Presbyterian Church (USA) votes to formally recognize gay marriage and allow same-sex weddings

Presbyterian Church (USA) votes to formally recognize gay marriage and allow same-sex weddings

Presbyterians had been allowed to perform same-sex weddings like this 2011 ceremony with approval from local officials, but now all members will be eligible to host the ceremonies in states that have gay marriage.

BY Tobias Salinger

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 11:44 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/presbyterian-church-usa-formally-recognizes-gay-marriage-article-1.2153222

Members of the Presbyterian Church (USA) have voted to make the 1.8-million-member, 10,000-congregation denomination the largest Protestant group to formally recognize gay marriage allow same-sex weddings.

The Presbytery of the Palisades in New Jersey cast the necessary 86th vote Tuesday night to establish that a majority of the church’s 171 regional presbyteries now support an amendment to the church constitution that redefines marriage, the Associated Press reported.

“Marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman, to love and support each other for the rest of their lives,” the church’s Book of Order will read, effective June 21, according to an announcement on the Presbyterian Church’s website.

Gradye Parsons, the stated clerk of the church’s General Assembly, posted a video pledging that nothing in the amendment would compel those members who do not approve of same-sex marriage from participating in the weddings.

“The approval allows teaching elders wider discretion whose wedding they may conduct and sessions wider discretion whose weddings they may host,” Parsons said. “That discretion could include same gender marriages in states where that’s permitted.”

The Assembly approved the language last summer, but activists who have been pushing for the change for years had to sweat out the votes among the church’s districts.

“So many families headed by LGBTQ couples have been waiting for decades to enter this space created for their families within their church communities,” Rev. Robin White, a leader of More Light Presbyterians, told AP.

Yet 41 of the regional bodies have voted to disapprove the measure, according to AP. The church approved gay ordination in 2011 and 428 congregations had either left the fold or disbanded two years later, the outlet noted.

One conservative leader, Carmen Fowler LaBerge of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, called on Presbyterians to withhold donations from the national church unless the old marriage definition is reinstated, AP reported.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) boasts 10,000 congregations, like this one in Peoria, Ill. 

The new rules represent “an express repudiation of the Bible” and a positive vote for “what God does not bless,” LaBerge told AP.

But church leaders expressed hope that leaders from both sides would work together.

“As a church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has received much grace from God and Jesus Christ,” Parsons said. “We should extend that grace to each other in all gentleness as we live into this common chapter of our life.”

Same-sex weddings

Clifford S. Asness supported same-sex marriage in New York, a leadership council member for the Robin Hood Foundation, and is a director at the International Rescue Committee.

Note: Daniel S. Och is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Robert C. Wright is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and was the chairman for NBCUniversal.

Jeff Zucker was the president & CEO for NBCUniversal, an executive producer for the NBC Nightly News, and is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Brian Williams is an anchor (suspended) for the NBC Nightly News, and a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Tom Brokaw was an anchor for the NBC Nightly News, a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, and is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Emma Bloomberg was a senior planning officer for the Robin Hood Foundation, and is Michael R. Bloomberg’s daughter.

Michael R. Bloomberg was a donor for the Robin Hood Foundation, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, the New York (NY) mayor, and is Emma Bloomberg’s father.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation, the Harlem Children's Zone, the International Rescue Committee, the Committee for Economic Development, the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, Mark Schwartz was his senior adviser, and is the founder of the Soros Fund Management.

Richard S. Fuld Jr. was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, and is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

John J. Mack was a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, and is the chairman for the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Maurice R. Greenberg was a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.  

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.  

Michelle Obama is an advocate for the ONE Campaign, and was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.  

Ronald O. Perelman is a director at the ONE Campaign, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Howard S. Jonas was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Roman Martinez IV is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Andrea Jung is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Ellen R. Marram is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and the EVP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.           

Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative is Obamacare, and was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP, and is an advocate for the ONE Campaign,

Ronald O. Perelman is a director at the ONE Campaign, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.Commercial Club of Chicago, Members Directory A-Z (Past Research)

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

http://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/commercial-club-of-chicago-members.html

Sue L. Gin was a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, and a director at the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.

Susan Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, an executive committee member for the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, and her father is Lester Crown.

Lester Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Susan Crown & James S. Crown’s father, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

James S. Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Lester Crown’s son, and a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Jeffrey W. Greenberg is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Glenn H. Hutchins is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Jessica Tuchman Mathews was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Ed Griffin’s interview with Norman Dodd in 1982

(The investigation into the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace uncovered the plans for population control by involving the United States in war)

http://www.illuminati-news.com/110106a.htm

Adebayo O. Ogunlesi is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Raymond J. McGuire is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Mark Schwartz is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, was George Soros senior adviser, and the president & CEO for Soros Fund Management.

George Soros is the founder for the Soros Fund Management, a director emeritus for Refugees International, Mark Schwartz was his senior adviser, and the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Robin Hood Foundation, the International Rescue Committee, Refugees International, and the Millennium Promise.

Clifford S. Asness was a leadership council member for the Robin Hood Foundation, supported same-sex marriage in New York, and is a director at the International Rescue Committee.

Howard S. Jonas was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Roman Martinez IV is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Constance J. Milstein is a director emeritus for Refugees International, and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Stephen Robert was a director at the Millennium Promise, and is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Stewart J. Paperin is a director at the Millennium Promise, and the president of the Soros Economic Development Fund for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and Doctors Without Borders.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, and the founder for the Soros Economic Development Fund.

Adebayo O. Ogunlesi is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Raymond J. McGuire is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), and a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Jolie/Pitt Foundation was a funder for Doctors Without Borders.

Angelina Jolie is a co-founder for the Jolie/Pitt Foundation, and was a director at the Millennium Promise.

Jimmy Carter was an honorary co-chairman for the Millennium Promise, and Supports Gay Civil Marriage.

Jimmy Carter Supports Gay Civil Marriage

http://www.care2.com/causes/jimmy-carter-supports-gay-civil-marriage.html

Stephen Robert was a director at the Millennium Promise, and is a trustee at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital.