Becoming More Light



In November 2019, Memorial Presbyterian Church joined the More Light Presbyterian coalition of churches by adopting the following statement:

"Following the risen Christ, and seeking to make the Church a true community of hospitality, the mission of More Light Presbyterians is to work for the full participation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LBGTQ) people in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society."

While this is a relatively recent occurrence, it did not represent a drastic change in what Memorial Presbyterian is all about. In fact, we have a history of being on the forefront of inclusivity and acceptance, proclaiming an “open door acceptance policy” in 1995. In 1997, we wrote our Covenant of Dissent objecting to the General Assembly’s Amendment B, in which clergy were required live in faithfulness in marriage, or chastity in singleness. In 2001, MPC joined the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, and in 2013 we approved same-sex union blessings, two years before the Presbyterian Church (USA) officially approved same-sex marriages.

The adoption of the statement above is an affirmation of the values that have existed at Memorial Presbyterian and our choice to live these values. And we are putting those words into action through educational opportunities, open discussions and making inclusion church-wide, all the while exploring the ways in which we as a church community can continue to learn and grow in opening our hearts to all in our midst and community.

There is still a lot to learn, and we invite you to join Memorial in our journey!