Guide to the Patricia Dykers Koenig Papers

Subject files, correspondence, campaign strategies, and legal briefs document Tricia Dykers Koenig’s advocacy for the full inclusion of LGBT Presbyterians in the PC(USA). Scattered throughout the collection are notes that Koenig added to explain the material before she donated her files in 2017. 

The collection is divided into three series: Early Advocacy, 1991-2001; The Covenant Network, 1992-2016; and Resources on the LGBT Movement, 1976-2014. The digital files that Koenig created and used throughout her advocacy work have been removed from floppy disks and CD-ROMs and integrated into the three series. Files have been rearranged into a new folder structure for accessibility (see the Collection Inventory section of this guide). The digital files consist of spreadsheets, webpages, and text documents. Most have been converted to PDFs for preservation. Some of the documents are duplicates of print material in the collection. 

The Early advocacy series, 1991-2001, consists of subject files from Koenig’s work for LGBT rights throughout the 1990s. This series consists of two subseries. The Noble Road Presbyterian Church subseries contains correspondence, discussion notes, and bulletins from Koenig’s time as a co-pastor of Noble Road and documents the congregation’s process to identify as a More Light church. 

The Advocacy work and More Light Presbyterians subseries documents Koenig’s beginning involvement with the movement for LGBT inclusion in the Presbyterian Church. This subseries also contains subject files from Koenig’s work with Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns (PLGC) and the More Light Churches Network (MLCN) from 1993-2000. The two organizations merged in 1999 to form More Light Presbyterians. Included in this subseries are board minutes and correspondence, publications, news briefs, reports, and files related to the Unity Through Diversity project, a joint effort by PLGC and MLCN to facilitate dialogue on human sexuality leading up to the 208th General Assembly. Also included in this series are correspondence, overture drafts, and audiovisuals from General Assemblies. These files were created by Koenig during her work with More Light Presbyterians, but include some material related to the Covenant Network's presence at General Assemblies from 1997-2000. 

The Covenant Network series, 1992-2016, consists of subject files from Koenig’s time as a national organizer for the Covenant Network. The series is dividied into four subseries: Board of Directors and Local Organizing, 1996-2003; General Assemblies, 1992-2014; Legal Advocacy, 1992-2013; and Conferences and Events, 2000-2016.

The Board of Directors and local organizing subseries consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, and strategy documents created by the Covenant Network Board of Directors and other committees such as the communications committee and the steering committee. The “Early Covenant Network” folder consists of documents created at the start of the Covenant Network, before Koenig was hired. Publications and videos created by the Covenant Network are also included in this subseries. There is a half box of board and committee files that are restricted until 2040 and 2050.

The General Assemblies subseries documents the Covenant Network’s campaigns to change ordination standards and marriage rites in the Book of Order. The files consist of correspondence, staff talking points, collaborations with other welcoming organizations such as More Light Presbyterians, resources for commissioners, and analyses of the business before the General Assembly each year. Also included are opposing viewpoints folders which contain communications from organizations that wanted to maintain ordination standards. Two of the boxes in this subseries contain restricted files related to the General Assembly. (Note that material from the 212th General Assembly is in Series I, Subseries 2.) 

The Legal advocacy subseries contains resources created by the Covenant Network legal team to educate presbyteries and individuals on their rights to ordain LGBT candidates, bless civil unions, and maintain church property when leaving the denomination. Most of the resources were created by Douglas Nave and Peter Oddleifson who both served as legal consultants to the Covenant Network. This subseries also contains judicial records of Permanent Judicial Commissions (PJC), Investigating Committees (IC), and Administrative Commissions (AC), which are restricted along with other folders containing sensitive information related to ordination disputes throughout the PC(USA). 

The Conferences and events subseries contains worship bulletins and sound recordings from the annual national and regional conferences held by the Covenant Network. Also included are programs and presentation notes from events that Koenig either attended or gathered information on as a member of the Covenant Network staff. This includes notes from the gatherings of conversative organizations in the PC(USA), bulletins from the ordination services of LGBT Presbyterians, and copies of sermons delivered by Koenig at various congregations. 

The Resources on the LGBT movement series, 1976-2014 consists of publications and resources on the LGBT movement that Koenig collected throughout her advocacy work. The series contains booklets and videos created by religious initiatives that worked for LGBT inclusion such as the Shower of Stoles project, That All May Freely Serve, and the Open Hands newsletter. Also included in this series are publications and videos created by groups that worked to maintain ordination standards in the PC(USA) such as the New Wineskins Initiative, the Presbyterian Lay Committee, and the Presbyterian Coalition. Publications and resources created by the Covenant Network are in Series II, Subseries 1.