Tue 9 Oct 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Rev Dr Margaret Mayman A Wellington Presbyterian church is standing firm for marriage equality, in the face of the Presbyterian General Assembly’s decision to oppose the Marriage Amendment Bill. The Assembly made the decision at its gathering in Rotorua over the weekend. While it’s officially against the Bill, it is allowing ministers to make their own decisions on who they marry. In response, The Minister and community at St Andrew’s on The Terrace Presbyterian Church in Wellington have restated their commitment to be an inclusive church, welcoming and including people of any sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s dissenting from the Assembly’s decision to oppose marriage equality, saying marriage equality is not an issue on which Presbyterians agree. “We are looking forward to the passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill which will mean that we can offer to perform and bless civil marriages for same-sex couples,” says Minister Reverend Dr Margaret Mayman. “And we are relieved that the Assembly left ministers with the freedom to make decisions about whom they will marry.” Mayman says the St Andrew’s community supports the law change because it sees sexual orientation and gender identity as irrelevant in the celebration of a couple’s union. She says St Andrew’s has been blessing the relationships of same sex couples for over twenty years and celebrating civil unions since 2005. “At the moment we are forced to treat same-sex couples differently from other couples. I look forward to the time when we are able to meet same-sex couples’ requests to celebrate their marriage,” she says. “Because what matters in marriage is love and commitment.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 9th October 2012 - 9:51am