MLP Congratulates New Moderator of the PCUSA

Neal Presa and Tara Spuhler McCabe

Pittsurgh, PA: More Light Presbyterians wishes to congratulate Rev. Dr. Neal D. Presa who was elected this evening to serve as the Moderator of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Presa will be serving with Vice-Moderator Rev. Tara Spuhler McCabe. Presa serves as pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church, Middlesex, NJ. McCabe has served as associate pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, a welcoming and affirming More Light church in Washington, DC.

Presa and McCabe hold have different experiences and viewpoints on same-sex marriage. Presa explained this difference in a recent press release after it was reported that McCabe had officiated at a same-sex wedding in Washington, DC where same-sex marriage is legal.

Tara and I want to model for the 220th General Assembly and the Presbyterian Church a more excellent way of being united with our differences. Even as she and I have different positions on same-sex marriage and even as I strongly disagree with her alleged actions in question, I choose, by the grace of God, to stand by her and support her, as a friend, as a colleague in ministry, as a brother in Christ. This ought not to be interpreted as my support or agreement of her actions, or condoning it; in fact, quite the opposite. Standing by a friend, colleague, and sister in Christ means I do so out of my serious commitment to seeking that unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, grappling with that very difficult prayer that our Lord Jesus cried out to our heavenly Father in John 17, “that they may be one as we are one.

Presa concluded his statement with this call to the PCUSA:

Let us join our prayers and hearts together as we wrestle together on how we as the Presbyterian Church may serve faithfully and fully in Christ’s name in our complex 21st century world. For underneath the present debates on same-sex marriage lies the heart of the matter: how does the Church relate to the world with the reconciling love of Christ, shaped and formed by the tradition, while seriously engaging the people and places with whom we serve? I look forward to our work together."

As More Light Presbyterians, Moderator Presa and Vice-Moderator McCabe, we look forward to working with you to ensure that all persons know and experience God's love and grace including LGBT persons and their families. We look forward to working with you to help all Presbyterians understand that G-2.0104 benefits the whole Church. We look forward to working with you to ensure that this Assembly recognizes faithful, committed relationships of same gender loving couples and that pastoral care responsibilities include marriage. We look forward to working with you to achieve full participation of LGBT persons and their families in the life, ministry and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA). We will be holding both of you and your families in our thoughts and prayers as you offer leadership to our Church and in the world. Together, we look forward to building a Church that reflects God's heart.

See Also:

McCabe resigns as vice moderator of the 220th GA, PCUSA News Service