Who authorizes Joyce to perform weddings?
That’s a very interesting question. Actually, the only “authorizing” bodies are New York City and the State of Massachusetts. New York City requires going through a process after ordination. Joyce completed that process; last year, she performed over a dozen weddings in various boroughs of New York City. The State of Massachusetts requires a lot of paperwork and not much else. What most town clerks care about is that the clergyperson is “ordained.” Beyond that, it’s up to the couple to feel comfortable.
