FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2006

Contact:
Dan Furmansky, Executive Director,
Equality Maryland
Office (301)587-7500
Cell (301)461-4900
Email: dan@equalitymaryland.org

Religious Leaders Convene in Annapolis to Show Broad Opposition to Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment

240 Maryland Clergy from Eleven Denominations Say "It's Not Moral" to ban Marriage and Legal Protections for Same-Sex Couples

ANNAPOLIS - In a show of support that challenges the public's stereotypical impressions of religious leaders, Maryland clergy convened in Annapolis this morning to advocate in favor of gay-rights efforts. These religious leaders - from many faith traditions - oppose the proposed Maryland constitutional amendment banning any legal protections for gay and lesbian couples, calling this legislation immoral and an example bad public policy.

"It is vitally important to show Marylanders that people of faith also believe in equal rights and equal protection under the law for all, including families headed by same-sex couples," said Rev. Andrew Foster Connors, Pastor of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, where Lisa Polyak and Gita Deane, lead plaintiffs in a marriage lawsuit against the state, are members. "This is an ongoing dialogue, and social progress on this issue may take time, but we are committed to changing hearts and minds, and we will persevere."

Religious leaders held a press conference at 9:45 a.m. at the St. Anne's Episcopal Parish Hall. Equality Maryland, the state's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, worked with clergy to coordinate the event. After the press conference, participants delivered to the General Assembly a letter from 240 clergy across the state that oppose the amendment. The signatories represent varied denominations and faiths, including American Baptist, United Methodist, Roman Catholic, Unity Fellowship, Evangelical Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Quaker and Unitarian Universalist, as well as Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism.

Speakers at the Press Conference included:

Ron Halber, the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, the government relations and public affairs branch of the Jewish community of Greater Washington, representing more than 210 jewish agencies, organizations and synagogues.
Rev. Dr. John R. Deckenback, the Conference Minister for Central Atlantic Conference United Church of Christ
Reverend John Crestwell, who serves as co-minister at Davies Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church in Camp Springs.
Rev. Anthony McCarthy, Associate Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church, Baltimore.
Rev. Deacon Meredith Moise, Deacon of Saint Sebastian Contemporary Catholic Community, Baltimore and Field Organizer at Equality Maryland.

"A marriage license from the state confers no religious blessing, there is no religious requirement for obtaining a marriage license and, in fact, 40% of legal marriages in Maryland are performed by a clerk of the court or judge," said Equality Maryland Executive Director Dan Furmansky. "While these clergy would undoubtedly perform a marriage for a same-sex couple, no matter what happens in this state on this issue, clergy will always have the constitutional right to refuse to perform a marriage with which they disagree, and that's just the way it should be.