BALTIMORE—Members of a Presbyterian denomination in Baltimore are asking the national organization to redefine marriage to permit same-sex couples.

The vote in favor of the change was 76-71. The Baltimore Presbytery includes 74 churches and has almost 20,000 members. The full General Assembly of the church is to consider the proposal in June. If approved, it would have to be ratified by a majority of the regional church bodies across the country.

The Reverend Tom Harris of Govans Presbyterian Church believes the current church language on marriage is discriminatory.

Presbyterian ministers may bless the relationships of same-sex couples but are prohibited from performing same-sex marriages.