Church Won't Do Straight Weddings Until Gay Marriage Is Legal

[Tinky]

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (CBS Charlotte/AP)- A local church has elected to stop performing marriage ceremonies for straight couples until same-sex marriage is legalized.

In a statement posted on the front page of their website, officials at the Green Street United Methodist Church said that they ask other churches to join in the movement to “refuse to sign any State marriage licenses until this right is granted to same- sex couples.”

The statement added, “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 the pastor to refrain from conducting wedding ceremonies in our sanctuary for straight couples, until the denomination lifts its ban for same-sex couples.”

In the full version of their statement - publicly posted on their website – the church asks that services such as premarital counseling be offered to couples of all orientations, in addition to other couple-specific services.

“We ask that our pastors, at their discretion, [also] offer to all couples regardless of orientation a Service of Relationship Blessing in the Sanctuary of Green Street Church,” the statement notes.

http://charlotte.cbs...riage-is-legal/

The Great Apostasy rolls on....

[Leonard]

Please don't use the honorable word 'church' to describe this abomination.....

[John Robinson]

Methodists are about as useless as Episcopalians.

[RustyAngeL]

Please don't use the honorable word 'church' to describe this abomination.....

I agree. I would say that God's people need to start waking up and taking a stand on what God's word says. But the people in this "church" are not God's people, they are of the world and ignoring what His word says. No wonder the unsaved see no difference in us. It is sad and sickening.

[wingnut-]

They have a powerful lobby. I find it funny these polls I am seeing recently claiming 70% of the people are for gay marriage, doesn't equate to voting results which show state after state banning gay marriage. I guess they figure if you tell a lie long enough, people will eventually believe it.

[ayin jade]

Im ok with that church not performing any marriages unless and until gay marraige is legal. Maybe heterosexuals will leave their church and get better leadership elsewhere.

[missmuffet]

The United Methodist Church is very pro gay.

[wingnut-]

Im ok with that church not performing any marriages unless and until gay marraige is legal. Maybe heterosexuals will leave their church and get better leadership elsewhere.

Good point, could be a blessing in disguise.

[AceDude]

"Methodists are about as useless as Episcopalians." Now I wonder how that does not get condemnation for being a very loaded and offensive remark?

[Tinky]

"Methodists are about as useless as Episcopalians." Now I wonder how that does not get condemnation for being a very loaded and offensive remark?

It's pretty obvious he meant the public doctrinal statements of the Methodist and Episcopalian Churches - not every member of those denominations.