Church Refuses Funeral for Gay Woman

The minister of a church in Lakewood, Colorado refused to hold a memorial service on Saturday because the deceased woman was gay, according to the woman’s family and friends. “Her casket was open, flowers laid out and hundreds of people sitting in the pews,” supporters wrote in a Facebook post, noting that the service was canceled 15 minutes after it was supposed to begin. “He collected money for the funeral and has yet to return it.” The deceased was 33-year-old Vanessa Collier, who died in late December and left behind a wife and two children. A "Dignity in Death" rally was held on Tuesday to protest the church's decision.