Marriage Equality in New Jersey

Christ Church is an Open and Affirming Church.  This means we support  and welcome Gay and Lesbian members.  New Jersey currently has a Civil Union law which means our Gay and Lesbian members may be joined in our church and at least one couple has celebrated their Civil Union in our church.
This week the senante of New Jersey will be taking up legislation to leagalize same sex Marriaage in New Jersey.
A petition was circulated and "signed by more than 2,300 Democratic officials, advocates and residents has helped sway members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee.'  The State Senate Judiciary Committee will take up the bil tomorrow Monday December 7th.  According to the New York Times article of December 4th "A large turnout for the vote is expected by those on both sides of the issue; gay couples are planning to testify about what they believe are shortcomings in the state’s civil union law, which was passed in 2006."
It is expected that this bill will be passed by the Judiciary Committee and voted on the full Senate later this week.
There is opposition from "the New Jersey Catholic Conference (that) helped deliver about 156,000 signatures asking legislators to enforce the civil union law instead of approving same-sex marriage.
Since Christ Church belongs to the United Church of Christ, here's with what the UCC has to say about marriage equality: "On July 4, 2005, at the 25th General Synod of the United Church of Christ in Atlanta, delegates voted to adopt the resolution, "Equal Marriage Rights for All" The resources below are provided to help facilitate conversations and study throughout the church and society on this complex and challenging matter which has important implications for individuals, families and the wider community. They are intended to get people of faith talking about the purposes of marriage, looking more closely at how marriage has evolved and changed through time biblically and socially, exploring the theology of marriage, and critically discerning the appropriate roles for the church and the state in marriage."  Here is the full article about marriage equality from the UCC.
The link contains resources and information about the topic.  As I said in church today, we need to pray for this and contact out New Jersey State Senators, that we support the idea of marriage equality and that they should vote for this in New Jersey.
Jeannette Brown