The Three Faces of Power

During the keynote address at the National Celebration Dinner, Rev. Rebecca Voelkel of the Institute of Welcoming Resources shared some of the lessons she'd learned about the Pro-LGBT Religious Movement to support and inspire the critical work at the 219th General Assembly and beyond. The full speech is after the videos.



The Three Faces of Power, Part 2
Rev. Rebecca Voelkel's Speech National Celebration Dinner

The New Moderator: Unqualified Support for Same-Sex Marriage

All candidates for Moderator were asked about what they thought about changing the constitutional definition of marriage from “between a man and a woman” to “between two people.” Cynthia Bolbach, the new Moderator for the Presbyterian Church (USA), expressed unqualified support for same-sex marriage, the Presbyterian News Service reports.

Only one question from the floor touched upon any of the several controversial issues that this Assembly will tackle in the coming week: whether to change the constitutional definition of marriage from “between a man and a woman” to “between two people.”

Four candidates – Leeth, Nielsen, Kim and Belle – endorsed support for the traditional definition. Though same-sex marriage is not legal in her native North Carolina, Lauterer said “in states where it’s legal, the church should have a part in that union … Covenant makes the community stronger.”

Only Bolbach expressed unqualified support for same-sex marriage. “Who poses the greatest threat – Larry King, who’s been married seven times, or a gay couple [friends of hers] in Washington, D.C., who have been together for 62 years and who got married two weeks ago?” Same-sex marriage is legal in the District of Columbia and five states.

Bolbach, who is a lawyer and legal publishing company executive in Washington, acknowledged, “I don’t think our denomination is ready for [changing the definition of marriage], but what do pastors do in jurisdictions where same-sex marriage is legal?”

Witness to God's Love and Acceptance of All God's Children

More Light Presbyterians gave witness to God's love and acceptance of ALL God's children as commissioners, advisory delegates and observers arrived for worship this morning. We gathered outside of the GA worship entrance to greet everyone with positive pro-LGBT signs and joyful songs to remind everyone that God's creation, love & blessing includes God's LGBT children and so should our Church.



Photographs of the witness are available on Flickr.

More Light at the Movies: Thy Will Be Done

Tonight's 6:30 p.m. movie in MLP's Hospitality Suite at the Hilton Minneapolis (1001 Marquette Ave, Room 1936) is Thy Will Be Done. The movie will also be shown on Monday evening at 8:30 pm. If you are not with us at the General Assembly, we wanted to make you aware of this resource for your congregation. This and other print and video resources will be available in MLP's Lending Library in Fall, 2010.

Thy Will Be Done follows Male-to-Female Transsexual Sara Herwig in her path to ordination in the Presbyterian Church.  Efforts have been made to block her ordination by the evangelical conservative groups who don't recognize her as female and question her fitness to be a Pastor..... but who also challenge her candidacy because she is in a same-sex relationship, with a woman.



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A Church of the Heart

Dr. Michael Adee, Executive Director and Field Organizer for More Light Presbyterians, spoke at the National Celebration Dinner about a church of the heart. At the end of his speech, he celebrated new More Light Churches.



Church of the Heart, Part 2

Here is the Flickr Photo Set of the Reception and the National Celebration Dinner.

Pro-LGBT Equality Cynthia Bolbach Elected Moderator

Cynthia Bolbach, a pro-LGBT equality candidate, was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA at the 219th General Assembly. In response to the Presbyterian Voices for Justice question on the role of LGBT people in the PCUSA:

I sense that there are some within the PC (USA) who want the ongoing debate over the role of lesbian/gay/bisexual/ transgender people in our denomination to just go away. The reality, though, is that the time for deciding when this issue gets resolved is in God’s hands, not ours. Until then we must continue the conversation, even if we feel that there are no new voices to be heard. Those in favor of the full inclusion of gays and lesbians in our life together – and I include myself in that group – believe that we fail to satisfy the Gospel imperative of inclusiveness as we continue to exclude gays and lesbians from leadership in our church. But there are also many within our church who believe that homosexual behavior is a sin that violates Scripture’s mandates. I respect their beliefs, and I want to continue in conversation with them about this basic issue. “Come, now, let us reason together” seems an appropriate principle to guide us as we continue this conversation.

More Light Presbyterians Reception and National Celebration Dinner

You are invited to join More Light Presbyterians for a Reception and the National Celebration Dinner tonight, July 3. Members of the media are welcome (MLP Press Kit). The Reception is free and located in the Hilton Minneapolis (1001 Marquette Ave) Ballroom E between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. For the Dinner, you will need a ticket for the meal, but you are welcome to bring a sandwich and join us. The Dinner is located in the Hilton Minneapolis in Ballroom F and G between 5:00 and 6:45 pm.

Here is the program for the National Celebration Dinner.