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We're
Straight & Gay Christians,
serving the (GLBTQQI) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer,
Questioning, Intersexual, and the Allied, Straight communities of
greater
metro Chattanooga TN area since 1988. |
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This
is an All Affirming
Website.
Our church is an
All Welcoming, Open, Loving, Joyful, Christ-like, &
Affirming
Congregation.***
We are pro-Bible. We are people of
True Christian Faith & Values.
We are truly Christians who are daily being changed into the
real image of God in Jesus Christ.
We are people of Bible study and prayer, and
fellowshipping with other believers.
We believe in True Family Values; we are
pro-family for ALL families and their issues. We are
pro-life for ALL living human beings. We believe in
full human rights for ALL peoples in the USA, and in the
world.
We believe in non-discrimination
against peoples of any kind.
We believe that ALL peoples in the USA and the world are equal.
We believe ALL children of ALL marriages are of great value.
We believe that ALL people of the USA and of the whole world are of
great value.
We believe that the modern
Christian movement should treat
ALL people as ONE in Christ. |
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Left Links
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An
all
Affirming Congregation is
one that welcomes Gays into all of the life of the local
church, and is gay-friendly, and believes one CAN
be Christian and Gay at the same time, since God
created all peoples including Gays.
We accept all people, no matter where on life's journey they are
at the moment. If you are seeking for truth and knowledge, and seeking
for a closer walk with God, come visit and grow with us.
We believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit
of God working in our hearts, souls, bodies,
minds, and in our lives to be more like Jesus. But that
process does NOT change our sexual
orientation any more then it changes our skin color
or gender. These are some things God will never do, nor
have any reason to change.
There are some Affirming Congregations in most
denominations today. You have to go to their local church website
to find more info.
This is opposed to
churches that are Transforming Congregations, which
means one can NOT be Christian and Gay, but they
welcome Gays that are seeking to transform into a "Straight"
lifestyle. We believe that view to be an utter impossibility, sinful,
and also un-Biblical, and against ALL modern scientific intelligence and
information.
Most churches are neither, that is, they ignore gay people
of faith, or else boot them out from their membership
and churches (which is very sad and very un-Christ-like).
YOU are ALL welcome at
The Rock MCC church!
May "trouble makers" be
changed by the power of God even before they pass by our church
property, before they enter the front door of our church building!
Visit us this Sunday!
May God Bless You All
in the Name of Jesus! |
October: Gay History Month
Celebrate Gay Marriage
Gay Marriage Victory
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Rite
of Holy Union /
Holy Matrimony
See also:
Gay Marriage
Around The Globe
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What We Believe
At
The Rock MCC the Rite of Gay Holy Union
/ Straight Holy Matrimony is the celebration of the
spiritual joining before God of two persons in a covenant
relationship. It is perhaps best described as a formal and binding
agreement between two individuals. It encompasses a spiritual,
and emotional and a physical commitment to each other by the couple as
an expression of mutual love and support. It is a covenant which
places God at its center. The concept of a covenant-agreement is found
in Scripture. Historically, a covenant was a solemn, mutual agreement
between people with a statement of specific terms, confirmed by an
oath. In many instances God was the formal, named witness to the
agreement.
The covenant of Holy
Union / Holy Matrimony is a serious undertaking, not to be
entered into lightly. The Rock MCC believes
that it is primarily a religious ceremony. In light of this, we
feel it is important that your faith be an integral aspect of each of
your lives. If you are not seeking a faith-based ceremony, a secular
ceremony may be more appropriate for you. In keeping with its sacred
nature, it is essential that the Rite of Holy Union / Holy
Matrimony occur within a service of Christian worship. The service
itself can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish it to be, but some
basic elements need to be incorporated. These include prayer,
Scripture, instruction or encouragement, dismissal and blessing.
The
Rite itself should include a proclamation of commitment, vows or
pledges, and the exchange of rings or other sacred tokens. It is a
ceremony of celebration for the couple and for the community of faith
with whom they worship. As a ceremony of celebration and blessing this
Rite provides a time for your family and/or friends to publicly
witness and support your covenant of commitment to each other.
Legal Significance
The
Rite of Holy Union is a purely religious Rite, while marriage
is both a religious and a civil act. At present, there is no state
within the continental United States of America that affords Holy Unions
the same legal status as a Marriage. Consequently, a Holy
Union offers you no civil legal protection. You can arrange
such protection by consulting an attorney. Ask the pastor when you
have your first appointment, if you need a referral. A Marriage
ceremony does change the legal status of the relationship of
two people of different gender. There are numerous civil forms and
legal requirements which must be adhered to and it will be your
responsibility to check with the appropriate authorities and to obtain
the appropriate licence(s) prior to the wedding date if this is the
ceremony you require. [Vermont -and Connecticut
and New Jersey-
offer Civil Unions for gays, while Massachusetts offers state Gay
Marriage for gays, each state offering certain civil legal protections
applying to that state. Soon other states will follow suit.
Canada now offers Gay Marriage for gays, but it is not yet
recognized by the USA. 5 or 6 other countries offer some form of gay
marriage or union for gays, and many more will be in the near future,
including all of the USA.]
The Process
The UFMCC
and The Rock MCC take the
sacraments and rites of the church very seriously. Therefore, the following conditions must be met before our pastor will
officiate at a Union or Marriage.
1. The couple must meet with the pastor.
2.
Each of you must be legally single.
If either of you have participated in a Holy Union or a
Marriage in the past, there must be a Certificate or Dissolution or
Divorce provided.
3. You must assume
financial responsibility for the cost associated with Holy Union
/ Marriage.
4. You must have known one
another at least 1 year and have been living together for at least 6
months prior to your ceremony.
Planning
If you
wish to begin planning a Holy Union or Wedding, contact
the church office at (423) 629-2737 to schedule an appointment with
the pastor. The initial appointment is so we can get to know you and
help you evaluate if this is the appropriate step for the two of you
at this point in your relationship.
A Holy
Union or Marriage ceremony is not a "quick fix" for a
troubled relationship. It is important that proper thought be given to
the significance of having the Rite of Holy Union / Holy
Matrimony performed.
During
your first appointment, the two of you and the pastor will get
acquainted and discuss several important topics. After you have had an
opportunity to consider the issues and options, a second appointment
will be necessary to plan your actual ceremony and finalize other
details. Depending on your unique process, a third appointment may
also be necessary. Included in the workbook will be a planning
checklist. A list of vendors is available upon request.
No date for a
ceremony is considered confirmed until the planning is complete and
the fees pre-paid. This process will require time, discussion, and
decisions involving each of you. Expect to spend some time together
planning for this important event. You will need to make decisions
about any party or reception, what you are going to wear, who will be
your witnesses and/or guests, etc. The list of decisions can become
overwhelming at times.
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If we can assist
you in planning your ceremony,
please contact the church office at
(423) 629-2737 or
e-mail the
church board moderator who will contact a pastor for further information.
May God
bless you in your relationship together. |
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