Foreword

Acknowledgements

Julie

Visible Problem Indicators

Stewardship

Agents of Change - Issues

Institutional Dynamics

The Institutional and the Local Church

Operative Theology

Prognosis for the Future

Revival - What is Needed?

Closing Remarks

Appendix O
Case Study: First United Methodist Church (FUMC)
Omaha, Nebraska

This case study discusses the turbulence caused in a church when their pastor Jimmy Creech performed a "same-sex" ceremony.

September 27, 1997. "Lesbian Ceremony Splits Methodist Congregation."

129 members of Creech's church mailed a letter to their fellow congregants stating their opposition to his actions. Among those signing were former U.S. Senator, Dave Karnes, his wife, Liz, and several other prominent and longtime members. The church has 1,900 members. The pastor called for a listening session with the two associate pastors, Rev. Don Bredthauer and Rev. Susan Mullins (both of whom support covenant ceremonies for homosexuals), as panelists. No one with opposing viewpoints has been asked to speak, Creech said, but they can air their views during a question and answer session. The group that sent out the letter called on members to sign the statement and to write [Bishop] Martinez. "We....must uphold the principles of our Christian faith that form the foundation of our beliefs and guide our lives," the groups said. "Any act to the contrary challenges these principles and cuts to the very essence of our being."
- Sources: The Omaha World Herald, by Julia McCord, Sept. 27, 1997; and United Methodist News Service (UMNS) release # 440

March 11-13, 1998. Jimmy Creech was found "not guilty" by a trial court that met in Kearney, Nebraska. Following the decision, Bishop Joel Martinez (Nebraska) lifted Creech's suspension and reaffirmed his appointment to First UMC, Omaha. A summary of the trial is as follows:

The trial court consisted of 13 clergymembers (8 men and 5 women) of the Nebraska Conference were selected from a pool of 35...jurists. Following the decision, Creech told supporters, "...The great wall of bigotry [i.e., those opposing homosexuality] may not fall then [at General Conference 2000], but its collapse is inevitable, and we must be resolute at every stage and at every opportunity."

Witnesses for the Church called by Lauren Ekdahl, who served as counsel: 1. Jimmy Creech; 2. Bishop Kenneth W. Hicks (retired).

Witnesses for the Defense called by Doug Williamson, a religion professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University, [who was] Creech's counsel: 1. Glenn Loy, the clergyperson who brought charges against Creech; 2. Doug Bredthauer; 3 & 4. Joan Byerhof and Joanie Zetterman, former chairs of the staff parish relations committee; 5. Bill Jenks, current chair; 6. Jimmy Creech; 7. Roy Reed, a professor of worship at Methodist Theological School in Ohio; 8. Roy Black, a Black gay member of FUMC; 9. Phil Wogaman, pastor of Foundry UMC, Washington, D.C.; 10. Gregory N. Herek, research psychologist at the Univ. of California; 11. Betty Dorr, a member of FUMC.
- Newscope, 3/20/98.

[Observations: When it was discovered in February (before the trial began) that Lauren Ekdahl was to prosecute the case against Creech, Allen Morris called one of the laymen in Omaha who was pushing the case against Creech and told him that he (i.e., Morris) believed the stage was being set for Creech to be acquitted of the charges. Ekdahl was an officer in the Nebraska Methodist Federation for Social Action, which is extremely pro-active in promoting homosexual advocacy. After the trial, the report received from FUMC members present was that: evangelical pastors were systematically eliminated from the jury pool; there were few witnesses called by Ekdahl for the prosecution, with one being Creech himself; and the case presented for the "church's" side was weak. It is difficult to understand how the defense would have brought in a plethora of witnesses from as far away as Washington, D.C. and California, yet the prosecution neglected to call credible witnesses who were living in Omaha, were members of Creech's church, and were willing and available to testify. In the aftermath, Dr. Calvin Johnson, author of Beyond the Point of No Return stated, "The Jimmy Creech case cannot be viewed as an isolated case that doesn't affect anyone else. If connectionalism does not apply here, then connectionalism is forever discredited."]

March 15, 1998. Jimmy Creech returned to the pulpit of FUMC where he received a standing ovation. [Note: The majority of members were absent, refusing to return to a church that Creech pastored; many of the people present were the homosexual population of Omaha.]

April 30, 1998. Date of letter from Mr. Robert L Howell to Bishop Sprague:

Dear Bishop Sprague:
Although I am a lifelong Methodist and a fifty-four year member of First United Methodist Church of Omaha, I was not able to listen to your sermon last Sunday when you spoke in my church. Of the 1,900 members, I am one of the 1,700 that Jimmy Creech sacrificed in favor of 200. Seems unfair, doesn't it, to have someone steal your church because of their personal agenda?

