http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/01/010806church.htmThe United Church of Christ's endorsement of same-sex marriage wasn't the only disagreement Suffolk Christian Church had with the national group.
"Although for a lot of people, that was the straw that broke the camel's back," said the Rev. Michael D. Halley, minister of the 145-year-old church, which agreed by more than a two-thirds majority in the fall to leave the 1.3 million-member denomination.
The action was in response to the vote by the UCC's General Synod, a biennial meeting of delegates from member churches, affirming "equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender."
Congregations also were asked to oppose campaigns that advocate constitutional amendments to limit marriage according to gender. Virginia is among the states with such a campaign. If the General Assembly votes again this year, as it did last year, to ban same-sex civil unions, the measure could go before the state's voters as a constitutional amendment this fall.