Progressive Pastor Ready for Same-Sex Hamptons Weddings

One of the East End’s more progressive ministers is planning to be busy in the coming months after the New York State Senate legalized same-sex marriage in a last-minute vote Friday night.

But Rev. Dr. Katrina Foster of St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Amagansett and Water Mill said she is looking forward to presiding over same-sex weddings.

“We have one of the largest gay and lesbian communities in the country,” said Foster, a lesbian who is married and has one daughter.

"I'm very grateful that the Republicans were able to re-discover that democracy is for all of our taxpaying citizens, and that this is the proper extension of the principles that we share," Foster said. "My state has joined the growing number of places that recognize the rights of all citizens."

The Senate passed the bill 33-29 in a late-night vote that took nearly a week to materialize. East End representative Sen. Kenneth LaValle, R-Port Jefferson, voted against the bill, which will go into effect 30 days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs it into law.

But in order to pick up the votes needed to pass, legislators and the governor had to agree to add protections in the bill for religious institutions and nonprofits so that they would not be obligated to marry same-sex couples, something Foster wouldn’t take advantage of.

“New York is on the forefront of progressive movements in our county,” Foster said.

David Kilmnick of the East End Gay Organization also said the change will mean a flood of marriages in the coming months. "Many people are waiting to be protected by the 1,324 rights and benefits that come along with a marriage," he said.