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Left to right: Rev. Jean Alexander, Senior Minister of United Parish, along with David and Mary Lou Walsh, Chairs of the Open and Affirming/Reconciling Committee at United Parish in Auburndale, accept the Outstanding Congregation Award representing outstanding leadership as a community of faith in action by advocating for marriage equality as a matter of civil rights and religious liberty. Next are presenters Rabbi Devon Lerner, Executive Director of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry, and the Rev. Tiffany Steinwert of the Cambridge Welcoming Ministries and Board Member of RCFM. |
by Marlene Gasdia-Cochrane, Editor
April/May 2006
The Massachusetts Conference, along with two Massachusetts UCC congregations and former Conference Minister and President Nancy Taylor were recently honored for their work in preserving marriage equality in Massachusetts. The awards were presented by the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry at a ceremony held in February at the Massachusetts’ State House.
“It was a moving experience to see so many in the UCC recognized for their work on marriage equality and to be there with those from other faith traditions,” said Kathie Carpenter, Chair of the Conference’s Open and Affirming Task Force. “The recognition tells some of the stories of the faith, courage and vision of individuals and congregations, as well as delegates to the 2004 Annual Meeting and last summer’s General Synod.”
“Having the awards given in the majestic halls at the State House reminds one of the long struggle for rights of individuals and groups that is on-going and in which the UCC has always been called to be there with living faith,” Carpenter said. “These awards challenge us all to do more to advance the discussion of rights in our congregations, to live the Open and Affirming promise, and to join with others to risk doing justice.”
During the ceremony, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Sterner, Interim Conference Minister and President, accepted the Peace and Justice Award on behalf of the UCC General Synod and Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Conference for outstanding faith-based leadership in helping gay and lesbian couples preserve their right to marry. The Rev. Dr. Nancy S. Taylor, Senior Minister of Old South Church (UCC) in Boston, was honored with the Rabbi Bernard Mehlman Building Bridges Award for her prophetic leadership in helping to build bridges with people of faith who are still in dialogue about marriage equality. Outstanding Congregation Awards were given to United Parish of Auburndale in Newton and the First Churches of Northampton for outstanding leadership as a community of faith in action by advocating for marriage equality as a matter of civil rights and religious liberty.
In other ONA news, an event is planned for April 2 at Trinity Church in Northborough to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the ONA program in the Massachusetts Conference.
ONA, an abbreviation for Open and Affirming, is the name for congregations and other settings in the United Church of Christ that have adopted an ONA statement, publicly welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people into their full life and ministry.