Ann Flack Boseman, her daughter Julia, 

her partner Melissa, and their infant son. As you must recognize, 

these three women are deeply grieved at your reluctance to offer 

the Church's blessing on this infant and to recognize Julia and 

Melissa as Christian parents -- or, to be more specific, to be 

identified with blessing a lesbian union. Ever since talking with 

Ann, my heart and soul have been deeply disturbed and these 

persons have been uppermost in my prayers.



My mind keeps going beck to memories of your grandfather whose 

goodness and kindly spirit brought many gifts to all who knew him 

and to the Church which he so faithfully served. He had a sharp 

mind and a keen wit, and I sensed he also believed in the 

goodness of God's creation, and I tend to believe that he would 

have looked at each child of God with wisdom and compassion 

imaged by Jesus Christ in the Gospels. With that entrenched in 

my memory, it is difficult for me to understand your apparent 

lack of love and courage and integrity in this situation now at 

hand. It is hard for me to understand the actions of a minister 

of the Gospel which implies withholding God's blessing on a true 

believer and member of the Church of Jesus Christ. We, as 

ministers -- more than anyone else, are called to be instruments 

of God's loving kindness and tender mercies, especially to those 

oppressed (by prejudices) and marginalized (by so-called 

Christians) and poor in spirit (because they have been rejected 

by those whom we would not expect).



After serving in my last full-time interim position on the staff 

of The University Presbyterian Church here, I have chosen to 

return to The Church of Reconciliation because this is a truly 

diverse (racially) and gracious household of God which welcomes 

persons in a Christ-like manner. Our weekly worship bulletin 

includes a statement affirming our openness to all persons 

seeking a community in Christ. Some five years ago, the Session 

of this church voted to join the national organization of More 

Light Presbyterians and this congregation offers hospitality and 

a grace-filled welcome to same-sex couples, their children, and 

single persons who struggle with their sexual orientation. Our 

new associate in ministry (a recent graduate of Columbia 

Seminary) is openly lesbian and this congregation will work with 

her as she endeavors to be ordained in the PCUSA.



I hope and pray that you will take the time to read the materials 

included with this letter and that you will be moved to 

faithfully offer God's cup of blessing and the fellowship of 

Jesus Christ in the midst of the congregation. -- Yours in 

Christ, the Rev. Fran Olson.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                          A Love Story



I want to share with those on this MLP network a love story. 

Early yesterday morning I received a call from my friend Jim that 

during the night his partner Dick had died somewhat suddenly and 

unexpectedly (Dick had cancer and a few days before the 

oncologist had told them he had perhaps six months or at most 

eight months to live. They were preparing themselves for that 

when Dick's death came very suddenly. He was 80.) Jim and Dick 

were together longer than any gay couple I have known -- 48 

years. They would have liked to have had a faith community in 

which they could worship and feel truly welcome and comfortable. 

They occasionally made it to West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, 

but in recent years it was just too far -- 42 miles. There are 

some "inclusive" churches much nearer but they I believe felt 

they would stand out as an "odd couple" even in those 

congregations. What they substituted for church was to attend, 

when health permitted, the nearest PFLAG Chapter. We became 

acquainted through their support of the Lazarus Project. Living 

near them I became sort of their unofficial pastor. We often met 

for coffee. I was moved by their love and caring of each other. 

They were a couple through decades when things were even worse 

than they are now for gays. Their story I believe is a remarkable 

illustration of the sinfulness of the Church toward gay couples. 

-- *Donn Crail, Director, The Lazarus Project, West Hollywood 

Presbyterian Church.*



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



        General Assembly May Address Meaning of "Family"



               ACSWP scrambles to get ready for GA



          by John Filiatreau, Presbyterian News Service



Plantation, FL, January 13, 2003 -- When the General Assembly 

decides that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) may want to speak out 

on an issue relating to social justice, it puts the Advisory 

Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) to work.



... ACSWP is planning to present five documents to this year's 

GA. [One of them relates to lesbian and gay families]:



* The committee's Policy Statement on Living Faithfully with 

Families in Transition, ordered up by assemblies in 1997 and '98, 

will ask the church to commit itself "to being an inclusive and 

caring community of faith in which many forms of family are 

valued," including "families with members of homosexual 

orientation." It says families of all kinds can do a good job of 

raising children, and urges the PCUSA to oppose "principles or 

policies that would stigmatize any persons ... based on family 

form."



...



Stay Tuned! -- jda.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                   The United Church of Canada

                   Endorses Same-Sex Marriage



The United Church of Canada includes most Canadian Presbyterians. 

It is Canada's largest Protestant denomination, with more than 3 

million members. It was formed in 1925 through the union of 

Canadian Methodists, Congregationalists and 70% of Canadian 

Presbyterians. It has 91 presbyteries, so its form of government 

is very Presbyterian!



We thank www.equalmarriage.ca for this story and we reprint it 

with their permission.



February 27, 2003



              United Church Supports Equal Marriage



"Others may argue that including same-sex couples undermines 

society's understanding of family. It is the experience of the 

United Church that non-traditional family forms may equally 

advance these family values." -- United Church of Canada



In the absence of timely minutes from the Parliamentary hearings 

on marriage, the United Church issued a press release yesterday 

that urged Canada's politicians to end marriage discrimination. 

The press release outlined key points from a Feb. 13 presentation 

to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human 

Rights. During the presentation, the United Church told the 

federal government that Canada's largest Protestant denomination 

supports same-sex marriage. Each year, the United Church blesses 

over 15,000 marriages in Canada.



During the hearings it has become apparent that opponents of 

equal marriage are obsessed with sex. These groups and 

politicians believe that marriage is defined by reproduction 

involving male/female genital contact. The United Church deflated 

this archaic position.



"Procreation can no longer be cited as a defining dynamic of 

marriage in Western society. Ironically, in Canada, we do have 

heterosexuals who marry with no intention, and in some cases, no 

ability of having children, and yet we have same-sex couples with 

children who cannot get married."



Another tactic employed by those who wish to maintain 

discrimination against gays and lesbians is to claim that clergy 

would be forced to marry same-sex couples.



"This is not true," said the United Church. "The separation of 

Church and State in Canada means clergy are not required to marry 

couples when it would be contrary to the faith community's 

religious beliefs. One example is the refusal of the Roman 

Catholic Church to marry someone who is divorced."



The problem, of course, is that some faith groups do not want a 

separation of church and state. They wish to impose their values 

on the rest of Canada and have church doctrine reflected in 

Canadian laws. This collaboration to maintain faith-based bigotry 

in the public arena is unraveling thanks to faith groups, like 

the United Church, that are demonstrating Christian alternatives 

to the spiritual abuse practiced by others.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



OUR CHURCHES



                Coping with Fidelity and Chastity



As we struggle to rid our church constitution of the inhospitable 

effects of the "chastity" amendment, many in our church have also 

recognized the need for us to interpret this clause of the 

constitution in light of the over-arching themes of the 

constitution, chief among which is inclusiveness. Here's an 

example! -- JDA.



           Christ Church, Presbyterian Burlington, VT

                  Statement of Compliance with

             G-6.0106b of the PCUSA *Book of Order*



Since paragraph G-6.0106b was enacted in 1997, Christ Church, 

Presbyterian has struggled mightily with how to extend fully the 

grace and hospitality of Jesus Christ to our gay and lesbian 

brothers and sisters, while at the same time remaining faithful 

to the Church's constitution.



In June 1998, Christ Church, Presbyterian's Report to the 

Presbytery of Northern New England stated that we had not found a 

way to be in compliance with G-6.0106b without harming deeply the 

church community that we are called to lead. We also believed 

that no congregation could be fully in compliance with G-6.0106b 

without violating numerous other provisions in the *Book of Order* 

that clearly mandate an inclusive church.



Since then we have been prayerfully listening to the wider Church 

and we have heard many voices.



* We have heard the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General 

Assembly (GA-PJC) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in its 

Londonderry vs. The Presbytery of Northern New England decision. 

"The Commission finds that there are no constitutional grounds 

for a governing body to fail to comply with an express provision 

of the Constitution, however inartfully stated. Assertions of 

inconsistency, confusion, or ambiguity may justify the right to 

protest. They do not create a right to disregard any part of the 

Constitution."



* We have also heard the GA-PJC state in the same decision, "It 

is not unusual for a document such as our Constitution, written 

at different periods of time and under different circumstances, 

to exhibit tensions and ambiguities in its provisions. 

Nevertheless, *it is the task of governing bodies and judicial 

commissions to resolve them in such a way as to give effect to 

all provisions*" (emphasis added).



* We have listened attentively as the Presbytery of Northern New 

England graciously exercised pastoral care and guidance, 

assisting us in fulfilling our obligation to comply with the 

Constitution.



* While supportive of Amendment A from the 213th General Assembly 

in 2001, we have heard the wider Church when the amendment failed 

to be ratified by a majority of the Presbyteries.



* We have listened with great interest to recent GA-PJC rulings 

in the Stamford and Wier proceedings. In assessing all that we 

have heard, the Session concluded that the April 1997 Resolution 

(of conscience) and our 1998 Report to the Presbytery of Northern 

New England were no longer appropriate under the circumstances. 

Consequently, on June 2, 2002, the Session unanimously adopted 

the following statement:



     "We have been engaged in a continuing process of 

     congregational discernment in light of the GA-PJC decision 

     in Londonderry Presbyterian Church vs. Presbytery of 

     Northern New England, the help we have received from the 

     Pastoral Committee established by the Presbytery pursuant to 

     this decision, and recent PJC decisions interpreting and 

     applying G-6.0106b. The Session of Christ Church, 

     Presbyterian, grateful for new opportunities for creative 

     witness on an issue it cares deeply about, hereby sets aside 

     our Resolution of April 20, 1997, and the Report of June 18, 

     1998, so that we can clarify and strengthen our statement of 

     present conviction."



In Londonderry vs. the Presbytery of Northern New England, the 

GA-PJC challenged us (and the Church as a whole) to find a way of 

resolving tensions and ambiguities in the Constitution in such a 

way as makes effective all of its provisions. At the time of the 

PJC decision, this seemed a daunting challenge. But today, 

following a period of study, dialogue, discernment, listening and 

prayer, we now realize that the task can be accomplished.



