A reverend in Lancaster spent her Memorial Day officiating same sex marriages and for her it’s personal because she is also married to a woman. Reverend Kelly Jo Singleton married her partner Kim Haas in September of last year, but it hasn’t always been easy for the couple. Haas recalled what it was like being gay in Lancaster in the 1980’s. She said “it was a different feel. You had to be afraid to be yourself.”
Fast forward to today and you’ll find Haas happier, more secure and married. “It’s about love, it’s not anything bad or harmful or hurtful” said Haas. Singleton and Haas’ marriage became official in the eyes of the law last week when a federal judge overturned the ban on gay marriage. “Knowing that our marriage license is valid, that we are indeed wife and wife, that does put a whole new feeling to it. A whole new perspective” said Singleton whose church is called the Lancaster Interfaith Sanctuary.
Now that Singleton is married, she’s helping other same-sex couples do the same. On Memorial Day she officiated 9 ceremonies. 7 were same-sex and 2 where straight. “Signing the marriage license for them, my heart is there 100 percent. There’s not that part of me that’s sad. Like well they have it but why can’t I kind of thing. It’s just been a very beautiful process” said Singleton.
Singleton said she’s happy to help others find the kind of love that she and Haas have, a strong foundation with values that she learned from her mother. “I love Kim as my daughter as much as I do Kelly. I’m very happy that they found eachother and she’s a wonderful part of our family” said Singleton’s mother Judy Esposito.