Press Release: Pro-LGBT Presbyterians and Soulforce hold Noon Press Conference

Media Contacts:

Cindi Love, Soulforce (972) 358-5907
Michael Adee, More Light Presbyterians (505) 577-0086
Lisa Larges, That All May Freely Serve (585) 615-0613

July 6, 2010 — Soulforce and pro-LGBT Presbyterian groups held a noon press conference in front of Wesley Church on Thursday, July 8 in the middle of a two-day Pray-In across the street from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) meeting from June 27-July 10 in Minneapolis, Minn.

Young and veteran Presbyterians spoke to their hopes and dreams for inclusion as the denomination moved into its final days of deliberations on issues such as benefits to same-gender spouses; ministry for all couples who are wedding; and removal of all barriers to ordination. If key decisions such as ordination and the definition of marriage pass, they will have to be ratified by two-thirds of the 183 regional presbyteries across the country. In early 2009, traditionally conservative presbyteries supported a similar recommendation in larger numbers than ever.

Speakers:

Rev. Dr. Cynthia "Cindi" Love is an award-winning entrepreneur who has served as a corporate executive, educator administrator and clergy person. She and her partner of 31 years, Sue, are legally married in Canada, live in Abilene, Texas, and have two adult children. Love serves on the "Faith and Religion Council" for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C. and was part of the Clergy Call on Washington in 2009 to lobby for passage of the hate crimes bill and the employment non-discrimination act. From 2005 to 2009, Love served as the Executive Director for Metropolitan Community Churches worldwide. In 2009, the Human Rights hosted three Town Halls in North Dakota and Minnesota which featured Dr. Love’s work on the topic “Would Jesus Discriminate?” Love spent many years in the business sector, founding companies, the last of which was acquired by The Toro Company in 1996. She was named one of the "Top 50 Entrepreneurs" in North America by Inc. Magazine, MIT and YEO.

Jason Conner is a 26 year old activist currently working with Soulforce, Inc. as a denominational action organizer. He was a Soulforce Equality Rider in 2010. Jason is originally from West Virginia, and is currently living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jason has worked in the nonprofit sector for the past five years, mainly focusing his work on economic justice and immigration reform issues.

Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., Executive Director of More Light Presbyterians, a national organization founded in 1974 that works to achieve spiritual, ordination and marriage equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Michael became a human rights activist after being fired from his university teaching position for starting a GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) at Northern Kentucky University. During this same time, he was the first openly gay Elder at Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio. A judicial charge was brought against the church for his ordination that went to the highest court in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Michael recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as a benefit for LGBT equality. Michael lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Lisa Larges, Minister Coordinator for That All May Freely Serve, (TAMFS), felt the call to ministry early in life, graduated from St. Olaf College in 1985 and received her M.Div. from San Francisco Theological Seminary with honors. A lifelong Presbyterian, Lisa became a candidate for ministry in the Twin Cities Presbytery as an open lesbian. Lisa has sought ordination over 20 years and has been approved by the Twin Cities Presbytery and the Presbytery of San Francisco. Each time her ordination was blocked through judicial actions. In 2002 she was called to serve as the Regional Partnership Coordinator with TAMFS, and became Minister Coordinator in 2007 when TAMS Minister Director, the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, retired. In her statement of conscience, Lisa wrote, “The provision is a mar upon the Church and a stumbling block to its mission.”

Daniel Williams, student at Hendricks College, near Little Rock, Arkansas, and lifelong Presbyterian, became an elder in the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 17. Daniel is an organizer for the Arkansas Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice. He is openly gay and plans to go to seminary and will seek ordination in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Press Release: Presbyterians Move Toward LGBT Equality

MLP Press Kit

Coalition Media Contacts:  

Michael Adee, More Light Presbyterians (505) 577-0086
Pam Byers, Covenant Network of Presbyterians (415) 310-0371
Lisa Larges, That All May Freely Serve (585) 615-0613

Mieke Vandersall, Presbyterian Welcome (917) 776-0292

July 7, 2010 — Presbyterian commissioners to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) set a trend for more inclusion as they worked in committees on the first two full days of a full week of meetings, in Minneapolis that will close on July 10.

