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Plans revealed for Cardiff's first gay church Jun 10 2006
Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo
An openly gay priest-to-be has broken new barriers by becoming the first reverend pictured kissing his boyfriend in full ceremonial dress.
The groundbreaking step comes as Evangelical minister Mark Paris and his boyfriend John Allen celebrate Mark's ordination as an independent priest next weekend.
And Mark, who already offers private baptisms in the front room of the couple's Grangetown home, revealed their dream for the future - to build a church in Cardiff where same-sex couples can be married.
As our pictures show, the 26-year-old is not afraid of being shown with his partner because he feels the church needs to be inclusive of everyone.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100...irst-gay-church-name_page.html#story_continueHe said: 'Nowhere in the scriptures of the Bible is there any reference to homosexuality - Jesus himself did not mention it at all.
'I believe that this prejudice has to stop. People have got to stop judging others.
'In my eyes the only person with the right to judge is our Lord.
'People need to stop worrying about homosexuality and focus on the texts by Jesus about how to live life.'
Mark had his calling to become a priest and forge a community church 'for everyone' when he worked as a funeral director and had the task of collecting a dead baby from a Bristol hospital.
'I couldn't understand why our Lord had taken a baby at a day old but I knew then I had to become a priest,' he said.
Now he and John, 34, who hope to marry next year, have applied for Heritage Lottery Funding to build a church in Grangetown - but they have agreed that if they are not successful they will find a derelict church and do it up.
'I will be an independent priest who will support every faith, every colour and especially the gay people of Cardiff, so they can feel welcome in the house of God like any other person,' said Mark.
'My ambition is to make gay marriages legal in the eyes of the church, not just a civil ceremony.'
Mark, who celebrates his first anniversary with housekeeper John, 34, on Monday, sent out a strong message to Cardiff's gay community.
He said: 'Don't hide behind shut doors because there are people out there to help you and you are welcome into the church.'
But he said many of his congregation of more than 250 people were not gay, they simply supported his way of thinking.
Even John, who organises Mark's diary of baptisms and supports his vocation, does not follow a particular faith.
John said: 'I'm not a religious person myself but I would support him in anything he wants to do.'
Mark, who was ordained in March 2005 by the South West Evangelical Ministries in his home town of Gloucester, now faces a nervous wait before he is ordained into the International Community of St John the Divine (ICSJ) by the Right Reverend Dr Barry Rathbone next Sunday.
He and partner John are set to travel in style to the church in Bournemouth - in a limousine.
'It's going to be the best day,' he said. 'My family, who are all Catholics, will be there. My mum is very proud - over the moon.'
Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo
An openly gay priest-to-be has broken new barriers by becoming the first reverend pictured kissing his boyfriend in full ceremonial dress.
The groundbreaking step comes as Evangelical minister Mark Paris and his boyfriend John Allen celebrate Mark's ordination as an independent priest next weekend.
And Mark, who already offers private baptisms in the front room of the couple's Grangetown home, revealed their dream for the future - to build a church in Cardiff where same-sex couples can be married.
As our pictures show, the 26-year-old is not afraid of being shown with his partner because he feels the church needs to be inclusive of everyone.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100...irst-gay-church-name_page.html#story_continueHe said: 'Nowhere in the scriptures of the Bible is there any reference to homosexuality - Jesus himself did not mention it at all.
'I believe that this prejudice has to stop. People have got to stop judging others.
'In my eyes the only person with the right to judge is our Lord.
'People need to stop worrying about homosexuality and focus on the texts by Jesus about how to live life.'
Mark had his calling to become a priest and forge a community church 'for everyone' when he worked as a funeral director and had the task of collecting a dead baby from a Bristol hospital.
'I couldn't understand why our Lord had taken a baby at a day old but I knew then I had to become a priest,' he said.
Now he and John, 34, who hope to marry next year, have applied for Heritage Lottery Funding to build a church in Grangetown - but they have agreed that if they are not successful they will find a derelict church and do it up.
'I will be an independent priest who will support every faith, every colour and especially the gay people of Cardiff, so they can feel welcome in the house of God like any other person,' said Mark.
'My ambition is to make gay marriages legal in the eyes of the church, not just a civil ceremony.'
Mark, who celebrates his first anniversary with housekeeper John, 34, on Monday, sent out a strong message to Cardiff's gay community.
He said: 'Don't hide behind shut doors because there are people out there to help you and you are welcome into the church.'
But he said many of his congregation of more than 250 people were not gay, they simply supported his way of thinking.
Even John, who organises Mark's diary of baptisms and supports his vocation, does not follow a particular faith.
John said: 'I'm not a religious person myself but I would support him in anything he wants to do.'
Mark, who was ordained in March 2005 by the South West Evangelical Ministries in his home town of Gloucester, now faces a nervous wait before he is ordained into the International Community of St John the Divine (ICSJ) by the Right Reverend Dr Barry Rathbone next Sunday.
He and partner John are set to travel in style to the church in Bournemouth - in a limousine.
'It's going to be the best day,' he said. 'My family, who are all Catholics, will be there. My mum is very proud - over the moon.'
