March 29, 2004
Dammann verdict prompts mixed reactions from groups
A UMNS Report By Amy Green*

The acquittal of a lesbian clergywoman in a United Methodist church trial has sparked both criticism and praise from unofficial advocacy groups, as some celebrate the verdict while others blast it as "schismatic."

The March 20 acquittal of the Rev. Karen Dammann of Ellensburg, Wash., led some groups to call for a reprimand of church leaders in the region. Others, however, said the verdict should push United Methodists to focus instead on Christian unity and tolerance.

The trial's outcome "points to the deep and painful divisions that exist within our denomination," said the Rev. Kathryn Johnson of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, a group that supported the verdict. "As the news of the 'not guilty' verdict spread across the country … tears of rejoicing and relief were shed and prayers of thanks uttered. At the very same moment, others were shedding tears of grief and pain as they tried to deal with feelings of shock and betrayal."

The denomination put Dammann, a Seattle-area pastor, on trial after she acknowledged her longtime homosexual relationship. While church law prohibits the ordination of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals," a jury of 13 of her peers found Dammann innocent of the single charge against her, that of "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings."

Groups disappointed in the decision directed some of their criticism at the denomination's Pacific Northwest Annual (regional) Conference and Western Jurisdiction. The jurisdiction, one of the church's five U.S. regions, is viewed as being more liberal on social issues than other parts of the church, particularly in comparison with the denomination's Southeastern and South Central areas.

The Confessing Movement said that by the actions of the jury, the Pacific Northwest Conference has become "schismatic."

"This nullification of church law ... must not be allowed to stand," the group said in a statement. "The clergy jury have broken covenant with the church and failed to live up to their ordination vows."

The verdict came a month before General Conference, the church's largest legislative assembly held every four years. Nearly 1,000 delegates from across the globe will gather in Pittsburgh on April 27-May 7 to make laws for the denomination.

The Confessing Movement suggested that delegates consider a way to allow "those in the Western Jurisdiction - and the rest of the church for that matter - who are not willing to keep and live by the covenants of the church … to amicably depart from the denomination with their property and clergy retirement benefits secured."

The Good News organization argued the verdict puts the church "in the midst of one of its most serious crises in more than a decade." That group, too, described the verdict as "schismatic" and called on United Methodists to voice their dismay to church leaders, and General Conference delegates to consider a censure of Pacific Northwest church leaders.

"The United Methodist Church cannot continue with any sense of unity with these kinds of destructive irregularities tearing at the heart, soul and conscience of the church," Good News said in a statement.

The ecumenical Institute on Religion and Democracy condemned the verdict as "farcical."

"Every United Methodist General Conference since 1972 has declared homosexual practice to be incompatible with Christian teaching," said Mark Tooley, a spokesman for the group. "Yet a jury of 13 clergy decided the church in fact has no position on the topic."

However, Johnson, executive director of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, cheered the verdict. The group has submitted a petition urging General Conference to delete a reference in the church's Social Principles to homosexuality being incompatible with Christian teaching and to acknowledge instead the differences that exist in the denomination "among faithful Christians." "We stand before God admitting that we have thus far been unable to reach common ground," the group's suggested wording says.

This confession is necessary for the church to move forward on the issue, Johnson said.

"The question should not be which side will 'win' but rather how to address the deep divisions in the body of the church," she said.

Others echoed that sentiment. Troy Plummer, executive director of the Reconciling Ministries Network - a group pushing for broader inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people in the denomination - found the verdict an affirmation of diversity that should be celebrated.

The Rev. Peggy R. Gaylord, spokeswoman for Affirmation, a group working to make the denomination more inclusive to all, summed her feelings up simply.

"We just really deplore any efforts to exclude to any degree any group from participation from life in the church," she said. "I just think that...a fundamental message of Christ is that the church is open to all. We get hung up on doctrine. ... The doctrine was not what Jesus was about."

