IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5QL237
* Jobs
* Cars
* Real Estate
* Classifieds
* E-Edition
* Subscriber Services
* Account
* Register
* Login
* ()
* Subscribe
* About
* Access E-Edition
* Reader Rewards
* Manage Subscription
* Customer Service
* Live chat
* Favorites & Comments
* Newsletters
* Manage Account
* Log Out
Columbus, Ohio • Jan 25, 2015 • 34° Overcast [header-image.jpg?cmpid=tplnnv]
The Columbus Dispatch
* News RSS Feeds Podcasts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
News Topics
+ Business
+ Crime & Safety
+ Education
+ Environment
+ Government & Politics
+ Legal Notices
+ Local
+ Lottery
+ Medicine & Health
+ Obituaries
+ Offbeat
+ Religion
+ Science
+ Special Reports
+ US & World
+ Weather
+ Corrections
News Blogs
[-Browse by Topic-______]
+ News Blog Directory
Commentary
+ Dispatch Editor Benjamin Marrison
+ John Switzer
* Sports RSS Feeds Podcasts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
College Sports
+ Ohio State Sports
at BuckeyeXtra.com
+ Other Colleges
High School
+ High School Sports
Other Sports
+ Outdoors
Pro Sports
+ NHL: Blue Jackets
at BlueJacketsXtra.com
+ MLS: Crew
+ MiLB: Clippers
+ MLB: Reds & Indians
+ NBA: Cavaliers
+ NFL: Bengals & Browns
+ Golf
+ Auto Racing
Sports Blogs
[-Browse by Sport-_________]
+ Sports Blog Directory
Commentary
+ Michael Arace
+ Bob Hunter
+ Rob Oller
* Opinion RSS Feeds Podcasts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Editorials
+ Today's staff editorials
+ 7-day archive
Editorial Cartoons
+ Recent Nate Beeler Cartoons
+ Searchable Archive
Letters to the Editor
+ Today's letters and web-only letters
+ 30-day archive
+ Submit your letter
Op-Ed Columns
+ Today's columns
+ 30-day archive
* Life & Entertainment RSS Feeds Podcasts
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Life Topics
+ Contests
+ Fashion & Style
+ Food
+ Home & Garden
+ Horoscopes
+ Pets DispatchClassifieds.com
+ Puzzles
+ Travel
+ Weekly Ads
Entertainment
+ Books
+ Celebrities
+ Dining
+ Events
+ Movies
+ Music
+ Television
+ Theater
+ Video Games
Life Blogs
[-Browse by Topic-]
+ Life & Entertainment Blog Directory
Commentary
+ Joe Blundo
+ Advice Columns
+ Reader Columns
* Services
Customer Service
+ Manage Subscription
+ Live chat
+ Call Service: 1-877-734-7728
+ Call Billing: 1-866-790-7748
Subscription
+ Home delivery
+ E-Edition
Submissions
+ Obituaries
+ In Memoriams
+ Celebration Announcements
(ceremonies, engagements, etc.)
+ Letters to the Editor
+ Entertainment Events at ColumbusAlive.com
Reader Rewards
[dd-reader-rewards-logo.jpg]
Current Rewards
[-Select An Option-]
Advertising
+ Place an Ad
+ Media Kit
Other Services
+ Weekly Ads
+ Coupons
+ Columbus Savvy Shopper
+ Dispatch Events
+ Newspapers in Education
* Contact Need help? Visit our FAQ page or use our Contact Form.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Customer Service
+ Need help? Try our live chat or online customer service.
+ For service, call 1-877-734-7728.
+ For billing, call 1-866-790-7748.
+ For other inquiries, use our Contact Form or Staff Directory.
Subscriptions
+ Subscribe to The Dispatch online or call 1-877-734-7728.
Advertising
+ To place help wanted ads, call 614-888-8888 or visit ColumbusJobs.com
+ For private seller and classified advertising, call 614-888-8888 or visit DispatchClassifieds.com.
+ For retail advertising, call 614-461-5500 or email us.
+ For national advertising, call 614-461-5199.
+ For online advertising, call 614-461-5143 or email us.
Newsroom
+ To send news tips, use our News Tip Form or call 614-461-5200.
+ Visit our Staff Directory.
+ Use our Contact Form, or call 614-461-5200.
Dispatch Careers
+ Visit dispatch.com/careers or call 614-461-5033.
+ Fax 614-461-5565.
+ Interested in delivering The Dispatch? Check out dispatch.com/delivery for independent contractor info.
* Subscribe
Total Access
Combo Package
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery plus Digital D. Sign up for our BEST VALUE today!
Select
E-Edition
Digital D
Online? On the go? Enjoy unlimited premium dispatch.com content plus the E-Edition for computer and iPad.
Select
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Home Delivery
Award-winning journalism conveniently delivered to your home. Choose the custom package best suited for you!
Select
Home Delivery
* Today's Paper
* Weekly Ads
* Video
* Photos
* Data
* Obituaries
Hot Links:
no title
* NHL All-Star Weekend
* Kroger liquor petition case
* Dublin coyotes
* High St. Donatos
* Commemorative papers, posters
* Obamacare tax
* Home
* News
* Religion
Clergy members gather in support of same-sex marriage
More Religion stories
* As Vatican revisits divorce, some long for acceptance
* Licking County sheriff removes image of cross from Facebook page
* Americans support suspending football players for domestic violence
* Yoga marathon in Dublin part of international celebration
* South African’s ministry finds home — in cave
* Downtown rally focuses on plight of former prisoners
More Religion Stories
Religion Blog
* Boutique catering to Muslims to open in mainstream mall
Worship Directory
Find a House of Worship
By JoAnne Viviano The Columbus Dispatch • Wednesday October 22, 2014 6:47 AM
* Comments: 7
*
*
*
Ten days ago, the Rev. Tim Ahrens celebrated the union of a U.S. Marine and the love of his life.
