Methodist group to perform weddings for same-sex couples

http://thetaskforceblog.org/2011/10/17/methodist-group-to-perform-weddings-for-same-sex-couples/

A group of 900 United Methodists in New York and Connecticut today announced their intention to make weddings available to same-sex couples in spite of their denomination’s ban on marriage equality. The announcement marks the kick-off of the We do! Methodists Living Marriage Equality project.

“We refuse to discriminate against any of God’s children and pledge to make marriage equality a lived reality within the New York Annual Conference, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression,” the group declared in statement called “A Covenant of Conscience” and signed by 164 clergy members, 732 lay people and six entire congregations.

In an unprecedented move in any major religious denomination, We do! is not only bypassing the formal rules of the church, but also published a list of all its members: clergy members who will perform weddings for same-sex couples, lay members of the denomination who support them, and congregations who have adopted policies to formally make weddings available to all couples. Read more here.