*Green is a freelance journalist based in Nashville, Tenn.


top


March 26, 2004
United Methodist bishops vow to uphold church law
By United Methodist News Service

Leaders of the United Methodist Council of Bishops say that the denomination’s long-standing position on the ordination of homosexuals is not affected by a church court decision involving a Washington State pastor.

The council’s executive committee released a statement March 26 in response to questions raised by the acquittal of the Rev. Karen Dammann, who had been charged with violating a church law prohibiting the ordination of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.

A 13-member jury of pastors from the Pacific Northwest Annual (regional) Conference acquitted Dammann after deliberating for more than 10 hours during the four-day trial. While unanimously agreeing Dammann is a self-avowed, practicing homosexual, the jury said it did not believe the church met its “clear and convincing” burden of proof.

The bishops reached agreement on the statement following a March 25 conference call organized by Bishop Ruediger Minor of Moscow, president of the council.

While reaffirming their “vow to uphold the Discipline of the United Methodist Church,” the members of the executive committee said the Pacific Northwest case does not affect how other conferences adjudicate similar cases. They urge United Methodists to remember that “this one case does not alter the Book of Discipline regarding homosexuality or the qualifications for ministry.”

The committee called on church members to “join us in respectful, prayerful dialogue… Let us find, affirm, and live a common understanding of our doctrines and discipline.”

The bishops said they are convinced that General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, “must be a place of prayerful consideration of and agreement over our commonly held convictions and norms for Christian teaching and living.”

The 2004 General Conference will take place April 27-May 7 in Pittsburgh. The legislative body meets every four years to consider proposals regarding the Book of Discipline, which contains church law and social principles, and the Book of Resolutions, which addresses social issues. The nearly 1,000 delegates at the conference represent 8.3 million United Methodists in the United States and 1.7 million United Methodists who live in Europe, Africa, and the Philippines.


The entire statement is below.

STATEMENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Re: Response to the verdict in the Rev. Karen Dammann Trial

The verdict in the trial of Rev. Karen Dammann in the Seattle Episcopal area has raised questions across the United Methodist Church. The Council of Bishops reminds the church this one case does not alter the Book of Discipline regarding homosexuality or the qualifications for ministry. The Discipline's authority is unchanged. Nor does this case directly affect other Annual Conferences as they may adjudicate such cases.

We affirm the leadership of Bishop Elias Galvan of the Seattle Area for ensuring due process as prescribed by The Book of Discipline. We affirm our vow as bishops to uphold the Discipline of The United Methodist Church.

As your bishops, we invite the church to join us in respectful, prayerful dialogue and Christian conferencing to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading. Together let us find, affirm, and live a common understanding of our doctrines and discipline. We are convinced that the General Conference must be a place of prayerful consideration of and agreement over our commonly held convictions and norms for Christian teaching and living.

The Dammann case does reveal continuing differences in the United Methodist Church concerning the issue of homosexuality. The Council of Bishops is painfully aware of this disagreement. In such moments as this, we remember that our unity in Christ does not depend on unanimity of opinion. Rather, in Jesus Christ we are bound together by love that transcends our differences and calls us to stay at the table with one another.

“And I will show you a still more excellent way… Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (I Corinthians 12:31b, 13:4-8a)

top


March 23, 2004
Dammann trial verdict reflects complexity of case A UMNS Analysis By Lynne DeMichele*

BOTHELL, Wash. (UMNS) - In opening arguments during the clergy trial of the Rev. Karen Dammann, the church counsel presenting the case said the issue was simply whether or not the pastor had broken denomination law.

The Rev. James Finkbeiner told jurors the case seemed to be a clear and straightforward matter based on Dammann's own "avowal" that she was in a homosexual relationship. United Methodist Church law forbids the appointment of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals."

But was it really a simple case of someone admitting she broke church law? In the end, the case hinged not on Dammann's self-avowal, but on whether the jury of her peers believed she was guilty of the actual charge she faced: "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings."

The Rev. Robert Ward, serving as defense counsel, warned the jury against the "elevation of a few, select paragraphs" of the denomination's Book of Discipline above the law book's broader intent.

