Updated: The bells rang out at Noon Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral (and other church communities as well): The Washington Post describes the service of thanksgiving that took place in the evening.
Dean Hall has also issued an invitation to all LGBT couples and families to attend a special service tonight, Wednesday, June 26, at 7 p.m. A diverse group of faith leaders will speak out in support of marriage equality at a press conference preceding the prayer service at 5 p.m.
Dean Hall will be joined by:
The Rev. Dr. Dennis Wiley, pastor of Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry
The Rev. Dwayne Johnson, senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church D.C.
Rabbi Jessica Oleon, Temple Sinai
The Rev. Linda Kaufman, Episcopal Diocese of Washington
The National Cathedral’s complete press release
Update:
Here is the WaPo story about the liturgy:
The words of Scripture have been used time and again to preach against homosexual unions. But on Wednesday evening at the National Cathedral, the celebrants who sang “alleluia” as a Bible was held high found new meaning in its verses.
They prayed in the words of the prophet Isaiah, who spoke of a God who “strengthens the powerless.”
They prayed in the words of the Epistle to the Ephesians, which tells of an eternal sovereign for “every family in heaven . . . rooted and grounded in love.”
And they offered, perhaps, a new prayer — they thanked God and, in the same breath, they thanked the Supreme Court.
All Content © 2017 Episcopal Café
Related: a Bulgarian immigrant who lived in Florida but married his husband in New York received a green card.
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/07/gay-couple-florida-already-have-first-post-doma-green-card/66732/
In other words, same-sex binational couples can currently receive immigration benefits if they marry in states recognizing same-sex marriage. This will not be easy for everyone to accomplish, but it is not an insurmountable hurdle. Therefore it is a BFD.
However, it's equally possible that a future administration could choose to restrict such benefits to couples currently living in a state recognizing same-sex marriage.
Bishop Frade of SE Florida:
A statement from Bishop Frade on this week's Supreme Court rulings on the Voting Rights and Defense of Marriage Acts
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
This has been a busy news week in America, and for some, justice has been served; for others it has been denied. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the United States invalidated a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The court's ruling affects many of our neighboring states, but as a whole, the entire United States has been affected. The decision, freeing nine southern states to change their election laws without federal approval, is a setback to what many in our country have worked so hard for in our history - that of equal rights.
While today's ruling by the Supreme Court striking down a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act is a huge victory in equal rights for all, we must not set aside the specific rights of our brothers and sisters, and we cannot fully rejoice until we have equal rights for all - minorities and majorities.
Let us all continue to be vigilant and not so quick to excite. For we are all God's children and we all deserve the right to be treated equally and fairly under the law and under God's watchful eye.
May God continue to bless you.
+Leo Frade
Bishop of Diocese of Southeast Florida
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Chris Cooper
To the point, consider Trinity Cathedral Cleveland's statement:
"We are elated by the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. We look forward to the resumption of same-sex marriage in California and are committed to working for marriage equality in Ohio. At the same time, we are disappointed with the court’s decision regarding The Voting Rights Act. The court’s ruling on affirmative action leaves us and others confused. We would have preferred a more definitive and clear determination in support of correcting decades of discrimination against minorities. These decisions remind us that it is incumbent that we remain vigilant in working to promote God’s kingdom on earth. In a matter of days, one group of citizens achieved the long-sought federal protections granted all other married couples while another achieved the right to marry the person they love without regard for gender. At the same time, African-Americans saw the protections that have ensured truly equal participation in the electoral process eradicated."
http://trinitycleveland.org/blog/2013/featured-news/joint-statement-on-supreme-court-rulings/
Gay Jennings and Susan Russell for example, both listed in our reactions today...
Many of the same people celebrating today were indeed lamenting yesterday's rulings...