March 11; 5:30 PM, Social Hall*

April 8; 4:00 PM, Social Hall

May 13; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

June 2000

June 10; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

June 24-July 1

July 8; 5:30 PM, Social Hall

August 3-6

MLP conference held in conjunction with this event).

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

Unity in Diversity Conference

We're still working on this one. You can view the conference materials online at http://horeb.pcusa.org/oga/diversity/. You can also order the hardcopy version for free at the same URL. I've also obtained a sample format from the Coalition.

Local Chapter News

The growing number of Christian churches that unconditionally welcome lesbians and gays into the full life of their congregations will come together for an historic gathering this summer on the campus of Northern Illinois University. Participants are expected from among 1000-plus churches from at least eight denominations to attend the three-day event scheduled to begin August 3 on the DeKalb campus, just outside Chicago.

The conference, with a theme of "Witness our Welcome 2000: God’s Promise Is For You" (WOW2000) will be the largest Christian event ever to focus on welcoming lesbians and gays into the church. Organizers expect between 1,500 and 2,000 people to attend.

Known as the "Welcoming Church" movement, the congregations involved in the event are Christian communities which publicly affirm the full participation of all persons regardless of sexual orientation. The movement is growing by a rate of two new congregations each week.

"The conference is designed to celebrate the power of the Welcoming Church movement," said Mark Bowman, coordinator. "We hope to celebrate the amazing progress of the welcoming congregations and inspire even greater outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered persons and their families." Bowman founded the Reconciling Congregation Program in 1984. Participation in the conference is not limited to welcoming churches, he said. "This will be a place where g/l/b/t persons of faith can find affirmation and support for their faith journey," Bowman said. "Representatives from all churches considering outreach to g/l/b/t persons are welcome."

The denominations that have churches participating in the Welcoming Church movement are the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the United Methodist Church, the Brethren/Mennonite Church, the American Baptist Church, the United Church of Canada, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Episcopal Church USA.

WOW2000 will bring togehter the greatest arrary of leading Christian advocates for justice for l/g/b/t persons ever assembled in one place. Speakers invited to appear include Rev. Jimmy Creech, a United Methodist pastor who was recently dismissed from his pastorate for performing a same-sex union, and Rev. Mel White, who orchestrated an historic meeting several months ago between members of Rev. Jerry Falwell’s church and 200 lesbian and gay Christians. Also invited to appear: Rev. Janie Spahr, Rev. Melanie Morrison, Dr. Michael Kinnamon, Dr. Carter Heyward, Bishop Steve Charleston and Rev. Grace Imathiu.

Commentary

More Light Presbyterians Board says No on Knight

by the MLP Board

The board of More Light Presbyterians announced its opposition to Proposition 22, a California initiative that targets gays and lesbians for discrimination. The March 7 ballot measure is brief and deceptively simple: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The proposal is redundant to existing California law, which already limits marriage to opposite-sex couples.

The ballot measure is a thinly veiled attempt to enshrine in law a social ostracism of gay and lesbian people. The proposition increases intolerance and serves to divide Californians.

Anti-gay extremists in other states have used similar marriage laws to challenge or deny all equal rights and protections for gay and lesbian people, like hospital visitation rights, domestic partnership laws and even local nondiscrimination laws. Prop 22 could make it impossible for lesbian and gay couples who have been together for years to visit their sick or injured companion in the hospital, or get basic health insurance or inheritance rights.

"Presbyterians have consistently taken a stand in support of equal civil rights for all people outside of the church, including gays and lesbians," said Bear Ride, a member of the MLP board and a California voter. "Proposition 22 is a smokescreen. Under the guise of refusing to recognize same-sex commitments, Proposition 22 is motivated by a mean-spirited desire to continue to relegate second-class citizenship for non-heterosexual Californians."

Susan Craig, pastor of United University Church, observes that the local interfaith clergy coalition fighting Proposition 22 is truly impressive. Speaking at "No On Knight" rallies at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena and the West Hollywood Presbyterian church, Craig was joined by Mel White, George Regas, Rabbi Denise Egger, Elder Nancy Wilson, and Bishops of the Lutheran, Methodist and Episcopal denominations, and many, many more. Demonstrating further solidarity in this matter, a full page ad with the names of hundreds of religious leaders appears in the March 2 L.A. Times.

The Rev. Dr. Jane Adams Spahr, a leader in the Presbyterian movement for inclusion of gays and lebsians within the church, will be the keynote speaker at a candlelight prayer vigil and worship service on the eve of the vote, March 6. The vigil will begin at 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto. Religious leaders of over 15 different churches whose congregations have taken a stand against the Knight initiative will participate as speakers and worship leaders.

Presbyterian churches that have taken a stand against Prop 22 include United University Church, Los Angeles, First Presbyterian, Palo Alto, West Hollywood Presbyterian Church, and First Presbyterian, San Jose.