Whereas in June of 1998 we had not found a way to reconcile G-

6.0106b with other provisions in the *Book of Order* calling for 

full inclusiveness, we now have. Our error was in leaving the 

interpretation of G-6.0106b to others, rather than exploring for 

ourselves what it is that G-6.0106b actually says. After closer 

examination as instructed by the GA-PJC in Londonderry vs. the 

Presbytery of Northern New England, we now realize that our 

church's stand on inclusiveness, the Constitution's requirements 

for inclusiveness, and the provisions of G-6.0106b are not 

mutually exclusive. When properly and faithfully interpreted, G-

6.0106b and other constitutional requirements for inclusiveness 

can co-exist.



Let us, then, examine the provisions of G-6.0106b and assess 

whether or not they constitute a bar to ordination of gay and 

lesbian persons of faith:



**"G-6.0106b: Those who are called to office in the church are to 

lead a life in obedience to Scripture ..."**



The interpretation of scriptural passages related to 

homosexuality has been a core issue dividing Presbyterians for 

decades now. Countless books and articles, debates on the floors 

of presbyteries and pronouncements from biblical scholars of 

every stripe have failed to resolve the issue. We shall not 

attempt to resolve it here, except to state that it is our 

conviction that scripture, taken as a whole, proclaims the Good 

News of God's everlasting love. We take as our guidance the 

overarching commandment given to us by our Lord, Jesus Christ, 

that we are to love God with all our heart and soul and mind; and 

that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We have studied 

scripture, including the six passages of Old and New Testament 

that are commonly cited as condemning homosexuality. When placed 

in their proper historical context, these passages are subject to 

differing interpretations -- especially so when viewed through 

the twin lenses of science and human experience.



Does the Bible clearly condemn homosexuality and loving 

homosexual relationships? We believe that it does not. And our 

right of scriptural interpretation is protected by Paragraphs G-

1.0301 and G-6.0108 of the *Book of Order*.



**"... and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of 

the church."**



The larger Westminster Catechism (7.249) condemns "unnatural 

lust" and "sodomy." But there is no clear agreement on how these 

terms are to be defined and used. "Unnatural" could apply to a 

homosexual involved in a sexual relationship with a heterosexual. 

"Lust" may be understood as uncontrolled, illicit, or obsessive 

sexual interest -- not the kind of sexual sharing manifested in a 

loving and faithful relationship.



"Sodomy" has many meanings, some of which include heterosexual 

acts. Other interpretations include rape, injustice, oppression, 

cruelty, deceit, greed, idolatry, inhospitality and hypocrisy. We 

find no indictment of loving and committed homosexual 

relationships.



The translation of the Heidelberg Catechism (4.087) as currently 

used in our *Book of Confessions* condemns "homosexual perversion." 

However, most scholars agree that the original language referred 

to "(an) unchaste person, idolater, adulterer." In fact, the word 

"homosexual" didn't even exist when the Heidelberg Catechism was 

written. Further, 'homosexual perversion' no more condemns all 

homosexual acts than 'heterosexual perversion' condemns all 

heterosexual acts. In short, we do not believe that our 

Confessions condemn all homosexual practice.



**"Among these standards is the requirement to live either in 

fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a 

woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness.**



Chastity does not mean celibacy. In fact, our Confessions warn us 

that vows of celibacy in service to the church constitute 

"superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may 

entangle himself." (6.126; 7.249)



Other possible interpretations of the word "chastity" include 

moderation, seriousness, monogamy, modesty and respect. 

Therefore, "living chastity in singleness" does not constitute a 

ban on committed homosexual relationships.



[JDA adds: In addition, the Heidelberg Catechism calls on all 

persons to lead chaste lives, both married and singe (4.108-

109).]



**"Persons refusing to repent ..."**



Our Confessions establish that "repentance" is a state of inward 

conviction about the wrongfulness of one's acts. Many homosexuals 

believe that their relationship with a same-sex partner is a gift 

from God, a good and natural part of God's creation that can be 

responsibly acted on. Further, our Confessions state that 

"repentance is a sheer gift of God and not a work of our 

strength." Accordingly, "refusing to repent" should not be 

assumed from a mere refusal to acquiesce in the views of a narrow 

majority.



**"... of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call 

sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or 

ministers of the Word and Sacrament."**



Again, we are back to our Confessions and whether or not they 

proclaim homosexual relationships to be sinful. As stated 

earlier, it is far from clear that they do and, indeed, it is our 

conviction that loving homosexual relationships are neither more 

nor less likely to be sinful than loving heterosexual 

relationships.



We are reminded of the GA-PJC admonition to give effect to all 

parts of the Constitution. In the foregoing, we have addressed 

specifically the provisions of G-6.0106b; but we must not 

overlook the preceding paragraph in the *Book of Order*, G-6.0106a, 

which provides in positive terms the qualifications for 

ordination: "(Candidates) should be persons of strong faith, 

dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and 

Lord. Their manner of life should be a demonstration of the 

Christian gospel in the church and in the world." While we cannot 

overlook potentially negative traits that might disqualify 

candidates from leadership in the church, we must -- and will -- 

give significant attention to the qualities called for in G-

6.0106a.



In giving effect to all parts of the Constitution, we affirm that 

"God has put all things under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and 

has made Christ Head of the Church, which is his body." We 

confirm that membership, and all rights of membership, are based 

solely on one's profession of faith. We hold high the right of 

the people to choose their own leaders. We believe in giving full 

expression to the rich diversity within our membership. We 

believe in welcoming all who respond in trust and obedience to 

God's grace in Jesus Christ. We affirm that all active members 

are entitled to the privileges of the church, including the right 

to vote and hold office. We pledge to continue working for 

reconciliation and unity in the midst of our diversity, and, in 

so doing, we pledge forbearance towards those who differ with us 

and ask the same of them. And we remain open to God's continuing 

reformation of the Church.



With full confidence that we are abiding with the Constitution, 

including the provisions of G-6.0106b, the Session of Christ 

Church, Presbyterian vows to continue welcoming persons living 

singly or in committed relationships, regardless of sexual 

orientation, into the life, membership and leadership of this 

congregation on an equal basis, including eligibility for 

election and ordination as a ruling elder or deacon. -- *Adopted 

by the Session November 11, 2002*



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                        No Longer Silent



I just discovered a wonderful witness and ministry, No Longer 

Silent, hosted by the Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church in Phoenix 

AZ, a More Light congregation. Thank you, Rev. Peggy Roberts, 

pastor, and Glyndon Morris, More Light liaison, for your ongoing 

ministries of healing, hope and empowerment. -- Ralph Carter, MLP 

Board Member



Here's the mission statement:



              No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice



We are Christian Clergy: grounded in the witness of the Bible; 

convinced of God's unconditional love for all people raising; a 

voice against Christian intolerance that promotes condemnation, 

discrimination, and hatred; advocating justice for all, 

especially Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered persons.

The time has come to share an alternative Christian perspective 

on the issue of homosexuality. Conservative political and 

Christian rhetoric condemning homosexuals has monopolized public 

perception of the stance of religious persons on this issue. We 

disagree with these views of condemnation and judgment.



We believe that homosexual persons are people of wholeness and 

worth, entitled to a complete and full life. We are convinced 

that the Bible makes clear God's unconditional love and 

acceptance of all people. We therefore welcome homosexual 

persons, as we welcome all people, into our Christian communities 

and organizations.



We regret that the judgmental pronouncements of some political 

and Christian leaders have characterized homosexual persons as 

inherently more sinful and/or immoral than their heterosexual 

counterparts. We disagree with these views, and feel that 

interpretations of the Bible used to support such views are 

inaccurate and incomplete. We believe that homosexual persons are 

no more sinful and are of equal character and personal integrity 

as any other group of people.



The divisive rhetoric concerning the issue of homosexuality has 

invaded our churches and denominations with inflammatory, 

misleading, and politically-driven arguments. Polarization and 

mistrust have often displaced communication and understanding. We 

hope for a renewal of meaningful discourse, and look forward to 

genuine dialogue with all persons regarding this issue.



We believe that there are many unheard voices who share these 

convictions and welcome all persons who are moved to stand 

together in support of the unconditional inclusive love of God. 

We are committed to work and pray for understanding and strength 

as the journey continues. -- http://www.nolongersilent.org/



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



            G.A. Overture Seeks to Overturn G-6.0106b



        Des Moines Presbytery Passes "Delete B" Overture

           Hudson River Presbytery Seconds the Motion



On January 18, 2003, the Presbytery of Des Moines passed an 

overture that would remove G-6.0106b from the *Book of Order*. 

Hudson River Presbytery seconded the motion (by adopting the same 

overture) in March. The measure, which passed by a vote of 47-32 

in Des Moines Presbytery, was modeled after the overture passed 

by the 2001 G.A. which later became known as Amendment 01-A. 

Needless to say, MLP is grateful to the Presbyteries of Des 

Moines and Hudson River and will work hard to pass it at this 

year's General Assembly in Denver.



Here's the text of the overture.



-----------------------------------------------

The Presbytery of Des Moines respectfully overtures the 215th 

General Assembly (2003) to do the following:



1. Direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed 

amendment to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative 

votes:



Shall G-6.0106b be stricken.



Shall G-6.0106a be amended by adding a new sentence to the end of 

the paragraph to read as follows: "Their suitability to hold 

office is determined by the governing body where the examination 

for ordination or installation takes place, guided by scriptural 

and constitutional standards, under the authority and Lordship of 

Jesus Christ."



2. Approve the following authoritative interpretation:



"Interpretive statements concerning ordained service by 

homosexual persons by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the 

United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and 

the 119th General Assembly (1979) of the Presbyterian Church in 

the United States, and all subsequent denominational affirmations 

thereof, shall be given no further force or effect; and Section 

G-6.0106a of the Form of Government, together with the other 

prerequisites for ordination expressly stated in our *Book of 

Order*, hereby are affirmed as the sole and exclusive standards 

for ordination by ordaining bodies acting in prayerful 

discernment of the leading of Almighty God."



