The Christian Post: The United Church of Christ, the first mainline Protestant denomination to ordain an openly homosexual minister 35 years ago, became the first to endorse same-sex marriage within its pews Monday.
Roughly 80 percent of the liberal denomination's 884-member General Synod voted to approve the resolution, which calls on member churches to consider wedding policies “that do not discriminate against couples based on gender.â€Â
The resolution also asks churches to consider supporting same-sex marriage laws outside the church by working against legislation banning gay marriage. According to a UCC press release, the denomination's president, Rev. John H. Thomas, said his church “acted courageously to declare freedom.â€Â
