Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 22:41:56 -0400 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Rutland VT Wedding Announcement Letter August 15, 2000 Rutland Herald Box 668 Rutland, VT 05702 Dear Editors: Val Giroux's letter of August 13 reflects much of the social and legal confusion in our culture over civil and religious marriage. `Wedding' is defined both as the act of marriage and as a marriage ceremony, which can be either religious or purely civil. The Vermont legislature has chosen to call the same legal status a marriage when it applies to a mixed-gender couple, and a civil union when it applies to a same-gender couple. No such linguistic restrictions, however, apply to either the couple themselves, or to any religious institutions that may be conducting the ceremonies. Some religious institutions hold services for same gender couples called weddings, and some hold services called holy unions. Your decision to list same-gender couples in the same section as mixed-gender couples seems perfectly reasonable to us, regardless of what name you give that section. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 22 congregations and religious organizations and 66 clergy from 16 religious traditions. Visit our Religious Support for Equal Marriage Rights page: http://www.iwgonline.org/marriage/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829