As a national organization, time spent face-to-face is precious to the Staff and Board of More Light. In September, we gathered for a board meeting, where we spent time in fellowship and talked about ways we feel led to live into God’s abundance in the coming year. At the meeting, we said goodbye to Annanda Barclay and Will McGarvey, two board members whose terms have, sadly, come to an end. Annanda and Will have led More Light through some substantial changes in the organization and the denomination, and we are eternally grateful for their service.
The board was also pleased to elect Amy Kim Kyremes-Parks to join Rev. Kyle Walker as co-moderators of the board.
Additionally, the board voted to welcome three new members to the National Board of Directors. The class of 2020 brings a breadth and depth of experience in the PC(USA) and each incoming member will undoubtedly contribute a great deal to the work of More Light. We are delighted to welcome them into the More Light Family!! You can learn more about our National Board of Directors here!
Dr. Mati Moros
Matilde Moros, PhD, is a theological social ethicist working in the field of gender, sexuality and women’s studies. The ethics of resistance and subversion of hegemonic world-views and narratives of power lead her teaching and learning toward a counter-narrative “testimonio” method of decolonial, transnational feminist ethics. Feminist social ethics must respond to sexual and gender violence and the multiple intersections of which race and its various social constructions has led to the exclusion from centers of power of many peoples including Latin American and Latinx communities. Dr. Moros’ research on the communal and historical effects of organized resistance to gendered and sexual violence has led her to an approach to liberation ethics in which recovery of resistance methods has become the primary focus. Dr. Matilde Moros is Assistant Professor of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), in Richmond, Virginia.
I have been part of several movements within the PC(USA), and have worked within the denomination to bring forth change. My latest service was as co-moderator of the Special Committee on the Confession of Belhar, which is now in our Book of Confessions. Personally, More Light Presbyterians has impacted my theology starting with the work around AIDS awareness, and I have seen changes to our PC(USA) polity come about in large part due to the work of MLP. I now work in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies academically. My association as a parent of a non-binary teen, plus my spouse’s work at a LGBTQIA+ youth support organization in Richmond, all lead me to eagerly do this work with MLP. I find it highly exciting and promising that MLP is shifting gears to new and robust methods of engagement. I am very honored and pleased to be on the board! – Dr. Matilde Moros
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow
Bruce is a pastor, author, consultant, and coach. A 3rd Generation Chinese/Filipino, armchair sociologist, and technology enthusiast Bruce speaks and teaches on faith, race, parenting, and technology in a variety contexts from seminaries to conferences to congregations to pre-schools. While he speaks to both religious and secular audiences, he committed to living and expressing a Christian faith that is beautifully complex, unimaginably just and excruciatingly gracious.
Bruce has been a Presbyterian pastor for over 20 years and served as the founding pastor of Mission Bay Community Church in San Francisco from 2000-2012, a church of young, multicultural and progressive Presbyterians. In 2008 he was the youngest person ever elected as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the highest elected office of the 1.8 million member denomination.
I was thrilled to say yes to the invitation to become a member of the because MLP embodies the complexities of what it means to be a just, inclusive, loving, and passionate people of faith. It is clear that a fresh spirit is moving through MLP’s work and ministry — and I am excited to become a part of what is next.
– Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow
Rev. Floretta L. Watkins
The Reverend Floretta L . Watkins graduated from Mercer University in Macon, GA, where she earned a BA in Communications. In 1993, she graduated from Johnson C. Smith Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Homiletics and Christian Education. After Seminary she was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament and immediately began her vocational service to the church as Presbytery Staff of Campus Ministry at South Carolina State University and Claflin College. It was there that Reverend Watkins developed her approach to ministry as a “down to earth” minister serving with imagination, energy and humor.
After serving the campuses in Orangeburg SC, she received a call to serve Pleasant Ridge of Lancaster SC and Hermon Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC. Reverend Watkins was chosen to lead Hermon because of her dynamic preaching abilities as well as her abilities to understand generational characteristics and their impact on the church.
In 1997, Rev Watkins was commissioned to the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force National Guard as the first African American female Chaplain. She served as support to airmen and soldiers in the various situations including the floods of North Carolina in Kingston NC as well as deployment to Elmendorf, AFB in Alaska as well as Osan, South Korea. In June 2017 she retired from the 145th Air National Guard.
In 2002 Reverend Watkins began her service at well known Seigle Avenue Presbyterian Church. Known for its interracial make-up, Reverend Watkins opened the doors for more inclusion and acceptance of all of God’s children. With a strong emphasis on leadership development, Reverend Watkins concentrates her efforts on a decentralized ministry style so that she can pour her energy into equipping lay leadership for ministry.
Rev. Watkins is currently a Doctoral Candidate for a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership. Her work will be around Clergy women and role congruity: The lived experiences of Female Clergy in the PCUSA. Reverend Watkins continues to serve the church with heart and soul. She has served on the Presbytery Council and served and chair of the Mission and Justice Committee of Council. She also proudly served as the first African American Clergy woman Moderator of the Presbytery of Charlotte in 2013. Reverend Watkins was nominated to serve on the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns for the class of 2018.
“When I was asked to you join MLP I was thrilled. Why? Because of the time and work and efforts given by people who were courageous enough to keep inclusion on the radar of our denomination. At the time of my ordination, it was unconstitutional. Because of MLP I can be who I am fully. For this reason, I offer my gifts to MLP and our denomination as we seek to know and be fully known.” – Rev. Floretta L. Watkins