Presbyterians for Earth Care - PEC Haiku Publication Now Available 🦋 + Nominate Your Eco-Champion 💪

Creation, in just a few words A Collection of Haiku

I am so honored to be able to present to you Presbyterians for Earth Care’s haiku collection, Creation, in Just a Few Words. This is the brainchild of Mindy Hidenfelter and I am very grateful for her imagination and dedication to this effort. In a time when it is so easy to despair over what we see happening to our natural world, this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the creation we see around us. Thanks to Mindy, and to all those, young and old, who contributed to this effort. This collection of haikus is just one of the things PEC does to connect friends around the country and the world who love the creation we have been given to tend and keep. And while keeping creation is hard work, these carefully chosen words and images create a respite from our labors. You will have an opportunity to show your appreciation for this effort, along with all the other resources and opportunities for community that PEC offers, when you receive our annual fundraising campaign letter in a few weeks. I hope you enjoy this publication half as much as I’ve enjoyed watching it come together. Grace for all you do on behalf of God’s world. In care for God’s creation, Courtenay Willcox PEC Moderator CLICK HERE to Download Haiku Compilation It's time to nominate YOUR Eco-Justice Champion for 2026! Do you know a young adult, 30 years old or younger, who connects their faith with creation and shows great potential to be a future leader for environmental justice? Or perhaps you know a more mature person who has spent their life acting and advocating for the beauty, integrity, and health of God’s creation. Maybe your congregation or faith organization operates in a sustainable manner and promotes being a good steward of God’s earth, both within and beyond its membership. If one of these prompts brought an individual or a congregation/organization to your mind, now is the time to nominate them for a Presbyterians for Earth Care (PEC) Annual Earth Care Award. PEC presents three awards annually, two to individuals and one to an organization. These awards are given to individuals and groups whose work for the environment is especially praiseworthy and creative. Visit the Awards page on the PEC website for more information, then nominate your eco-justice hero by October 15, 2026. If you are a PEC member/donor, you are welcome to nominate an awardee. If you are not a member/donor and would like to make a nomination, you can join or renew your PEC membership now. Volunteers are needed to make the decision about which qualified individual/congregation or organizations will receive the 2026 awards. If you would like to serve on the PEC Awards Committee, contact PEC Coordinator Mindy Hidenfelter at pec@presbyearthcare.org. The deadline for submitting nominations for PEC Awards is October 15th. CLICK HERE to Nominate an Award Recipient How can we help you care for God’s creation?  Drop us an email and let us know at presbyearthcare@gmail.com Help us grow! Please let us know if there is anyone we should add to our list!  Just reply to this email.  Thank you! Please help us to continue to assist individuals and churches in creation care work by donating to PEC through our website by CLICKING HERE.  Thank you!

Copyright (C) 2026 Presbyterians for Earth Care. All rights reserved.

MLP October Newsletter!

IN THIS ISSUE *Notes from the Staff *MLP Church Spotlight *Upcoming Events — More Light Monday! * A Word from Our Partners —Supporting the Mutual Liberation Delegation

From Claudia, Director of Engagement

A few weeks ago, I met with a friend from college. We had not seen each other in 14 years, so we had plenty to catch up on. At some point, we got to the "what-we-do-for-work-nowadays" part of our conversation. I told her what I do, and then she bombarded me with questions about all sorts of queer-related topics. This is my job, and I feel like I know a lot, but I know I am not an expert. Some of her questions were so specific that I didn’t know how to answer them. I promised her I would do some reading to find answers, but then she asked me, “But how do you manage to love ____ and ____ kind of people if you don’t understand everything about them?” That answer I did know.  “Because that is what true love means.” I don’t need to understand everything about my siblings or my spouse to love them. Gosh, sometimes I realize how little I know them. I don’t need to understand everything about polyamorous people or my trans siblings to love them. And to be honest, the kind of questions my friend (and most people) have about queer people are questions and curiosities we don’t have about our cis, heterosexual friends. And if we can manage to love our cis, heterosexual friends without knowing everything about their genitalia, hormones, and sexual relations then we can manage to do the same for our trans, non-heterosexual friends.  Our task as Christians is to love our neighbors as ourselves, not to understand and know every detail of their lives AND THEN love them. May our curiosity be inspired by our love and not the other way around.  -Claudia

