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Gay rights church bans weddings
 08
Apr 2008- Weddings have been suspended at a 300-year-old church in north
London in protest at "unjust" religious marriage rights of same-sex couples.
Newington Green Unitarian
Church will only conduct a ceremonial blessing for both heterosexual and gay
couples who have legally wed in a civil ceremony.
The church's minister,
Andrew Pakula, said the church's committee voted unanimously in favour of the
decision.
The church in Islington
suspended full wedding ceremonies from 30 March.
It said it would continue
to bar full weddings until the law is amended.
Mr Pakula said: "When we
realised 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.
"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 church's decision
comes after the Unitarians' national conference called for the Civil Partnership
Act to be changed to allow religious content in civil partnership registrations.
Mr Pakula added:
"Historically churches have been major perpetrators of injustice for gay and
lesbian people and as a church that welcomes people of all sexual orientation,
as both members and clergy, we feel it is our duty to stand up on the other
side.
"We are standing on the
side of love here and that is our stance."
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