Press Contact: Stephanie Berger (212) 527-0305, cell (480) 206-3543Josh Meltzer (212) 627-0305, cell (646) 660-2787

700 Clergy and Lay Leaders from Across New York StateCall on New York Senate to Pass Marriage Bill

November 9, 2009—

The Empire State Pride Agenda today released the names of 700 clergy andlay leaders from across New York State who vocally support marriage equality and call on the NewYork State Senate to pass the marriage bill.The geographic list of clergy and faith leaders in support of New York State allowing same-sexcouples access to marriage includes a number of denominations including Lutheran, Episcopalian,Methodist, United Church of Christ, American Baptist, Reformed Church in America and Reformand Conservative movements of Judaism. It also includes influential leaders like Bishop PrinceSingh of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, Bishop Robert Rimbo of the Metropolitan New YorkSynod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary. “This list represents a diverse group of faith traditions and congregations from all corners of ourstate. The leaders of these religious institutions understand the spiritual value of respecting allmembers of their community, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender,” saidEmpire State Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. “These faith leaders—a number of which are not allowed to perform marriages of same-sex couplesthemselves because of their faith traditions—consider this to be an issue involving the rights andprotections of civil marriage, not the traditions and ceremonies of a religious marriage. Theircommitment at this important moment in New York demonstrates that there is no one group thatowns the pulpit when it comes to whether the state should be treating all families equally byproviding same-sex couples access to marriage and the many hundreds of rights and responsibilitiesNew York provides with a marriage license.”

For press inquiries/contact information for clergy or lay leaders in different geographicregions of New York, please contact Josh Meltzer or Stephanie Berger at 212-627-0305(office) or 646-660-2787 (cell).Read the Pride Agenda’s report “Marriage Equality & Religion: The MassachusettsExperience” orwatch the accompanying video. We, the undersigned, urge the New York State Legislature to protect families in NewYork State by extending marriage to same-sex couples:Buffalo

Timothy Ashton, Unitarian Universalist Church of Amherst

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Rev. Ellen L. Brauza, Episcopal, BuffaloLinda L. Carroll, United Methodist Church, Orchard ParkJan J. Carscallen, Catholic, BuffaloRev. Dr. Richard A. Danielson, United Church of Christ, BuffaloRev. David Felton, United Church of Christ Western New York Regional Conference, East AmherstThe Rev. Clara Gillies, Episcopal, BuffaloRev. Matthew Heubach, Wiccan, KenmoreLesle Heubach, Catholic, KenmoreThe Rev. Dr. Barbara Hulsing, Good Shepherd Community of Faith, BuffaloRabbi Alex Lazarus-Klein, Temple Sinai, AmherstThe Rev. John R. Long, First Presbyterian Church, BuffaloThe Rev. Frances Manly, UU Church of Hamburg, BuffaloThe Rev. Mary Masters, Unity Church, BuffaloThe Rev. M. B. McKay, Pilgrim St. Lukes United Church of Christ, BuffaloThe Rev. Joel M. Miller, Unitarian Universalist Church of BuffaloRev. Bridget O'Malley, Pagan, KenmoreWendy Palmeri, Unitarian Universalist Church of BuffaloZoe Palmeri, Unitarian Universalist Church of BuffaloRabbi Harry Rosenfeld, Temple Beth Zion, BuffaloMary Jane Russell, United Methodist Church, Orchard ParkThe Rev. William J. Russell, Retired, United Methodist Church, Orchard ParkMarlene Schillinger, Jewish Family Services of Buffalo, SnyderRev. Nadine A. Schrodt, Cleveland Heights Christian Church, CheektowagaRabbi Jerry Seidler, Temple Sinai, AmherstThe Rev. Sara D. Smith, Esq., Kenilworth United Church of Christ, BuffaloChaplain Carol Speser, Rainbow Spirit Rising, BuffaloThe Rev. Scott Thomas, United Church of Christ, SnyderJames Tuskes, Catholic, KenmoreThe Rev. Vivian R. Waltz, Hamburg United Methodist/WNY Reconciling Ministries, HamburgThe Rev. T. Gerard Williams, Unity Fellow Church, Buffalo