Until fifteen months ago, I had been comfortable with the traditional teachings and beliefs of the Methodist Church and had confidence in the clergy. It probably serves no purpose at this time to tell you of Mr. Creech's disregard for The Bible and The Book of Discipline because he is merely the symbol of what is currently wrong with the United Methodist Church. While you are known to be in sympathy with the homosexual agenda, you must understand that the vast majority of members expect the Church to uphold the teachings of Jesus to love us even though we sin, but not accept our sins as being appropriate actions. I certainly would not want to be in the position of promoting sin as some within our denomination are doing.

With all due respect to your position, Bishop Sprague, I take exception to a recent comment attributed to you - that the homosexual issue "is but one small issue" among those with which the church must deal. There has been no other issue since slavery that has caused such a deep division and threatens the future of the Methodist Church. I further believe it short-sighted to oppose the spending of $1 million for a special session of the General Conference. Who could argue the good to be done in spending that money to feed children, etc. The Council of Bishops might, however, urge the spending of some of the stockpiled hundreds of millions of dollars for the many worthy causes for which members have been so generous. At the same time, using $1 million for a special session to save the Church seems appropriate so there will continue to be funds for such causes in the future. Only by getting the Church's affairs straightened out will there be members to continue providing monetary support.

I hope you had the time and interest last Sunday to discuss with Mr. Creech the attendance and income of FUMC, Omaha. Deep financial difficulties exist and, yet, they irresponsibly voted to undertake a major renovation project. I do not know how many attended on April 26 to listen to you, but would suspect that there were more than the approximately 200 persons normally attending all three services. I worshiped in a school auditorium with over 300 in one service. That is a strong message of the faith people still have after being disenfranchised by their pastor.

Our prayers are with you and your peers, Bishop Sprague, as you engage in discussions in Lincoln that could very well be the making or the breaking of the United Methodist Church.
- Robert L. Howell

June, 1998. Jimmy Creech was not reappointed as the senior pastor of FUMC, Omaha. Doug Bredthauer, who is supportive of same-sex covenanting ceremonies, was.
- Source: Lay member of FUMC, Omaha

June 16, 1998. Letter from Diane West, member of FUMC, Omaha.

"Hello,
I'm not quite sure why I'm going to tell all of you about this, but I would guess it's because it helps me to deal with it.

Tonight, several of us in the Laity Group at FUMC Omaha attended a Church Council meeting at FUMC. There wasn't any huge reason for it other than we have been trying to attend these meetings. I knew in my heart, while I was sitting there, that I would probably never be back in that building again. I know that I cannot return to church life there now or anytime in the foreseeable future. I am just speaking for myself, not for anyone else in the Laity Group.

Anyway, all the good memories I had of being a part of the church in that building ran through my mind. They were all as clear as day.. kind of like the picture I have in my mind of my grandfather. The night he died, we had been over to his house to visit. As I was standing on the porch saying good-bye, something told me to turn around one more time and take a good look at his face so that I would always remember what he looked like. I will always remember my grandfather's face under that porch light.

At church tonight, I saw all kinds of warm, wonderful pictures in my mind. I saw myself as a little girl running down the steps from Sunday school class with my papers in my hand, playing Red Rover on the lawn, trying to remember the words to the songs for the Christmas program, sitting in the balcony on Christmas Eve with my family and hearing the pipe organ, having snacks in the huge kitchen (which I always thought was really cool)...all the way through seeing my wedding day and other events in recent years. I won't bore you with all the details.

After that, I decided that I needed a break from the meeting. So, while everyone else was still sitting there, I slipped out the door and walked around the building all by myself. I looked at all the rooms with so many memories one last time. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to see the Sanctuary, but I decided I would head that way. I got as close to it as I could. It was dark and really quiet. I tried to open the door to look inside, but it was sealed shut. There was a big sign on the door that said, "Hard Hat Area." I stared at it for a long time. Finally, I just said "Good-bye" and turned around and went back down the hallway.

I know the church is just a building, but it holds a lot of memories. I was very thankful that God had imprinted so many nice memories in my mind and that He gave me a chance to say good-bye. It makes the death a little less difficult to bear.

I apologize for boring you with my little story...I guess it just turned out to be a bit more painful than I thought it would.

Please keep us in your prayers as we have our big meeting tomorrow night about the direction our group will take. I also came to terms tonight with the fact that whatever happens may not be what I wish could happen. I asked God with all my heart to please make sure that whatever decision is made will be His will. I know it will be because I know He heard me.
Diane
- Source: E-Mail from Diane West, member of FUMC, Omaha; June 16, 1998

June 5, 1999. Creech will continue to defy church law. Jimmy Creech, who was tried by the UMC for performing a lesbian marriage, said... [that] he will continue to defy church law and perform such ceremonies.
- Lincoln Journal Star, Lincoln, Nebraska


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