                            Rationale



We believe that the presence of G-6.0106b within our *Book of Order* 

has created a hostile and divisive environment in our church that 

is contrary to God's reconciling love and the spirit of our 

Reformed faith. We are greatly saddened over the increasing 

number of accusations and judicial cases that have arisen in 

recent months as a result of this measure. These trials are 

causing the church to spend inordinate financial and human 

resources defending an exclusionary policy that is not an 

essential of the Reformed faith, drawing precious resources away 

from the primary mission of the church.



The effects of compliance with G-6.0106b run counter to the 

sentiment of G-5.0103 that "Each member must seek the grace of 

openness in extending the fellowship of Christ to all persons." 

Failure to do this, it continues, "constitutes a rejection of 

Christ himself and causes a scandal to the gospel." We would 

honor Christ's last prayer with his disciples that all may be one 

(John 17:11) and would heed the admonition of the New Testament 

writers that we avoid needless controversies lest the body of 

Christ be divided.



Presbyterians have historically valued the rights of governing 

bodies to make decisions that affect them the most directly, 

seeking unity in the essentials of faith but not necessarily in 

"truths and forms with respect to which [people] of good 

characters and principles may differ" (*Book of Order*, G-

1.0305). Biblical interpretations differ, and the church should 

therefore leave it to local governing bodies to act out of their 

own faith as discerned together in prayer when such 

interpretations over nonessential matters are in conflict.



The confessions of our church are valuable guides in our 

decisions about ordination and many other issues, but they are 

always subordinate to Jesus Christ and the authority of 

scripture (*Book of Order*, G-1.0307 and G-2.0200; *Book of 

Confessions*, 3.18-.20, 5.011-.014, 6.010, and 9.03). Our 

constitution affirms that "God alone is Lord of the conscience, 

and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men 

which are in anything contrary to his Word, or beside it, in 

matters of faith or worship" (*Book of Order*, G-1.0301; see also 

G-1.0305 and G-1.0307; *Book of Confessions*, 5.010-.014, 6.109, 

6.174-.175, 7.215, and 8.20-.21).



The church "is called to be a sign in and for the world of the 

new reality which God has made available to people in Jesus 

Christ," reflecting that "(1) Sin is forgiven. (2) Reconciliation 

is accomplished. (3) the dividing walls of hostility are torn 

down" (*Book of Order*, G-3.0200). This leads to an affirmation 

of diversity and the welcoming inclusion of all people (*Book of 

Order*, G-3.0401, G-4.0203, G-4.0401-.0403, G-5.0202, and G-

9.0104; *Book of Confessions*, 9.06-.07, 9.10, 9.19-.20, 9.22, 

9.29, 9.31-33, and 9.44).



We understand our polity and system of ordination to mean that 

leaders are called by God and confirmed by the people, and that 

all members whose manner of life demonstrates the gospel and who 

possess the gifts and training for leadership have opportunities 

to participate in leadership. In faithfulness to our call to be 

good stewards of the resources entrusted to us, we would affirm 

and enable ordained service and outreach by all in whom we 

discern a call to serve (*Book of Order*, G-1.0306, G-4.0402, G-

4.0403, G-6.0102, G-6.0107, G-7.0103, G-10.0102l, G-14.0201, and 

G-14.0204).



In our continuing struggle on these issues, the Church is called 

to be open to God's continuing reformation "according to the Word 

of God and the call of the Spirit" (*Book of Order*, G-2.0200; see 

also G-e.0401, G-4.0303, G-10.0102j, and G-18.0101; *Book of 

Confessions*, 9.03 and 9.29).



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                Celebrating God's Glorious Gadfly

                     the Rev. Howard Warren



Indianapolis, IN -- On March 14th, at 4:20 in the afternoon, with 

close friends at his side, the man dubbed God's Glorious Gadfly, 

the Rev. Howard B. Warren Jr., flew home to the arms of "The 

Wildly, Wonderful, Extravagant, Inclusive, loving God."



We mourn his passing and celebrate his life as one who lived his 

life in joy, speaking truth to power and tirelessly and fiercely 

calling the church to repentance for its exclusion of any person. 

He brought hope to those cast out by our denomination's policies 

of institutionalized exclusion, fear to those who would enforce 

such policies, and grace and peace to those living with HIV/AIDS. 

We are grateful to Jerry Johnson, Ed Towne, and so many others 

who cared for Howard in the last years of his life.



The Rev. Howard B. Warren Jr. attended McCormick Theological 

Seminary and Union Theological Seminary in New York and was 

ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the United 

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. in 1960. He served as Associate 

Pastor in churches throughout Pennsylvania, Indiana and Michigan. 

In 1987 he came out to the Presbytery of Detroit as a person with 

AIDS and a gay man. In the last years of his distinguished 

ministry Howard served as Director of Pastoral Care at the Damien 

Center, an HIV/AIDS service/support center in Indianapolis, a 

validated specialized ministry of the Presbytery of Whitewater 

Valley.



A leader in Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (now More 

Light Presbyterians), with the Rev. Lisa Bove Howard founded 

Presbyterians Act Up and was active with the Presbyterian AIDS 

Network and a founding supporter of That All May Freely Serve. 

Many remember Howard for his warm smile, his exuberant joy, his 

relentless rainbow apparel and the sandwich board signs he wore 

at General Assemblies.



In the coming days we will share more stories and remembrances of 

Howard on the MLP.org website. It is fitting however to share one 

such story here, of Howard and his G.A. signs. At the conclusion of 

a sermon preached at the More Light Conference in Rochester, NY, 

the Rev. Dan Smith of West Hollywood Presbyterian Church told 

this story:



     "In closing let me share with you a word of hope about where 

     the dance may end -- what dancing the dream of freedom might 

     look and feel like. Ironically, as is often the way the Holy 

     Spirit works, this word of hope came to me in the midst of 

     the pain of the Orlando Assembly in 1993. I was an elected 

     Commissioner that year so I was on the floor as a voting 

     delegate.



     "As you probably know, each day of the Assembly begins with 

     a time of worship. As I arrived for worship on the day when 

     the Assembly was to vote on what to do with Gay and Lesbian 

     people in our church, I came into the building and started 

     walking down the entry hallway. As I walked down the long 

     hallway towards the Assembly Hall entry doors, I could hear 

     a voice which kept getting louder and louder the closer I 

     got to the doors.



     "When I got to the door, I met our dear friend, The Most 

     Rev. Howard Warren dressed in casual clothes, and wearing 

     his white clerical stole. He had a sandwich board around his 

     neck with one of his famous messages of inclusion for gays 

     and lesbian in the church. As always, he was holding in one 

     hand, his ten gallon brown ceramic coffee mug and his other 

     hand was flying in the air. As each person entered the 

     Assembly Hall for worship, they met Howard crying at the top 

     of his lungs, and since I don't have quite the resonance 

     chamber that is Howard's body (!) you'll just have to 

     imagine his booming voice crying out:



     'God cries for justice in the Presbyterian Church!'



     "All during the worship service you could hear Howard's 

     voice resounding from the entry way into the Assembly Hall: 

     "God cries for justice in the Presbyterian Church!" The 

     staff of the General Assembly thought this was too 

     disruptive, so they decided to close the entry doors to 

     block out Howard's voice. But as only God in her justice-

     loving ways can intercede, the Fire Marshals immediately 

     insisted that at least one of those doors remain open. So 

     all during worship and the beginning of that day's work, 

     above the spoken word from the platform you could hear "the 

     Word of the Prophet: 'God cries for justice in the 

     Presbyterian Church.'



     "I have known from that day on, why the Bible describes so 

     thoroughly the clothing John the Baptist wore, as well as 

     the words that he spoke. When you truly experience a prophet 

     it leaves an indelible picture in your mind. But even more, 

     through that experience, I've heard and felt John the 

     Baptist's message of Hope proclaimed to the Church.



     "The following day, which was one day after the General 

     Assembly voted not to welcome openly lesbian and gay people 

     as ordained leaders in our church, a dear friend of ours, 

     Margie Wentz, came over to Howard. Margie was one of the 

     candidates for Moderator of the General Assembly that year. 

     She had publicly stated in her Nomination Speech that she 

     supported the full inclusion of everyone in our Church, and 

     on the second ballot, she lost the election as Moderator by 

     only 10 votes.



     "She came up to Howard and she brought along her five year 

     old grandson, Douglas. She bent down and put her arm around 

     Douglas and said to him, "I want you to meet Howard. Right 

     now you won't understand what he's doing, but he's like John 

     the Baptist, and one day the Church will recognize that."



In the biographical information included with his essay in the 

anthology *Called Out: The Voices and Gifts of Lesbian, Gay, 

Bisexual, and Transgendered Presbyterians*, Howard says: "Someday 

I will be a gay angel ready to welcome all into the eternal arms 

of our practical Trinity (Creator, Jesus, and Spirit)."



Today Howard is with the One who is our eternal welcome. We 

remember the words he preached in a service at McKinley 

Presbyterian Church in Champaign, Illinois, in 1998:



"Our job as God's More Light people is to bring everyone alive, 

set them free to live and love here and now and forever -- MORE 

LIGHT for all!" -- Lisa Larges, for MLP and TAMFS.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



BRAZIL



                   More Light in the Tropics?

                         Blame it on Rio



"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not 

overcome it" -- John 1:5 (NRSV).



Engraved on the Reformation Wall in Geneva, Switzerland, is the 

Latin phrase that summarizes the hope of Reformed Christians for 

a new dawn in human history: Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness 

Light)! This historic motto embodies the aspirations of men and 

women who saw in the Reformation a unique opportunity to seek a 

truth greater than anything the established religion of their 

time could proffer them. They were moved by a profound sentiment 

of love that raised their hopes above the darkness of those 

dogmas and creeds, which shielded them from God's life-giving 

light. Down the centuries, this motto has given Reformed 

Christians their identity as seekers of a more excellent way to 

serve God and humanity. However, as Frederick Buechner reminds us 

all, Christians still live "somewhere between the facts of 

darkness and the hope of light." Therefore, we must not allow 

ourselves to be plunged into the void of those denominational 

conventions and protocols that cast a shadow over the ancient 

Biblical verities and no longer speak to the new social, cultural 

and religious reality of our age. Instead, our vocation is to let 

"a new and better hope within our heart be stirred, for God hath 

yet more light and truth to break forth from the Word."



