Marriage fight casts shadow over historic Pride Interfaith Service

Stepping to the pulpit after the six-member Union United Methodist Church Men's Choir brought the hand-clapping congregation to its feet with a joyful rendition of the spiritual "I Love To Praise His Holy Name," Drayton Freeman, co-chair of the Boston Pride Interfaith Coalition offered an apology as people settled back onto the cushioned pews of the South End church. "I realize having an Episcopalian following that is probably lethal," said Freeman.

Union United's men's choir helped celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Pride Interfaith Service, a morning of music and worship that takes place each year before the Boston Pride parade. For the first time in its history, the service was held in a predominantly black church.

As it did at many of this year's Pride events, the looming vote on a proposed amendment to the constitution that would take the civil right to marry from same-sex couples cast its shadow over the celebration. Freeman called the June 14 constitutional convention (ConCon), where legislators are expected to take a second and final vote on the amendment, a "very critical" point in the battle for marriage equality. As such, Freeman announced that the Pride Interfaith Coalition would donate the entirety of its offertory collection that morning to the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry, which has played a pivotal role in the effort to achieve and preserve marriage equality in Massachusetts.

"It's been our tradition here at the Pride Interfaith Service that a portion of our plate collection go to an organization that supports LGBT issues," Freeman told the crowd, "but marriage is at risk and we realize here at Pride Interfaith Coalition that we need to help make sure equal marriage remains legal."

The location of this year's interfaith service was itself a statement about the marriage issue. Union United's pastor, the Rev. Martin McLee, sits on the board of the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston (BMA) an influential faith-based organization that has been outspoken in opposition to marriage equality. For instance, the organization created a stir when it released an anti-marriage equality statement on the eve of the 2004 ConCon, and BMA President Bishop Gilbert Thompson has been a visible presence at events sponsored by VoteOnMarriage.org, the organization leading the effort to pass the amendment. McLee, whose church voted unanimously in 2000 to become a "reconciling congregation" - one that welcomes LGBT people fully and equally into the life of the congregation- has sought to distance himself from the BMA's strident opposition to marriage equality. He has declined to publicly state his personal position on civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. But last year at Union United Methodist Church, lesbian activist Mandy Carter addressed a gathering of LGBT people at an event co-sponsored by a host of civil rights organizations, among them the ACLU of Massachusetts, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and MassEquality, the three most influential pro-equality organizations working on the issue.

McLee steered clear of the issue in his remarks during the interfaith service. Rather, he welcomed people of diverse faiths into his church, from those on "a Christian journey or Muslim journey ... [or] a Jewish Journey" to those on a "I-don't-do specific-names-journey" and the random person on a "I-was-walking-by-and-saw-the-lights journey."

"Welcome to this place," said McLee.

The Rev. Elder Troy Perry was honored with this year's Pride Interfaith Award, which recognizes a person or organization who demonstrates courage and commitment in working toward the full inclusion of LGBT people in communities of faith. In 1968, he founded the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) a predominantly LGBT church with more than 43,000 members. Perry has been a pivotal figure in the national movement for LGBT rights. He performed the country's first public same-sex wedding in 1969 and in 1970 MCC filed a lawsuit seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages in California. In 2003 he and his partner Philip Ray De Blieck were married in Canada; a year later they filed suit seeking legal recognition of their union in their home state of California. The California Superior Court ruled in their favor; the case is now under appeal.

In his sermon, Perry said he has often been asked why he wants to be married. "Because I was raised by heterosexuals," he said, as laughter rang out in the church.

He also said that his marriage to De Blieck deserves to be recognized under the law. "My marriage is legal," said Perry, holding up his left hand. "You will take this ring off my cold, dead hand."