This July Fourth weekend, the Clifton Universalist Unitarian Church is organizing three days of free marriage ceremonies to celebrate a “new independence for a lot of couples," said Trustee-at-Large Charles Gavin Osborne.
“We’ve had a good response to the announcement,” Osborne said. “We wanted to offer a dignified wedding ceremony in our little white chapel. Of course, many churches are still not performing these ceremonies, but we are.”
While awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on national recognition of same-sex marriage, church leadership already knew they would offer a weekend of free marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples if the ruling was in favor. Now, after the decision came through on June 26, the plan is being put into action.
This comes after the church suspended, from 2004 to 2014, the performance of any marriage ceremony at all until all couples were granted the legal right to wed. They reinstated the ceremonies last year in support of congregants Larry Ysunza and Tim Love, plaintiffs in the landmark decision (Ysunza and Love are making plans for an October wedding).
Couples interested in being married at the church over the Independence Day weekend are invited to make inquiries through the Facebook event page or by emailing Osborne. Each ceremony, whether with traditional or personalized vows, will be performed free of charge, and guests of the couple are welcome.
The Clifton Universalist Unitarian Church is located at 2231 Payne Street.
Photo: CUUC
