UMC bans same-sex unions

Christian Century, August 26, 1998

On the heels of the conference's decision, about 200 members of Kingsburg United Methodist Church in California declared that "in Christian conscience" they could no longer remain in the denomination. Acting on a recommendation made earlier in the month by their administrative council, members voted together July 28 and then separately signed a statement withdrawing from the hightech Methodist Church. They transferred their membership to a newly created Kingsburg Community Church.

Expressing regret that the congregation came to the point of leaving the denomination, Melvin G. Talbert, bishop of the California-Nevada Conference, said, "My prayers go with them." The church's trustees retained their membership to manage the property until its disposition is finished. The new church's leadership has said it wants to buy the property.

Other congregations have threatened to leave over recent events in the denomination, and some have done so. However, the number of people leaving the Kingsburg church represents the highest percentage of loss ever for a United Methodist congregation. Ed Ezaki, the church's pastor, has been among the leaders in the California-Nevada Evangelical Renewal Fellowship, which in April asked church leaders to create a separate conference for evangelicals. Conference leadership refused the fellowship's request for a negotiated exit with property--a fact that the Kingsburg congregation noted in its resolution. In a comment to the Fresno Bee newspaper, Ezaki said "100 percent" of Kingsburg's 371 members are planning to leave. In its resolution the Kingsburg congregation said it has "insurmountable differences" with conference leadership "on issues of faith and revelation."

The resolution specifically alleged that the conference leadership "has broken trust with Scripture, the Book of Discipline and our heritage in John Wesley by supporting clergy who perform same-sex ceremonies, promoting sexual permissiveness and excluding biblical United Methodists from leadership."

Meanwhile, Jimmy Creech, the Nebraska pastor whose performance of a same-sex union ceremony stirred the current round of controversy in the UMC, has decided to take a leave of absence from the ministry. He preached his last sermon at First United Methodist Church in Omaha June 7 and then moved with his family to North Carolina.

Nebraska Bishop Joel Martinez announced recently that Creech would not be reappointed to First Church. According to Creech, the bishop was concerned that he would not be able to bring about healing in the congregation. Nearly 400 members of the church are now worshiping at a neighboring school. Donald Bredthauer, on the staff at First Church for ten years, has been appointed senior pastor by Martinez, a move that Creech applauds. Said Creech: "This is the very best appointment for the church. It is important for First Church to have continuity and someone [its members] can trust. Don knows the vision the congregation is going for and is supportive of that vision."