June Bride

Bishop Gene Robinson to 'marry' gay partner

By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent

Last Updated: 1:31PM BST 06/06/2008

Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual Anglican bishop, is about to "marry" his partner, further inflaming tensions in the church ahead of a series of critical meetings this summer.

ABBIE TRAYLER-SMITH
Bishop Gene Robinson wants his partner to have more rights in case he gets murdered.
The bishop, whose appointment has driven the worldwide church to the brink of collapse, is to have a civil union with his partner of 20 years, Mark Andrew.

They will have a private ceremony carried out by a lawyer in front of family and friends on Saturday, followed by a service of celebration in a church nearby in New Hampshire, northeast USA.

Bishop Robinson, who recently claimed he had always wanted to be a "June bride", said: "We're very excited about it. It won't look like a wedding, but it will be wonderful."

Mrs. Robinson - Simon and Garfunkel
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Jesus loves you more than you will know (Wo, wo, wo)
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
Heaven holds a place for those who pray
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo, woo, woo)
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away
(Hey, hey, hey...hey, hey, hey)

YouTube explains a few things to the Episcopalians.