Current Headlines

CLERGY STAND UP FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

The national conversation about whether same gender loving couples should have the right to be married has blurred what should be two separate and distinct issues:

1)      The right of faith communities to choose who may or may not be married by that community of faith, and

2)      The right of all citizens to receive equal protection under the law.

For  the church, marriage is a sacrament and a rite of the church. The government has no right to tell faith communities who can and cannot receive their rites and sacraments.  But faith communities have no right to tell the state who may or may not receive equal protection under the law, based on any community’s religious beliefs.  We believe the separation of church and state is good for the church and for the state.

 For too long, churches have participated in the denial of civil rights to same gender loving citizens by our willingness to sign marriage licenses for heterosexual couples while gay and lesbian couples were denied this legal right.  At First Congregational United Church of Christ we will no longer sign marriage licenses for anyone until we are able to sign marriage licenses for everyone.

 We will no longer collaborate with the state of Oregon in a policy of discrimination that grants over 1,140 specific civil rights and benefits to heterosexual couples, while denying those same civil rights and benefits to gay and lesbian couples.

We will continue to celebrate the beautiful sacrament of  marriage for all couples who wish their love and their spiritual union to be blessed by the church.  And we will continue to fight for justice for same gender loving people as part of our call to follow the radical Jesus who leaves no one out.

On January 10^th at 10:30 am we will be celebrating weddings for same gender couples at our church.  We invite you to join us for this celebration.

In lieu of wedding gifts, donations can be made to:

UCC Marriage Equality, 717 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland, OR 97520

Rev. Pamela Shepherd                    Rev. James C. Martin

Rev. Charles Harlow                       Rev. Dorothy Brooks