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Oct. 28, 1998
A complaint filed against a United Methodist pastor in Chicago for performing a same-sex ceremony has drawn strong reactions from two unofficial church groups that oppose each other on issues involving homosexuality.
The Rev. Gregory Dell, pastor of Broadway United Methodist Church, has been charged by Chicago Bishop Joseph Sprague with disobeying the order and discipline of the denomination. Dell performed a same-sex covenant ceremony for two men in his church on Sept. 19.
The filing of the charges was hailed by Good News, which describes itself as an unofficial renewal movement in the denomination. However, Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Concerns expressed disappointment at the news.
"We are grateful that Bishop Sprague has brought charges against Rev. Dell, even though the bishop himself performed two 'holy union services' while serving as pastor in Columbus," Good News' executive committee said in an Oct. 27 statement. "We trust the conference will provide a fair trial and a sentence commensurate with the gravity of the violation that has been committed."
In its own Oct. 27 statement, Affirmation noted that Sprague had expressed his "high regard" for Dell and his "theological and pastoral disagreement" with the law the bishop is enforcing.
"No matter how well intentioned Bishop Sprague is in his attempt to affirm Rev. Dell's integrity and faithfulness, the world at large hears only the simple message: The United Methodist Church seeks to bring one more gay-friendly pastor to trial," Affirmation said. "This is the stony, rejecting face the church presents to the unchurched world."
Sprague said he disagrees with the church's position regarding homosexuality and same-sex unions. However, he felt dutybound as a bishop to file the complaint against Dell, he said. The complaint was filed on Oct. 12 and will be forwarded to the appropriate investigative bodies in the Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference.
The action represented the first formal complaint filed since the United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination's supreme court, ruled in August that performing a same-sex union service was a chargeable offense. The council said that a statement in the Book of Discipline prohibiting United Methodist pastors from performing such services in the denomination's churches was enforceable as church law.
The ruling followed the March clergy trial and acquittal of the Rev. Jimmy Creech for performing such a ceremony for two women in Omaha, Neb., last year. Creech, then pastor of First United Methodist Church in Omaha, had been charged with disobeying the order and discipline of the denomination. During the clergy trial, his defense hinged in part on whether or not the denomination's prohibition against such services carried the weight of law. Creech's counsel argued that because the prohibition was contained in the Social Principles, a separate section of the Book of Discipline, it was not enforceable as church law. Since his acquittal, Creech has taken a leave of absence and is living in North Carolina.
A few days after the charges were filed against Dell, two leaders in the California-Nevada Annual Conference announced their plans to unite in a holy union service. Jeanne Barnett, the conference lay leader, and Ellie Charlton, a member of the conference board of trustees, said they plan to unite early next year in a service that will be co-led by a group of clergy. The service is being organized by their pastor, the Rev. Don Fado, of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Sacramento, Calif. So far, 67 clergy members have said they are ready to co-celebrate the union with Fado.
The Rev. James V. Heidinger II, president and publisher of Good News, said the plans for the holy union "help the rest of us understand why pastors and laity in that conference believe they face 'irreconcilable differences' with their conference leadership."
The Good News leaders stated their "deep distress" at the news that the Rev. John Christie, pastor of the Mission City United Methodist Church in Santa Clara, Calif., has announced he is withdrawing from the California-Nevada conference. Christie was president of the Evangelical Renewal Fellowship, which tried unsuccessfully this year to get conference leaders to permit its 74 members to separate from the conference but remain United Methodists.
Christie plans to withdraw from the conference as of Nov. 2, according to Good News. Two other Evangelical Renewal Fellowship pastors, the Rev. Kevin Clancey and the Rev. Ed Ezaki, have already left the denomination.
"I would urge (California-Nevada) Bishop Melvin Talbert to announce immediately his plans to appoint an evangelical as district superintendent at the next annual conference," Heidinger said. Such a superintendent could serve "as shepherd to and cabinet representative for the evangelicals all across the conference."
Meanwhile, Affirmation is urging United Methodists to dissent from the denomination's prohibition against same-sex covenant services. At its Oct. 10-12 meeting in Portland, Ore., the organization's national council said the prohibition is "discriminatory, unjust and unconstitutional." The council urged Affirmation members to dissent "thoughtfully and creatively."
"It is time for the church to decide: does it support discrimination or not?" said the Rev. Jeanne Knepper, spokesperson for Affirmation. "The church cannot have it both ways, claiming not to discriminate while it labels our lives 'incompatible with Christian teaching,' refuses to celebrate our relationships and does not recognize our calls into ministry."
Affirmation's national council also adopted a platform of legislative changes and resolutions for the 2000 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body. The platform removes discriminatory passages, such as prohibitions on ordination, covenant services and funding, from the denomination's Book of Discipline. It also proposes adding to the church's Social Principles a paragraph affirming the rights of all people to enter into covenants.
As an independent voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people, Affirmation radically reclaims the compassionate and transforming gospel of Jesus Christ by relentlessly pursuing full inclusion in the Church as we journey with the Spirit in creating God's beloved community. We affirm a Gospel of respect, love, justice and mercy for all. Affirmation is an activist, all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization with no official ties to The United Methodist Church.
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