On the morning of July 4, 2005, I was sitting on the floor of the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia as a delegate to the 25^th General Synod of the United Church of Christ, awaiting a vote on our denomination’s resolution on marriage equality.  We had wrestled with this issue for years, but on that morning the resolution had finally come to a vote.

When debate was closed a hush fell over the room as we prayed silently.  No doubt there were prayers being called down on both sides of this issue, and we knew that whatever the outcome of the vote there would be gains and losses, hopes and fears, joys and sorrows.

When voting began a sea of hands holding green cards indicating a “yes” vote told the world that the vote had passed overwhelmingly.  It marked the first time that one of our nation’s…