The Stage Is Being Set For The Next Travesty In Church Justice
Many in the UMC are turning their eyes to the special session of the Judicial Council
meeting this week to determine if homosexual marriage is acceptable practice in the United
Methodist Church. The Rev. Creech, of First UMC in Omaha held such a ceremony for 2 women
in September 1997 to test the Church's prohibition of the same in its Social Principles.
The UMC was rocked when a Church trial acquitted Creech of any wrong doing. Many
questioned the decision because members of the prosecution AND the defense teams
were supporters of the Reconciling Church Program, a
pro-homosexuality movement whose mission is to change the UMC prohibitions regarding the
practice of homosexual, bi-sexual, and transgendered sexual behavior.
Similar suspicions are beginning to rise concerning this most important decision for
our denomination for the following reasons:
- Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe one of the Council to decide on this issue, is identified as a
member of the Reconciling Church Program.
- According to the August 5, Omaha World-Herald, Bishop Martinez, who called for
the special session will not interrupt his vacation and his assistant, Rev. Mel Luetchens,
who is also a member of the Reconciling Church Program
which supports homosexual marriage will most likely to be on the South East
Juristiction team of Bishops to argue against the homosexual marriages.
"Creech, who moved back to Raleigh, N.C., in June after Martinez decided not to
reappoint him to First United Methodist, said Wednesday that he is optimistic about the
hearing. He said he was disturbed, however, that the bishops of the South Central
Jurisdiction will be arguing on the other side."
"Martinez is on vacation in Texas and won't be present, said the
Rev. Mel Luetchens, his assistant." - World Herald
- The Rev. Rex Bevins of Lincoln is a member of the Judicial Council is also a friend of
Creech and the members of the only other team allowed to present oral arguments.
"The
Rev. Rex Bevins of Lincoln is a member of the nine-member Judicial Council. He said
that he would not recuse himself even though he knows Creech, Williamson and McClellan.
Williamson said there's no reason for Bevins to step aside since the issue at hand is the
status of the Social Principles, not Creech."
"Even though many groups on both sides of the question have submitted briefs and
asked to speak, the Creech team and the bishops will be the only groups presenting oral
arguments, McClellan said. Each group will have 35 minutes to speak." - World
Herald
- Bishop Fritz Mutti, Kansas Area, also on the team arguing for the Church's position
against homosexual unions is one the of the Denver 15 who publicly expressed his opposition to the Church's law regarding
the practice of homosexuality.
The Stage and the Players which acquitted Creech, who clearly and
publicly violated the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, are lining up for
an encore performance.
Much prayer and fasting will be needed to deliver our denomination from this kind of
justice.
|
