United Reformed Church could be first on Jersey to host civil partnerships
Jersey’s United Reformed Church will vote in September whether to become the first church on the island to allow gay civil partnership ceremonies.
Although the United Reformed Church voted to host civil partnerships in its churches earlier this year, the Jersey church can decide for itself, the BBC reports.
The denomination has only one church on the island, compared with 25 Church of England churches, sixteen Methodist churches, eight Catholic churches and a number of single churches for different denominations. The Quakers have a single meeting room.
The United Reformed Church has 68,000 members across the UK and if its Jersey church approves, it would be the first religious premises to host civil partnerships on the island.
Reverend Patrick McManus said: “The wider church has actually said no minister would be required to conduct such services and no church to host it.
“While the wider church has made that decision, the local church will actually have to decide for itself whether it is prepared to host such marriages.”
The civil partnerships system came into effect in Jersey in April of this year.