"Let the whole book be your guide," he urged jurors. He cited several other passages, such as Paragraph 162, which affirms "equal rights regardless of sexual orientation."

The jury of 13 clergy peers acquitted Dammann on March 20 by a vote of 11 not guilty and two undecided. None of the jurors returned a guilty vote. Nine votes were needed for a conviction.

The verdict spurred anger and joy, confusion and celebration across the denomination.

Some saw the verdict as a repudiation of a church position that is, in their view, discriminatory against gays. Others saw the verdict as flouting the denomination's Book of Discipline .


top


April 1, 2004
Help is at hand for those following General Conference
By United Methodist News Service

Several resources are available to help people understand and keep up with the work of the United Methodist Church’s 2004 General Conference.

The Web site of the General Conference, www.gc2004.org , features news stories leading up to the assembly and will include daily multimedia news coverage and video streaming of key events once the conference gets under way.

The site, administered by United Methodist Communications, also includes “About General Conference 2004,” offering an overview of everything from logistical details about the assembly to information on key legislation.

People interested in tracking legislation as it goes through the assembly will be able to do so with the new Online Legislative Tracking available on the General Conference site.

A free electronic newsletter subscription is also available through the site. Subscribers will receive news, feature stories and scheduled online offerings daily by e-mail.

United Methodist News Service will provide Web, video and audio news coverage daily at the site. Its reports will include stories in Spanish and Korean, as well as news of interest to Native American and African-American audiences.

An interactive online course, “Exploring General Conference: What, When, How” tells how General Conference operates and how it speaks for the denomination. The self-paced course provides a multimedia, “virtual” classroom experience that intermingles printed content, audio and video clips, quizzes, animated learning aids, and a threaded discussion board. The course is offered through April 28. Cost is $12. Go to www.training.umcom.org for details.

The denomination’s top lawmaking body will meet April 27-May 7 in Pittsburgh.


top


April 1, 2004
Not sure how General Conference works? Here’s GC101
A UMNS Report By J. Richard Peck*

When the United Methodist Church’s top legislative body meets this spring in Pittsburgh, nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world will once again speak to issues of the day and set direction for the denomination.

Convened every four years, the General Conference is the only entity that speaks for the entire 10-million member denomination. The 2004 assembly will meet April 27-May 7 in Pittsburgh.

Understanding how General Conference works can be a challenge, even for people who have attended it in the past.

“General Conference is the legislative body that sets policy for the denomination,” explains Carolyn Marshall of Veedersburg, Ind., longtime secretary of General Conference. “We come together from divergent theological and geographic backgrounds to struggle, pray and work together to discover who we are as United Methodist people of God.”

In an intense, two-week period, 998 delegates from the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia will handle more than 1,600 pieces of legislation. They will also participate in daily worship and take other action related to guiding the church for the 2005-08 period.
Majority votes can change any part of the denomination’s book of law, or Book of Discipline, except the Constitution, the Articles of Religion or Confession of Faith. Restrictive rules in the Constitution also prohibit the conference from eliminating the office of bishop and the right of clergy to trial by committee. Any proposed changes to the Constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote of General Conference and a two-thirds affirmative vote by the aggregate total of voting members of all annual (regional) conferences.

General Conference will take stands on various social-justice issues. The “Social Principles” were first written in 1972, four years after the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Methodist Church merged to form the United Methodist Church. These principles have been revised at every General Conference since then. The quadrennial assembly will also apply these principles to contemporary social justice issues such as the situation in Iraq, cloning, peace in the Middle East, immigration policies, and censorship. These positions on contemporary social justice issues are later published in the denomination’s Book of Resolutions.

The number of delegates from each annual conference is determined by the number of church members. One hundred eighty-eight of the 998 lay and clergy delegates will come from nations outside the United States. Due to increased membership in African churches, that figure is up 36 from the last assembly, held in 2000 in Cleveland.

