Mayflower UCC, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The following is the process that Mayflower UCC Church followed as they discussed the issue of refusing to sign marriage licenses.

April 2005

Anticipating resolutions at General Synod pertaining to marriage, members begin drafting a resolution regarding marriage for our congregation. They attended our council meeting and presented the text of a resolution from the Southern California Nevada Conference, which was supported by council and recommended for a congregational vote in May. Members also presented a draft resolution for our congregation.

May

Congregation voted to be a sponsor of the General Synod resolution

July

General Synod passes the resolution. Members launch a Mayflower Marriage Initiative, and preliminary plans are presented to council.

August

Members meet with internal groups about the initiative and plan education for the congregation during the fall and winter, about the initiative but also more broadly about the meaning of marriage. Rev. Campbell preaches on the history of marriage.

September

Newsletter contains an essay with an invitation to the congregation into a conversation on marriage during the year. Materials made available at Gathering Sunday and in our literature racks. Deacons begin to look at Mayflower’s policies on marriage.

October

Pastors present a dialogue sermon on weddings and marriage. Four part Adult Education Series begins. (One: What makes for a good marriage? Two: Which Marriage is real, church or state? ). Begin collecting stories for theater piece on marriage, announcements in church.

November

Met with youth about their perspective on the marriage initiative. Adult Education continues: Skits presented on why marriage is such an emotional issue.

December

Draft resolution for the congregation printed in the newsletter. Box for questions placed at the Welcome Desk and announcements made in church.

January

Q and A on Marriage Initiative in newsletter.
Book Study on Why Marriage Matters.

Adult education class with local representative.

February

Q and A in newsletter. Fourth in Adult Ed series: with Judges on what securing a civil license entails. MMI Theater piece in worship with “talk back” after the service. Initiative committee visits council again.

March

Q and A in newsletter. Draft resolution in newsletter. Congregational meeting and affirmative vote.

Q and A from February, 2006

Q: What is the Mayflower Marriage Initiative?

A: It is a review of our current policies surrounding marriage to make sure we remove any discrimination.

Q: Why are we reviewing our marriage policies?

A: The review is driven both by our ongoing growth as an Open and Affirming Congregation and in response to a call from the UCC Synod 25 to remove any discrimination against same-gender couples.

Q: What is the Mayflower Marriage Initiative Proposal?

A: There are two critical parts to the proposal. The first part is that we will join in sacred marriage covenant any couple that wishes to form such a union. The second part is that we will not participate in the civil, State-sanctioned aspects of marriage at least until such time as all caring, committed couples are allowed to participate.

Q: Doesn’t this discriminate against opposite-gender couples?

A: It asks opposite-gender couples to endure some inconvenience to participate in the civil aspects of marriage. Opposite-gender couples will have to have their marriage licenses signed by a civil authority such as a judge or justice of the peace at the civil official’s location rather than by officiating clergy on Mayflower property. Opposite-gender couples, unlike same-gender couples, will have the option to have their union recognized by the state.

Q: Are their other churches already doing this?

A: Mayflower is again among the leaders in this process. We are aware of one other congregation that has this as their practice if not their stated policy and a second congregation that is ready to take steps similar to ours. We also know that there are more and more clergy that are individually choosing to not participate in the state’s discriminatory practices.

Q: Doesn’t this give up any leverage in the process we might have?

A: We will still be able to join in sacred marriage covenant any couples that wish to do so and any couples that wish can get their union legally recognized, if they are permitted to by law. However, as a step in our growth as an Open and Affirming Congregation these actions make a strong statement in support of marriage equality for all caring, committed couples both to the GLBT community and to the larger community outside our walls.