United Reformed Church approves gay marriage services
by Callum May, BBC News:
The United Reformed Church has voted overwhelmingly to allow same-sex couples to marry in its buildings.
Members of the URC’s ruling general assembly voted in favour at a meeting in Merseyside, although individual churches will not be forced to comply.
The URC becomes the largest Christian organisation in Britain to offer same-sex weddings in its churches.
The Church, which has about 60,000 members, is a Protestant Church with roots in Presbyterianism.
The assembly, meeting in Southport, voted to allow individual congregations to register churches as venues for same-sex marriage services immediately if they wish.
Church officials think the first weddings under the new powers will be able to take place from the autumn.