Lisa Goodman, left, and partner Drew Fennell hold hands as they answer questions at the clerk of peace office at the city/county building in Wilmington, Del., Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/The Wilmington News-Journal)
Posted on 01/03/2012 1:52:34 PM PST by NYer
More than 400 people, including a U.S. senator, witnessed the first same-sex civil union in Delaware on New Year's Day.
Lawyers Lisa Goodman and Drewry Fennell were joined in the union by the Rev. Patricia Downing, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Wilmington, where the Sunday afternoon ceremony took place.
Goodman and Fennell have been partners for 14 years. Goodman is a lawyer who led the advocacy group Equality Delaware's fight for the civil union law. Fennell heads the state Criminal Justice Council and formerly led the ACLU's Delaware chapter.
U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., delivered the sermon and Lt. Gov. Matt Denns read scripture.
"We felt so lifted up by everyone who was there," Goodman said by phone as she and Fennell were riding to their home after the ceremony and reception.
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signed the law authorizing civil unions in May. Delaware is one of about a dozen states that allow either civil unions or marriages for same-sex couples.
Neighboring Maryland is preparing for a renewed fight over a same-sex marriage proposal, with Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley promising his full support for the measure in the coming legislative session.
In Delaware, observers of the Sunday ceremony said it went off without a hitch.
"Everything went perfect, I couldn't be happier, everything was flawless," said Ken Boulden Jr., the New Castle County Clerk of the Peace. Boulden opened his office on Sunday so that Goodman and Fennell and seven other couples could get their licenses on the first day they were available. Boulden was a guest at the Goodman-Fennell ceremony.
Calling the event a "lovefest," Boulden said the good weather meant even heaven was smiling down upon the couple.
"It was a great way to begin the new year," he said.
Downing said she has known Goodman and Fennell for about four years and that the couple crafted a service to reflect their relationship. "I'm full of pride and joy and extremely happy and excited that this could happen in Delaware," Downing said.
The couple had a choir that performed hymns and Christmas carols, one in Spanish, because the church has a Spanish-speaking congregation.
Goodman said that when the congregation gave the couple a standing ovation after the union was pronounced, "I was afraid to turn around because I was afraid I might cry."
I will never understand this.
The title Ewwweeee! Was it in public?
I will never condone this.
I had no Idea this was passed in Delaware. So now we have Mass, CT, RI, Iowa, DC, CA. Goodness. STOP!!! One state I am seriously surprised about is Nevada. I would have thought that since they don’t value marriage in that state much that it would be the state that would perform gay marriage.
“You may have basic simple orally involved public affection with indeterminate non gender specific personal descriptor...”
And it was Christine O'Donnell that they made fun of.
`Best Man’ Steely Dan was so excited that he was vibrating.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The Episcopals beat the Unitarians and UMC to this? That’s going to cause a firestorm!
I bet it wasn't Romans 1:26.
The liberalization of a culture is harmful to its future.
Lisa is a good... what? Little question as to who wears the pants in this family.
Now that they have achieved their goal of marriage, I expect the relationship to fall apart real soon. Nothing left to keep them together.
There is also NY, VT, NH, HI ... there are now 12 states that recognize gay unions and/or marriage.
there are now 12 states that recognize gay unions and/or marriage.
Oh man. You just turned my stomach. I believe we may have lost this battle. I am sick to say such a thing but I had no idea we were that bad off.
The reading extends well beyond 1:26.
24Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts* for the mutual degradation of their bodies.v 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, 27and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity. 28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper. 29 They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips 30and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. 31They are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know the just decree of God that all who practice such things deserve death, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Romans 1:24-32
Sadly, this civil union was officiated by an Episcopal (female) minister.
That Lisa Goodman looks like she'd fit into this category.... Old men who look like lesbians or lesbians who look like old men...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.