As they descended the steps of First Congregational Church United Church of Christ, the clergyman was struck by the power and beauty of the acceptance bestowed upon the same-sex couple by their fellow Marines.
“I asked myself, ‘If the U.S. Marine Corps can get this, what is wrong with Ohio?’ ” said Ahrens, who serves as senior minister at the Downtown church.
His voice boomed yesterday to the applause of about four-dozen clergy members gathered at King Avenue United Methodist Church to support Why Marriage Matters Ohio, a grassroots campaign that seeks legalization of same-sex marriage.
The Rev. John Keeny, senior pastor at King Avenue, has blessed about two same-gender unions per month since June for couples who have legally married in other states after being together for as many as 20 years.
“I believe in same-gender marriage because I’ve seen it,” he said. “I have seen the faithfulness. I have seen their frustration with each other, I have seen their arguments with each other. I have seen forgiveness and patience and thoughtfulness and tenderness.”
Same-sex marriage is banned in Ohio under a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2004. Since that year, legislatures, judges and voters have made gay marriage legal in more than 30 other states and the District of Columbia.
Some Christian denominations and most Islamic and Orthodox Jewish leaders oppose same-sex marriage. Religious leaders who support the unions typically belong to churches or sects that support gay marriage or are going against the official stance of their denominations.
Ahrens calls himself a “recovering homophobe” who opposed gay marriage when he was ordained in 1985. Seven years later, he celebrated a gay couple’s union in his church, and he has consecrated and celebrated many same-sex marriages since.
The Rev. Carmeka Benning, senior pastor at Driven by Purpose Ministries in the University District, said she spoke at the event because she recently saw firsthand how difficult it is for couples to use vacation days and spend extra money to marry in another state.
She and her partner, Voncelle Davis-Benning, married in Niagara Falls, N.Y., in February. They said they will remarry in Ohio if it becomes legal here.
Michael Premo, campaign manager for Why Marriage Matters Ohio, said the 200-some faith leaders throughout the state who back the cause are part of the reason there has been an explosive growth in support here.
“There are so many people of faith that are speaking out and saying, ‘I believe in God, I’ve read my Scriptures, and I believe that God is love and God wants us to be happy and God wants us to treat others like we’d want to be treated,’ ” he said.
Jon Zornes and Shawn Compton-Zornes also attended the event. They married in Washington and welcomed adopted daughter Gabriella Grace all within the past month.
Zornes is the Ohio-born girl’s parent of record because both men cannot legally adopt her in the state. Still, they chose to adopt in Ohio because they want to give back to their community by making a family here. The couple decided to bring 2-week-old Gabriella, snuggled under a pink blanket, to the gathering.
“We were debating,” Compton-Zornes said, “but it’s just as important to her as it is to us.”
jviviano@dispatch.com
@JoAnneViviano
* Favorite
* Print Story
*
Comments
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
[DigitalD12Weeks_300x75.JPG?__scale=w:300,h:75,t:2,p:6,q:80,r:1]
News Video More Videos
Most Popular
1. Buckeyes’ Miller still has an exit route
Most Shared
* Latest Headlines
* Today's Paper
* Top Story Feed
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
News Blogs
[icon-blog-politics.jpg]
The Daily Briefing
Reps talk to protect Ohio's military installations
“Today is the start of a conversation to make sure we are all on the same...
[icon-blog-politics.jpg]
The Daily Briefing
Stivers reintroduces bill aimed at helping newborns born addicted
Rep. Steve Stivers last week paired up with another lawmaker to reintroduce a...
[icon-blog-politics.jpg]
The Daily Briefing
Senate committees named
Franklin County Sens. Kevin Bacon and Jim Hughes will chair new committees in...
[icon-blog-politics.jpg]
The Daily Briefing
Sen. Chris Widener re-elected head of Capitol Square Board
Running the Statehouse.
More News Blogs
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
[dispatch-nameplate-footer.gif]
* Site Map
*
* About the Dispatch
*
* About Our Ads
*
* Privacy Policy
*
* Ad Choices
*
* Contacts
*
* Store
*
* Work with Us
News
Business
Crime & Safety
Education
Environment
Government & Politics
Local
Medicine & Health
Obituaries
Religion
Science
US & World
Weather
Sports
Ohio State Sports
at BuckeyeXtra.com
Other Colleges
NHL: Blue Jackets
at BlueJacketsXtra.com
MLS: Crew
MiLB: Clippers
MLB: Reds & Indians
NBA: Cavaliers
NFL: Bengals & Browns
Golf
Sports Commentary
High School Sports
Opinion
Editorials
Letters to the Editor
Nate Beeler Cartoons
Op-Ed Columnists
Life Topics
Contests
Fashion & Style
Food
Home & Garden
Travel
Advice Columns
Joe Blundo Columns
Entertainment Topics
Books
Dining
Events
Movies
Music
Theater
Classifieds
Columbus Jobs
Columbus Real Estate
Columbus Cars
Dispatch Classifieds
Services
Customer Service
Reader Rewards
Place an Ad
Submissions
Reader Options
Home Delivery
Archive
Mobile
E-Edition
Newsletters
RSS Feeds
Podcasts
Dispatch Media Group
Dispatch Media Group
Browse Affiliate Sites
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
* Advertisement
* •
* Place an ad
© 2015 The Dispatch Printing Company, reproduction prohibited. All Rights Reserved.