The Rev. Deane Oliva of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County in Aptos discusses the state ruling on same-sex marriage. Todd Guild/Register-Pajaronian

The Rev. Deane Oliva stood in the open, sunlit chapel at the Unitarian Universalist fellowship in Aptos Tuesday, happily discussing the events of the past few weeks.

After the California Supreme Court overturned bans on same-sex marriage in May, Unitarian Universalist churches across the state began performing free wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples.

The day after the ruling went into effect on June 16, Christian, Buddhist and Unitarian Universalist leaders performed nearly 50 weddings at the Santa Cruz County Clerk’s office for same-sex couples who had long been awaiting the day.

In the midst of the ceremonies, Oliva, who has been a minister at the Unitarian Universalist fellowship in Aptos for about a year, was married to Karen, her own partner of 15 years.

Their marriage is now officially recognized in six states, laughed Oliva.

The Aptos branch of the Unitarian Universalist fellowship has been performing a handful of the free ceremonies, with more still to come.

However, weddings for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Unitarian Universalist church is nothing new ministers have been performing the ceremonies since the 1970s.

“We’ve been working toward this for years,” said Oliva. “It didn’t come out of the blue.”

Many of the couples taking part in the ceremonies have been together for years and have taken part in other commitment ceremonies, said Oliva.

“This is just making it legal,” she said.

Following in the tradition of more than 500 Unitarian Universalist fellowships throughout the country, congregants from the Aptos branch voted in 2007 to become a “welcoming congregation,” which openly welcomes members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community. This two-year process included seminars about AIDS and discussions with gay couples, who talked to the congregation about their lives.

“We have been promoting the rights of LGBTQ folks since the 1970s,” she added. “Our organization is known for its emphasis on social justice. This is a justice issue.”

When Californians head to the ballot box in November, they will be asked to decide on a proposition that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Oliva is remaining optimistic about the outcome of the election.

“There have been a large number of gay and lesbian marriages in the past, and the voters are going to notice that the world goes on,” said Oliva. “My prediction is that Californians will respect the concept on which the state and the country was built: equal rights for all. I believe in the people of California. I believe in their strength and integrity. Love shines through.”

The Aptos Unitarian Universalist fellowship will perform the free ceremonies through November, when the issue is decided once and for all.

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At least 14 other churches and synagogues throughout the county are members of Out in Our Faith, a group of “open and affirming” organizations that openly welcome LGBTQ people. These include Temple Beth El, Inner Light Ministries, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, Skyland Community Church, Metropolitan Community Church, New United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz, La Selva Beach Community Church and the First Congregational Church of Santa Cruz.

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(Published in 7/2/08 edition)

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