North London's
Newington Green Unitarian Church is taking a stand for gay
and lesbian couples by refusing to conduct any
heterosexual marriages until Britain's Civil
Partnership Act is changed to allow religious content
in civil partnership registrations. The church will
conduct only blessing ceremonies for both gay and straight
couples who have legally wed in a civil ceremony,
according to BBC News.
Newington
minister Andrew Pakula, said that the church's committee
voted unanimously in favor of the decision.
"We are standing
on the side of love here, and that is our stance," he
said to the BBC.
The church, which
is described as an "inclusive, liberal religious
community," stopped performing full wedding ceremonies as of
March 30.
"When we realized
the extent of the injustice in the existing civil
partnership law, which completely prohibits any connection
between religion and civil partnerships, we decided it
just wasn't something we could take part in," Pakula
said. "We have at this point continued to do blessings
and civil partnership blessings so anyone who has done
the legal business in the town hall can come to us and do a
gorgeous religious celebration." (The Advocate)