Statements: Irvine United Congregational Church is a progressive church in generally conservative Orange County, California, made up of young families and retirees, university professors and small businesspeople. We are an Open and Affirming, Just Peace congregation; as such, our Mission Statement calls us to “take responsibility to act with compassion, to work for peace and justice, and to share the joy of Christian community”. Part of that joy revolves around the celebration of marriage; and our work for justice behooves us to ensure that that joy be shared by all.

On Sunday, August 24, our church body unanimously passed a resolution opposing Proposition 8 on the California ballot, a divisive measure that would change the wording of our state constitution and remove the right to marry that same-gender couples currently enjoy in California. We form part of a county-wide coalition that, through phone-banking, neighborhood visits and house parties, seeks to dialog with the community regarding our support for marriage equality. By participating in Seven Straight Nights for Equal Rights, we hope to bring that message home to our neighbors in Irvine.

Our pastor, the Rev. Dr. Paul Tellstrom, explains our commitment in this way: “Jesus Christ proclaimed unconditional love, acceptance, and working towards the Creator’s Realm. Proposition 8 proposes division and not reconciliation.” The head of our Ministries Board, Don Bjorklund, continues: “We believe it is wrong for one segment of the population to deny rights enjoyed by that segment to a different segment of the population. Not only is it morally repugnant to do so, but it is also wrong from a practical standpoint. ..Denying the right to marry to same-sex couples weakens society, when we should be trying to strengthen it.” Future IUCC moderator and university professor Dr. Keith Boyum quotes political philosopher Hannah Arendt, who observed: “Even political rights, like the right to vote, and nearly all other rights enumerated in the Constitution, are secondary to the inalienable human rights to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ proclaimed in the Declaration of independence; and to this category the right to home and marriage unquestionably belongs.”

Check Out a Prop 8 Update from Felicity Figueroa of Irvine United Congregational Church.

Irvine, California

Produced byAtticus Circle and Soulforce

Produced by
Atticus Circle and Soulforce