Happy New Year! I hope that your Advent and Christmas brought renewed hope and peace in a time of great tumult. And if it didn't, I trust that God's surrounding presence met you where you were, so that you felt and knew you were not alone. Today I am thinking about a quote from "Ted Lasso." In the second season's Christmas episode, the Director of Football Operations, Leslie Higgins, hosts the AFC Richmond team at his house for the holiday. It's an annual event for team members who don't have the means to travel home. Usually, he gets one or two players, but that year, nearly the whole team shows up, and it's a day of joy, fun, and new traditions. As they sit down to dinner, Leslie stands up to give a toast. He honors each person, their country of origin, and the ways they have shared a little bit of themselves with the gathered group. He raises his glass and says, "To the family we're born, and to the family we make along the way." This line has been with me for a little while, if we're being honest. I don't have a relationship with my family of origin, and I am at peace with that. My Senior year of high school, I grew very close with my Honors English teacher, Steph (stereotype hit right on the head there), and she took me in and enveloped me into her home. For the last 20 years, I have called her family my own. Christmases, Easters, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, births, and every other holiday and big and little life event in between have been spent together, and for them I give thanks. On December 27th, in the wee hours of the morning, my MuMMum (Steph's mom) passed away. She'd gotten very sick over Thanksgiving and rapidly declined over the last month. We went over to her and Papa's house on Christmas. She was barely conscious, and her breathing had slowed considerably. She woke up a little while we were there — enough to recognize that we were in the room, but she couldn’t really speak. She smiled slightly when she realized Toby and Charlie were in the room. We made jokes. They made sure to say they loved her and blew her kisses. Sara and I did as well. She heard that. She felt that. Thirty-two hours later, as she took her last breath, I am thankful that the last words she was able to hear from us were those of love and a bit of cheekiness. She was the family I made along the way, and I take her courage, her vigor, her voice, and her selfless love with me into this next year. I pray that as we enter 2026 together, More Light Presbyterians continues to be part of the family you make along your way. Let us share in your joys and your sorrows; let us walk alongside you in your hurt and your hope. Wherever the road leads us all next, I am thankful that we get to walk it as a family. -Jesy |
As a board member, you’ll help shape the direction of More Light’s ministry, support our advocacy and programming, and strengthen a community where all God’s people can thrive. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, we would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, please reach out to hello@mlp.org Click the link to apply today! All applications are due by January 15th. https://forms.gle/ACdaR68cCfsQcuCA6 |
January 12 at 7:00 PM (EDT)
Liturgy is the work of the people; therefore, our liturgy should be a reflection of the Imago Dei. Join Board member, Avery Arden (they/them) and our Director of Engagement, Claudia Aguilar (she/her) as they host a conversation around what it looks like to make our worship more expansive, inclusive, and accessible. Questions: Contact hello@mlp.org Register Here |
Join us this Spring at Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center for a weekend of rest, respite, and reconnection!
You’ll have two lodging options — both first-come, first-served:
Brown Center
Includes: 2 nights of lodging, five meals, activities, sustainability fee, and registration.
Total Cost: $231.79
Williams Lodge
Includes: 2 nights of lodging, five meals, activities, sustainability fee, and registration.
Total Cost: $170.17
For our BIPOC and Trans siblings: Email hello@mlp.org about travel scholarships!
Click HERE to register today! |
When is this retreat? April 17-19, 2026 (right after Easter!) Who is this retreat for? This is a space exclusively for our LGBTQIA+ siblings and the MLP board, which will be holding its semi-annual in-person meeting before the retreat. Where is this retreat? Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, AR Why Ferncliff? Because the LGBTQIA+ community in Arkansas is suffering and Ferncliff has become a safe haven for our queer siblings (especially the young ones) and they need our support. Our presence in Arkansas is an act of resistance and defiance to an unjust system. Learn more about Ferncliff and the work they do to support the LGBTQIA+ community here and check out some of the programming they offer to our queer kiddos here. What are you doing to ensure our safety? We are arranging direct transportation from the airport to Ferncliff (only 23 miles away) so no one has to use any other form of transportation. What is the cost? Thanks to the dues of our member churches and the generosity of our individual donors, we were able to subsidize 50% of the cost for all participants, so depending on where you choose to stay (available on a first come, first served basis), the cost is $231.79 for those staying at the Brown Center or $170.17 for those staying at Williams Lodge. This price includes 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, activities, sustainability and registration fees. How big will this be? Since we want to ensure everyone gets privacy, we can accommodate 44 participants in single-occupancy rooms. Where can I register? You may find all instructions to register here. Do you have scholarships? Yes! We have ten $300 scholarships available for trans and BIPOC peeps. To apply, email hello@mlp.org a screenshot of your registration and we will give them to the first ten to apply. How can I help? Your donations and annual dues help us fund this work. Please consider giving to MLP. |
January 2-5: Montreat College Conference. Join Director of Engagement, Rev. Claudia Aguilar (she/her) and board member Avery Arden (they/them) to chat, grab coffee, attend a workshop, get swag, or all of the above. January 12: More Light Monday: Breaking the Binary in Liturgy. Use the link above to register. January 21-24: APCE (Association of Partners in Christian Education) Conference in Pittsburgh. Join Director of Operations, Jesy Littlejohn (they/them) at the exhibit hall or for some appetizers at a time and location yet to be determined. January 22-25: Q Conference. Join Board member Bethany Peerbolte (she/her) at the exhibit hall and grab some coffee with her. April 17-19: MLP National Gathering at Ferncliff Conference and Retreat Center. Use the link above to register. |
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. *Do you have Pride pictures? Keep them coming! Please email them to hello@mlp.org We are trying to collect a list of all former board members to create an MLP alumni group. Have you served on our board, or do you know someone who has? Fill out this form, and we will contact you in the next few months. |
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