By AP - CBC NEWS
Added: Wed, 01 Aug 2012 19:38:45 UTC

Thanks to Roedy for the link

Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson in their home in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. (WLBT TV/Associated Press)

A Mississippi couple says the church where they planned to get married turned them away because they are black.

Charles and Te'Andrea Wilson say they had set the date and mailed invitations, but the day before their wedding they got bad news from the pastor of predominantly white First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs: Some members of the church complained about the black couple having a wedding there.

The Wilsons, who live in nearby Jackson, said they attend the church regularly although they are not members.

Pastor Stan Weatherford told WLBT TV in Jackson he was surprised when a small number of church members opposed holding the wedding at the church.

Unprecedented

"This had never been done before here, so it was setting a new precedent, and there are those who reacted to that because of that," Weatherford said.

Weatherford performed the July 21 ceremony at another church.

"I didn't want to have a controversy within the church, and I didn't want a controversy to affect the wedding of Charles and Te'Andrea. I wanted to make sure their wedding day was a special day," Weatherford said.

WLBT reported that church officials now say they welcome any race. They plan to hold internal meetings on how to move forward.

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TAGGED: HUMAN RIGHTS, RELIGION