Diane Ansley and Cathy McGaughey, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Asheville, N.C.
Diane and Cathy live in Old Fort, N.C. and have been together since December 1999. They are both members of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, where Cathy serves on the church’s Executive Board. Cathy works as an Accounts Receivable Specialist and 
bookkeeper, and Diane is a retired law enforcement officer who currently works for a physician as a Patient Scheduler and Medical Records Custodian.
“We both love this beautiful state and its wonderful people. I was born in Asheville. My parents grew up and met in Asheville, and were married in the sanctuary where our church, First Congregation UCC, meets. My mother, now 86 years old, was baptized there as a teenager. It is our church home and it is where we want to be married. Joe Hoffman is our pastor, and he should be the pastor that marries us.” –Cathy McGaughey
Joel Blady and Jeff Addy, Charlotte, N.C.
Joel and Jeff both attend Temple Beth El in Charlotte, N.C., where they participate in Friday night and high holiday services. They have been in a committed relationship for more than three years. Joel has worked in the funeral industry for the past 32 years, and Jeff works in the healthcare industry. They moved to Charlotte in 2004.
“Amendment One and the North Carolina marriage statutes interfere with our ability to practice our religion because we cannot have our marriage ceremony in Temple Beth El performed by our Rabbi. We have a meaningful and significant personal and spiritual relationship with the Temple and its leaders, and cannot imagine a life event as important as marriage being held outside of Temple Beth El.” –Joel Blady and Jeff Addy
Shauna Bragan and Stacy Malone, Trinity United Church of Christ, Concord, N.C.
Shauna and Stacy are both members of Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ in Concord, N.C. Shauna is a published environmental scientist currently working as a Customer Service Agent for a business that provides customer care, customer retention and revenue recovery services to a host of industries. Stacy works as the adaptive physical education teacher in Cabarrus County, and in August 2013, she opened a day program for adults with disabilities.
“As members of an open and affirming church, it is very important for us to take our marriage vows and to commit ourselves to one another and God in front of our family and friends. Our immediate and extended family, friends, and fellow church members are very supportive of our relationship and want to be able to share and witness with us in a marriage ceremony officiated by Revered Nathan King at our church and for our marriage be recognized by the State of North Carolina as being equal to that of any other couple.” –Shauna Bragan and Stacy Malone
Lisa Cloninger and Kathleen Smith, Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Charlotte, N.C.
Lisa and Kathi are members of the Holy Covenant United Church of Christ in Charlotte, where Lisa serves as an Elder and Kathi has been a deacon. They have been in a committed relationship since October 3, 2001. Lisa is currently a unit supervisor with Mecklenburg County Children’s Developmental Services and also an adjunct part-time instructor in the Early Childhood Education program at Central Piedmont Community College. Kathi has taught school and administered 
operations for a local arts education non-profit organization, as well as administering a major grant program at Central Piedmont Community College. Currently she is on a contract assignment at Duke Energy.
“Both of us grew up in church, and our families instilled in us the value of faith and belonging to a church community. Because we believe that God has blessed our relationship and will bless our marriage, we wish to have our legal and religious wedding ceremony performed by our pastor, Nancy Ellett Allison, at Holy Covenant UCC, our faith community, and witnessed by our family and friends. We intend to have Rev. Allison perform our Holy Union religious marriage ceremony on October 3, 2014.” — Lisa Cloninger and Kathi Smith
Cathy Fry and Joanne Marinaro, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Charlotte, N.C.
Joanne and Cathy both attend Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Charlotte, where they have been members for approximately 25 years. They have been in a committed relationship since June 15, 1986, and live together in a home in Huntersville, N.C. that they built in 1988. Joanne is a Senior Manager for a North Carolina based Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and her career in the insurance industry spans 25 years. Cathy and her brother own a small company that builds custom high-quality upholstered furniture. She previously worked with an energy company for 19 
years in various management roles. Cathy and Joanne have two children: Kaley, who graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Carolina – Asheville in 2013, and Joseph, who is currently in his second semester at the University of North Carolina – Charlotte.
“Our church family is like family to us. They have watched, loved and supported our children and our relationship throughout our lives. Pastor Nancy is an amazing pastor and person with whom we have great respect and love. Honestly, we can’t imagine anyone else officiating our legal marriage. While others may choose to go to another state to be legally married, we cannot imagine being married without the presence of our faith community and our Pastor officiating the ceremony.” –Cathy Fry and Joanne Marinaro
Carol Taylor and Betty Mack, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, N.C.
Carol and Betty both attend the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, where they have a close relationship with their pastor, Revered Mark Ward. They have been in a committed relationship since 1973. Carol was an Assistant Professor at Indiana University at South Bend from 1970-73, then an Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University in Florida from 1973-83. She was Senior Editor of Mother Earth News, based in Hendersonville, N.C., from 1983-1990. From 1990 until 2008, she 
was Editor, then Editorial Director, then Publisher, at Lark Books, in Asheville, N.C. Carol retired in 2008. Betty worked as a public school teacher from 1958-1959 and later taught at Stetson University (1962-1965), Florida State University (1967-1969), and Palm Beach Academy (1973-1974). She worked at the Center for Group Counseling in Boca Raton, Florida from 1975-80 and later worked for H&R Block from 1985-2000. She is currently retired.
“Every element of our society buttresses the institution of marriage–the law, government, family, media, education, and religion. We are banned from that institution. We are so unacceptable that a minister in North Carolina who blesses our union commits a crime. After 41 years together, we believe it’s time we were admitted to that institution–a belief shared by our minister and our faith tradition.” –Carol Taylor and Betty Mack