Join us in appreciating Rev. Alex Patchin McNeill

Please join us in appreciating and celebrating the ministry of Rev. Alex Patchin McNeill. Alex will be transitioning out of his role as Executive Director of More Light Presbyterians at the end of the month. We are grateful for the gifts he brought to this role and to the church at large. Throughout his eight-year tenure at More Light Presbyterians, Alex worked with colleagues and churches to push for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in the form of marriage equality, affirming policies, acknowledgement of historical harm and potential progress, and advocating for transgender lives. His work, from the creation of the More Light Ambassadors Program to speaking out against anti-trans bathroom bills in his state of North Carolina, has shown the impact of God’s work inside and outside of the Church. Alex leads a workshop at the 2015 MLP National Conference Marching with the MLP DC group celebrating marriage equality in the PC(USA). Launching the Out of Order Documentary  Celebrating ordination with his partner, Nicole.  Under Alex’s tenure, More Light has been able to support its members with resources, programs and more than 85 workshops attended by over 9,000 participants. We’ve guided more than 100 churches and counting to create LGBTQIA-inclusive policies and to further open themselves to God’s gracious, inclusive love. We have, under Alex’s leadership, asked individuals, churches, college groups, and the denomination as a whole to join us as we attempt to walk a path of openness and intersectionality, one that seeks to see people not just for one part of themselves but for the totality of who God made them to be. We thank Rev. Alex Patchin McNeill for getting us to this point in the path and wish him well as he continues his journey. To honor his ministry, Alex invites you to make a financial donation to More Light Presbyterians in his honor. Click here to share your gift: https://mlp.org/donate/.  You are also invited to send messages of gratitude for Alex to our mailing address at: More Light Presbyterians: 8725 Columbine Rd.  #44727, Eden Prairie, MN 55344. We recognize this month marks significant transitions, and we appreciate your continued prayers and support as we discern the next era of More Light Presbyterians. As a board, we are taking this period of transition to discern immediate next steps and longer-term vision for the leadership and organization of MLP. We are committed to transparency as we navigate this season and will follow up in a few weeks with more on our steps forward. Grace and peace, Rev. Ashley DeTar Birt, Co-moderator Rev. Larissa Kwong Abazia, Co-moderator Rev. Dr. Ann Deibert Ethel Hornbeck Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin Mark Olson Tanner Pickett Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey Rev. Lydia Tembo Jessica Vasquez-Torres Adrian White Daniel Williams More information about board members can be found here.     Make a gift to MLP!

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More Light Sunday Registration Information!

Last week I shared with you my excitement about our upcoming More Light Sunday. I am DELIGHTED to share that registration is now open for both the More Light Sunday Worship Service and the Out of Order Streaming Release Party. We in the LGBTQIA+ community have long dwelt in the liminal spaces of sacred longing and eternal promise. Now more than ever, in this era of global pandemic, the creativity born of this holy tension allows us to share all we’ve learned about worshiping in new ways and being community in all circumstances. I am so excited for this event, and so grateful for this community and for you. Rev. Alex Patchin McNeill he/him Executive Director More Light Presbyterians

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More Light Sunday!! Your May Newsletter from More Light

As we’ve all been finding a rhythm to this new normal, I’ve been grateful for the ways the events in the world juxtapose the liturgical year. Throughout Lent, it felt like we as a society were traveling on a journey where our finitude was evident everywhere. Many folks didn’t believe it was possible to hold a worship service on Zoom. As we are now midway through the Season of Easter, I keep thinking about those first disciples who took up the mantle of Jesus’ ministry without Jesus. The tension between the “now” and the “not yet” feels more palpable than ever as we strive to lean into the new normal - of our own rhythms, how we engage in community, and how we do church. If there ever were a silver lining to the history of LGBTQIA+ people and the church, it’s that LGBTQIA+ folks have always found creative ways to worship together. For many, finding an online worshipping community offers a safe space to engage with a congregation, to see if their welcome is as abundant as their website claims. I’ve been moved by how sacred it feels to take communion with a community when we can see one another’s faces. I’m reminded daily that even in the midst of the starkest Lenten season, we are always being led to Easter.  I am so excited to share that on June 7 we will celebrate More Light Sunday!  The day’s events will begin at 4pm ET (3pm CT, 2pm MT, 1pm PT) with Worship, where we will all be blessed by the preaching of Rev. Laura Cheifetz and a worship service led entirely by LGBTQIA+ people. At 7pm ET (6pm CT, 5pm MT, 4pm PT) we will host a Streaming Release Party for Out of Order, followed by a panel discussion with the cast and crew of this groundbreaking documentary at 8pm ET (7pm CT, 6pm MT, 5pm PT). The Out of Order documentary follows the lives of a group of LGBTQIA+ Presbyterians called to ministry as they navigate the ordination process and the delicate work of inclusion beyond policy change. Out of Order offers audiences a glimpse into what it looks like to navigate the reality of gender transition and lived sexual identity as a person of faith.  For the past four years, Out of Order has been traveling around the country in limited preview screenings. With a refreshed update for 2020, the film will now be moving to free streaming availability, while the ability to host public screenings will continue through More Light's website. To celebrate, the Out of Order cast and crew are getting together for a one-time only watch party and panel conversation!  Look for registration information and updates in the following week! Looking for an easy way to stay in touch with More Light? Or receive regular messages of support and affirmation? Or make donations in a snap? You can now stay in touch with More Light via text messaging! To sign up, simply text 72572 and enter the code 1MLP to connect with the speed and ease of a text message. Today is #GivingTuesdayNow, an opportunity for people to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal. A gift today will enable More Light to continue to meet the challenges of this moment head-on, to  equip pastoral leaders and congregations as they innovate their worship to adapt to online formats, cultivate unique ways to care for their communities, and maintain a mission of justice with and for LGBTQIA+ folks and other marginalized communities. Your donation ensures we will be able to continue to do this work. We pray our ministry at this time can offer you a moment of respite and reconnection, and space of spiritual nourishment to fuel your well of resilience. In deepest gratitude and abundant hope, Rev. Alex Patchin McNeill he/him/his Executive Director More Light Presbyterians

Support More Light! Contact Us More Light Presbyterians hello@mlp.org