Marriage Equality - Photo Album and More...

2007 Religious Coalition in Support
Extensive News Coverage
Marriage Won't Wait - Video
500 Mile Walk for Equality
Support and Song on Valentines Day 2006
Youth and Clergy Photo Album
Young UU Leaders Join Clergy at Capitol
Standing on the Side of Love Sunday
Marriage Equality Caravan
Get Engaged Tours

Photos and stuff....

Religious Coalition Files Marriage Equality Amicus Brief With California Supreme Court

Press Release, September 26, 2007

More than 400 signatories, religious leaders and faith organizations, including many Unitarian Universalists and UU Legislative Ministry-CA, have filed an amicus curiae or “friend of the court” brief in California’s Supreme Court in support of the six marriage cases under the title In re Marriage Cases. Read complete story.

Extensive News Coverage of Interfaith Amicus Brief Filing

“Powerful” and “moving” were words often used to describe the five interfaith events held in churches and synagogues on September 26 that marked the filing of the amicus briefs supporting marriage equality before the California Supreme Court.

Unitarian Universalist clergy and lay leaders were out in force in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Luis Obispo, as more than 100 faith leaders spoke eloquently and passionately about why their religious convictions called them to support the freedom of marry.

Read More.

Marriage Won't Wait: Video

The ceremony, at a Unitarian Universalist church in Santa Barbara on July 1, was a pronouncement of love and a protest. Unwilling to wait for court rulings, legislation and public acceptance, the women chose to take what the law won't give them: marriage.

Wonderful Marriage Video
Ventura County Star
July 23, 2006

Jennifer Schumaker Completes her 500 Mile Walk for Equality

UU member, writer, lesbian, and single soccer mom of four, completed her 500 mile walk from San Diego to San Francisco on behalf of GLBT rights and marriage equality.

In her blog, Jennifer writes, "I'm uplifted and overwhelmed at the power of 'togetherness.' There is a web of love and hope being formed here, as all of us who are strands in it know. I am profoundly aware that everyone associated with Walk for Togetherness brings gifts of imagination, experience, pain, and faith to this web."

Freedom to Marry Activities:

Almost 40 people from the Modesto area gathered on Valentine’s Day at the Stanislaus Clerk-Recorder’s office in support of three same-sex couples who applied for marriage licenses. Organized by members of the UU Fellowship of Stanislaus County, singers from their choir brought song sheets, guitar, inviting those gathered to join them in song. The Rev Grace Simons lead the group in prayer as the couples prepared to go into the Clerk’s office.

See article in the Modesto Bee (February 16, 2006)

Youth and Clergy Photo Album

Young UU Leaders Join Clergy at Capitol to Support Marriage Equality.

Young UU Leaders Join Clergy at Capitol

“I learned more in one day about the way our government works than I have learned in a lifetime of classes. Today was amazing.” – Parker, age 17

Seventeen young UU leaders, from San Diego to Davis, traveled to Sacramento to join 27 UU clergy and lay leaders in lifting up a religious voice on behalf of full civil marriage equality. What a privilege to work with the next generation of faith-based advocates!

Sunday afternoon, April 17th, they gathered for worship, training, and roll playing a legislative visit. Monday, they joined more UU clergy and clergy of other faiths for a press conference and day of legislative advocacy on behalf of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (AB19). The Rev. Judith Meyer of the UU Community Church of Santa Monica reports “ A highlight of the day was listening to the co-authors of the Act, Assemblyman Mark Leno and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez. Speaker Nuñez spoke about his deeply religious upbringing as a Roman Catholic. He credited his faith for teaching him to work for civil rights and human dignity. “

UU participants reported that many legislative offices set aside time for serious conversation on the issues. We were able to clarify that AB19 explicitly protects the religious freedom of clergy and congregations, assuring their right to marry only those couples that comply with the teachings of their faith, while still ensuring equal treatment under the law, regardless of sexual orientation or gender, for all committed CA couples.

The following week, AB19 passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a 6 to 3 vote. In Massachusetts, the tide did not start to turn in favor of ending marriage discrimination until the supportive religious community and clergy became visible and organized. UU Legislative Ministry is pleased to be able to lend our support.

Standing on the Side of Love: Photo Album

View our photo album of UU's creating marriage-equality valentines to send to the Governor. ( 3,800 marriage-equality valentines were hand-delivered to the Governor's Office, from Unitarian Universalists across the state.)

Top of the page.

Religious Marriage is a Religious Choice; Civil Marriage is a Civil Right

"Unitarian Universalists will continue to do all we can to work for marriage equality. Standing on the side of love, our ministers will preach for equality, our congregations will mobilize for equality, and our Association will voice support for marriage equality in the public arena. For Unitarian Universalists, this is a matter of justice. And in the long run, I know justice will prevail,"
- Rev. William G. Sinkford

Extending the rights and responsibilities of marriage to include same sex couples will help to strengthen families and communities, protect children and elders, and assure that every adult in California has the right to marry the person of his or her choice.

Marriage has both a religious and civil dimension. As a faith community that has long advocated for religious freedom, and whose clergy have been officiating at same sex weddings for over three decades, we are well aware of the difference between a marriage that is sanctioned and blessed by a religious community and the civil marriage rights and responsibilities that serve to define family in the eyes of the government. Religious communities will differ as to the requirements for marriage in their faith. The government must not discriminate against one whole class of people, denying them access to the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage.

February is Freedom to Marry Month, we invite your congregation to join us in our “Standing on the Side of Love” campaign, to be launched on the weekend of February 13th with a special Valentine’s Day service to honor and bless all loving couples in your congregation.

Worship Resources for Standing on the Side of Love Sunday

• If your congregation is participating in Standing on the Side of Love Sunday and would like a complimentary copy of the Congregational Hymn version of "Standing on the Side of Love", please e-mail a request to marriage@uulmca.org
  
  
• Choral Anthem “Standing on the Side of Love”, by Nashville composer and UU Minister Jason Shelton can be ordered at: http://www.jasonsheltonmusic.com/music.html  
  


• Sample Blessings and Affirmations
  
  
• A Valentine's Flyer (727KB pdf) from Equality CA, listing some of the key rights and responsibilities that come with marriage that are not found with domestic partnerships.
  

Marriage Equality Caravan

UU Clergy Hop on Board the Equality Express
& Send Daily Blogs from the Road

Revs. Helen Carroll and John Millspaugh in Reno.

Rev. Helen Carroll’s blog
Rev. John Millspaugh’s blog
Marriage Caravan photos

From October 4-11, 2004, 46 riders are traveling in a cross-country tour from Oakland to Washington D.C. with 11 city stops to promote marriage equality.

UU clergy, Rev. Helen Carroll and Rev. John Millspaugh are joining same-sex couples with voided marriage licenses, parents who want their children to have the right to marry, a woman who lost her home to taxes after her partner died, and a member of the armed forces who is forfeiting her pension by coming out. Together they are bringing the stories of loving same-sex couples and their struggle for civil rights to America.     Read more...