July 8; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

August 3-6

August 12; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

September 9; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

October 14; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

November 11; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

December 2; 5:30 PM, Place TBA

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped with the Shower of Stoles displays at GA. I'm told that we helped make it possible to display more stoles in more locations than has ever been done at a GA before.

Please attend the chapter meeting on July 8th. We will be discussing the events that have taken place at GA and how those events will effect our chapter. For the potluck, A-H bring a desert, I-Q a salad, and R-Z a main dish.

Also, there is scholarship money available if anyone can attend the WOW conference (See below). Information will be available at the July 8th meeting.

Los Ranchos Presbytery Issues

Peacemaking Conference

Articles or opinion pieces written by group members are welcome. Please e-mail, send on disk, or hand write your article and get it to Linda Malcor.

No Award for Jesus

By Gene Huff

The nomination form for the award for Man of Faith was marked, "Award denied due to nominee not being in full accord with denominational standards". In spite of many excellent qualifications for the award, information had come to the attention of the awards committee that the nominee had once upset the tables in the temple. He had also been quoted as having said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. No, I tell you but rather division". Reports also had come that he had been seen eating with tax collectors and sinners and had approved of the harvesting of corn on the sabbath. Sorry. No award for the man from Nazareth.

The award granting guidelines being developed by the General Assembly Council would require that denominational standards be considered in determining the merit of nominees for awards. But what is really meant by the words "denominational standards"? The reference appears to be based on the assumption that once a particular provision becomes established in the church's policy or polity" that’s it! That becomes the standard of the denomination, never to be questioned and good loyal church members worthy of receiving awards should clearly understand that.

To insist that denominational standards be considered in determining the merit of nominees may seem reasonable at first glance. Yet the standards of a given day are sometimes controversial, with many loyal church members disagreeing with them. The fact is that many such standards of former years have been changed, even reversed, because of loyal opposition to them which eventually came to be accepted by the church. We would have no women as elders, deacons and ministers had the denominational standards of former years never been challenged.

Are award guidelines really needed? We seem to have gotten along quite well with each awarding group using its best judgment depending on the nature of the award "until", until the name of a prominently controversial figure in the church's life was put forward. Is the awards guideline effort simply an attempt to make sure that never happens again?

The issue is of course as old as the experience of the people of God. Amos and Jeremiah never received any awards, except in the eyes of the God they served and spoke for with courage and faithfulness.

News about WOW from Michael Adee

Registration materials are now available for "Witness Our Welcome 2000: God's Promise is for You", the historic, first-ever ecumenical gathering of Welcoming Churches and their allies from the USA and Canada, August 3-6, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL (outside of Chicago).

Join MLP and other national welcoming organizations from UCC, Methodists, Lutherans, Baptists, Disciples, etc. for this "once in a lifetime" conference. MLP will hold its annual national conference in conjunction with WOW 2000. MLP is one of the sponsoring national organizations of WOW 2000 and we have been part of the planning team.

The Conference will include worship, workshops, bible studies, a special youth program, music/drama, recreation, concerts, banquet and dance, etc. This will be a time of celebration, solidarity, friendship, spiritual encouragement, learning, reflection, and inspiration.

Speakers/leaders include: Carter Heyward, Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, Janie Spahr, Chris Glaser, Walter Wink, Jimmy Creech, Mel White, Melanie Morrison, and many more.

The Conference begins at 7:00 PM, Thursday, August 3, and ends with lunch on Sunday, August 6.

MLP will have a special hospitality room, a booth, and hold its annual national meeting during the time set aside for denominational gatherings. All MLP members and friends are welcome to join us for our annual meeting.

For more information on WOW 2000, to register, etc. call 800-318-5581, go to the website www.wow2k.org or e-mail, WOW2000Conf@aol.com.

Note: Early registration is discounted - by May 5 @$170, May 6-July 7 @$190, and after July 7 @$210.

Youth/Student/Low Income rates are $100 by May 5, $120 by July 7, and then $140. Children (12 and under) is $50.

WOW 2000 is absolutely a "don't miss" opportunity - register today!

Save these dates - August 3-6, plan now to be there, organize a group from your church, seminary, presbytery, etc. Encourage your church to create scholarships to send GLBT youth to this Conference.

Your More Light Presbyterians Board of Directors is offering 10 $100 scholarships to Presbyterian Seminary Students and 10 $100 scholarships to MLP adult and youth members involved in their local MLP Chapter or church - to make it possible for these 20 people to participate in the WOW 2000 Conference, August 3-6, NIU, Dekalb, IL.

Witness Our Welcome 2000 is the historic, ecumenical gathering of welcoming churches from the USA and Canada. Check out the website at www.wow2k.org for more information and to register for the conference, or call 800-318-5581, or by e-mail at WOW2000Conf@aol.com.

To apply for one of the 20 $100 MLP Scholarships to attend WOW 2000 (10 to Presbyterian Seminary students and 10 to adults/youth active in local MLP chapters or churches), send a brief letter of application to Michael J. Adee, MLP National Field Organizer. You can use email - MichaelAdee@aol.com or regular mail to his attention at 369 Montezuma Avenue #447, Santa Fe, NM 87501.

To receive the $100 scholarship payment one must be registered for WOW 2000.

Review of scholarship application letters will begin on May 1, 2000 and will be completed when the 20 qualified persons are accepted for scholarship.

Please print out this email and share this information with your friends, church, MLP Chapter, Seminary Chapter, etc. since not everyone has access to email or is on-line.

Note that there are early registration discounts for WOW 2000:

• Adult - $170 by May 5; $190 May 6-July 7, $210 after July 7.
• Youth/Student/Low Income - $100 by May 5; $120 May 6-July 7; $140 after July 7.
• Child (12 and under) $50.

Conference registration includes full program and all meals.

Housing on campus is $25/night double room with common bath; $40/night double room with semi-private bath; and $40/night single room with common bath.

Airport Shuttles from/to Chicago Airports on Thursday, 8/3 and on Sunday afternoon, 8/6 are $5.00 each way.

Should you be a Seminary Student or local MLP member needing and desiring financial assistance to attend WOW 2000, apply for a MLP Scholarship today!

If you have any questions about the scholarships, about WOW, MLP at WOW, call me at 505-820-7082 or contact me by e-mail, MichaelAdee@aol.com.

Chapter Contact Person

Linda A. Malcor
P.O. Box 749
Laguna Beach, CA 92652
(949) 425-9979
Legend@malcor.com

Chapter Website