Earlier this year, the church I serve (Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ) decided that our clergy would no longer sign state-issued marriage licenses, nor would we allow them to be signed on our property. To us, this is a pertinent social justice issue. Because same-gender couples are not allowed to get married [...]

“Some have even announced they will not perform any marriages — gay or straight — until the ban is dissolved. Art Cribbs, a minister in southern California, joined a Cleveland-based campaign called Refuse-to-Sign in early July. A nationwide alliance of progressive clergy, Refuse-to-Sign aims to divide marriage into a two-step process: a secular, legislative aspect, [...]

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The Refuse-to-Sign movement, despite being made up largely of liberal organizations, is actively making an appeal to conservatives: We want your church to be able to decide for itself on the issue of same-sex marriage, even if, in the end, it chooses not to bless same-sex couples; we just don’t think the [...]

Rites and Wrongs
by Susan Brooks Thistlewaite
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/susan_brooks_thistlethwaite/2008/05/rites_and_wrongs.html

Church will perform religious weddings exclusively

Pilgrim church’s protest is a cry for justice – Connie Schultz
Pilgrim’s congregation has decided it will no longer support this injustice.