[The Daily Record] The Church of the Redeemer was the setting Sunday for a group marriage ceremony that celebrated the legalization of same-sex marriages in New Jersey.
The ceremony featured more than two dozen same-sex and straight couples within the church.
The Rev. Cynthia Black, Rector of the Church of the Redeemer, said the plan was initially to hold this ceremony at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 21, the Monday that same-sex marriages in New Jersey became official. But that plan ended up being too ambitious.
“The practicality stopped us from pulling it off, and midnight was a tough sell,” said Black, who, with the help of some participants, settled on the Dec. 1 date.
“Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, but it’s also the first Sunday of Advent, essentially New Year’s Day on the church calendar,” said Black. “So considering all that, we thought it was a great time.”
George Jordan and Peter Arney, who married his partner of 22 years Sunday, first met during AIDS buddy training more than two decades ago.
“It was through it that we found our way to Redeemer,” said Jordan. “We were the first gay couple to have our relationship blessed at Redeemer, in 1991. It felt like a radical act.”
