MLP August Newsletter!

IN THIS ISSUE *Notes from the Staff *Upcoming Events — Register for our next More Light Monday

From Your MLP Staff

This summer has been busy for us at MLP! The highlight for us was General Assembly. This year there was a modified town hall/town square. For Claudia: That’s where she works, and that’s where she thrives. She can extrovert until they kick her out. For Jesy: The introvert that they are screams a little with anxiety, but they can push themselves out of their comfort zone and do their thing. Together, we're a pretty kick-ass team! This year, that space felt a little different. There were specific groups and voices trying to intimidate us and diminish our work. But that is not what made this General Assembly so memorable - these groups and voices have always existed; they just change names and faces. What made it so memorable was the massive outpouring of love for MLP. Y’all… we ran out of swag even when our location in the town square was a little hidden. Groups of people created circles of care surrounding our table. Hundreds came to hug us, catch up with us, and ask us how to support our work. Many more came to thank us for our work.  The hymn, Canticle of the Turn, uses the phrase “the world is about to turn.” As the words settle in us, speaking of overcoming power and the fall of kings and tyrants, it can be hard to believe in the might of Mary's Prayer. It's not hard to fear that the world is about to turn for the worse. But after the last few weeks, we can assure you that the world is already turning — in all the ways Mary meant. The fires of justice are burning, and we're here for it.  Challenges will continue emerging. But we are confident that love will win. Love will always win.  -Claudia and Jesy

Upcoming Events!

Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming MLP events!

August 10: More Light Monday — Faithful Polyamory 102: Belonging from the Beginning September 20: Join Director of Engagement Claudia Aguilar at Grace Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa,AL for a virtual event where we will look at the past, present, and future of More Light Presbyterians.  October 11-14: More Light Board Retreat! Charlotte folks be on the lookout for a social gathering event!          More Light Monday: Faithful Polyamory 102: Belonging from the Beginning

Some see embracing the polyamorous persons already in our midst as a "slippery slope," but God's holy mountain is home to all kinds of people (Isaiah 56:7-8). Let's explore scripture and church history — from Genesis 2:24 to Ephesians 5, and from Augustine to modern theologians — to discover how affirming ethically non-monogamous structures fits into God's call to draw our circles ever wider.

Click here to register

Get Involved!

Our collective wisdom and knowledge can take us farther than what we can do on our own. You can help us this month in a few ways: *Has your congregation paid dues this year? If not, you may submit them here. Your dues help us do this work. *Donate! We educate individuals and congregations, offer pastoral care to queer people and the ones who love them, we guide congregations as they seek to discern best steps, we advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community in our denomination and in the public arena. We can’t do it without your help.  *In light of recent political developments, the number of LGBTQIA+ couples seeking to get married has increased. More Light Presbyterians is compiling a list of queer and queer-affirming clergy willing to officiate wedding ceremonies and preach at MLP congregations on short notice. Please spread the word widely within your networks. If you are in need of an officiant, please contact us at hello@mlp.org indicating your location and the date of the ceremony.  *Is your congregation supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in your context? If you have pictures, be sure to share so we can highlight your awesome and holy work!  Please email them to hello@mlp.org

Mail a Check: More Light Presbyterians, Inc. P.O. Box 735764 Chicago, IL 60673-5764   Contact Us: More Light Presbyterians 14301 Laurel Bowie Road Laurel, MD 20708 hello@mlp.org Website: www.mlp.org

WCC NEWS: Asian institute concludes after exploring “Hope for Liberation Amidst the Groaning of Creation”