From Jesy, Director of Operations

At the end of September, I finished my term as Moderator for National Capital Presbytery. I was the first openly LGBTQIA+ person to hold that role. I genuinely loved serving. I loved the polity component. I loved moderating meetings. I loved standing and asking questions at ordinations and installations. Being part of the work, helping others to see the significance and the beauty in how our processes work and matter, and just living into the ways God was calling me to grow - I just loved it.  And still, there were parts I didn't love. Knowing that I wasn't always some folks' first choice, but the obligatory one. Having to correct the persistent "madam moderator" comments ("it's just Moderator, thanks!"). Defending myself when I corrected my pronouns, despite always introducing myself with my pronouns and wearing my pronoun pin. Being the Moderator didn't magically make all the issues around my gender identity disappear. If anything, they amplified them.  I had a conversation not so long ago with someone who was persistent in misgendering me, and when I corrected them, they said, with a laugh, "It's just because your voice is so feminine. It confuses me!"  I don't take testosterone. I don't need it to feel fully affirmed in my identity. I also don't need my voice to be lower for anyone else to affirm my identity. I am gender non-binary. I use they/them pronouns, but that doesn't mean I owe anyone ambiguity for you to affirm my identity. As Claudia said above, I don't need anyone to understand everything about me to be seen and known. I just need you to trust that I know who I am, and respect it when I name it out loud.  I like what Claudia said, so I am going to end with that as well: May our curiosity be inspired by our love and not the other way around.  -Jesy

MLP Church Spotlight!

What are you up to in your area? Be sure to email hello@mlp.org so we can shine the spotlight on your good work and witness!   Today we are spotlighting Trinity Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia! Many thanks to Pastor Stephanie Sorge who let us know about a recent ecumenical Pride service hosted in the area!   "This is a post-worship picture of our clergy leadership for our second annual ecumenical Pride worship. This year, we added participants from two Mennonite congregations and one Church of the Brethren congregation.    Back, l-r: David Rose, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Jen Scarr, Bridgewater Church of the Brethren, me - Stephanie Sorge, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Laura Minnick, JMU Canterbury Episcopal Ministry, Lauren Eanes, Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, Jason Gerlach, Community Mennonite Church, and Chad Miller, Ridgeway Mennonite Church. Front: Alexis Owens, Rise Faith Community (UMC)"   She also made sure we knew that, yes, David and Alexis were indeed at their Pride service! Oh Schitt!

Upcoming Events!

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

October 11: Director of Operations Jesy Littlejohn (they/them) and Director of Engagement, Rev. Claudia Aguilar will be worshipping with the lovely people of Caldwell Memorial Presbyterian Church.  October 13: Interested in joining MLP for dinner in Charlotte? Email hello@mlp.org and we'll add you to our reservation list October 19th: More Light Monday. Because of our board retreat, we moved our MLM just this time to the third Monday of the month. Our topic will be “Presby Poly People.” We will hear testimonies of some of our polyamorous Presbyterian friends. For safety reasons, this session WILL NOT BE RECORDED.  November 12-22: Pray for the Mutual Liberation Delegation that will be traveling to the West Bank and Israel. See below for how you can support MLP folks who are going.  November 20-22: Jesy Littlejohn (they/them) will be leading a workshop at the Keep Awake Conference at Massenetta! If you're there, be sure to stop over and say hi (and get some swag)          More Light Monday: Presbyterian Polyamory Stories

Join board members and staff, as well as others in the community, who will share what it means to be polyamory, and how it is a faithful representation of how God is calling them to love and live in this world. Come with your heart open, and a willingness to learn and understand. This session will NOT be recorded

Click here to register

A Word From Our Partners

Supporting our MLP Siblings

More Light Presbyterians is grateful to be able to support and partner with SABEEL and FOSNA as we commit to learning and understanding the ways in which our siblings in Palestine continue to be impacted by ongoing violence. You can learn more about the delegation HERE.   As you are able, please contribute to the funding efforts of those participating in this delegation. The folks shown here are on the Staff or Board of MLP, or serve in an MLP congregation. If their crowdfunding page isn't listed, email hello@mlp.org for how you can support them.   Support Rev. Ashley McFaul-Erwin    Support Rev. Shawna Bowman   Support Rev. Ófe Abreu Rosario (click one-time giving, select Israel/Palestine fund)   Support Rev. Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava

Everyday Civil Resistance: Wielding Power Against White Supremacy October 4, 2026 | 7:00 PM- 8:30 PM EST   This Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion workshop centers civil resistance as a practical response to white supremacy and authoritarian politics in the United States. Rather than only “speaking truth to power,” we will ask what it means to actually wield our own power in public life—individually and collectively—amid rising racism, disinformation, and state violence.   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