February 23, 2000

"I was wrong," Bishop Says

AFTER THE GREG DELL TRIAL Bishop Jack Tuell took a new look at homosexuality, concluded United Methodist stance is wrong

   DES MOINES, WASHINGTON: Bishop Jack M. Tuell, once an opponent of full ministry with homosexual persons in The United Methodist Church, now says, "I was wrong."

   In a sermon Feb. 20 at his home church in Des Moines, Washington, Bishop Tuell said the tradition of the denomination has not so much actively opposed homosexuality as it has been covering it up. "As a consequence," he admitted, "our real tradition (on this issue) is ignorance."

   He declared, however, that the church's longer tradition is that of finally sorting out what is truly important from what is incorrect or marginal. "In the long run, we have always been able to discern when God is doing a new thing in our midst." He added: "This capacity to change is among the noblest of our traditions."

   Bishop Tuell explained that his change of heart came after presiding at the church trial of the Rev. Gregory Dell, of Chicago, found guilty of disobeying United Methodist church law by conducting a holy union for two gay men who were active members of his congregation.

   Of Dell's suspension from exercise of the ministry, Tuell declared: "Ecclesiastically speaking, the decision was correct. As I understand the Spirit of God, it was wrong." He evaluated Pastor Dell as "a dedicated, energetic, compassionate, caring and able minister." After hearing two days of testimony, Bishop Tuell said, "I began to see the new thing God is doing" in our church.

   "Whatever our beliefs about homosexuality," Tuell asked, "can we as Christians do any less than to affirm the mutual commitments of our sisters and brothers in Christ?"

   In a petition he sent to the General Conference, Bishop Tuell is calling for deleting from church law the recent prohibition against allowing clergy to conduct same-gender holy union services.

   Bishop Jack M. Tuell, a native of Tacoma, Washington, is both a former attorney and ordained clergy. He served as pastor and district superintendent of United Methodist churches in Washington State, and as bishop in Portland, Oregon, and most recently in Los Angeles. He retired in 1992. He and his wife, Marji, make their home in Des Moines, Washington, a Seattle suburb.

(Full text of the sermon is here.)

Providing the Sermon

   "Friends of Bishop Tuell" is a small ad hoc group of local neighbors and church members, plus some national friends who appreciate his message circulate it with his permission. They include: LOCAL NEIGHBORS & CHURCH MEMBERS: Betty & Paul Beeman, Mary & Steve Boyd, Joan & Marshall Campbell, Doris-Lee Dimick, Genieve Farmer, Ed & Blythe Stanton, Ed & Betty Starr, Foster & Rhoda Stockwell, Ed & Marian Towle, Mark & Margaret Van Gasken, Al & Liz Waln, Herman and Rita Will. NATIONAL FRIENDS include: Bill & Janet Asbury, Olympia, WA; Howard Bess, Palmer, AK; Bob & Betty Dorr, Omaha, NE; Judy Graham & Lenore Ingram, Olympia, WA; Dick & Doreen Hart, Walnut Creek, CA; Bob & GA Hawthorne, San Jose, CA; Bill & Patty Jones, Edmonds, WA; Dick Jones & Alan Brimble, San Diego, CA; Dick & Ramalee Pearson, Spirit Lake, IA; Amory Peck & Linda Lambert, Bellingham, WA; Mark & Jean Poole, Seattle, WA; Troy & Helen Strong, Tacoma, WA; Joe & Beverly Walker, Gresham, OR; Robert & Mardi Walker, Lacey, WA.

Biographical Information: Bishop Jack M. Tuell

   Bishop Tuell is a bishop of The United Methodist Church, now retired.

   After a brief career as an attorney in Washington State, he joined the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference where he served as a pastor and district superintendent, and was elected three times to the General Conference and four times to the Western Jurisdictional Conference.

   He was elected to the episcopacy in 1972. He served the Portland Area for eight years, and the Los Angeles Area for 12 years, retiring in 1992.

   He and his wife, Marji, make their home in Des Moines, Washington.

   Bishop Tuell was selected to conduct the trial of the Rev. Gregory Dell of Chicago. He had also been asked to be ready to conduct the California-Nevada Annual Conference trial of the Rev. Don Fado of Sacramento and the 68 co-officients of a holy union service. However, the conference Committee on Investigation chose not to bring the issue to church trial.

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