Although the legislation has not reached the full body for a final vote, the committees approved recommendations by significant margins that:

• Give pastors discretion to celebrate legal weddings and civil union ceremonies;
• Change the definition of marriage to apply to “two persons” instead of “a man and a woman”;
• Establish one set of standards for ordination rather than having a separate standard for gay and lesbian candidates for ministry.

“We know that the church is living into a future that allows Presbyterians to follow their God-led consciences as they consider each person for ministry,” said the Rev. Tricia Dykers Koenig, National Organizer of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians.

Lisa Larges, head of That All May Freely Serve, said, “Faith traditions are moving toward a new understanding of God’s diverse creation.  The time for policies based on our love of God and call to serve has come.”

Two years ago, the PC(USA) voted for ordination equality and subsequently came closer than ever to ratifying it in regional Presbyteries across the country.  Traditionally conservative areas like Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Montana voted in favor of the amendment.   Some of the actions sent to the full General Assembly would also require ratification by a majority of presbyteries.

“There is a growing consensus among Presbyterians that we have spent enough time trying to keep people out of the church and it is time to celebrate our progress and our common baptism,” said Mieke Vandersall, head of Presbyterian Welcome.

Michael Adee, Executive Director, More Light Presbyterians, said "There is a spirit of grace at this General Assembly.  The church knows that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender daughters and sons are not outside trying to get in.  We are baptized and nurtured members of the church—and Presbyterian ministers should have the privilege of blessing our unions and supporting our families.”

Press Release: Presbyterians Celebrate Progress in LGBT Equality

MLP Press Kit

Coalition Media Contacts:   

Michael Adee, More Light Presbyterians (505) 577-0086
Pam Byers, Covenant Network of Presbyterians (415) 310-0371
Lisa Larges, That All May Freely Serve (585) 615-0613
Mieke Vandersall, Presbyterian Welcome (917) 776-0292

July 1, 2010 — Presbyterian advocates of equality for all members of the church, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT), are announcing they are ready to celebrate continuing progress at the upcoming General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), July 3-10, in Minneapolis. 

 “We have come so far toward fully including everyone in the denomination, we have reason to celebrate, even as we work for fuller inclusion.  As we move forward, we will continue to lift up our core belief that we are all created in the image of God.  We know that the church is living into a future that allows Presbyterians to follow their God-led consciences as they consider each candidate, rather than requiring exclusion,” said the Rev. Tricia Dykers Koenig, National Organizer of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians.

As the denomination gathers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, many are aware that in the same hall, one year earlier, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American voted to allow ministers in partnered same-sex couples to be listed on the official roster and to serve the church.  All requirements to limit participation were dropped and Lutherans are living into the new policies by receiving clergy back into the church.

Lisa Larges, head of That All May Freely Serve, said, “Faith traditions are moving toward a new understanding of God’s diverse creation.  The time for policies based on our love of God and call to serve has come.  Churches are learning to affirm gifts for ministry rather than reject ministers because of whom they chose as a life partner.”

The PCUSA currently allows gay and lesbian people to serve in official capacities if they maintain “chastity.”  An amendment to lift the requirement for “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness” was passed at the 2008 General Assembly, but after the long process of voting by regionally based presbyteries, the constitutional amendment did not garner the required number of presbytery votes. 

What was impressive was that presbyteries in relatively conservative areas like Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky, southern Illinois, rural Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Montana voted to support equal acceptance of all those who feel called to serve the church, including those in same-sex committed relationships. 

“There is a growing consensus among Presbyterians that we have spent enough time trying to keep people out of church leadership and it is time to celebrate our progress and our common heart for service,” said Mieke Vandersall, head of Presbyterian Welcome.

• The General Assembly will consider a wide array of business items requiring a vote, including:Possible provision of benefits to same-gender spouses and domestic partners of employees in church positions.
• Affirmation of the right of clergy to provide pastoral care to their members by performing legal weddings and services, in the growing number of states allowing same-sex marriage or domestic partnerships with all the rights of marriage.
• Removal of all barriers to ordination for lesbian and gay Presbyterians.
• Continued review of translations of a creedal statement containing a misleading anti-gay phrase that was not present in the original language.

"Only God knows what decisions will be made at this General Assembly," said Michael Adee, Executive Director, More Light Presbyterians, "but we do know that the Presbyterian Church (USA) understands now that it baptizes and nurtures the faith of its own gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender daughters and sons. Presbyterians, from all walks of life, are expressing their faith and believing out loud that we are all children of God.