MLP’s Editorial Board is a team consisting of key board/staff members and a volunteer advisory team that will assist us with movement listening, blog content development, and promotion. If you are interested in serving in the future, please consider applying for the Editorial Board.

Annanda Barclay, Team Facilitator

Is in the ordination process under the care of Mission Presbytery.  She obtained her M.Div. at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.  Annanda is a member of Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX.  She is a 2012 Fund for Theological Education Ministry Fellow.  Currently Annanda, is continuing pastoral formation as a part-time student chaplain at a local area hospital.  She believes the Church is not a silo, but is called to actively advocate for the welfare of all God’s creation.  She serves and works with various groups to strategically advocate for intersectional justice, love and kindness.  Annanda, her partner M, and their two dogs reside in Chicago, IL.

Jessica Rabthun-Cook

Jessica Rathbun-Cook was born and raised in East Texas, and has a background in photography. Jessica graduated with an MDiv from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, and since 2013, has worked as the Youth Programs Director in an organization that serves LGBTQ youth. Jessica is a Ruling Elder at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church, and a Candidate for ordination in the PC(USA). Jessica loves talking about queer youth, identity, sacraments, poetry, the Holy Spirit, and how all of those things mush together into the beautiful tapestry that we call life.

John Anderson

John Anderson is a stay-at-home dad and a scholar with a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago and a Masters from Yale Divinity School.  He has taught at numerous colleges and is published in the Journal of Religious Ethicsand in the book, Queering Religion, Religious Queers.  John is passionate about bridging the gap between the academic study of theology and the church, and teaches and leads discussion groups in congregations whenever he can.  He is especially interested sexuality education as a ministry of the church and is a certified facilitator of Our Whole Lives, a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum.  John lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his family.

 Donna Riley

A life-long Presbyterian, ordained deacon, and bisexual woman, Donna Riley served as the first webspinner for Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns starting in 1995, as a member of the national boards of PLGC and MLP from 1997-2005, and as Co-Moderator of MLP from 2003-2005. She has been a member of Sixth Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, PA, Jan Hus Presbyterian Church in New York City, and Treasurer of the Western Massachusetts House Church. Since 2001 her day job has been teaching engineering at Smith College, the first US women’s college to house an engineering program. She will be spending the next year in Washington DC and looks forward to reconnecting with the Open Doors chapter and More Light churches in the area. She is currently working a federal government detail in Washington, where she is a member of Church of the Pilgrims.

Rev. Aaron Saari

The Rev. Aaron Maurice Saari is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ, currently serving First Presbyterian Church of Yellow Springs, a More Light PC (USA) congregation in Ohio. An academic, Aaron has taught at numerous universities and is best known for his book, The Many Deaths of Judas Iscariot: A Meditation on Suicide. He is passionate about social justice, GLBT rights, and multifaith dialogue. He also serves as Interfaith Campus Minister at Sinclair Community College.