Saturday, April 26, 2008

Mazel tov, Mark & +Gene!

New Hampshire Bishop Plans His Civil Union Rite


[photo credit C. Black]

From the NYT article:

Bishop Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal prelate whose consecration led conservatives to split from the church, said in an interview on Thursday that he and his partner of 20 years were planning a civil union ceremony to be held in his home church in the diocese of New Hampshire in June.

Bishop Robinson said that by scheduling the ceremony for June, he did not intend to further inflame conservatives just before the Anglican Communion gathers in August in Cambridge, England, for the Lambeth Conference, which happens only once every 10 years.


He planned his civil union for June, he said, because he wanted to provide some legal protection to his partner and his children before he left for England for the conference. Bishop Robinson has received death threats, and he wore a bulletproof vest under his vestments at his consecration in 2003.

“We could have, I suppose, just gone to the town clerk and had that signed,” he said, “but, you know, I’m a religious person, and every major event in my life has been marked with some kind of liturgy and giving thanks to God.”

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So "Mazel tov!" to Mark & +Gene! We are looking forward, more than you know, to the outward and visble sign of the blessing your love and witness already offers to the church, to the world and to other couples striving to live together in love for better or worse!

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