The U.S. Supreme Court today declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states, and a couple whose union appeared in our sister publication — the Preston Hollow Advocate, in March 2014 — was first in line.
In the Dallas Morning News’ ongoing coverage, Jack Evans and George Harris can be seen at the front of the crowd of couples lining up to receive their marriage licenses.
In 2014, the Rev. Bill McElvaney presided over the marriage of Harris and Evans, members of Northaven United Methodist Church, who had at the time been together 53 years. By doing so, he risked consequences, because the Methodist Church had prohibited clergy from officiating same-sex marriages.
Here is what the now-retired McElvaney had to say about it back when he announced his plans to conduct same-sex marriages despite the Methodist law against it.
“These inhumane actions by the UMC, favoring law over love, the Book of Discipline over the Book of Discipleship — that is, the New Testament — cruelty over compassion, constitute the Methodist version of Inquisition in the 20th and 21st centuries.”
Follow this link to see our photo editor Danny Fulgencio’s slideshow of their earlier ceremony.