Capital Region

Richard C. Angelo, Episcopal, GuilderlandDeacon Marion L. Bailey, First Church in Albany, SchenectadyThe Rev. Bill Barney, First United Methodist Church of SchenectadyJoyce E. Bascom, First Presbyterian Church, RensselaerRabbi Bernard Bloom, Retired, Saratoga SpringsRabbi Don Cashman, B'nai Sholom Reform Congregation, AlbanyThe Rev. Steve C. Clunn, First United Methodist Church of SchenectadyMichele A. Cole, First United Methodist Church of SchenectadyJoyce S. Cole, Bethesda Episcopal Church, GansevoortThe Rev. Stanley F. Craig, Schenectady Classis, Reformed Church in AmericaRabbi Matthew S. Cutler, Congregation Gates of Heaven, SchenectadyElder Terence Diggory, Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, Saratoga SpringsThe Rev. Jim A. Ekman, Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, Saratoga SpringsPastor Jill G. Farnham, Metropolitan Community Church, AlbanyTerry Freedland, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyCheryl Gelder-Kogan, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyPhyllis Goldstein, Congregation Beth Emeth, AlbanyRabbi Debora S. Gordon, Congregation Berith Sholom, TroyThe Rev. Anthony W. Green, First Congregational Church, AlbanyRabbi Michael R. Greenwald, St. Lawrence University, CantonRev. Kathleen Gregg, Presbyterian, Saratoga SpringsDeacon Charles I. Gridley, Delmar Reformed ChurchCantor Glenn Groper, Congregation Beth Emeth, AlbanyRabbi Susan Gulack, Deparment of Corrections, AlbanyErnest Hall, St. Lawrence District, UUA, Board President, NiskayunaThe Rev. Linda Hoddy, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Saratoga SpringsRabbi Shoshanah D. King-Tornberg, Congregation Beth Emeth, AlbanyPaul Leduc, Episcopal, PlattsburghThe Rev. Miriam L. Leupold, First Presbyterian Church, Albany

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The Rev. Dr. Bill Levering, Senior Pastor, First Reformed Church of SchenectadyThe Rev. Diane Rae Marquit, North Creek United Methodist ChurchDave Mesh, Lutheran, CharltonRonald H. Miller, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyRabbi Linda Motzkin, Temple Sinai of Saratoga SpringsElder Judith P. Moyer, Presbyterian, TroyElder William Moyer, Presbyterian, TroyRabbi Catherine Nemiroff, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyRabbi Dan Ornstein, Congregation Ohav Shalom, AlbanyThe Rev. Jo Page, Grace Lutheran Church, SchenectadyCatherine C. Parker, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, AlbanyThe Rev. Stewart E. Pattison, Albany Presbytery, WatervlietRev. Paul Rees-Rohrbacher, Lutheran, AlbanyThe Rev. Priscilla Richter, First Unitarian Society of SchenectadyThe Most Rev. Richard G. Roy, Holy Trinity National Catholic Church, AlbanyRabbi Jonathan Rubenstein, Temple Sinai of Saratoga SpringsAudrey Seidman, Jewish, AlbanyRabbi Scott Sheeper, Congregation Beth Emeth, AlbanyLucy Siegel, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyExecutive Director, Robb Smith, Interfaith Impact of New York State, AlbanyEleanor C. Stanton, Presbyterian New England Congregational Church, Saratoga SpringsThe Rev. Helenmarie Sunkenberg, Albany Presbytery, WatervlietDianne W. Symansky, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyThe Rev. Ellen P. Tatreau, Emmanuel Baptist Church of AlbanyThe Rev. Samuel A. Trumbore, First Unitarian Universalist Society of AlbanyArleen Urell, Jewish (Reform), AlbanyThe Rev. Lois Ann Wolf, Rockwell Falls Presbyterian Church, Lake LuzerneThe Rev. Nathan Wright, First Congregational Church of AlbanyBarbara Zaron, Jewish (Reform), Slingerlands

Central New York

The Rev. Lesley Adams, Episcopal, GenevaThe Rev. Richard A. Breuninger, First United Methodist Church of OneontaThe Rev. Thomas A. Clemow, First United Methodist Church of OneontaThe Rev. Beth DuBois, Onondaga Valley Presbyterian ChurchAngela Eardley, First United Methodist Church of OneontaPastor Martha T. Fischer, United Methodist Church, CanastotaPeggy R. Gaylord, Centenary St. UMC, BinghamtonWilliam O. Headlee, Park Central Presbytrian Church, SyracuseHarsey Leonard, Unitarian Universalist, SyracuseThe Rev. J. Andrew McTyre, Park Central Presbyterian Church, SyracuseRabbi Michele Medwin, Jewish (Reform), BinghamtonJoyce Miller, Methodist, OneontaMargaret Parish, First United Methodist Church of OneontaRev. Craig Schaub, Plymonth Congregational UCC, SyracuseRachel J. Siegel, Temple Beth-El, IthacaThe Rev. John R. Sisley, Retired, Presbyterian, New HartfordEleanor L. Stethers, United Methodist Church, BinghamtonAnthony T. Vitteli, Unitarian Universalist Society, WhitesboroThe Rev. Jean Wahlstrom, May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society, SyracuseRev. Kathleen Waters, Presbyterian, SyracuseJoy Weber, First Baptist Church of Ithaca

Hudson Valley & Catskills

The Rev. Patricia Ackerman, Episcopal, NyackThe Rev. Paul Alcorn, Bedford Presbyterian Church, BedfordSeminarian Christina Jean Alexis, West Center Congregational Church, BronxvilleHelen F. Andrew, Memorial United Methodist Church, Sleepy HollowLeonard Andrew, Memorial United Methodist Church, Sleepy HollowCantor Dana Anesi, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, ChappaquaJean-Marie Angelo, Grace Episcopal Church, Mount Vernon