UK Wedding News
20/06/2014
The vote came after a lengthy debate held during the Presbyterian Church (USA) annual week-long General Assembly.
According to US media reports, the Reverend Krystin Granberg of the New York Presbytery, said she receives requests "all the time" from friends and parishioners to officiate at their weddings. Same-sex unions are recognised at the presbytery.
During the debate, Rev Granberg is quoted as saying: "They want to be married in the church they love and they want me to do it. I want pastoral relief."
Others were not as supportive to the change however, as Bill Norton of the Presbytery de Cristo argued: "We are laying hands on something that is holy, that God has given us, so we need to be sure any changes we make are in accord with God's will revealed in Scripture."
The vote on whether clergy should preside over gay marriages received 371 to 238 votes in favour. It is thought the change will come into effect from Saturday (21 June), but local congregations will be able to choose whether to hold the ceremonies or not.
A second, separate vote was also held to approve changes to the Church's Book of Order in relation to the language used regarding marriage. This was passed by 429 votes to 175.
While the original text reads: "Marriage is a civil contract between a man and a woman", the new passage would say: "Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally between a man and a woman."
This change needs to be approved by regional groups and a vote will be held on the issue next year.
In response to the votes, the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Lay Committee (PLC) said it was an "abomination".
The statement added: "The General Assembly has committed an express repudiation of the Bible, the mutually agreed upon Confessions of the PCUSA, thousands of years of faithfulness to God's clear commands and the denominational ordination vows of each concurring commissioner."
(JP/IT)
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US Presbyterians In Gay Marriage Call
The largest Presbyterian church group in the US has voted to allow its clergy to conduct same-sex marriages.The vote came after a lengthy debate held during the Presbyterian Church (USA) annual week-long General Assembly.
According to US media reports, the Reverend Krystin Granberg of the New York Presbytery, said she receives requests "all the time" from friends and parishioners to officiate at their weddings. Same-sex unions are recognised at the presbytery.
During the debate, Rev Granberg is quoted as saying: "They want to be married in the church they love and they want me to do it. I want pastoral relief."
Others were not as supportive to the change however, as Bill Norton of the Presbytery de Cristo argued: "We are laying hands on something that is holy, that God has given us, so we need to be sure any changes we make are in accord with God's will revealed in Scripture."
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The vote on whether clergy should preside over gay marriages received 371 to 238 votes in favour. It is thought the change will come into effect from Saturday (21 June), but local congregations will be able to choose whether to hold the ceremonies or not.
A second, separate vote was also held to approve changes to the Church's Book of Order in relation to the language used regarding marriage. This was passed by 429 votes to 175.
While the original text reads: "Marriage is a civil contract between a man and a woman", the new passage would say: "Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally between a man and a woman."
This change needs to be approved by regional groups and a vote will be held on the issue next year.
In response to the votes, the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Lay Committee (PLC) said it was an "abomination".
The statement added: "The General Assembly has committed an express repudiation of the Bible, the mutually agreed upon Confessions of the PCUSA, thousands of years of faithfulness to God's clear commands and the denominational ordination vows of each concurring commissioner."
(JP/IT)
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