MLP June Newsletter!

IN THIS ISSUE * Happy Anniversary, Claudia! * Notes from the Staff *Virtual Pride Service registration and  Pride Sunday Liturgy * Word From Our Partners * Upcoming Events

Join us in celebrating  Claudia Aguilar Rubalcava, as she celebrates her 3rd anniversary as our Director of Engagement! We love you and are so thankful for you!

From our Director of Engagement

Pride month is here! Rainbows everywhere! Pride celebrations, full of music and glitter and feathers, will fill the streets. And every store and brand will become advocates for the LGBTQIA+ community. But is it all real? Sometimes, it feels to me that it is like Cinco de Mayo, when everybody loves Mexico and everything Mexican, and on May 6th, the raids and the discrimination go back to normal. So why is Pride still important? I doubt that mine is the definitive answer, but I think it is because it is practice for what is coming, for that which we are working toward. During Pride, we center and celebrate the lives and gifts of every LGBTQIA+ person. We remember the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community to our lives. We listen to the concerns of the LGBTQIA+ community. But the goal is not to do it only during Pride month, but every day, every month, every year. We want our queer siblings to always feel loved and celebrated. So let’s practice together! The MLP board and staff have put together a beautiful Pride liturgy that is available HERE. You are welcome to use it in your congregations and campus ministries, not just on Pride month, but any time.  We are also gathering as a community on June 7th at 7pm Eastern time to worship the One who created us all. Register HERE to receive the Zoom link for this celebration of the joy and resilience of our queer siblings.   -Claudia

From our Director of Operations

Happy Pride, y'all!  And happy 3rd-year anniversary to our Director of Engagement, Claudia! We are better because of her gifts and witness in the world!  June is going to be busy in the best way, friends! From pulpit supply to presentations and conferences to the 227th General Assembly, MLP is shining bright in the world! Additionally, this month we will be debuting our brand new website! After a long journey, and in partnership with Worship Times, we are ready to go! We know that there will be bumps and beta testing in the beginning, so be patient with us as we roll things out. Additionally, as you explore the new site, if there are things that you wish were there or ways MLP can continue to support you and your ministry, please reach out to us! We are always looking to grow, and we want to walk alongside you in the most supportive ways we can. Not every request will be feasible, but we will do what we can! -Jesy

Join us THIS Sunday for our annual virtual More Light Presbyterians Pride service! Join MLP Board and Staff members as we explore the theme "We are the ones" inspired by the 1978 poem from June Jordan.  Use the button below to register!

Register for the MLP Virtual Pride Service

More Light Sunday Liturgy: We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

Today is May 1st, but we know Pride 2026 will be here before we all are fully prepared! As you plan for worship, and we hope, as you prepare to have a More Light/Pride Sunday service,  More Light Presbyterians is offering FREE liturgy for you to use.  The staff and board of MLP have prepared a complete order of worship for you to use, centered on the theme "We Are The Ones We've Been Waiting For," drawing inspiration from Psalm 121 and a phrase from June Jordan's 1978 poem.

Click Here to Download the 2026 Pride Liturgy

A Word From Our Partners

Our partners in ministry at Kin-dom Camp are looking for volunteers for their upcoming programming year! And if you’re searching for a joyful, LGBTQIA+-affirming camp experience for your youth, be sure to scan the QR code to learn more and register.

Upcoming Events!

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

June 6: Join our Director of Engagement, Rev. Claudia Aguilar, at the Centro de Estudios Ecumenicos in Mexico City from 10 am until 6 pm in an interfaith gathering that will discuss decolonizing religion, gender, and sexuality. Food and drinks will be provided.   June 7: Pride worship service via Zoom. Details to register above. June 7: Join our Director of Operations, Jesy Littlejohn, at Indianola Presbyterian Church in Columbus, OH for an educational session and worship.  June 8: More Light Monday. This month, we are exploring General Assembly overtures through legal, theological, and polity lenses.  June 21-26: Join Director of Engagement Claudia Aguilar and board member Matt Webb at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM for youth week.  June 27-July 2: Join Jesy and Claudia at General Assembly for the BEST SWAG EVER and enriching conversations. We can’t wait to see you there!           More Light Monday: Preparing for General Assembly 227

Preparing for General Assembly Every two years, commissioners gather from across the denomination to for what some may call "the longest and most complicated Session meeting ever!" From amending the Book of Order, to adapting to new policies, to naming the harms that have been done in the name of God as well as our complicity in it, General Assembly is a time of hard and holy work.  There are overtures coming to the 227th assembly that will directly impact the LGBTQIA+ community, and we have prepared a space to talk about them and prepare for what is ahead. Join the MLP staff and board, as well as a few special guests as we talk about these overtures from theological, relational, and even legal perspectives.  Bring your questions and your curiosities and register below on June 8th at 7:00 PM (ET).

Click here to register

Register for the MLP Virtual Pride Service

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