Delaware Senator Chris Coons delivered
the sermon on New Year's Day at Delaware's first gay civil union
ceremony, the AP reported.
Coons, a supporter of gay marriage, was
among the more than 400 people who attended the civil union of
lawyers Lisa Goodman and Drewry Fennell.
Goodman is the executive director of
Equality Delaware, the group that led the fight for the state's first
law to recognize the relationships of gay and lesbian couples, and
Fennell is the head of the state Criminal Justice Council. The women
have been together 14 years.
Governor Jack Markell signed the
legislation before 600 cheering supporters in May and the law took
effect at 10AM on January 1, 2012. New Castle County Clerk of the
Peace Ken Boulden opened Sunday to issue licenses by appointment
only. However, he is not expected to perform civil union ceremonies
in his office until January 5.
Goodman and Fennell obtained their
license from Boulden and had their civil union solemnized at the
Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Wilmington.
The congregation gave the couple a
standing ovation after the union was pronounced.