To cherish you through whatever life may bring us

(Oklahoma City) There were tears of joy, promises of love, and rousing cheers for newly married couples at Mayflower Congregational UCC on Monday night. At an evening event hosted by Freedom Oklahoma, more than 12 same-sex couples were married. Rev. Lori Walke, Associate Minister at Mayflower, officiated for each of the marriage ceremonies.

None of the couples knew when they woke up Monday morning that it would be their wedding day. But at 8:30am, that changed. The US Supreme Court announced at that time that it was refusing to hear any of the five appeals from states that had their gay marriage bans overturned by federal district judges. The effect was to make same-sex marriage the law of the land in Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana, Wisconsin and Virginia.

As the news spread, couples leapt into action. By noon, County Clerks in Oklahoma City and Tulsa were handing out marriage licenses to a flood of same-sex couples. Some married at the courthouse, others decided to join a marriage ceremony/victory celebration in the evening at Oklahoma City’s Mayflower Congregational UCC.

After a brief presentation by Troy Stevenson, Executive Director of The Equality Network, and answers to questions about the ruling to two ACLU lawyers, the festivities began. One by one, the couples came to the front of the sanctuary. Sara and Lauren went first. Rev. Walke opened with prayer, then asked each of the celebrants to repeat their vows. The couple promised to love each other, care for each other in sickness and in health, and “to cherish you through whatever life may bring us.” After the vows, Sara and Lauren exchanged rings, and Rev. Walke proclaimed, “By the power vested in me by the State of Oklahoma….” A rousing, prolonged cheer arose from the several hundred friends and family gathered in the church at those words. She continued, “and the United Church of Christ, I now pronounce you a couple. You are stuck with each other!” The couple kissed, and walked up the aisle, cheered on by a standing ovation.

Each ceremony took a few minutes. The sanctuary of the church, packed with cheering, clapping people, also included representatives from the major TV stations in Oklahoma City. Following Sara and Lauren, were Rachel and Kathy; Caitlin and JoJo; Meagan and AnnMarie with their daughter; Kenny and Barry, who have been together 18 years, and their son; Jennifer and Karina; Tammy and Dottie; Bethany and Alisha; Chris and Ben.

Next up was Paula Sophia and Pam. Paula and Pam have been together for years. Paula is a retired Oklahoma City police officer, a noted author and poet, and a leading transgender activist in OKC. They repeated their vows, were pronounced a couple by Rev. Walke, and then walked up the aisle to their reception in the church’s social hall.

Several more couples were married in similar ceremonies as the evening of joy and love continued. The couples married on Monday night were among the first same-sex couples ever married in Oklahoma. Before Monday, gay couples who wanted to be married had to travel to one of the 19 other states that had legalized same-sex marriage.

For information on the legal presentation at the start of the evening, there will be another article posted at www.gayly.com and on The Gayly’s Facebook page.

by Rob Howard, Associate Editor, The Gayly

The Gayly – October 7, 2014 @ 9:20am