TJ Connection - Summer 2004

A Day to Remember
Fifty same sex couples married on May 20 at Arlington Street Church

(Boston, May 20, 2004)
It was a perfect day for a spring wedding — sunny, temperate, soft breezes blowing the flowers that bloomed in the Boston Public Garden. For fifty Boston-area couples, it was an historic day — the first day on which same sex marriages are legal in Massachusetts for couples who did not seek waivers of their license application on May 17th. The members of Arlington Street Church, known for its history of supporting peace and justice, decided that it was a fine day to open the doors of their historic sanctuary which sits on the corners of Arlington and Boylston Street in Boston's Back Bay, and invite love inside.

Beginning at 8:30 AM a series of fifty weddings were held, affirming the decision of the justices of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth, and the commitment and love held by the couples who arrived to be joined in legal matrimony. Services were conducted by the Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie, Senior Minister at ASC, by Rabbi Howard Berman (who serves as Associate Clergy and Rabbi-in-Residence at Arlington Street Church), and the Rev. George Whitehouse (an ordained member of the ASC congregation).

As the church carillon played well-known hymn tunes, couples gathered outside the church, and one by one, had brief meetings with the clergy person who would legally marry them. Most chose to process down the aisle as candles were lit on the chancel and floral arrangements graced the table in front of the historic pulpit from which civil rights have been affirmed for centuries.

--Story and photo by Deb Weiner. Complete article online at http://www.uua.org/news/2004/040520.html

Unitarian Church of Norfolk Takes a Stand
Against Virginia Law

By unanimous vote, the required double quorum (40% of the total church membership) committed to take a public stand in support of inherent worth and dignity and ijn opposition to discrimination. The meeting, held June 6th, consisted of discussion and discernment of the precise wording and intent of the statement.

Congratulations toall for continuingthe Unitarian Church of Noroflk’s heritage of responding to injustice. The public stand, and the church’s official position states:

“The congregation of the Unitarian Church of Norfolk (Unitarian Universalist) covenants to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person in addition to justice, equity and compassion in human relations. Recently, the Commonwealth of Virginia General Assembly passed HB751, which prohibits “a civil union, partnership contract or other contractual arrangement between persons of the same sex purpoprting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriage.” Because HB751 devalues gay, lesbian, bsexual and transgender persons and promoted injustice and inequality, the Unitarian Church of Norfolk (Unitarian Universalist) is taking a public stand to denounce the hurtful and divisive discrimination and harmful consequences of this recently passed legislation.

The Unitarian Church of Norfolk (Unitarian Universalist) adopts a position in support of legal recognition for marriage between members of the same sex. The Unitarian Church of Norfolk (Unitarian Universalist) will make this position known through the media, and urges its members to proclaim the work of marriage between any two committed persons and to make this position known in their communities.

--Submitted by the Unitarian Church of Norfolk