Clergywoman to Wed in Britain’s First Same-Sex Marriage in December

Under the Civil Partnership Bill which was passed by the British Parliament last year, civil unions between gay couples will begin to take place in the UK by the end of the year. The first same-sex wedding is set for the 21st December in Brighton, said the Tuesday edition of BBC news. A homosexual clergywoman from a Community Church is expected to join the historical wedding with her partner, which has shocked many.

The Civil Partnership Bill will become law on 5th December, gay couples in Britain will be able to notify a registery office of an intention to form the homosexual civil partnership. After a 15-day waiting period, official documents can be signed and ceremonies are allowed to take place on 21st December.

The ceremony in Brighton this time will take place at the town hall in Bartholomew Square, where regular civil marriages in the city are held.

The 46-year-old vicar at the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Rev Debbie Gaston will marry partner of 16-years, Elaine Cook, 53, who is a teacher and has two grown-up children from a previous heterosexual marriage, according to the BBC news.

Gaston claimed that she has married more than 30 couples herself. She said, "As a vicar I obviously believe whole-heartedly in the concept of marriage."

"Elaine and I have waited many years to be able to make this kind of commitment to each other and we both see the Civil Partnership Bill as a huge step in the right direction for equality," she added.

The Independent newspaper reported that the couple met in 1987 at their local Baptist church but did not start a relationship for a couple of years, partly because of the guilt they felt from their religion. Later as they joined their current church MCC, they began to feel more confident about themselves. MCC is a Christian ministry that welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender worshippers.

Gaston was quoted by Independent London, "...I think the Bill will make the main denominations start to think about this now."

In the wake of the legalisation of same-sex marriage effective in December, mainline churches in the UK have been challenged by the worrying trend. For the Methodist Church of the Great Britain, which has a 300,000-strong congregation, is going to address the issue of same-sex marriages among the churches and the general public on next month’s annual general meeting.

The report to the Methodist Conference 2005 recommended a discussion "on how to respond to requests to conduct prayers or services of blessing for same-sex couples, particularly in the light of recent legislation on civil partnerships."

It was also suggested that if the conference is approved, ministers could adapt a liturgy for the blessing of a heterosexual couple in civil marriage, to also bless the civil partnerships of gay couples.