Raleigh church to vote on ending all marriages until state allows same-sex couples to wed

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — Members of a Baptist church in Raleigh will vote on whether to stop holding marriages between heterosexual couples until the state allows same-sex couples to wed.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports that the congregation of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church will vote Nov. 20. If the congregation approves the proposal, all couples could still participate in a spiritual ceremony inside the church.

Couples wanting a marriage license could either get it through the magistrate's office or through another pastor, but not on Pullen grounds.

Pullen has blessed gay marriages for the past 20 years, a stance that got it kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention.

In July, the Rev. Nancy Petty, Pullen's pastor, asked the church to relieve her of the duty of signing marriage licenses.