Spiritualist Church holds first same-sex wedding
A Tamworth same-sex couple have become the first to marry inside a Spiritualist church.
Yvonne and Susan Pace, 60 and 66, are the first couple to marry inside a Spiritualist church since same-sex marriage became law in March.
The happy couple, who are both practising Spiritualists, wed inside the Tamworth Spiritualist Church on August 23.
They told the Tamworth Herald: “It was the best weekend of both our lives – it surpassed all our expectations.
“It’s a great feeling to be the first couple to be married in a Spiritualist church – although we didn’t realise it until the day.
“Our faith is so important to us and the way the church has embraced our relationship has been truly heart-warming.”
39,061 people identified as Spiritualists on the UK census in 2011.
Officiant Karen Line-Jones said: “Spiritualism has always been an incredibly forward-thinking religion and for years the [Spiritualists’ National Union] has fully supported the new legislation coming into force.
“To now be at the stage where we can legally invite lesbian and gay couples to hold their wedding ceremony at the church is absolutely brilliant – a day we have been waiting for a long time.”
“Yvonne has been a member of our church for many years and it was a real honour to be able to support them both in their decision to wed.
“It was an absolutely beautiful, and very moving, day.”
The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) Act legally bans the Church of England and Church in Wales from conducting same-sex weddings, though other smaller religions are able to do so.
(Photos: Facebook/Tamworth Spiritualist Church)