Twenty-three young ecumenists were called to embody hope and unity during the month-long Asian Ecumenical Institute 2026 in Chiang Mai, an annual ecumenical formation programme organised by the Christian Conference of Asia.  Photo: Christian Conference of Asia 05 August 2026 Christian Conference of Asia general secretary Rev. Jung Eun Grace Moon delivered a farewell address. “The future of the ecumenical movement in Asia depends not on institutions alone, but on people like you—formed, committed, and courageous—who are willing to embody unity in fragmented contexts and hope in times of despair,” Moon said. The institute, held from 5-31 July, explored the theme, “Hope for Liberation Amidst the Groaning of Creation.”  Arceli P. Bile, who organized the institute, expressed appreciation to the cohort for their active participation and commitment to listening, critical reflection, sharing insights, and learning from one another throughout the programme. “As you return to your families, local churches, and communities, may you continue to shine the light that God has entrusted to you,” she said. “May you be the salt of the earth, bringing the flavour of hope, compassion, and justice to those who need it most.” She urged students to continue to share the hope of liberation amid the groaning of creation. “And whenever one of us feels weary or loses hope, may we encourage one another, reminding each other that God’s hope, justice, and love continue to sustain us,” she said. Over the four-week programme, participants engaged critically with issues at the forefront of church and society through lectures, workshops, group discussions, and presentations. They learned from theologians, biblical scholars, ecumenical leaders, and practitioners, while also taking part in exposure visits and interfaith dialogues that broadened their perspectives beyond the classroom. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC news: Ecumenical Patriarch reiterates dangers of ecological destruction

In an address on 26 June, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew warned that a third world war—this one against nature—is being waged. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch speaks at the Museum of the Princes' Islands, May 22, 2026  Photo: Nikos Papachristou 04 August 2026 He offered the address upon receiving an honorary degree from the School of the Environment at Ionian University. “Undoubtedly, the natural environment is threatened in our time as never before in the past,” he said. “The consequences of the ecological crisis know no borders of states and civilizations, and affect the conditions of survival not only of the human race, but also of life in general on the planet.” He added that this was not a hypothetical situation, but an imminent threat. “The climate crisis is not a ‘future scenario,’ but a painful reality, with the rapid decline of biodiversity, deforestation, pollution of the atmosphere and seas, catastrophic fires and floods,” he said. “Despite the reactions and resistance to this threat, geocide continues, while at the same time the unwavering view that nature has the power to renew itself is cultivated.” The Ecumenical Patriarch stated that “the Christian approach to the problem requires repentance for abuses, restraint and an ascetic ethos, which constitute an antidote to overconsumption, and at the same time, cultivating in man the consciousness that he is a ‘steward’ and not the owner of creation.” The Holy and Great Council of 2016, he pointed out, “never ceases to emphasize that future generations also have a right to the natural goods entrusted to us by the Creator.” Ecumenical Patriarch: ‘A Third World War Against Nature Is Being Waged’ Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC news: World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will focus on protecting children

The World Council of Churches (WCC) World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will focus on protecting children.  23 November 2022, Bethlehem, Palestine: A young boy enters checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem. The checkpoint, which separates Bethlehem and the West Bank from the city of Jerusalem, sees thousands of Palestinians pass through daily, many of them for work in the city of Jerusalem. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 3 August 2026 The theme is from Psalms 127:3, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord.” The special week in September includes the UN International Day of Peace on 21 September. The WCC is encouraging church organizations, congregations, and people of faith to bear a common witness by participating in prayer services, educational events, and acts of support for children lost in the war, left without parents, traumatised, and afraid. A UN Human rights council Independent International Commission of Inquiry report concluded that “The essence of childhood has been destroyed” for Palestinian children. The World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel will lament the destruction and division in families due to the war and express solidarity with the Palestinian families forced to leave their homeland for a better life somewhere else.  The special week will also be a reminder for all that children are gifts from God that we should keep safe, protect, and preserve, because God entrusted us with them.  The World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations around the world to join for a week of prayer for just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness. “We cannot accept the destruction of childhood as an inevitable consequence of war and occupation,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. “Through the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel this year, the World Council of Churches calls upon churches and people of conscience across the world to pray, speak out and act together for the protection of every child. Our common witness must demand an end to violence and occupation, uphold the dignity and rights of Palestinian and Israeli children alike, and renew our commitment to a just and lasting peace for all.” World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel 2026: Concept Note See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland