wfn.org | Creech not being reappointed to Omaha Church

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

May 6, 1998      Contact: Linda Green*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
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By United Methodist News Service

The Rev. Jimmy Creech,  the Nebraska pastor who attracted worldwide
attention after performing a same-sex ceremony for two women last
September,  will not be re-appointed to First United Methodist Church in
Omaha.

After a meeting with Nebraska Bishop Joel Martinez on May 5, Creech said
he was informed  that he would not be re-appointed as senior pastor
after July 1.  He said the bishop told him the division within First
Church stemming from the September ceremony has made him unable to lead
the congregation. 

Some members have left the 1900-member church. About 300 have been
meeting  for Sunday worship in a nearby school.

"The bishop felt that I am not going to be able to bring about a
reconciliation among the membership," Creech said. "I had also made a
commitment to celebrate covenant services if asked and he was not
comfortable with that."

After talking with the bishop, Creech said he was  "stunned and
extremely disappointed."   He said Martinez offered him three options:
to seek another appointment in Nebraska or in another conference or to
take a leave of absence.

Creech said another appointment in Nebraska  "seems highly unlikely" and
that he has no connection with another annual conference.  "My home
conference is North Carolina and I am sure they would not take me
back.," he said. 

 "I may request Bishop Martinez to explore an appointment for me in
Nebraska," Creech said, "but right now I have not made a decision."

In a May 5 statement, Martinez expressed concern that information about
Creech's status had been made public.  

"The Rev. Jimmy Creech's appointment is a confidential personnel matter
until public announcements are made in the Nebraska United Methodist
churches on May 10, 1998," the bishop said.  "Rev. Creech's decision to
go public about this matter while I am still consulting with the Staff
Parish Committee of First United Methodist Church and the Nebraska
Conference  cabinet was ill advised. I will have no further comment
other than to confirm that Rev. Jimmy Creech will not be re-appointed to
First United Methodist Church in Omaha." 

Some news reports erroneously stated that Creech has been "fired." In
the United Methodist Church, all United Methodist clergy in good
standing are appointed annually by the bishop and cabinet.  Clergy
appointments are  usually announced during spring meetings of the
regional conferences. The  Nebraska Annual Conference is scheduled to
meet in Lincoln June 2-5 but appointments  are to announced Sunday,  May
10. 
 
Since he had not  been told earlier about a change, Creech said  he
thought he would be remaining at First Church. "I have not considered
going anywhere else and I don't know what my options are."

Creech attracted attention when he was ordered to undergo a church trial
after being charged with being disobedient to church law for performing
the covenanting service for two women.  A jury of Nebraska clergy
members came one vote short of conviction, with eight of the 13 jurors
voting guilty. Creech, placed on paid administrative leave in November,
was immediately restored to his pulpit.  

The church's Social Principles include a statement saying same-sex union
should not be conducted by United Methodist clergy or held in United
Methodist churches but the Creech trial verdict hinged on whether the
Social Principles are guidelines or law.

The not guilty verdict on March 13 vibrated across United Methodist
connection.  The denomination's Council of Bishops  were asked by
several groups and individuals to call a special session of the General
Conference to deal with the issue of same-sex unions and homosexuality.

During their regular semi-annual meeting in Lincoln April 25-May 1, the
Council of Bishops issued a pastoral letter in which they unanimously
voted to affirm and defend the doctrine, order and mission of the
church.

The bishops chose not to call a special session of the church's top
legislative body in anticipation of a ruling on homosexual issues from
the Judicial Council in August.

Virginia Semrad, a member of the breakaway group of First Church said,
the fact that Creech is not being reappointed to First Church "is an
indication that Bishop Martinez is holding firm to the pastoral letter
from the Council of Bishops."

Whether she and her husband return to First Church depends on who is
appointed as senior pastor, she said. "I pray that we will be able to go
back but before that there will need to be several plans made and the
direction of the church will have to conform to what we deem
important-the Holy Scripture, tradition and the 1996 Book of Discipline
of the United Methodist Church."
 
 Joan Pruett,  a member of First Church who supports Creech, said the
bishop's decision not to re-appoint him to First Church "shows that he
does not care about us, is not concerned about us and doesn't care what
happens to First United Methodist Church." 
#  #  #

United Methodist News Service
(615)742-5470
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