Church to begin same-sex nuptials

[kwassa]

Source: Pasadena Star-News

PASADENA - All Saints Church in Pasadena, one of the largest and most liberal Episcopalian congregations in the country, announced Thursday it will begin performing wedding ceremonies for gay couples starting June 16.

In what All Saints Rector the Rev. Ed Bacon called a "historic vote," church officials adopted the "Resolution on Marriage Equality" unanimously Thursday, after a special meeting of the 3,500-member congregation's lay leadership.

The church's action came in response to the California Supreme Court's May 15 ruling overturning the ban on gay marriage approved by voters in 2000. All Saints has performed blessings for same-sex couples for the past 15 years. But Bacon described the church vestry's vote as showing "stirring courage to move beyond lip service" to the church's commitment to equality by extending marriage rights to gay members.

"Today's decision is consistent with All Saints Church, Pasadena's identity as a peace and justice church," Bacon said in a statement Thursday. "It also aligns us with the Scriptures' mandate to make God's love tangible by `doing justice and loving mercy' (Micah 6:8) and with the canons of our Episcopal Church that forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."



Read more: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_9352923

[ccharles000]

1. This is great.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Excellent. EQUAL RIGHTS for all is always excellent.

Too bad about all those republican marriages that will now be ruined because same-sex couples are getting married. :eyes:

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. And may this decision make the people threatening schism over gay clergy and same-sex marriage...

Be called home to Glory all that much sooner. :toast:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Many Episcopal churches around the country perform wedding cermonies

for same-sex couples, although they have no legal standing in most parts of the country.

By the way, this is the same parish that got into trouble with the IRS for preaching an anti-war sermon, even though it never endorsed any party or candidate.

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Yup. I have a friend there.

It sounds like a really cool place!

[noonwitch]

5. If it was legal in Michigan, my church would perform them-we do non-legal ceremonies, now

Most Unity, Unitarian, UCC, Episcopal, and other liberal churches will do gay weddings when there is a law allowing them.

The UMC will split over this issue, eventually. They'll survive-they survived the split with the Wesleyans over slavery.

[Critters2]

19. The law allows the ceremony. There's just no license to sign.

Doing a wedding ceremony is allowed by law in every state. Church services such as this are protected by the 1st Amendment. Of course, in most states there's not license signed after the ceremony, but that has no bearing on whether the wedding is legal.

I do same-sex weddings, even though there are no provisions for them in state law. I explain this to the couples--they are married in the eyes of the church, but not in the eyes of the state. Which is perfectly legal.

[noonwitch]

31. That's how my current church and the one I grew up attending view it

In the eyes of the church and God, the couple is married, whether the State of Michigan legally validates it or not. I would not be a member of a church that didn't have that policy.

[Joe Bacon]

6. Yep and Jesus TV is in all out attack mode over this!

Can't stop laughing my ass off over Mr Closet Queen Paul Crouch ranting all over this. Ol Helmet Head needs to go back to his mountain cabin retreat with his "Special friend" :evilgrin:

[fascisthunter]

7. Gay Marriage will Become a "Norm"

We will one day not even differentiate between hero and homosexual marriages. And bigots have all outed themselves just in time.... they too will have to do much introspection in the coming years.

[heliarc]

8. This is excellent news... K&R nt

[Baby Snooks]

9. The Coming Schism

It will be interesting to see what the Archbishop of Canterbury does at this point.

[kwassa]

13. The Archbishop of Canterbury will do what he usually does: nothing.

He will prevaricate in some obscure manner than nobody understands, but he won't actually do something. He is Rowan the Spineless.

[Tikki]

10. Pasadena CA is such a beautiful place...

such loving memories will be built there at that church.
Congratulations to all the future married.

Tikki

[Trillo]

17. I agree. It is beautiful. Wonderful architechture in downtown district.

We once drove there because the Pasadena public library had a copy of a book I wanted to peruse because it wasn't available in closer libraries. Seems kinda silly to think back on that as a reason to drive for several hours. We've been meaning to go back to visit the Huntington library and Botanical gardens ... someday....

Must be kind of a progressive place with same-sex marriages being performed at a local church!

[timbo_houston_tx]

12. Great NEws!

Some Episcopal Diocese do allow it, most do not. For example, my partner and I are Episcopalians in Houston and our Bishop does not allow the service. We are excited by the news. We are planning to go to California this summer and hopefully we can get one of the priests at All Saints to perform the service for us!

[beac]

14. And don't forget to call in your support of the CA Supreme Court ruling...

The office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is polling reaction to the California Supreme Court decision overturning the ban on gay marriage.

Most of the response they are getting is in OPPOSITION to the court action ( :grr: ), so let's see if we can reverse that trend.

To vote IN SUPPORT of the Supreme Court's decision on marriage equality:

1. call 1-916-445-2841
2. press 1, 5, 1, 1 (these are the prompts to push in that order)



And yes, you can call even if you are not in CA!

[huskerlaw]

24. If you haven't already...

you should make this a separate post. :thumbsup:

[beac]

25. Actually, someone else has already made it a separate post, but

it was posted yesterday, so I thought I'd insert it here as well since this post seems to be getting some attention. :)

[huskerlaw]

26. I saw that, thanks!

And welcome to DU!

:hi:

[beac]

28. Thanks!

[RobertDevereaux]

15. "All Saints" be praised!

[Iggo]

16. Yay!

Time to gear up for the fight.

They'll go down kicking and screaming just like they did when we legalized marriages betweem blacks and whites.

It's inevitable, but we might have a few scrapes.

[KamaAina]

18. Geaux (All) Saints!

:bounce:

[AngryOldDem]

20. This church also fought the IRS on its tax-exempt status a few years back.

Gotta love a church that acutally lives up to what religion teaches.

[MasonJar]

21. That is awesome. I am proud to be an Episcopalian. Our church

is a downtown church which gives out hundreds of bags of food a month plus clothes, socks, gloves,coats etc. On Sunday our minister gave a sermon in which he pretty much denounced the 8 years of Bush and what they have done to the world, which is overpopulated and called on the next president, Goper or Democratic, to once again give contraceptives to the peoples of the world.

[baghdad_bush]

22. Maybe Rush will now move back to California with one of his 'special friends'.

[insleeforprez]

27. Mmhmm

Everyone we don't like is gay. :)

[huskerlaw]

23. I used to go to this church. I think it's time to go back.

:woohoo:

There are some absolutely fabulous people at that church. Obviously.

:loveya:

[gauguin57]

29. Congrats and best wishes to the happy couples!

This has been a long time coming. Blessings on their houses, and upon this church.

[and-justice-for-all]

30. Send'em a Thank you..!!

J. Edwin Bacon, Jr.
Rector
626.583.2711
[e-mail]