Praying for Marriage Equality in NYC

Friends, as most of you have long known, the Supreme Court will soon be taking up two marriage equality cases, one concerning the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and the other on California's Proposition 8, the constitution amendment that stripped same-sex couples of their freedom to marry back in 2008.  The court has scheduled oral arguments to begin on March 26th and March 27th, with a final ruling expected in June.  Although the court could make a wide variety of rulings on the two cases, there's great hope that we could win the struggle for marriage equality this spring.

In such hope, people of faith in New York City are gathering every Saturday evening at Saint John's Lutheran Church at 81 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village.  While the weekly vigil will be held from 7-9pm, its designed to be a free flowing style of worship where folks can come and go as they please.  Various stations will be placed throughout the Saint John's sanctuary, where folks can pray for the Supreme Court Justices, pray for those who wish to deny same-sex individuals their civil rights, celebrate those who are married, and remember those who have died before they could enjoy the right to marry, etc.  An additional station will offer the opportunity to brainstorm additional ways we can take action to forward the cause of nationwide marriage equality.  For more info, you can find contact information for Pastor Mark Erson on the Saint John's website, or simply comment on this post.

Additionally, if you're someone in or outside the New York area planning a similar pray vigil, I'd love to hear about it. 

God's peace,
Dustin 

Dustin is currently a vicar at the Lutheran Office for World Community and Saint Peter's Church in Manhattan, having recently completed his second year of a Masters of Divinity program at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. While seeking ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, his focus is on the intersection between worship, service and justice building in de-centralized faith communities unencumbered by a traditional church building. In his free time, Dustin likes playing frisbee, hiking and pretending to know how to sing.