Marriage Equality Week October 12-19, 2003
from Rev. Troy Perry, MCC Founder and Moderator

This is a powerful opportunity for every MCC congregation to provide a positive countervoice to the so-called "Marriage Protection Week" being organized at the same time by Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, the Family Research Council, the Southern Baptist Convention and 18 other conservative and right-wing groups.

I am writing today to encourage you to take two very specific steps:
1) Visit the MCC website at www.mccchurch.org. Click on "Marriage Equality Week," and you'll find a resource kit and background materials you can use to promote your event in your community.
2) While you are at the site, click on the button marked "Participation." Take a moment to fill out the form that will notify us that your church is taking part in cause.

Let me emphasize that there is an urgency to this. The Religious Right has launched a massive campaign to oppose same-sex marriage rights. Stories are beginning to show up in newspapers and media outlets--they are putting major effort to oppose the GLBT communities and deny us equality under the law.

I am pleased to report that many GLBT groups are following our lead on this issue. Just a few days ago, PFLAG forwarded the MCC same-sex marriage resource kit to their entire e-mail list, and they wrote to all the major GLBT groups asking them to support MCC's "Marriage Equality Week." The Human Rights Campaign has agreed to take out full page ads in mainline newspapers--and DontAmend.com is preparing ads in key media markets to support MCC's Marriage Equality week.

To directly register your church's participation, or if you need an e-mail version of the "Marriage Equality Week" resource kit, you can e-mail Roman Cardenas, MCC's Associate Director of Communications, at romancardenas@mccchurch.org and he will make sure your involvement is recorded for MCC's historical archives.

I hope you sense the urgency of this project. For 35 years, MCC has been involved in the struggle to achieve equality under the law--and your church's participation will inspire hope throughout our community and help to mobilize our allies.

God bless you for your tireless work and efforts.