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The United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination which has supported same-sex marriage since 2005, has filed a Federal lawsuit arguing that North Carolina is unconstitutionally restricting religious freedom by barring clergy members from blessing gay and lesbian couples.

When a Charlotte Lesbian couple got engaged last year, they hoped to get married at Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, the church that had been their home for their 13-year relationship. But the problem is that under current law in the state of North Carolina, ministers who marry a same-sex couple can face misdemeanor charges punishable by up to 120 days in jail.

The United Church of Christ is joined in the case by a Lutheran priest, a rabbi, two Unitarian Universalist ministers, a Baptist pastor and several same-sex couples.

“North Carolina’s marriage laws are a direct affront to freedom of religion,” said the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, an executive minister of the United Church of Christ, which is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “We feel that it is important that any person that comes into community life of a United Church of Christ congregation be afforded equal pastoral care and equal opportunity to religious services that clergy provide.”

Nancy Allison, the pastor of Holy Covenant and an individual plaintiff in the case, is willing to face any repercussions that may come. “I can’t imagine the law enforcement of North Carolina coming after a clergy person for doing their job, but if I were to be arrested for this, I would gladly face those arrest charges,” Allison explains. “I can do no other than move forward under my convictions.”

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Carrie Stone