Pastor Blesses 15 Gay, Lesbian Holy Unions
By David Heitz , QCtimes.com from the Web, August 30, 2004
Davenport, Iowa -- Government officials stopped them from being legally married, but nobody could silence their public declaration of love.
Several gay and lesbian couples who were denied marriage licenses last week at the Scott and Rock Island county courthouses unofficially tied the knot Sunday during holy unions performed at Duck Creek Park in Davenport.
"I think it's important for us to stand up together," said Connie Jarvis of Davenport after exchanging vows with her partner, Pat Hooper.
"The public can think what they want to think. What's important to us is having our family and friends here."
Equality Quad-Cities and Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity, gay advocacy groups, organized the ceremonies.
Rich Henricks, a Metropolitan Community Church pastor, officiated.
"With the need for legal recognition for the rights of gay and lesbian folks, I think people are taking a fresh look at what commitment means," Henricks said.
"I think it's wonderful that people feel free to do this. It's claiming our identity in a public way."
More than 15 gay couples had their relationships blessed privately Sunday by Henricks during services at Metropolitan Community Church, or MCC, in Davenport.
Henricks drove down from the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Ill., to perform the unions because the Davenport MCC currently does not have a pastor.
"I feel like I'm making a statement," said Michele Heath of Rock Island, who exchanged rings with her partner, Kathy McCrady.
Dozens of well-wishers attended a double ceremony for Jarvis, Hooper, Heath and McCrady at the park's gazebo.
An organist played wedding music while the lesbian couples marched up the sidewalk.
"Community of the beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join these women together in holy unions," Henricks said.
He prayed that the couples "communicate fully and fearlessly" and read scripture during the service.
Sara Meyer of Rock Island sang, "You Fill Up My Senses" by John Denver.
Henricks concluded the ceremony by pronouncing the couples "in love in the name of the creator, redeemer and the holy spirit."
Angie Hallman and Christy Terp of Davenport wore matching blue shirts and black pants during their union.
"A lot of speculation is that gay and lesbian relationships don't last forever, but Christy and I have been together five years," Hallman said.
"We love just the same way a straight couple loves."
Several members of Terp's family attended the ceremony. "I'm happy for her because she's happy," said Will Terp, Christy Terp's brother.
Family and friends of the nuptials blew bubbles as couple after couple joined hands at the gazebo.
Lambda Legal, a Washington, D.C.-based gay rights organization, donated the bubbles.
A reception for all of the couples was held in the Duck Creek Park lodge. Daisies and carnations bearing all the colors of the rainbow, the symbol of gay pride, decorated the tables.
A wedding cake with a pair of porcelain bluebirds on top was flanked by pairs of plastic brides and grooms.
A dollar dance collected money to pay for the celebration, which cost about $100 per couple, according to Clayton Peterson of Equality Quad-Cities.
Peterson said the idea to have couples try to get marriage licenses at the courthouses and then publicly proclaim their love hit him after President Bush expressed support for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
"I was so mad I envisioned dozens of gay and lesbian couples getting married on the Centennial Bridge, wearing rainbow colors, spanning from side to side with a preacher overhead in a helicopter marrying us," Peterson said.
Scott VanDeWoestyne, executive director of Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity, applauded the couples' courage.
"You are talking about the strength of love and the strength of commitment and the strength to say in front of people that we deserve the same rights as everyone else.
It's about fairness."
The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com
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