Valentine's Day Marriage Reports - 2005


A Message from the Moderator
by The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry


February 2005

 

Dear Friend:

Reports are continuing to come in from across the Fellowship with information on the many Valentine's Day Marriage Events held in scores of cities and towns during Freedom to Marry Week in February.

I am so proud of the role MCC leaders and MCC churches again played in this year's events. You boldly carried our message of spiritual and social justice to your communities, and you put a human face on our struggle for marriage equality.

Please know that you are continuing a long and historic tradition within Metropolitan Community Churches. When I performed MCC's first same-sex wedding ceremony in 1969, I never dreamed that Time Magazine would later document it as the first public same-sex marriage ceremony conducted in the United States. And when MCC filed the first-ever lawsuit in 1970 seeking legal recognition for LGBT marriages, we did it to support the rights of MCC members and the LGBT community -- I didn't know then that it would launch more than three decades of activism for marriage equality.

MCC leaders and congregations continue that proud and historic tradition with your bold, public actions each Valentine's Week.

You may also be interested to know that MCC distributed well over 12,000 Valentine's Day Marriage Action Kits to help local couples and groups plan their events.

Today, I want to share with you the reports that have come into MCC Headquarters of the ways MCCers led public actions during Freedom to Marry Week.

W salute these churches and leaders who are making a profound difference in your local communities -- and who are working to change hearts and minds.

By the way, if your church conducted a Freedom To Marry event, please send information to info@MCCchurch.org so that we can add your information to MCC's permanent archives, and document your role in the historic struggle for same-sex marriage equality.

In Christ,

/signed/
The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry
MCC Founder and Moderator

VALENTINE'S MARRIAGE REPORTS 2005

Rev. Pat Bumgardner, of MCC New York, continued her bold challenge to New York's restrictive same-sex marriage laws by leading a group of same-sex couples to apply for marriage licenses at New York's City Hall. When the couples were denied licenses, Rev .Bumgardner took over the chapel at City Hall and performed marriage ceremonies for the couples. You can read the entire story -- and view photos of the event -- on-line at http://www.gaycitynews.com/gcn_360/gayswedatcity.html,

Rev. Dwayne Johnson and the congregation of Resurrection MCC (Houston, Texas) sponsored a Freedom To Marry event at which 42 couples were married. MCC clergy were joined by Unitarian Universalist, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, American Baptist, Pentecostal and other nondenominational ministers who also took part in the ceremony. The news story was covered by the press in Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth -- and even received coverage on several Christian web sites. The news story, as reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, is posted on-line at thttp://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/10892996.htm?1c.

MCC Louisville (Kentucky) held a Wedding & Commitment Service as part of their Freedom To Marry observance -- and 18 couples, participated, including two straight couples! Rev. Dee Dale and Rev. Mel Bailey officiated.  Almost 100 of the couples' family members and friends attended the service and the reception that followed. The event was covered by two Kentucky television stations: Fox 41 and WHAS 11 (ABC).

Rev. Angie Thinnes and the congregation of MCC Illiana in northwest Indiana sponsored a Valentine's Day Action again this year at the local courthouse. You can read about their event on-line from the news story in the Northwest Times newspaper at http://nwitimes.com/articles/2005/02/15/news/lake_county/68e2960d8f7b302386256fa900107147.txt and also in the Post-Tribune at http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/news/z1/02-15-05_z1_news_11.html.

Members of MCC of the Spirit (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), where Rev. Eva O'Diam is senior pastor, held a marriage event at the Dauphin County Courthouse. The event was covered by the Patriot News newspaper and PennLive.com at http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1108462855252620.xml. Also participating in this event was Rev. Elder Arlene Ackerman, along with other clergy.

