(More falling away from the faith.)

British Methodists Ponder Blessings For Homosexual Civil Partnerships

The British Methodist Church is deciding how to respond when same-sex couples request the church’s blessing on their civil partnership.
Since December, same-sex couples in Britain can opt for legal recognition of their relationship through a civil partnership agreement. These legal contracts give same-sex partners many of the rights of married couples, including survivor benefits, pension rights and paternal responsibility for each other’s children.

Opinion among British Methodists about how the church should address this issue is wide ranging.

The issue will be formally debated in June at the 2006 Annual Conference of the British Methodist Church, when a working party reports its findings from a nationwide listening exercise. Until then, church leaders have encouraged ministers to use good pastoral practice, be guided by their conscience and avoid using church premises for any blessing ceremonies.

The United Methodist Church, which is separate from the British Methodist Church, prohibits United Methodist clergy from performing same-sex unions and bars such ceremonies from being held in United Methodist sanctuaries.

FULL STORY at http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.1494283/k.BC67/British_Methodists_ponder_blessings_for_civil_partnerships.htm