Rev. Amy DeLong, 44, of Osceola, Wis., was found guilty by the Methodist Church of performing a same-sex marriage. She's been a minister for 14 years and agreed to perform the ceremony despite the church's strict rules barring all clergy from doing so.
The church sentenced DeLong to twenty days suspension. Some said DeLong should sign a contract saying she'd never perform another same-sex ceremony or be suspended indefinitely. DeLong refused to sign.
“Performing the holy union for the couple I did was one of the great joys of my ministry, and I would never sign a document that would indicate I wouldn’t do that again,” DeLong told reporters Thursday.
“To sign such a document would say to the couple that I married, ‘Your marriage is not valid.’ I’d never want to send them that message.”
Though gay people are allowed to serve as clergy in the Methodist Church, they are required to remain celibate. DeLong and her partner registered under Wisconsin's Domestic Partnership Law in 2009 and have been in a relationship for sixteen years. Interestingly enough, however, on a second charge of being a “self-avowed practicing homosexual,” DeLong was acquitted.
We're not really sure either. Maybe they're not having sex? Maybe the church is on its way to doing away with the whole celibacy thing? Yay for Rev. DeLong for dodging that “convicted lesbian” bullet?
The church sentenced DeLong to twenty days suspension. Some said DeLong should sign a contract saying she'd never perform another same-sex ceremony or be suspended indefinitely. DeLong refused to sign.
“Performing the holy union for the couple I did was one of the great joys of my ministry, and I would never sign a document that would indicate I wouldn’t do that again,” DeLong told reporters Thursday.
“To sign such a document would say to the couple that I married, ‘Your marriage is not valid.’ I’d never want to send them that message.”
Though gay people are allowed to serve as clergy in the Methodist Church, they are required to remain celibate. DeLong and her partner registered under Wisconsin's Domestic Partnership Law in 2009 and have been in a relationship for sixteen years. Interestingly enough, however, on a second charge of being a “self-avowed practicing homosexual,” DeLong was acquitted.
We're not really sure either. Maybe they're not having sex? Maybe the church is on its way to doing away with the whole celibacy thing? Yay for Rev. DeLong for dodging that “convicted lesbian” bullet?