More Light Presbyterians have been inspired by this ideal to look 

for imaginative ways to be the Reconciling Church of Jesus Christ 

in the twenty-first century. And a ray of this hope has beamed 

across the Americas as far south as Rio de Janeiro, where it has 

rekindled the flame of Bethesda Presbyterian Church to an 

incandescent glow. Holding on to the promise of John 1:5, 

Bethesda stands as an ironic flash of light shining in the 

darkness of religious fundamentalism and intolerance in Brazil. 

We are a progressive, diverse and loving congregation wherein all 

God's children are welcome regardless of race, socioeconomic 

status, sexual orientation, political views or religious 

background. As our Mission Statement avers, Bethesda, which in 

Hebrew means "house of mercy," upholds life as the supreme 

sacrament above any set of theological claims, creeds, dogmas, 

philosophical or ontological axioms. We follow Christ's example 

on the cross who received in God's eternal Kingdom a soul 

condemned by human standards. Bethesda believes in a permanent 

Pentecost, which is unceasingly empowering us to proclaim God's 

all-embracing salvation with joy and creativity. Guided by its 

senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Nehemias Marien -- an icon of the 

Reformed Church in South America, Bethesda has seen its days of 

prosperity and prestige. The church is located in Copacabana, one 

of Rio's most traditional, charming and eclectic neighborhoods. 

It is nestled between the dazzling white sands of Copacabana 

Beach and the exuberant mountains that give Rio its reputation as 

the world's "Marvelous City." Regrettably, Rev. Marien's 

inclusive theology and his uncompromising support for sexual 

minorities encountered a virulent antagonism in the denomination 

and Bethesda saw a sharp decline in its membership over the past 

several years. In spite of the turbulent and dark period of 

personal as well as ministerial losses, Rev. Marien, the son of a 

French Huguenot missionary and a native Brazilian, has remained 

faithful to Bethesda's holistic, ecumenical and liberal Christian 

vision. His hope for yet more light and truth reverberated 

throughout the Presbytery of Haroldo Cook, which issued a 

manifesto in 2001 expressing its consensual and unconditional 

support for Bethesda's theological posture.



Today, Bethesda is a church in redevelopment. It continues to be 

one of the few mainline churches in Rio that is deeply engaged in 

the inter-religious dialogue with Jews, Moslems, and Afro-

Brazilian primal religions among others. Gay Christians and non-

Christians alike have found here a safe and sacred space where 

they are fully accepted and integrated into a loving and caring 

community of faith. It is indeed very humbling to see the sparkle 

of hope in the eyes of men and women who visit Bethesda for the 

first time and realize that we are an authentically Christian 

congregation seeking to deconstruct the homophobic theology of 

fundamentalist and charismatic churches in Brazil. There is a 

non-denominational fellowship of LGBT folks that meets regularly 

in our social hall to discuss, debate and promote gay rights in 

the Church and beyond. In our effort to be a beacon of faith and 

justice in Rio, Bethesda also ministers to the underprivileged 

through our food pantry ministry. Our present goal is to develop 

new mission projects and programs to foster a sense of enthusiasm 

among our members for our vision as a More Light congregation in 

the tropics.



Bethesda has the potential to grow and become a reference of love 

and acceptance for the Church Universal. Its privileged location 

and inclusive theology make a powerful combination for a 

revolutionary and genuine Christian witness in Latin America. Our 

message and hope can surely be a conduit for new ideas and 

debates within Brazil's religious context. Being aware of all 

that, the pastoral staff has met recently to draft the proposal 

for a long-range plan that will help us implement our worship 

services and ministries. Despite our limited financial resources, 

we are determined to be a prophetic voice in Rio working 

tirelessly to support the healing ministries of human love and 

solidarity in the world. Bethesda's associate pastors have 

already embraced this vision by serving this congregation without 

receiving any monetary remuneration. The Rev. Nehemias Marien, 

who is now in his 70's, still speaks up clearly and loudly 

against any form of religious extremism, discrimination and 

intolerance and is willing to pay up personally for his 

theological convictions. But we know we cannot carry on with our 

mission alone. Therefore, I have put together a project called 

"Pontes de Solidariedade" (Bridges of Solidarity), which may help 

us continue on this journey toward God's inextinguishable light. 

We are hoping to find mission partners among our sister More 

Light Presbyterian churches in the United States that share our 

inclusive vision for the Church of Jesus Christ. This partnership 

will be based on short-term relationships with prospective 

mission partners and we hope to count on your financial, 

intellectual, physical as well as spiritual support. If your 

congregation has any interest in mission opportunities with a 

progressive and loving Presbyterian Church in Brazil, please, 

consider becoming Bethesda's mission partner. You may contact the 

Rev. Paulo Gustavo Franc,a at pgfranca@ligbr.com for further 

information about the project "Pontes de Solidariedade" or about 

other alternative ways to contribute to Bethesda's mission 

programs.



* The Rev. Paulo Gustavo Franc,a is a native of Brazil ordained 

in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He is a member-at-large of the 

Presbytery of Chicago and is currently serving as a visiting 

pastor for mission and community service at Bethesda Presbyterian 

Church in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



ON THE ROAD WITH MICHAEL



                   Mediation and Incarnation

               in Louisiana, Kansas and Minnesota



In the past nine weeks, I have been in nine states as one of your 

"out in the field" on the road national organizers. Louisiana, 

Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, 

Minnesota, and Kentucky. A trip to my growing-up home of south 

Louisiana to work with University Presbyterian Church and Patti 

Synder, pastor, Ellen Morgan, our liaison for Louisiana, was an 

absolute delight. Patti, Ellen and I met with two-dozen church 

members committed to making their church a genuinely welcoming 

and safe place for LGBT people and our families.



A Three Sisters' Van Trip with Martha Juillerat (The Shower of 

Stoles Project) and Janie Spahr (That All May Freely Serve) 

traversed over 2,000 miles of the heartland of our country 

and Church, as Martha instructed Janie and me. Martha took us to 

Central Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, the church where she 

set aside her ordination in 1995, which became the inspiration and 

genesis of The Shower of Stoles Project. Carol Smith, spiritual 

director and clergywoman in Kansas City, created wonderful 

opportunities for us to be in several churches and with leaders 

from the LGBT Community. Parents of a gay son, Clayton, Carol 

and her spouse Gary are remarkable heterosexual allies who "get 

this" way down in their hearts, souls and lives.



Heidi Peterson, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, hosted an 

educational forum for the presbytery which was particularly 

poignant, not only because it was the church where Martha set 

aside her ordination, but also because this was the home church 

of the beloved late Merrill Proudfoot, who was a long-time MLP 

leader. Merrill's legacy to MLP has allowed us to offer 

educational programs all around the country.



Cleve Evans, our Nebraska liaison, put together an evening 

meeting with persons from a half dozen churches in Omaha, 

Nebraska, at Lowe Avenue Presbyterian Church. The 22 members of 

this gentle and loving church were so pleased to host this 

meeting. And, we were honored to have been with them.



Joseph C. Hough, Jr., President, Union Seminary, New York City, 

said of the Incarnation that it is: "God's mediating of God's 

self through human flesh" and "encountering the holy" in another. 

That very cold evening in Omaha with snowbanks encircling the 

sidewalks outside the church, was a sharp contrast to the warmth 

and love of that gathering of wonderful, faithful persons such as 

Cleve, Lonnie, Sara, Mary and Jeannie inside that small in size 

but large in spirit church. It was an encounter with the holy.



There were 1,000 people at the APCE, Association of Presbyterian 

Church Educators, Conference in Denver. By the end of that 

conference, it was clear that we had met half of them and given 

out over 500 sets of LGBT/More Light educational materials at our 

outreach booth in the exhibition hall. One out of every two 

persons came up to talk about their daughter, son, parent, friend 

and church. Some people believe that the Church cannot deal with 

LGBT concerns, but that is simply not the case. Educators, clergy, 

lay leaders, and parents are absolutely ready, seeking and 

starving for information, educational materials and resources. 

And, they wanted safe and caring persons to speak to, tell their 

stories to and I am so glad that Mardee Rightmyer, Kate Van 

Brocklin, Katie Morrison and I could be there at APCE to provide 

such outreach and resourcing.



One mother told me and Kate about her 17 year old son who had 

recently come out to her. She proudly showed us his picture and 

told us about his going to his prom with a friend. She also 

shared that she believed that her church would not be a 

supportive place for her to speak about her son. Her very own 

son. I talked to her about my own Mother, that she had died 

before I came out to myself. I told her that I never doubted the 

unconditional love of my Mom. This mother, a stranger before 

this conversation, told me that "Mothers know these things" and 

she wrapped me in a warm embrace. This is what it means to be 

the Church, the Incarnation. It was an encounter with the holy.



Eleven days with Martha Juillerat and Tammy Lindahl in their very 

comfortable and warm ranch-style home in Minneapolis was just 

near-heaven. Martha, the organizer extraordinaire, put together 

a "more light" traveling show across the Twin Cities that kept us 

hopping from morning to night. And, it was glorious. I was able 

to visit four of our more light churches there, including 

preaching at St. Luke and Macalester-Plymouth United Church, and 

offering education at Bryn Mawr and Church of the Apostles.



Being with remarkable pastors like Kim Smith-King and Doug King, 

Heidi and Frank Vardeman, and Lindsay Biddle gives me faith in the 

Church. Susan Robertson and Brenda Villard hosted the St. Luke 

More Light group led by Katie Williams for a celebration and 

strategy dinner. Don McCall, chair, and Ed Synder, of the More 

Light/Open and Affirming Committee, Macalester-Plymouth United 

Church, generously hosted a presbytery-wide MLP gathering and a 

reception to honor MLP.



