A PUBLIC STATEMENT BY MCC ABOUT THE LIKELY ORDINATION OF LGBT PEOPLE IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

On The Occasion of the Vote by the
General Conference of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
to Overturn the Ban on the Ordination of Lesbians and Gay Men
June 30, 2008

STATEMENT:

On behalf of the friends and members of Metropolitan Community Churches, we welcome the decision of the national governing body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to overturn the long-standing ban on the ordination of lesbians and gay men.

The decision by the General Assembly is a positive step forward for the many lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) persons who are called by God to serve as ordained clergy within the Presbyterian Church (USA) -- and will also bless the larger Church by opening new places of service to the ministry and giftedness of LGBT people.

To become church policy, this decision must be approved over the next year by a majority of the 173 regional presbyteries in the U.S. The friends and members of Metropolitan Community Churches pledge our faithful prayers for the final adoption of this policy throughout the upcoming ratification process.

We encourage our brothers and sisters in each presbytery, like the midwives of Egypt, to feel the call of life more strongly than anything else, and to unite both in ratifying this historic vote and standing for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality before God.

Many LGBT organizations and persons have devoted their lives to the pursuit of equality. Today, we honor those organizations, including That All May Freely Serve, Covenant Network of Presbyterians, and More Light Presbyterians, that have worked so long to make this day possible. We salute the many individuals whose lives have served as powerful witnesses to God's calling and grace upon lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons. In doing so, we acknowledge our friends and colleagues who worked for this day but did not live to see it, and those who have given their entire professional lives to achieve this level of inclusion. We are grateful for their vision and faithfulness.

Please join me in prayers that this action by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will serve as witness to the radically inclusive gospel of Jesus Christ and that it might inspire each of us to renew our commitment to spiritual justice for all God's people.

Grace and peace,

+Nancy

The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson
Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches