The Concord Monitor reports that Bishop Gene Robinson and his longtime partner Mark Andrew were united in a private civil union ceremony on Saturday, June 7 at St. Paul’s Church, Concord before attorney Ronna Wise, a justice of the peace.
Robinson and Andrew, a state employee, live in Weare and have been together 20 years. Barwell said the pair decided to have a civil union now for a couple of reasons.
Civil unions became available in New Hampshire just this year. More critically, Robinson has been getting death threats as he prepares to leave next month for England. Should anything happen to Robinson, he wanted Andrew and his two daughters from a previous marriage to have legal protections available under the law, Barwell said.
Those protections include rights to benefits and to be involved in medical decisions.
Robinson and Andrew celebrated their civil union first and a religious service of thanksgiving after, Barwell said. The Rev. Canon Timothy Rich, who works with Robinson at the diocese, presided at the Eucharist. The Rev. Susan Russell, president of Integrity, a nonprofit that advocates for gay inclusion in the Episcopal Church, preached.
Both Robinson’s and Andrew’s family members attended.
Robinson told the Christian Century:
“I’m certainly not going to put myself at physical risk without providing my partner with the protections that civil law provides,” he said. “That’s no more and no less than any husband or wife would want to do for his or her spouse.”
Concord Monitor article here.
Christian Century profile here.
The Rev. Irene Monroe writing in The Advocate reports here with lots of photos.
Afterward, during the reception and dinner that took place at Canterbury Shaker Village, Susan Russell gave a 5-minute video interview, which can be found here. Watch it below.