In addition to outreach to area churches, Martha and I spoke at 

United Theological Seminary and at Macalester College. As a 

result of our visit to United, Presbyterian students have begun 

work to create a MLP Chapter on campus. Paul Capetz has agreed 

to be the faculty sponsor. Eily Marlow, a recent McCormick 

Seminary graduate and now Associate Chaplain at Macalester, 

created, hosted and convened the luncheon program for students 

that Martha and I offered at their Chapel.



Nine weeks and nine states, and these are just a few of the many 

stories of the encounters with the holy that you make possible 

because of your financial and prayer support of MLP. Thank you 

for making this outreach possible all around the country so that 

our Church can be a Church where all God's children are truly 

welcomed and affirmed. Now is the time. -- *With hope and grace, 

Michael*



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



A REFORMATION SERMON



                   Reformation Sunday Worship

                        October 27, 2002

            Calvary St. Andrew's Parish, Rochester, NY



          "Faith that is Seen -- How shall We Testify?"



              by the Rev. Deborah Flemister Mullen



         Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90; Matthew 22:34-46



     "You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming 

     to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered 

     and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we 

     had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God 

     in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring 

     from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we 

     have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message 

     of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but 

     to please God who tests our hearts. As you know and as God 

     is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with 

     a pretext for greed; nor did we seek praise from mortals, 

     whether from you or from others, though we might have made 

     demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, 

     like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply 

     we do care for you that we are determined to share with you 

     not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because 

     you have become very dear to us" -- I Thessalonians 2:1-8.



The Word of the Lord.



     Loving God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, may the words 

     of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable 

     praise and give you all the glory that is yours and yours 

     alone. Amen.



Friends, beloved of Christ Jesus, you are indeed beautiful to 

behold. I want you to turn and tell someone seated next to you, 

"you are a beloved child of God, beautiful to behold!" Just 

allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as you give and receive 

that blessing, "you are a beloved child of God, beautiful to 

behold!" Ah, just let those words that glorify God be an 

affirmation of whose you are and an encouragement in the 

knowledge that someone sees you for who you are and, for that 

reason alone, wants to thank God for you and for your presence in 

this place. "You are a beloved child of God, beautiful to 

behold! Amen.



So, I don't know what you came to do tonight, but I came with a 

heart full of praise for God for what God is doing. I came with 

a word of thanksgiving for God's "Faith that is Seen" in the 

ministries represented here and with a word of encouragement for 

the trials that are before us, and yet to come!



Goodness, gracious, that's what the old folks used to say. 

Goodness, gracious, it's good to be here. It's good to be back 

home! Back home in the place where my formal ministry began. 

Right here at Calvary St. Andrew's Parish with my pastor, 

colleague, and friend of twenty-five plus years, the devoted 

shepherd of this faithful flock, I love you Judy. Calvary St. 

Andrew's, a place that holds many sacred memories for so many of 

us; the place where some of you sitting here taught me how to be 

a pastor and then adopted me as part of your family. Calvary St. 

Andrew's, a place that is a living witness to what it means to be 

"reformed and always reforming according to the word of God"; a 

place that has dedicated itself to being an agent of 

revitalization and transformation in this neighborhood and 

surrounding community; a place whose commitment to God's service 

of generosity and justice is a tradition of long-standing; a 

place whose bold witness for the full inclusion of all of God's 

beloved -- of all colors and kinds -- is well known in these 

parts and through out the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).



It is just good to be back in this place, welcomed home by old 

friends whom I cherish, and so warmly received by you who have 

gathered this evening to worship the One who has been our 

dwelling place for all generations. So I just want to say, thank 

you for the opportunity to be here tonight. Thank you especially 

to the planners of this service Janie, Judy, Ralph, for your 

invitation that brought me back to this amazing area that is home 

to the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, an area that is no stranger 

to the movement of God's radically inclusive Spirit in such 

manifestations as the revivals that changed the religious 

landscape of the nineteenth century and the stirrings of historic 

freedom movements, as a passageway along the Underground Railroad 

and stronghold in the struggle for women's liberation; 

reformations all rooted deeply in the ground on which we stand; 

Women's ordination, and the birth of That All May Freely Serve.



I've come with what I hope is an uplifting word tonight. I've 

come to tell you that God is not done with this place, with the 

churches we attend or with any of us yet. We may stop over here 

for a time to refresh our spirits, to sing the songs of Zion, to 

remember our high calling and rejoice in all that God has done; 

we may find ourselves tired of the struggle and cry aloud with 

prophets who have gone on to glory fighting the good fight, 

saying "how long, O Lord," -- we may weep for a night knowing 

that the burden we must bear is heavy and the journey toward 

justice is long-suffering, but joy, unspeakable joy is our God's 

promise, if we can just make it through the night.



Oh, yes, beloved, we worship an extraordinary God who is able and 

always with us. I came to tell you this evening, that the same 

God who faithfully showed Moses the land promised to his 

descendants, though he would not live to witness their 

inheritance, is the same God of "Faith That is Seen," who will 

not abandon, deny or forsake us, and whose spirit will not be 

confined, hemmed in or snuffed out by ecclesiastical witch hunts 

and the terrorist campaigns of those whose weapons of spiritual 

warfare are being fashioned from what God intended for good -- 

the Scriptures, confessions and polity of our church. These are 

difficult times to say the least, and it does get wearisome out 

here in the struggle. At times, we get discouraged, and we lose 

sight of the fact that the battle is not ours -- it's the Lord's. 

Amen.



This is a moment to celebrate the vision that is birthing new 

understandings of what it means to be the Church of Jesus Christ 

in the new millennium. We are part of the new Reformation, 

beloved, think about it. Gatherings like this are going on 

across this nation to make our public witness visible to all, 

that what God intended for good will not be rebuked or silenced 

in the name of the peace, purity and unity of the church. We 

will be heard with a "Faith that is Seen!" And though we do not 

glorify in suffering for righteousness sake or worship oppression 

of any kind as the work of redemption, we have heard the ancient 

text speak to us this evening of God's "Faith that is Seen," and 

we are reminded by the Psalmist that our situation as modern day 

reformers is part of a larger drama unfolding according to God's 

plan; listen again as if you are hearing these words for the 

first time:



     "Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as 

     many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be manifest 

     to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. 

     Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper 

     for us the work of our hands -- O prosper the work of our 

     hands!"



We are part of the new Reformation, beloved, think about it. 

What a queer notion! That God, being no respecter of persons, is 

calling us to accept the fullness of our humanity, created in 

God's image, and to dedicate ourselves -- as lesbian, gay, 

bisexual, straight, intersex, and transgender Christians, to 

public ministries of justice for the full inclusion of all of 

God's children. O prosper the work of our hands!



For Protestant Christians, particularly for Presbyterians and all 

others who understand their denominational lineage as intertwined 

with and rooted in the reformed tradition, this is no less 

remarkable a period of change in the life of the church than was 

the movement that swept through Christendom in the 16th century. 

But since this is the second Reformation Sunday service for many 

of you, I'll skimp on the details of Wittenberg, Geneva, England, 

Spain, and of course, the colonies, except to say this; like 

Moses before us, I believe that God is showing us the land of 

promise. However, unlike Moses, I believe, some of us may live 

long enough to inhabit that land; to live fully and openly in the 

church that is God's heart's desire. One day. Ya, you bet'cha, I 

believe that God's promise of full inclusion is close at hand, 

and that the witness of gatherings like this are as important a 

part of bringing justice to the church-house as were the civil 

rights, human rights, and antiwar demonstrations that 

characterized the freedom movements of the fifties, sixties, and 

seventies in bringing justice to the courthouse, the school 

house, and the statehouse. But not without a struggle!



If history has taught us nothing else, it is that change is a 

process, which requires many forms of activism and multiple 

strategies that sometimes may cause conflicts even among those 

working toward the same or related goals. How shall we continue 

to work toward change in our churches to the end that no one is 

excluded from taking up the full measure of their call to 

leadership and service because the church has sanctioned 

discrimination against some of its members according to church 

law? How shall we testify? How can the church justify the 

prosecution of acts of faithful dissent and resistance by people 

of faith and conscience in the pursuit of justice for all? How 

shall we testify?



Nothing will change if we sit on our hands and wait for everyone 

to agree that churches that discriminate against persons on the 

basis of sexual orientation alone are wrong. How shall we 

testify? Nothing will change if the church's shameful treatment 

of its gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersex, transgender members and 

our straight allies is permitted to continue unchallenged by our 

"Faith that is Seen." Nothing will ever change if those who are 

excluded as racial and sexual minorities and those who stand with 

us in solidarity participate in our own marginalization for fear 

of reprisals against us. Nothing will be different, not without 

our persistent and public protestations of injustice, even 

injustice as professed and practiced by the church we so deeply 

love.



When put to the test again and again by the Pharisees and 

Sadducees, those who constituted the ranks of the religious 

hierarchy of his day, Jesus sought to demonstrate the in-breaking 

of a new realm, which he called the kin(g)dom of God. By making 

his words and witness public in acts of ministry that by their 

very nature confronted the status quo and exposed a religious 

culture in which the abuse of power had become synonymous with 

the religious authorities of his day; by his refusal to exclude 

and oppress anyone, even the most reviled of his day, Jesus' life 

and ministry has become our model for faithful dissent. Jesus 

bore his witness without restraint, and with his whole life and 

ministry, he testified to the eternal truth that God's 

unconditional love and saving grace is available to all persons 

regardless of what some might label today as "accidents of birth" 

-- our race and our sexual orientation. Jesus is our model for 

the new reformation. To follow his word and witness is no less 

our calling today than it was in ages past.



Our text from Matthew's gospel reminds us, God's word in Christ 

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.



     "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with 

     all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest 

     and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall 

     love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments 

     hang all the law and prophets."



This is the good news I came to preach! In fact the Scripture 

lessons for this day are filled with reminder upon reminder that 

there is plenty of reason to place our trust in God's "Faith that 

is Seen." God is inviting us who are here tonight to make bold 

our profession of faith and witness for truth and justice. And 

having heard the word, what shall we render in response, "how 

shall we testify?"



