Top officers of the United Church of Christ will explore the possibility of reestablishing relations with the leaders from Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Puerto Rico in a meeting this weekend.

The meeting in Puerto Rico between the four members of the UCC's Collegium of Officers and the IEUPR's senior pastor Rev. Edward Santiago Rivera on April 21 and 23 comes after the IEUPR voted in 2006 to withdraw from the UCC when the denomination resolved to support an "Open and Affirming" stance on marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Collegium members will also guest preach at area churches on April 22.

The IEUPR had been affiliated with the UCC since the denomination's founding in 1957.

"My hope is that we can engage in respectful and thoughtful exploration of the implications of any kind of relationship, especially since there is still a lot of healing to be done,' said the Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo, executive minister for Justice and Witness Ministries, according to UCC News.

UCC Collegium members also assisting will be the Rev. J Bennett Guess, executive minister for Local Church Ministries, the Rev. James Moos, executive minister for Wider Church Ministries, and the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, General Minister and President.

In 2005, the UCC voted during the General Synod 25 to favor marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Six Puerto Rican delegates walked out of the General Synod after the resolution passed, the report states.

Jaramillo said the conference voted 3-1 to end the affiliation "without consultation," calling the development "really troubling."

"In one fell swoop, we lost 68 churches," she said.

Rev. Black told UCC news "there had always been some discomfort among some in the Puerto Rico churches over the Open and Affirming stance of the UCC."

"We received their invitation to join them in discussion, and we've been sensitive to find the opportune time to visit and continue that conversation," he said.