TrumpetCalifornia Holy Union Service

Jean (left) and EllieObedience to Jesus Christ; God's Good News of Love

Photo: Jeanne Barnett (left) and Ellie Charlton (right). Photo by Charles Jackson. Copyright: © 1999 St. Andrew's United Methodist Church, All Rights Reserved.

Five years ago, on Saturday, January 16, 1999, a service blessing the holy union of Ellie Charlton and Jeanne Barnett, a lesbian couple, was performed by The Rev. Donald Fado, pastor of St. Mark's United Methodist Church of Sacramento. He was joined by 150 clergy, including those who co-officiated "in absentia" and ecumenical representatives. Read the ongoing news about the "Sacramento 68" and the aftermath of the Committee on Investigation's decision of February 2000.

News and Features

Note: Many of the stories were once on web. If the page has gone from the web, we have left the unlinked references for historical purposes.

Rainbow Candle - 3185 BytesCommittee on Investigations Manuscripts and Transcripts

Key to Acronyms: CM=Confessing Movement, CORNET=Covenant Relationships Network, GN=Good News, RCP=Reconciling Congregation Program, UMC=The United Methodist Church, UMNS=United Methodist News Service, UMR=United Methodist Reporter

Note: This news page has links to information written by a number of different people and groups. Not all of the links go to websites supportive of CORNET's position. Some of the sites totally oppose full inclusion of lesbian and gay people in United Methodist churches.