More Than 20 Faith Communities to Show Support for LGBT on Eve of High Court Hearing

Northern Virginia faith communities — 22 in all — are joining together Sunday to embrace the LGBT communities just two days before the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear four marriage equality cases, according to organizers.

• What: Keeping Faith: Interfaith Prayer Service to Embrace the LGBT Communities before the Supreme Court Marriage Equality Cases
• When: Sunday, April 26, 2015, 4 p.m.
• Where: Congregation Etz Hayim, 2920 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments about whether same-sex couples should have the freedom to marry and if state anti-marriage laws should be struck down as unconstitutional. Northern Virginia faith communities are joining together to embrace the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities at this hopeful and vulnerable time.

The interfaith service will include music, prayer and meditation, and words of blessing to the LGBT communities. There will also be an opportunity for all those in attendance to add names of friends and loved ones to a banner that will be carried to the steps of the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning as the Court hears the cases. The banner is to remind all that the Court’s decision will impact real men and women and their families.

Supporting faith communities include:

· Bethel United Church of Christ, Arlington

· Center for Spiritual Living Metro, Arlington

· Clarendon Presbyterian Church, Arlington

· Commonwealth Baptist Church, Alexandria

· Congregation Etz Hayim, Arlington

· Emmaus United Church of Christ, Vienna

· Fairlington Presbyterian, Alexandria

· Hope United Church of Christ, Alexandria

· John Calvin Presbyterian Church, Annandale

· Little River United Church of Christ, Annandale

· Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia, Fairfax

· Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, Alexandria

· Ravensworth Baptist Church, Annandale

· River of Grace Lutheran Church, Manassas

· Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ, Arlington

· St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Reston

· St. George’s Episcopal Church, Arlington

· Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church

· Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington

· Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax

· Unity of Fairfax, Oakton

· United Christian Parish, Reston