Thursday's court decision on same-sex marriage is greeted mostly by deafening silence from local churches.

The state Supreme Court held that California law passed in 1977 and affirmed by voters in 2000 denies equal protection under the law to people who are gay and so violates the California Constitution.

"We have had a marriage policy for years, but I need to pull it out and review it," said Pastor Tom Rhodes of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Folsom. "We will certainly be talking about it at our next meeting June 14 (but) I'm sure we'll endorse the policy we have."

Rhodes pulled the policy, and it reads, in part, "Within the pastor's wedding manual it is made clear that we understand the Bible to teach that marriage is between one man and one woman and we conform our religious wedding-worship practices to that understanding. Therefore we perform wedding … ceremonies … only between one man and one woman."

Messages left at a total of approximately 20 other churches in Folsom and El Dorado Hills were not returned by press time.

The city of Folsom issues no marriage licenses and City Hall hosts no marriage ceremonies, said spokeswoman Sue Ryan. No policy bars same-sex marriages in city parks, she said.

Local adoption agencies were slightly more responsive than were churches.

"Yes, we've adopted out to gay couples," said Nanette Wilson of Angel Above Adoptions, which lists a Folsom-El Dorado Hills service area. "I have women who ask for gay or lesbian adoptive couples. That's not common, but it's gone on ever since I've been doing this -- 13 years."

Nicole Musil of Foster Families Services of Placerville said, "It's not going to have any difference for our business, because we're already doing it."

Folsom gay-rights activist Lance Chih said, "I was thrilled to wake up to that news. By 10:45 a.m., I had 15 text messages and 10 e-mails. I took my parents to lunch to celebrate. All we need to do now is fight the (counter-) initiative. This is a free society."

Chih's mother, Shirley, said, "I think it's terrific. It's every person's right to choose who to be with. Who is another person to judge who one is able to be with?"

Assemblyman Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks, who has been vocal against same-sex marriage in the past, said it was notable to him that the Supreme Court justices split on the ruling, 4-3.

"The ruling is official and I don't want to deny it," Niello said Thursday. "It's obviously very much a split decision, and there's potential for a ballot proposition to amend the Constitution."

The Telegraph’s Roger Phelps can be reached at rogerp@goldcountrymedia.com, or post a comment at folsomtelegraph.com