We are invited, beloved, to love God lavishly -- with our hearts, 

our minds, our souls, and bodies, with our whole selves, as we 

worship and serve that same God who made us and blessed us for 

divine and human relationship. God's invitation to each of us is 

an urgent request to prayerfully rededicate ourselves to the 

removal of every barrier to full inclusion that currently stands 

in the way of any member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who 

has been or is being called to a ministry set apart by ordination 

but who, according to the polity that governs our corporate life 

together, is unable to accept that call, without knowingly 

engaging in ecclesiastical disobedience, and here's a scary 

thought from a bygone era, "by any means necessary".



Be encouraged beloved, trust in God's "Faith that is Seen." As 

we turn again to someone beside us, take their hand and hear 

these words as if you are hearing these words for the first time:



     "Have courage in our God to declare the gospel of God in 

     spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring 

     from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we 

     have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message 

     of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but 

     to please God who tests our heart."



And always remember, "You are a beloved Child of God, beautiful 

to Behold." To God be the Glory. AMEM.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



PAN: Presbyterian AIDS Network



                    Celebrating Dan Stoepker



When Dan Stoepker found out he was HIV positive in the summer of 

1986, he set two goals for himself -- to be there when each of 

his children, then 11 and 10, graduated from high school.



In the summer of 1994, as his youngest, Jeremy, clutched his 

diploma in hand, Stoepker realized he had to set new goals. Now 

five years later, he thinks more long term and his days are 

filled with activities that keeps him focused on living.



"Honestly, I don't really think that much about dying anymore, 

says the 50-year-old Stoepker. "It's there in the back of my 

mind, and as a person with AIDS I'm still at risk every second of 

my life, but I try not to be fatalistic about it. Anybody can go 

at any time, whether you're sick or not. With AIDS though, it is 

a little more in your face."



Although he's unable to work because of his illness, Stoepker 

hasn't lost a bit of his independence. His schedule would likely 

make any corporate CEO dizzy. Stoepker is an ordained 

Presbyterian Elder at Westminster Church in Detroit, he teaches 

church school for 2nd and 3rd graders, he's on the Detroit 

Presbytery homosexuality task force, he helps teach classes at 

Marygrove College on what it is like to be a gay Christian man, 

he is on the advisory council of AIDS Interfaith Network, he 

speaks at various functions including last year's Metro Detroit 

15th Annual AIDS Candlelight Memorial and Mobilization Service, 

he is involved in youth groups, has enough friends to exceed the 

definition of popular, and he is a father.



Stoepker's son and daughter, from a marriage that ended more than 

20 years ago because he finally admitted to his wife and to 

himself that he is gay, are behind the survivalist mentality 

that keeps Stoepker going. They have grown up knowing why their 

parents divorced and the unique lessons learned from having a 

loved one with AIDS. "I am so proud of my children. They are 

truly amazing," Stoepker says. "I'm not sure if I could have made 

it this far without them."



Stoepker's life has, however, been deeply touched by the tragedy 

of AIDS. He has seen the disease's devastation firsthand through 

friends and loved ones that have passed away. In April of 1994, 

Stoepker's partner and spouse, Brad Kosko, died from an AIDS-

related illness.



Stoepker has found a way to endure, however, and his enthusiasm 

and exuberance are refreshing and surprising in light of the 

physical challenges he's faced since learning he had HIV. Six 

weeks before realizing his dream of attending Jeremy's 

graduation, he suffered severe dizzy spells that kept him from 

walking more than a few steps without failing down. Stoepker was 

suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, or brain cancer. Never 

expecting to even leave the hospital, Stoepker sat in the audience 

in a wheel chair with his ex-wife as his son graduated high 

school. Both of his children have since graduated college and are 

full-fledged adults, a transition that Stoepker was never sure 

he'd be able to witness.



His cancer is gone now, but the AIDS is not. But Stoepker 

continues to live his life to try and help others, and most of 

all, be true to himself and who he is.



"In some ways I've had it easier than others. My family has 

always been supportive. I've had the love of my kids and my 

friends, and I'm generally a positive person. But, I've always 

tried to be truthful about who I am. It makes things easier," 

Stoepker says. "I hurt for people who have to keep being a 

homosexual or having AIDS a secret. It's too bad because we can 

all learn from each other and gain understanding of the world 

through understanding others."



                           2002 Update



Dan Stoepker, Elder, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Detroit 

Presbytery -- probably the only openly Gay Commissioner -- 

served as a member of the Assembly Committee on Physical and 

Spiritual Well-Being of the 212th G.A. (2000). "The PCUSA took me 

and continued to welcome me as an openly gay man, disabled, with 

AIDS, because I was the best person for the job," said Dan.



Today, Dan serves on the Board for PHEWA and is a valued member 

of the PAN leadership team. He continues to work in the Detroit 

area HIV/AIDS communities educating those who would listen about 

the disease. His children Jennifer and Jeremy, also known as 

wonderful and marvelous, have grown up knowing straight is 

normal and that gay is normal, and so did their friends and 

neighbors and teachers and preachers and college chaplains. They 

have been a glorious witness to the world. This year Dan will 

become a grandfather for the first time, something that he never 

expected to see.



                           Post Script



My friends of TAMFS and MLP, you have been an integral part of 

my life's journey. My involvement with PHEWA (Presbyterians 

health, Education and Welfare Association) and PAN (Presbyterian 

AIDS Network) has made my justice love outreach opportunities 

easier and more affective. They offer resources, programs, 

statistics, stories, etc., to enhance our caring ministries. I 

invite you to join with me in membership with PHEWA/PAN. Check 

out www.PCUSA.org/phewa or call Susan Stack at 1-888-728-7228 ext. 

68000 for more information. -- Thank You, Dan Stoepker



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



GENDER DIVERSITY



           Address to the Presbytery of San Francisco

                        January 14, 2003

                  by the Rev. Erin K. Swenson.



I bring you greetings from the Board of More Light Presbyterians, 

and from the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, a place deep within 

the embrace of southern culture, the very place where the first 

Presbyterian minister who is transgender had her ordination 

sustained and her ministry affirmed. I am that minister, a member 

in good standing of my presbytery, parish associate of the 

Ormewood Park Presbyterian Church, and founder of the Southern 

Association for Gender Education, a non-profit organization 

devoted exclusively to the task of educating our church and our 

community about the reality of gender diversity.



Ministry in our respective communities is a daunting task. Help 

me for a moment. How many people here have gender? [pause] If you 

didn't just raise your hand I need to speak with you after the 

meeting. It's clear that when the topic of gender identity is on 

the table we all have something at stake for we all must deal 

with what it means to be gendered as male or female. So when I 

speak of myself as transgender, or Gwen Araujo, one of Newark 

(California)'s youth recently murdered because she was 

transgender, I am talking about a subject that in one way or 

another effects us all.



Most of us are lucky. In the words of Presbyterian minister 

Mister Fred Rogers, we are born male, feel like boys and men, and 

are attracted to females. Or, we are born female, feel like girls 

and women, and are attracted to boys. For the small, but very 

real, number of us for whom this does not happen the world 

becomes a dangerous place filled with ridicule, rejection, and 

violence. Gwen felt that violence a few months ago at the hands 

of supposed friends. A violence bred, I believe, in the 

determined ignorance of our churches and communities who refuse 

to face the reality of gender and its diverse expressions, 

preferring to enforce artificial gender expectations on children 

already over-stressed with the task of growing up. Gwen was an 

attractive, outgoing, 17-year-old transgender young woman, 

excited about life and her future. What a contrast when I think 

of myself at that age, a boy painfully shy and withdrawn, 

dangerously depressed, and wracked with guilt over my own gender 

confusion. I felt violent toward myself; Gwen experienced the 

violence of others. And in a way the perpetrators of the Gwen's 

murder, children all, are as much victims as Gwen and I, their 

lives destroyed by the fear and ignorance we all share.



How does one speak rationally in this world about such a 

pervasive and yet little understood topic as gender identity? 

Embedded deep within the fabric of our society are assumptions 

about what it means to be male or female that lie at the bedrock 

of our cultural institutions, most especially the church. The 

first words we hear in life are a fateful pronouncement of this 

reality. "It's a boy!" or "it's a girl!" comes the blessing. A 

blessing, that is, if your sense of being a boy or a girl, a man 

or a woman, fits the label given. And woe unto you if even this 

pronouncement, this first category, cannot be established because 

some twist of biology has caused your anatomical sex to be 

indeterminate. We are only now beginning to resist our corporate 

temptation to surgically -- violently -- impress an acceptable gender 

onto the bodies of these intersex infants, a way of assuaging our 

anxiety over our compulsive need for them to be clearly gendered 

as either male or female.



It's a daunting task as Christians, to change the world's 

perception -- "neither male nor female," from God's perspective. 

Like the religious people of biblical times, we resist overcoming 

boundaries: clean and unclean, welcomed and outcast, male and 

female. But then that's exactly what a poor carpenter's son from 

Nazareth asked of us.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



THE H WORD



                  Task Force Utters the H-Word

    Theology Group Discusses Homosexuality for the First Time



          by John Filiatreau, Presbyterian News Service



Dallas, February 25, 2003 -- The Task Force on the Peace, Unity 

and Purity of the Church last week acknowledged for the first 

time what several members called "the elephant in the room" -- 

homosexuality, the emotionally charged, chronically divisive 

subject that it had carefully tip-toed around for nearly a year.



Homosexuality -- specifically the question of whether sexually 

active gay and lesbian Presbyterians should be eligible for 

ordination to church leadership -- was at the top of the list of 

matters the task force was created to address, but had been 

conspicuously absent from the agendas of the group's first four 

meetings.



The 20-member committee managed to broach the subject in Dallas 

after stripping the pachyderm down to what was colorfully 

described as its "exegetical underwear."



The theme of the Feb. 20-23 meeting was "The Bible, creeds and 

confessions in faith and life."



The conversation about homosexuality was based on three texts: 

Romans 1:18-32, an unequivocal condemnation of a litany of 

"dishonorable passions," among them homosexual behavior; 

"Struggling with Scripture," an address by William C. Placher to 

a meeting of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians; and a chapter 

from *The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, 

New Creation*, by Richard B. Hays.



