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.”
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