--

Rev. Troy Perry
and
Phillip Ray DeBlieck




Dear Friend:

I am writing to you today to ask you to mark your calendar for Freedom To Marry Week, during February 9-15 -- Valentine's Week.

Last year, thousands of same-sex couples went to courthouses and municipal offices during Valentine's Week to apply for marriage licenses. We drew strength from our actions... we shared our message of equality with our communities... and we built bridges of understanding as our struggle for equal marriage rights was carried to millions of people on CNN, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the New York Times and hundreds of newspapers and TV stations.

This year, your participation is more important than ever!

There is a powerful momentum taking place! Since last year's Freedom To Marry Week, same-sex marriage has become the law in Canada. And recently, the Massachusetts Supreme Court sanctioned legal marriage for same-sex couples.

I'll be sharing more information in the near future, but for now I'm asking you to join me in three important ways:

1.  Go to your local marriage bureau during Valentine's Week and apply for a marriage license. Take a public stand. Inform the local press know and invite them to cover your event. Invite your friends to join you. Let's keep the same-sex marriage issue on the front burner.

2.  Organize a public rally in your area for Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14, 2004. This year, MCC is joining hands with veteran GLBT activist Robin Tyler and DontAmend.com (an organization working to stop a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage) to sponsor Freedom To Marry Week -- and to hold public rallies in cities and towns everywhere.

3.  Address the same-sex marriage issue during worship services on Sunday, February 15. Let's use sermons -- or testimonies of the week's events -- to call our community to action.

During this one week, international media attention will be focused on equality in the marriage laws. An amazing array of GLBT and GLBT-friendly groups are now working on this issue, including Human Rights Campaign, NGLTF, PFLAG, the ACLU, NOW, LLEGO, Soulforce, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Marriage Equality, and the Freedom To Marry Coalition.

In the next few days, we'll be sending an MCC Action Kit to help you organize your events. It's filled with action ideas, sample press releases, information on organizing a community rally, and on-line resources to help you make your plans.

Be on the lookout for this MCC Action Kit for Freedom To Marry Week -- and mark you calendar now for this annual event during Valentines Week's, February 9-15, 2004.

Together we're making a difference!
Troy Perry
Rev. Troy D. Perry

For Additional Information, Contact:
Jim Birkitt, Director of Communications
MCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, Second Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tel. (310) 360-8640, Ext. 226 or 228
E-Mail: info@MCCchurch.org 
Website: www.MCCchurch.org