Methodists 'take a stand' at convention

Columbus delegates were part of body that passed legislation on homosexuality

Associated Press
Allison Kennedy
May 8, 2004

Three Columbus United Methodist delegates to their denomination's General Conference in Pittsburgh are scheduled to return home today after 11 days of debates, topped by the issue of homosexual leadership in the church.

Among the legislation they have adopted is a measure making it a chargeable offense for clergy to perform weddings for same-gender couples and for ministers to have sex outside of marriage.

The delegates made even more clear the reading of the denomination's Book of Discipline, said the Rev. Hal Brady of St. Luke United Methodist Church, one of the three Columbus delegates. The other two were Robert Anderson and Jim Jackson, both members of St. Mary's Road United Methodist Church.

A Columbus minister who did not attend but followed the news closely was generally pleased with the legislation.

"I'm not surprised but I am pleased they're taking a stand," said the Rev. Dan Gates of East Highland United Methodist Church. "I wish they'd made the language stronger; but a stand was taken and it will preclude anything from happening in the future."

The Judicial Council, the top church court, weighed in with two rulings earlier in the week that reaffirm the ban on ordaining and appointing homosexuals -- and warned disciplinary action could be taken against violators. The Discipline states that gay sex is "incompatable with Christian teaching."

The March church trial of the Rev. Karen Dammann, an openly lesbian pastor, likely compelled the church to act now, said the Rev. James Wood, a sociologist who studies General Conferences. Brady said Thursday that Dammann's supporters and like-minded Methodists were "well-organized." A group called SoulForce conducted a demonstration, which he described as peaceful, at the convention center.

A jury of 13 pastors in Bothell, Wash., acquitted Dammann of violating Methodist law even though she acknowledged she had a female partner.

The Judicial Council said Tuesday it had no authority to intervene in the Dammann case, but left Dammann's future in doubt by emphasizing that bishops cannot appoint gay clergy who acknowledge they are sexually active. Methodist clergy are appointed each June.

For nearly two weeks, Brady, Jackson and Anderson helped make decisions for the church that will hold for the next four years -- the next time General Conference meets. They were elected delegates last summer at the South Georgia Annual Conference meeting. A co-leader of the South Georgia delegation is the Rev. James Swanson, a former senior pastor of St. Mary's Road who's now the District Superintendent in Savannah.

"It's been a good conference but tense," Brady said late Thursday. "You go night and day for 11 days.

"My overall impression is when you come to this, you better be prepared," said Brady, attending his first General Conference as a delegate. "By the end of it we will have gone through about 1,600 petitions."

Swanson, who's been a General Conference delegate several times before, said Friday via phone that while the issues were as contentious as most coventions, this one "wasn't as confrontational.

"What I've seen is a more litigious spirit, where people wanted to perfect every document," he said. "That's been sort of draining."

The 14 delegates from the South Georgia Conference took with them a statement, approved 12-2 in March in Macon, which strongly affirms the denomination's Discipline and criticizes the ruling in the Dammann case. The South Georgia Annual Conference meets for its annual meeting in June in Macon. Dan Gates doesn't foresee the actions of General Conference having a direct bearing, given that "we have had this (conservative) stance all along."

Swanson said there may be some debate next month over the delegation elections process, in which candidates for the various conferences are scrutinized more closely.

Among Brady's other observations from General Conference:

• Delegates are watching finances carefully. Like other mainline groups, United Methodists are facing shortfalls nationally.

• Delegates decided to study the episcopacy, or its number of bishops, over the next four years. Before General Conference, some sought a reduction in the number of bishops. Brady said the decision to reduce the number was tabled.

• "There have also been some great worship services," he added. Brady is scheduled to preach Sunday, but on Thursday had some doubts given his fatigue. "I'm going to try to," he said.