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D.C. Mayor to Sign Gay Marriage Bill at a Church

By Hannah Wilkens on Thursday, 17th December 2009 D.C. Mayor to Sign Gay Marriage Bill at a Church thumbnail

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty of Washington, DC is going to sign the gay marriage bill that was passed on Tuesday at a church.

After an exhaustive search for the perfect location, the mayors office has decided that he will sign the bill tomorrow, Friday, December 18th at the All Souls Unitarian Church on Harvard Street NW in Washington, DC.

In a letter to the congregation, senior pastor Rev. Robert Hardies said:

“I am so heartened by the role our congregation has played in this important human rights struggle. All Souls members and ministers took a leading role in founding a coalition of nearly 200 DC clergy who supported the bill. We contributed money, marched on the Mall, called our Council members, and talked with our neighbors. We helped change hearts and minds.”

“We’re honored to be able to host this historic bill-signing. We believe this is a historic step forward for justice and human rights in our nation’s capitol,” Rev. Hardies told The Washington Post.

All Souls is an inclusive church, with the welcome message on their website saying:

“All Souls Church, Unitarian is a progressive religious community located in the heart of Washington, DC, at the intersection of the Mt. Pleasant, Adams Morgan, and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. We walk diverse spiritual paths to find meaning and purpose in our lives, but we are united in our belief in the worth and dignity of all people, and the obligation to express our faith through acts of justice and compassion. We hope you’ll join us as we create a diverse, spirit-growing, justice-seeking community that is true to our name, All Souls!”

The right for gays to marry in Washington, DC was hard fought with much of the opposition coming from churches and their supporters. While there are many churches and congregations against gay marriage, there are also many that support the right to and even embrace same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, the pro-gay marriage churches were drowned out by the anti-marriage ones. Now is the time for the churches that fought for the right, but that did not receive media attention, to shine.