Refuse to Sign » Why Refuse to Sign

Rev. Tricia Gilbert

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:04:32 +0000

My church recognizes same gender unions, yet the state where I live does not. I support the refuse to sign campaign because the state should not be in the business of dictating what relationships can and cannot be blessed by the church.

Rev. Tricia Gilbert

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:06:22 +0000

By the power invested in me by the state of Ohio, I now pronounce you… Never before have those words, ever spoken more loudly to me than on the day Proposition 8 was overturned in California. I live in Ohio, yet this vote affected me deeply and it became the driving force for me to support the Refuse to Sign campaign. As a clergy person, I had an extremely hard time in accepting the fact that 18,000 gay and lesbian couples in California marriages are now in jeopardy.

Clergy should be able…

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:28:15 +0000

Andrea Green

I am so proud to be a member of Pilgrim and the United Church of Christ. The church is comprised of so many different societal groups. It doesn’t surprise me that they would be one of the first churches setting out to gain marriage equality for every committed couple in their congregation.
Clergy should be able to perform marriages or civil unions based on their congregation’s beliefs. If they are made to sign a state document that permits only heterosexuals couples to gain government benefits, it places them in a position of forced discrimination.
A marriage “license” is granted by the state and therefore only a state official should be authorized to sign it. Let our spiritual leaders focus on God’s love not governments laws.
Both church and government are continuously evolving. Let these two separate entities grow in the direction and time frame that they are comfortable with.
Andrea Green

Rev. Tricia Gilbert

admin — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:07:19 +0000

At what point do you believe in a church state split? Have you ever considered the fact that clergy have been acting as agents of the state by signing marriage licenses? Does this not bother you? If you truly believe in a church state split, then it should bother you. If you never thought about it, now is the time you should.

We support Refuse to Sign

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:19:51 +0000

Molly & Avery(Picture taken by Robert Stemnock, LightComm Designs Inc.)

We support Refuse to Sign because as a racially mixed couple, in the not-too-distant past we could not be legally married in many states. So we feel that we should support the next group of people that cannot be legally married. It is not a gay issue, but a civil rights and social justice issue.

William Avery
Molly Holland

Refuse to Sign policy

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:54:33 +0000

Rod and I are so proud of our pastors and our Church for taking a stand with the Refuse to Sign policy now in place at Pilgrim United Church of Christ. It is about time that we all stand up for true justice and true equality for the LGBT community. It is a matter of simple civil rights and fairness and it is the struggle of our time. Stand strong Pilgrim!

Proudly,

Jane and Rod Reilly