Martha Juillerat honored on her tenth anniversary as National Program Director of Shower of Stoles Project
[1-9-06]

A report from Michael Adee, National Field Organizer of More Light Presbyterians, to MLP members, supporters, friends, and allies

Hello from Minneapolis this first week of the New Year and Epiphany. I am attending a week-long National Ecumenical Welcoming Church Leaders' Summit. National leaders from ten denominations in the USA and Canada are participating.

Macalester-Plymouth United Church, a More Light and Open and Affirming Congregation on the Macalester College campus, is hosting this summit. This Welcoming Church Program Leaders’ network is composed of national church leaders from their denomination or faith tradition's national welcoming and affirming congregationally-based program. WCPL has a tradition of meeting twice a year for strategic planning, resource development, skills-building and spiritual nurture.

These national welcoming programs work for the full embrace of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and their families in the following denominations: Presbyterian Church (USA); United Methodist Church; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; United Church of Christ; American Baptists; Brethren/Mennonites; Reformed Church in America; Disciples of Christ; Community of Christ; and the United Church of Canada.

The Institute for Welcoming Resources and the Shower of Stoles Project are also participating in this summit in the context of supporting the Welcoming Church Movement in the USA and Canada.

It is a privilege to represent you and More Light Presbyterians in this historic national welcoming church leadership summit and in a special tribute honoring the tenth anniversary of the Shower of Stoles Project and Martha Juillerat's tenth anniversary as National Program Director of the project.

Kim Smith King, National MLP Board member, and Susan Robertson, MLP and SOSP staff member, created a special reception to honor Martha and her partner, Tammy Lindahl, for their ten years of faithful leadership and service with the Shower of Stoles Project. This celebration also marked the transition and transfer of the Shower of Stoles Project to the Institute of Welcoming Resources.

Rebecca Voelkel serves as the Executive Officer of the Institute for Welcoming Resource and I serve as the President of its National Board of Directors. The Summit included strategic planning to 2011 that included: the merger of the SOSP into IWR; a national grassroots organizing mobilization plan for the Welcoming Church Movement; educational resources, conferences and trainings: and changing the landscape of Christianity.

Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., National Field Organizer

from Chicago, IL, National MLP Board Meeting, September 23 - 25, 2005
[9-26-05]

The National Board of Directors of More Light Presbyterians recognizes and celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Shower of Stoles Project this month. This recognition is offered with mixed emotions because this marks the 10th Anniversary of the birth of the project wherein its founder, Martha Juillerat set aside her ordination as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Martha and her spouse, Tammy Lindahl, met at a clergywomen's retreat when they were serving churches in rural Missouri. Martha and Tammy faithfully responded to the call from the PCUSA General Assembly to come out and participate in 1993-95 National Dialogue and Study on Human Sexuality. Martha set aside her ordination in 1995 in Heartland Presbytery rather than have it removed. Tammy was one of six out LGBT Commissioners to the General Assembly in 2001. A judicial complaint was filed Tammy and as a result the Twin Cities Presbytery lost a capable and experienced pastor. Tammy's ministry continues as a hospice social worker.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has lost the gifts and ministries of these two remarkably faithful clergywomen because of its anti-gay policies and practices. We honor Martha and Tammy's moral courage and faithfulness in creating and offering the Shower of Stoles Project out of their own experience of prejudice and discrimination. The collection numbering over a 1,000 stoles has indeed become a witness to countless LGBT persons and families in our Church and more than two dozen denominations and faith traditions.

Ironically, at the same time the Shower of Stoles Project marks its 10th Anniversary, our Church is celebrating anniversaries of the Ordination of Women. At at this same time there are those who call for "more study" with a moratorium on justice that hinders the welcome and affirmation of LGBT persons in the Church. However, the extravagant love and welcoming embrace of God continues to call all of us into the Gospel which is good news for all persons, not just some.

The mission of the Shower of Stoles Project is: "To end religious discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people." The National Board of Directors of More Light Presbyterians commends this mission and this historic 10th Anniversary. Moreover, we remain absolutely committed to ending such discrimination against LGBT persons and their families by building a Church for all God's people.

Erin Swenson and Bear Ride, Co-Moderators, and the National Board of Directors, More Light Presbyterians, with Michael J. Adee, National Field Organizer