Placher, a professor of philosophy and religion at Wabash 

College, and Hays, a professor of the New Testament at Duke 

Divinity School, reviewed the same Biblical texts, including the 

aforementioned excerpt from Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and 

offered similar interpretations of the scriptures, but arrived at 

markedly different conclusions.



Placher ended with a judgment that "same-sex intercourse falls 

into the category of what Paul and others assumed from their 

culture, not what the Bible teaches," comparing its treatment in 

Romans to other scriptural judgments about slavery and divorce.



Hays, on the other hand, concluded that homosexual conduct is 

sinful and that, "Unless they are able to change their 

orientation and enter a heterosexual marriage relationship, 

homosexual Christians should seek to live lives of disciplined 

sexual abstinence."



Frances Taylor Gench, a Union Seminary professor who has adroitly 

led the group in several of its Bible studies, described the task 

at hand as "bringing the text into our own time and place so that 

it is the living Word" and striving to "understand why people who 

take the Bible's authority seriously disagree about what it 

says."



Mark Achtemeier, a professor of theology and ethics at the 

University of Dubuque Seminary in Iowa, pointed out that both 

authors "see this Romans passage as a key to this issue" and 

"agree on what the text says"-- that, in Paul's view, homosexual 

behavior is unequivocally sinful.



Barbara Wheeler, the president of Auburn Theological Seminary in 

New York, noted that both authors "come to the same conclusion on 

the policy issue of ordination -- that homosexuality should not 

be a barrier more than" any other behavior deemed sinful.



John "Mike" Loudon, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in 

Lakeland, FL, said Placher and Hays both clearly "want to make 

sure we are not being shaped by the values of society," but said 

Hays is "much more confident to identify the same-sex behavior 

Paul had around him and the same-sex behavior we have around us."



After Achtemeier said "the plain meaning" of the passage ought 

not to be dismissed, Victoria Curtiss, co-pastor of Collegiate 

Presbyterian Church in Ames, IA, observed that another scriptural 

passage "says women shouldn't speak in church," and added, "I 

don't think I misunderstood the plain sense of the text in that 

case."



Milton "Joe" Coalter, the acting president of Louisville 

Presbyterian Theological Seminary, offered what he called "a 

question about silence," noting that Jesus never says anything 

about homosexuality. "Would not Jesus have spoken out if it was 

important?" he asked.



Curtiss noted that Hays based his argument partly on the 

experience of a friend who "struggled with his homosexual 

orientation," and might have arrived at a different conclusion if 

the friend had been a homosexual who was comfortable with his or 

her orientation. Loudon commented that, in his pastoral life, 

"I've never known anyone who didn't struggle with it." Then 

Achtemeier observed that he hasn't met many heterosexuals who 

don't struggle with issues of sexuality.



Coalter said the collective judgment of Presbyterians on the 

issue ought to carry more weight than any individual's opinion. 

He said the Reformed tradition holds that "there is safety in 

numbers in finding the Holy Spirit's leading -- that's why we get 

together in committees." But Achtemeier warned against making the 

debate a battle between "party lines" espoused by people arguing 

from "those little parochial frameworks."



At the end of the discussion, it didn't seem that anyone's 

opinions had changed, but several task force members said they 

felt that some "common ground" had been discovered.



Jack Haberer, pastor of Clear Lake Presbyterian Church in 

Houston, TX, pointed out that, "Although we disagree in our 

conclusions, that doesn't mean we disagree at every point along 

the way." Curtiss said the exercise showed that "conflict over 

the interpretation of scripture can be healthy."



Many members said it was less threatening to argue about the 

opinions of Placher and Hays than it might have been to discuss 

their own views. Curtiss spoke of the "safety of having two other 

viewpoints to take refuge in."



All seemed relieved to have broached a potentially explosive 

topic without becoming uncivil. Achtemeier said, "I couldn't 

imagine a better way of starting to engage the elephant in the 

room without engaging people's defenses," and suggested that the 

group might try a similar exercise "if down the road we should 

find ourselves at loggerheads."



Curtiss said the value of the conversation reflected "all the 

intentionality that preceded our gathering." Sarah Sanderson-

Doughty, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lowville, NY, 

said it showed "the way that we need each other in the 

dialectical process."



Jean S. "Jenny" Stoner, an elder in East Craftsbury Presbyterian 

Church in Vermont, said she appreciates "the faith it takes to 

look at the background and the big picture before going on to the 

issues before us." Wheeler said the discussion demonstrated the 

value of the group's decision to "work in a consensual manner."



Achtemeier dispelled the buoyant mood somewhat with the comment, 

"It may be that we're being awfully, awfully optimistic about 

what's happening among us."



Others expressed similar misgivings.



Loudon said he was "exhilarated" that the group was "starting to 

swim into the waters for which we were formed," but still sensed 

a "big dark cloud" in the group's future.



Coalter expressed "real concerns about August 2004," when the 

task force is to begin grappling with the theological disputes 

that have riven the church, including the ordination issue. He 

said he was "still uncomfortable with delaying overly much 

working toward some conclusions," and speculated that the group's 

"consensual ethos holds us back from some struggle."



"Raised voices are not a bad thing," he contended.



Similarly, Achtemeier said he was "nervous about leaving all the 

hard work until the end," and Curtiss said, "We need to start 

looking at some of the issues."



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                           WOW 2003

      Celebrating the Ecumenical Welcoming Church Movement



If you have not yet registered for WOW 2003, don't miss your 

chance to register for this incredible conference that brings 

together queer christians from all over the welcoming church 

movement. This is also the annual conference and meeting for More 

Light Presbyterians; time will be set aside at WOW for MLP's 

business meeting and denominational carousing.



The movement for LGBT justice in the PCUSA is just a small part 

of a groundswell toward inclusion in mainline churches in North 

America. Over the last two decades over 1500 congregations, 

ministries and judicatories in ten faith traditions have joined 

the welcoming church movement, which continues to grow at the 

rate of two new churches each week!



As this movement has grown it has developed an increasingly 

ecumenical vision, which culminated in the first Witness Our 

Welcome (WOW) gathering in 2000, a Spirit-filled, transformative 

experience. Over 1000 people of faith were present, representing 

Assemblies of God, Baptist, Brethren, Catholic, Christian 

Science, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalian, Latter Day Saints, 

Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, MCC, Presbyterian, UCC, 

Unitarian, Unity and the United Church of Canada.



WOW2000 was such an outstanding success that plans were 

immediately begun for a second Witness Our Welcome conference. 

That second conference, WOW2003, will be held at the University 

of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from August 14-17. This WOW 

promises to be even bigger and better with over 1500 people 

expected to attend. Virtually every LGBT-affirming 

denominational grouping from the U.S. and Canada is on board.



Among the confirmed speakers/preachers for WOW2003 are Yvette 

Flunder, Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Troy Perry and Janie Spahr. 

Bible study leaders will include Chris Glaser, Eric Law and Erin 

Swenson. WOW2003 will reflect a strong commitment to inclusion 

and diversity in terms of age, race, geography, sexualities and 

denominational affiliation. An interfaith component has been 

added as well, including Muslim and Jewish perspectives. The more 

than 50 workshops will address a myriad of topics and concerns -- 

from holy unions to queer readings of Scripture, from transgender 

perspectives to homophobia in the Black Church, from youth 

ministry to making your church truly "accessible" to all.



You can view detailed information, including a list of sponsors, 

speakers, workshops, Bible study leaders and entertainment as 

well as logistical and registration information at the conference 

web site www.wow2k.org. Scholarships/low income rates are 

available from WOW, and additional youth and young adult (YAYA) 

scholarships are available through MLP (Contact Donna Riley at 

dmriley@alumni.princeton.edu for more information).



The overall feeling of the event is likely to be one of 

jubilance, energy and optimism -- all befitting a rapidly 

growing ecumenical/interfaith LGBT-affirming movement whose full 

possibilities have only just begun to be realized. -- Charles 

Keener for WOW, Donna Riley for MLP.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



OTHER EVENTS



June 12-15, 2003, Thursday-Sunday, Christian People of the 

Rainbow, 2003, led by Virginia Mollenkott, Susan Craig, and Mark 

Jordan. People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or 

who simply love liberation are invited to our annual early summer 

gathering. Our theme, "Spiritual Coming of Age -- Trusting the 

Inner Guide. Thurs. dinner through Sun. lunch. $315 ($150 

registration deposit). Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, 2495 

Fox Gap Rd., Bangor, PA 18013-6028, 610-588-1793, fax 610-588-

8510, www.kirkridge.org.



August 29-September 1, 2002, Friday-Monday, Labor Day Retreat for 

Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Men: A Multicultural, 

Mutligenerational Celebration -- one of the largest and oldest 

gay retreats in the country, an amazing and gorgeous gathering of 

GBT men. Led by Ken Page, CSW and Joe Fitzgerald, LCSW. Rowe 

Camp and Conference Center, King's Highway Rd., Rowe, MA 01367, 

413-339-4954 & 339-4216, fax 413-339-5728, www.rowecenter.org, 

retreat@rowecenter.org.



September 11-14, 2003, Thursday-Sunday, Voices of Sophia 

Gathering: Racism, Whiteness, and Resistance, Louisville, KY. 

VoicesOfSophia@nyc.rr.com, VoicesOfSophia.com



November 6-8, 2003, Thursday-Saturday, Covenant Network 

Conference on "The Church We Are Called to Be and to Become, New 

York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



JOBS



                      Solo Part-time Pastor



                  Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church

                    420 South Cedar Lake Rd.

                      Minneapolis, MN 55405

                          612-377-5222.



Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, a small (100 members) and growing 

urban church, seeks a half-time pastor to inspire us and guide us 

in the next stage of our multifaceted growth: physically, 

numerically, spiritually, and in outreach and mission. Desired 

qualifications: excellent preaching/presentation skills with the 

ability to create a balance between intellectual content and 

inspired delivery; a strong administrator, able to communicate 

effectively without sacrificing interpersonal skills or sense of 

humor; able to motivate, teach, train and encourage members and 

leaders eager to grow, learn, and experiment. Experienced in 

Christian Education and inclusive family ministry. Motivated 

toward community outreach and expanding membership. Our members 

come from diverse religious backgrounds, and a diversity of 

belief and approaches to God thrives within our church community. 

