UCC president commends church for hosting 'same-sex' ceremony United Church of Christ Thursday, December 2, 1999 CLEVELAND – The president of the United Church of Christ has thanked the pastors and members of a UCC congregation for their "faithful and courageous support of the Rev. Jimmy Creech," a United Methodist pastor who was defrocked for disobeying the United Methodist Church's ban on same-sex unions. The letter was addressed to Jill and Richard Edens, co-pastors of the United Church of Chapel Hill, N.C., where Creech assisted in April at a commitment service for a same-sex couple. Although United Church is a UCC congregation, Creech's participation in the ceremony precipitated the charges that led to his trial by a United Methodist tribunal. "Your readiness to celebrate the holy union service for Jim Raymer and Larry Ellis last April, and the congregation's support of your decision, is a gift not only to Jim and Larry, but to many others who look to the church for acceptance rather than exclusion, for pastoral care rather than pastoral judgment," UCC President John H. Thomas said in his letter to the two pastors. "The church's blessing of this commitment is, I believe, faithful to the biblical call to covenantal fidelity, as well as an important witness to the larger society that we are prepared to support all persons who seek to live their lives together on the basis of holy vows and blessed promises." The Chapel Hill church is one of more than 300 "open and affirming" congregations in the UCC that have pledged not to discriminate against their lesbian and gay members. Although local churches in the 1.4-million-member denomination are autonomous and therefore free to determine their own policies, the UCC's General Synod has urged congregations to welcome gays and lesbians into membership and to provide pastoral support for their relationships. Thomas said members of the UCC will continue to pray with and for the United Methodist Church as it struggles with an issue that has divided other mainline Protestant communions. "In addition, know that Jimmy will be in my prayers as he lives under the judgment of the church he has served so faithfully and well," Thomas wrote.

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