Rev. Ruth Jensen, senior pastor of First Coast MCC (St. Augustine, Florida) led a delegation to the St. Johns County Courthouse to apply for marriage licenses. The story was covered by the St. Augustine Record newspaper and staugustine.com at http://www.staugustine.com/stories/021505/new_2890664.shtml,

Rev. George Chen and Rev. Julio Flores of MCC Hartford (Connecticut) appeared at Hartford City Hall. where they received significant press coverage of their event. A news story from WTNH TV and a video clip can be viewed on-line at http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=2944689.

Rev. Julia Seward of St. Luke's MCC in Jacksonville, Florida led a delegation to the Duval County Courthouse. Their event was covered by WJXX ABC TV and WTLV NBC TV. The story is on-line at  http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=32495.

More than 70 people showed up for the Valentine's Day Marriage Action at the Richmond (Virginia) Courthouse -- an action sponsored by MCC Richmond, where Rev. Robin Gorsline is senior pastor. Their story was carried prominently -- along with a color photo of the crowd -- in the very conservative Richmond Times Dispatch. Check out the story and photo at http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031780826285&path=!news!politics&s=1045855935264.

A dozen congregants from MCC San Diego, where Rev. Tony Freeman is senior pastor, gathered outside the San Diego County Administration Building early Valentine's morning to take part in a social action for marriage equality.  After a time of brief prayer and reflection, they proceeded to Room 273 where Marriage Licenses are issued.  Two couples, one lesbian and one male, requested a license application.  The clerks, seemingly anticipating such requests, provided a copy of the state statute and advised them that California law does not permit licenses for same-sex couples.  They added that the couples could apply for domestic partner status.  The polite exchange ended quickly, but according to MCC Minister of Groups Linda Gibbins-Croft, "We made a big statement, and the people in the Clerks office will never be the same because of our action. At least one was visibly touched. We truly put a face to the issue of same-sex marriage." Outside, the two couples and Associate Pastor Dan Koeshall, who organized the event, were interviewed by news reporters from TV Channel 7 and TV Channel 39 news reporter.  The station carried coverage of both the Marriage Equality March from Hillcrest and the MCC social action on their 10 AM newscast.

MCC Los Angeles, where Rev. Neil Thomas is senior pastor, served as the host for a Los Angeles Freedom To Marry event on Saturday, February 12. The event was sponsored by a coalition of LA LGBT groups, and commemorated the first anniversary of the San Francisco marriage licenses. The event was covered by local TV and the Los Angeles Times. MCC LA was also a co-sponsor of the Valentine's Day event at the Beverly Hills Courthouse with Rev. Troy Perry and Attorney Gloria Allred. Rev. Pat Langlois and Rev. Keith Mozingo performed same-sex weddings on the courthouse steps -- and provided a massive wedding cake, which became a focus of news stories. The event was covered by all six of the major TV stations in Los Angeles two news/talk radio stations, and the Associated Press.

Rev. Wayne Schwandt, senior pastor of MCC of the Chesapeake (Maryland), was quoted in an excellent news story about the Freedom to Marry event held at the Maryland State Capitol. You can read the entire story and Wayne's quotes at http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/02_15-41/GOV)\.

Rev. Bob Galloway, senior pastor of MCC Knoxville (Tennessee), was featured in a news story about the same-sex marriage debate on WATE ABC-TV 6 in Knoxville. The news story focused on a proposed constitutional amendment in Tennessee. The on-line story and a video clip can be read at http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=2990023.

Rev. Deb Dysert and the members of Divine Peace MCC (Clarkston, Michigan) applied for marriage licenses at he Oakland County Courthouse and held a kiss-in at the courthouse. Rev. Dysert also blessed relationships on the courthouse steps.. You can read more about this event from the coverage of WXYZ-TV on-line at http://www.wxyz.com/wxyz/nw_local_news/article/0,2132,WXYZ_15924_3546667,00.html.

Rev. Margaret Hawk, of New Creation MCC (Columbus, Ohio) and Rev. Marj Creech, of God's Promise MCC (Granville, Ohio) jointly sponsored a Valentine's Day event at the Franklin County Courthouse. This was the third year they have sponsored a marriage event, and their actions were covered by the local media and press.  (END)

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