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The local church action follows citizens' comments in the wake of the United Church of Christ's July 4 passage of a resolution endorsing same-sex marriage. Corban said some media coverage of the action failed to differentiate between the church groups, and local leaders wanted to offer a clarification.
"That's really what prompted it here," said Corban, adding he had heard from about six people who thought the local church bodies had sanctioned the action.
Corban and Wendell Davis, an elder at Mount Olive Church of Christ, said that was not the case. Corban said the local churches were considering other publicity to tell more about their congregations.
"It's a great difference," Corban said, citing the United Church of Christ's liberal stance on a variety of issues. "If they're endorsing same-sex marriages, that tells you they're more liberal than a lot of religions."
Davis agreed.
"They are totally different from the Church of Christ," he said.
The United Church of Christ was founded in 1957 and has around 1.3 million members. Its base has traditionally been in New England and has a history of support of gay and lesbian issues.
The most recent action calls on its congregations to consider wedding policies that are not based on gender and to support equal rights legislation for gay and lesbian couples. The vote by the General Synod, UCC's rule-making body, is not binding on its over 5,700 congregations.
In contrast to United Church of Christ, Corban said the Church of Christ is one of the more conservative denominations. Membership in the conservative Churches of Christ numbers around two million.
Davis said Churches of Christ have no organization above individual congregations.
"Each Church of Christ is independent of all the others regarding the decisions they make," Davis said.
Davis said congregations may support the same projects financially, such as missions or children's homes. However, decisions regarding support are left up to individual congregations.
Regarding the issue of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, Corban said Church of Christ members believe it is contrary to scripture.
"You can't have same-sex marriage without being homosexual," Corban said. "The Bible is pretty clear what is says about homosexuality."
Davis said Church of Christ members take the Bible in its totality. They do not accept some parts and reject others.
"We believe the Bible is the direction we should follow," Davis said. "And it says homosexuality is an abomination before God."
Davis stressed that don't hate homosexuals. However, church members do hate the sin of homosexuality, as well as any others that are contrary to scripture.
"We love them, but we're not their judge," Davis said.
In addition to the Brookway and Mount Olive Churches of Christ, others that sponsored the advertisement and offered to provide information about the issue included Center Street, Central, Johnson Grove and Mount Zion Churches of Christ.