A total of 8.3 million United Methodists reside in the United States, and 1.4 million live in Africa, Asia and Europe. Sixteen percent of United Methodists live in Africa, 1 percent in Europe and 2 percent in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines.

Each annual conference sends an equal number of lay and clergy delegates to the legislative assembly.

The location of the quadrennial assembly rotates to cities within the five U.S. jurisdictions or regions. Pittsburgh is in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.

The assembly is expected to cost $5 million, with an estimated $2 million of that covering the travel, meals and lodging of delegates.

Every clergy and lay member of the denomination has the right to petition the conference. However, most petitions are sent to General Conference by local churches, general agencies and annual conferences.

The Commission on General Conference, which planned the 2004 assembly, will suggest that in the future only annual conferences and general agencies be allowed to submit petitions. If that measure is approved by the conference, individuals and churches would have to have their proposals approved by a general agency or an annual conference in order to be considered by General Conference.

At General Conference, petitions are first considered by one of 11 legislative committees that may vote concurrence, non-concurrence or concurrence as amended. Most of the first week is spent considering proposals in committees. During the second week, the entire gathering considers legislation proposed by the committees. A proposal coming from a committee is called a “calendar item.”

To expedite the process, legislative committee calendar items with fewer than five negative votes are placed on a “consent calendar.” If an item is not removed by a written request of five delegates, and if it does not involve funding or a Constitutional amendment, the entire consent calendar is approved with a single vote. General Conference may change the specific rules related to the consent calendar, but the process enables the assembly to quickly deal with hundreds of legislative proposals.

On the opening day, following a first-ever orientation session for all delegates, a worship service will surround delegates and church leaders with songs from around the world. The songs will celebrate a renewal of baptism and Holy Communion, emphasizing the conference theme, “Water Washed and Spirit Born.” Banners, dancers and a variety of drummers and musicians will emphasize the worldwide nature of the gathering.

During the first week, the assembly will hear the Episcopal Address, given by Bishop Kenneth Carder of the Mississippi Area on behalf of the Council of Bishops. They also will hear the Laity Address, given by Gloria Holt of Trussville, Ala.

On April 30, the conference will hold a service of appreciation for African Americans who remained with the denomination during the segregation era and after. At the 2000 gathering in Cleveland, the conference held a service of confession and sought forgiveness for actions leading to the formation of black Methodist denominations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

President George and Laura Bush, members of the United Methodist Church, have been invited to address the Pittsburgh gathering, but assembly planners have not received any verification of their attendance.

One of the denomination’s 69 active bishops will preside over each plenary session. However, bishops cannot vote on any of the proposals and may speak to issues only after approval by a majority of delegates.

Bishops are selected to preside by a committee of delegates, and a single bishop generally presides over only one plenary session. Since the assembly has a history of getting into some knotty parliamentary problems, presiding officers ask colleagues to serve as parliamentarians. Both active and retired bishops sit together behind the presiding officer.

This year, the conference’s Rules Committee will ask delegates to approve a proposal that bishops also be allowed to serve as chairpeople of legislative committees.

Plenary sessions of the assembly will be translated simultaneously from English into German, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Swahili.

For the first time, the Advance Edition of the Daily Christian Advocate, a 1,600-page English-language book including a listing of delegates, all proposals and reports from all agencies, has been translated into Portuguese and French.

Each day during the conference, delegates will also receive an English edition of the Daily Christian Advocate containing the agenda, news, features, recommendations from legislative committees, and a verbatim report of preceding plenary sessions. Those daily editions enable delegates to know which proposal is being debated and actions taken on previous days. By the end of the 10-day session, delegates will have received more than 2,500 DCA pages.

A computer-tracking system enables delegates and visitors to determine the status of any petition or calendar item.

For additional information on General Conference, visit www.gc2004.org online.

*Peck is a retired clergy member of New York Annual Conference. He served as editor of the Daily Christian Advocate for four General Conferences and edited the 2000 Book of Resolutions. News media can contact Tim Tanton at (615)742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org .