WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A Methodist church in Winston-Salem, N.C., said it will no longer perform marriages for heterosexual couples until United Methodist pastors are allowed to officiate at marriages for same-sex couples.
Green Street United Methodist Church
The Green Street United Methodist Church‘s 18-member leadership council is asking its pastor to conduct relationship blessings rather than marriage ceremonies in the sanctuary until the United Methodist Church changes its policies.
“On the matter of gay marriage, the church sees injustice in the legal position of state government and the theological position of our denomination. North Carolina prohibits same sex marriage and all the rights and privileges marriage brings. The Leadership Council has asked that their ministers join others who refuse to sign any State marriage licenses until this right is granted to same sex couples,” the church said, in a statement.
“Because the United Methodist Church prohibits its pastors from conducting same sex weddings, excluding gay and lesbian couples from the holy sacrament of marriage, the Leadership Council has asked their pastor to refrain from conducting wedding ceremonies in our sanctuary for straight couples, until the denomination lifts its ban for same sex couples.”
The church council scheduled a Sunday news conference to discuss its position.
Currently, the United Methodist Church prohibits its pastors from conducting same sex weddings. The church also bans gay and lesbian people from serving as clergy.
In May 2012, voters in North Carolina passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, approved by more than 60 percent of voters.
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That is so wonderful!!!!
:)
Just about time!
awesome. :D
Amazing! :)
Awesome! I love my home town!
VERY NICE! Thank you for the solidarity!!!
But wouldn’t such marriages still be legally null and void in NC since they passed that amendment prohibiting same sex marriage, as did Florida and many other states? This is why we need Federal legislation guaranteeing full and equal American citizen rights to every American, not just the gay community.
Right on!Thank you.
Bravo!
Love it!
You are spot on Gregory P. Gallien!
good for a church standing up for what is right
Awesome church so good to hear something other then hate
See! I told y’all we’re not all like that! Even the straights.
In the church weddings are not even required by law in the US. The original church existed for centuries before wedding ceremonies even took place in a church.
YES FINALLY A NC CHURCH i live in nc and i really want it to change for the better so i can marry my future husband in my native state
Kudos! <3 We need all churches to behave in the respectable manner that yours does. Some day, with wonderful people like you!
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right on!
Then come to Colorado its getting close that we might possibly be able to marry! Civil rights just has been noticed here,so I am sure marriage is just around the corner! Hopefully
right on!
It’s a great start!
Sometimes you just have to take a stand!
Good for them!! Hopefully more churches will begin following suit!
Proud of them :)
GOOD!!!!!
Thank you to the people of this church
19 yrs old a singer/songwriter and gay. My home state is NC. WTG So proud
What a perfect message they’re about the Real God…
Finally!
HEHEHE
Well, how about that!
Thank you N.C. !!
Amazing. That is what is called taking a stand.
Fair play
Yeah!
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WOW! I live like 30 minutes from Winston. That’s great news!
like
Methodist church in the Bible Belt? Did not expect something like this. That’s really amazing! Hooray for them!
omg they cant deny straight people to marry thatd be so hateful and horrible.
(sarcasm)
Yea…….
How brave and wonderful!
thank you!
Bravo
What does it solve ultimately?
so what about all those heterosexual couples who want to be married regardless and be happy and celebrate such an event..this church is going to tell them to go elsewhere in the name of God?
I guess all those heterosexual couples who want to be married will then know how it feels to the gay couples who are discriminated against.
Wow! Maybe NC isn’t all that bad
The congregation has agreed to this, and have decided to make a drastic stand for love. Why would anyone ask a church they do not attend to perform their marriage ceremony?
It should, Karen because in the bible if we need to really go there it tells us to love one another as Jesus loves us ALL
good
GOOD!!! :)
That’s sweet of them but they could go a step further and help humanity by dismantling their bogus organization
What the horror
HA ! YAY!!
No Jorge Juarez, I am afraid that puts you in the same boat as people wanting to stop gay marriages all together, but on a slightly different skew. No matter your outlook on organized religion, they should be afforded the right to believe and practice any form of personal religious belief they choose just as much as we should be able to love any person we choose and marry them, with the same tolerance from the nation and freedom of choice.
Very courageous and totally awesome. Bravo
Emily i am not a bible person..:)
we can all have our different perspectives and understandings and respect them
Maybe there is hope for NC after all. I hope more people / organizations would take a similar stand.
Baptists, take note……………..