We seek to follow Jesus' model of inclusivity and valuing of all 

people.



Description at www.pcusa.org: CIF #03834.AA1



Contact: Doug Rusk, 612-374-3486, < dlrusk@msn.com>, 299 Vincent 

Ave. N., Minneapolis MN 55405



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                   MORE LIGHT PRESBYTERIANS

                 4737 County Road 101, PMB# 246

                    Minnetonka, MN 55345-2634

                732-249-1016, http://www.mlp.org



                    NATIONAL FIELD ORGANIZER



Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., 369 Montezuma Ave., PMB #447, 

Santa Fe, NM 87501-2626, 505-820-7082, fax 505-820-2540, 

MichaelAdee@aol.com



                          MLP OFFICERS



Officers are also MLP Board Members.  The dates following each 

name indicate the end of current board terms; an "I" indicates 

board members representing individual members; a "G" indicates 

board members representing governing body members.



CO-MODERATORS: Mitzi Henderson (2004-G), 16 Sunset Lane, Menlo 

Park, CA 94025-6732, 650-854-2598, fax 650-854-4177, 

mitzigh@aol.com; William H. Moss (Bill, 2004-I), 535 Steiner St., 

San Francisco, CA 94117, 415-864-0477, WHMoss@yahoo.com



RECORDING SECRETARY: Pat Rickey (2003-I), 13114 Holston Hills, 

Houston, TX 77069, 281-440-0353, 281-440-1902 fax, 

RickeyMLP@aol.com



COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY: Donna Riley (2005-G), 155 Prospect St., 

Northampton, MA 01060, 413-584-7935, dmriley@alumni.princeton.edu



TREASURER: Dick Lundy (2004-I), 5525 Timber Ln., Excelsior, MN 

55331, 952-470-0093, dlundy@mchsi.com





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                     MLP Board of Directors



Charles Booker-Hirsch (2005-G), 601 Howley Court, Ann Arbor, MI  

48105-1613, 734-663-5503 work, 734-665-9006 home, 

morelight@comcast.net



Ralph Carter (2003-G), 111 Milburn St., Rochester, NY 14607-2918, 

585-271-7649, rcarter2@rochester.rr.com, faxes: 1-530-380-9722.



Marco Antonio Grimaldo (2003-I), 221 Ridgemede, #109, Baltimore, 

MD 21210, 202-669-2153, mgrimaldo@earthlink.net



Deborah Mullen (2004-I), 5050 South East End Ave. Apt 14C, 

Chicago IL 60615, 727-947-6271 DMullen@McCormick.edu



Eunice Poethig (2003-I), 1000 E. 53rd St., #613, Chicago, IL 

60615, 773-324-8624, ebpoethig@earthlink.net



Katie Ricks (2004-I), 2504 State St., Durham, NC 27704, 919-220-

0255, recassoc@mindspring.com



Bear Ride (2005-G), 1680 N. Holliston Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104, 

626-398-9936, bears@usc.edu



Mike Smith (2005-I), 1211 West St., Grinnell IA 50112, 641-236-

7955, michael.d.smith@pcusa.org



Erin K. Swenson (2003-G), 1071 Delaware Ave. S.E., Atlanta, GA 

30316-2469, 404-627-4825, erin@erinswen.com



Lindsay T. Thompson (2005-I), 200 W. Mercer St., Suite 207, 

Seattle, WA 98119-3994, 206-285-4130 work, 206-328-3177 home, fax 

206-285-4610, tradelaw@thompson-law.com



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                      MLP National Liaisons



MORE LIGHT UPDATE, James D. Anderson, Editor, P.O. Box 38, New 

Brunswick, NJ 08903-0038, 732-249-1016, 732-932-7500 ex 8210 

(Rutgers Univ.), FAX 732-932-6916 (Rutgers Univ.), 

JDA@scils.rutgers.edu



WEBSITE: Donna Riley, 155 Prospect St., Northampton, MA 01060, 

413-584-7935, dmriley@alumni.princeton.edu



SPOTLIGHT (MLP's Quarterly Outreach Newsletter): Gail Rickey, 

editor, 13114 Holston Hills, Houston, TX 77069m 281-440-0353, 

patrickey@aol.com



MLP DATABASE: Dick Lundy, 5525 Timber Ln., Excelsior, MN 55331, 

952-470-0093, dlundy@mchsi.com



CHAPTERS & LIAISONS: Michael J. Adee, 369 Montezuma Ave., PMB 

#447, Santa Fe, NM 87501-2626, 505-820-7082, fax 505-820-2540, 

MichaelAdee@aol.com



SEMINARY & CAMPUS GROUPS: Johanna Bos, Louisville Presbyterian 

Theological Seminary, 1044 Alta Visa Rd., Louisville, KY 40205-

1798, jbos@lpts.edu



STRATEGY: Bear Ride, 1680 N. Holliston Ave., Pasadena, CA 91104, 

CA 91104, 626-398-9936, bears@usc.edu; Tony De La Rosa, 3114 

Glenmanor Place, Los Angeles, CA  90039, 323-664-2787 (home), 

tonydlr@earthlink.net



JUDICIAL ISSUES: Bear Ride, 1680 N. Holliston Ave., Pasadena, CA 

91104, 626-398-9936, bears@usc.edu; Tony De La Rosa, 3114 

Glenmanor Place, Los Angeles, CA  90039, 323-664-2787 (home), 

tonydlr@earthlink.net; Peter Oddleifson, c/o Harris, Beach and 

Wilcox, 130 E. Main St., Rochester, NY 14604, 716-232-4440 w., 

716-232-1573 fax.



PRISON MINISTRIES: Jud van Gorder, 915 Walnut Ave., Santa Cruz, 

CA 95060-3440, 831-423-3829, jvangorder@mindspring.com



SHOWER OF STOLES PROJECT: Martha G. Juillerat, Director, 57 Upton 

Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55405, 612-377-8792, StoleProj@aol.com, 

www.showerofstoles.com.



THAT ALL MAY FREELY SERVE: Jane Adams Spahr, P.O. Box 3707, San 

Rafael, CA 94912-3707, 415-457-8004, 415-454-2564 fax, 

JanieSpahr@tamfs.org, http://www.tamfs.org



BISEXUAL CONCERNS: The Rev. Susan Halcomb Craig, c/o United 

University Church, 817 W. 34th St., Los Angeles, CA 90007, 213-

748-0209 ext. 12, fax 213-748-5531, scraig@usc.edu



TRANSGENDER CONCERNS: Erin K. Swenson, 1071 Delaware Ave. S.E., 

Atlanta, GA 30316-2469, 404-627-4825, erin@erinswen.com; Sa`ra J. 

Herwig, P.O, Box 474, Arlington, MA 02476, sjherwig@earthlink.net



YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT CONCERNS: Brian Cave, BrianMLP@aol.com



NRLR (National Religious Leadership Roundtable): Marco Antonio 

Grimaldo, 221 Ridgemede, #109, Baltimore, MD 21210, 202-669-2153, 

mgrimaldo@earthlink.net



ILGA (International Lesbian & Gay Association): The Rev. Tom 

Hanks, Lavalle 376-2D, 1047 Buenos Aires, Argentina, 

thanks@thanks.wamani.apc.org



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



MLP Presbytery Liaisons (See: www.mlp.org/liaison.html)



MLP Chapters (See: www.mlp.org/chapters.html)



MLP chapters provide an opportunity for local lesbian, gay, 

bisexual and transgender Presbyterians and their straight allies 

to come together regularly to carry out a variety of functions 

and tasks which are seen to be important and appropriate for a 

particular area.  Some are large; others are small.  Most meet 

monthly, some less often but are always on call for taking on 

strategic tasks.  All are able to provide strong personal support 

to their members for the individual journeys they travel at this 

point in their lives and in the life of the Presbyterian Church.  

Chapters themselves decide what specific tasks and roles they 

wish to take on, based on the stated mission of MLP.



For information about organizing a chapter, please refer to our 

brief statement called "Tips for Organizing a MLP Chapter."  It 

is found on our web page (http://www.mlp.org) or can be secured 

along with other advice from our national field organizer Michael 

Adee (369 Montezuma Ave., PMB #447, Santa Fe, NM 87501-2626, 505-

820-7082, fax 505-820-2540, MichaelAdee@aol.com).  Corrections 

and other changes in the chapter information listings should be 

sent to Michael.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



               MASTHEAD (Publication Information)



MORE LIGHT UPDATE, Volume 23, Number 2, Spring 2003. ISSN 0889-

3985.  Published quarterly by More Light Presbyterians (for 

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns), an organization 

of Ministers, Elders, Deacons, Members, Congregations and other 

Governing Bodies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  Elder 

James D. Anderson, Editor, P.O. Box 38, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-

0038, 732-249-1016, 732-932-7500 ex 8210 (Rutgers University), 

fax 732-932-6916 (Rutgers University), Internet: 

JDA@mariner.rutgers.edu (or JDA@scils.rutgers.edu), DeWitt House 

206, 185 College Ave., New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Printer: Ken 

Barta, Brunswick Typographic.  Mailer: Associated Mailing 

Services Inc.  Electronic version available via email.



Email Discussion List: MoreLightPresbyterians@yahoogroups.com (To 

join, send email to: MoreLightPresbyterians-

Subscribe@yahoogroups.com; to leave, send email to: 

MoreLightPresbyterians-Unubscribe@yahoogroups.com).



MLP home page: http://www.mlp.org



Send materials marked "For publication" to the editor.  

PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Mar. 1, June 1, Sept. 1, Dec. 1.  Most 

material appearing in MORE LIGHT UPDATE is placed in the public 

domain.  With the exception of individual articles that carry 

their own copyright notice, articles may be freely copied or 

reprinted.  We ask only that MORE LIGHT UPDATE be credited and 

its address be given for those who might wish to contact us.  

Suggested annual membership contribution to MLP: $50.00.  Annual 

subscription (included in membership) to MORE LIGHT UPDATE: 

$20.00.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



corrected version 3-30-2003.