Marriage Equality in Washington State!

Dear sisters and brothers!

Hallelujah!

I can't stop smiling.  I can barely believe its true.  Yesterday, Washington State voted to affirm marriage equality which means that, starting today, gay and lesbian couples who chose to marry have the same access to the privileges and protections that come with state law as do straight couples.  What an amazing, amazing day!  

You all did this.  In Washington State, we built the largest religious coalition of marriage equality supporters ever.  The number of public statements – from wearing a button, to phone banking, to advertising, to preaching, to organizing concerts – all added up.  The monies and time you shared all added up.  This is a beautiful day; an amazing day!  We have come so far…

…and, of course, we still have a ways to go.  Celebrate today but plan on organizing tomorrow.  Approving 74 is an incredible continuation of victories in other parts of the country and world and there is still more to do.  Other states are going to consider similar laws and they'll need our support.  Other religious communities are going to form in other places and, in the same way many of them supported this effort with time and finances, we'll need to support them, as well.  Eventually, the country as a whole will be ready to support marriage equality or, by court order, recognize marriages of same gender couples.  Our experience can help our sisters in brothers within other areas and other religious traditions find their voice in the same way we found ours.

But today, I'm going to just keep grinning.  Sometime, in the not too distant future, many of us clergy are going to have that same grin on our face as we sign some certain marriage licenses…  

Thanks be to God!

Peace.

Mike