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Gender Studies: In All Things Charity

Introduction

Reverend Gregory R. Dell, Courtney Cosgrove and Stephen Betzner transferred records of the organization “In All Things Charity,” and of the Broadway United Methodist Church of Chicago, Illinois to the Special Collections Department of the Northern Illinois University Libraries on February 16, 2001.

Property rights in the collection were transferred to Northern Illinois University Libraries. Literary rights are dedicated to the public, however any copyrights so stated in the materials will continue in force. The materials in this collection are available for research to qualified scholars as determined by the Northern Illinois University Libraries without restrictions.

Linear feet of shelf space: 5.5

Number of containers: 12

Scope and Content

The materials in this collection provide extensive documentation on the organization In All Things Charity and its work towards inclusiveness within the United Methodist Church as a result of the denomination’s stand on same-sex marriage. The primary focus of the collection is Reverend Gregory R. Dell, Pastor of the Broadway United Methodist Church of Chicago and a Director of In All Things Charity, and the United Methodist Church’s response to his officiating at a marriage ceremony for two of his male parishioners in September 1998.

The documents in this collection cover the period between 1996 and 2001, and are arranged into five series.

Series I contains information on In All Things Charity which Gregory Dell helped start, and served as its Director from July 1999 through June 2000. In addition to a brief history of this organization, there are by-laws, brochures, newsletters, correspondence, fund raising documents, response forms from both clergy and laity, and materials relating to In All Things Charity’s agenda for the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Rev. Gregory Dell is the subject of Series II. The majority of this collection focuses on the church trial of Dell which took place in March 1999, and includes transcripts of the trial proceedings as well as the appeal. Much of Gregory Dell’s correspondence and materials on his speaking engagements are related to his work with In All Things Charity. Also located in this series are photographs, articles and documents related to Fred Phelps anti-gay rally at Dell’s Broadway United Methodist Church on November 22, 1998.

Series III contains materials relating to the United Methodist Church. Included are documents on the future of Broadway United Methodist Church, Reverend Jimmy Creech, the “Sacramento 69,” the General Conference held in May 2000, and the denomination’s views on homosexuality.

Series IV is made up of five boxes of copies of newspaper, magazine and on-line articles relating to gay couples. They cover the period from the summer of 1996 to July 2000. Many of these articles relate to Rev. Dell and services which joined same-sex couples in marriage.

Series V contains a variety of audio and video tapes which primarily cover Rev. Gregory Dell and his trial. Also included are six “floppy discs” relating to In All Things Charity, and one on the AMAR (Affirmation, The Methodist Federation for Social Action, and the Reconciling Congregation Program) Coalition.

Historical Sketch

In 1996 the General Conference of the United Methodist Church voted to maintain its position that although homosexual persons were of “sacred worth” the practice of homosexuality was “incompatible with Christian teaching.” During the final days of that Conference the Reverend Gregory Dell, who had for a number of years been working toward inclusiveness in the church, and the Reverend Susan Davis had an idea for what became In All Things Charity. Fifteen clergy from all across the country joined to sponsor a statement of conscience challenging the exclusionary and bigoted practices of the Methodist Church and affirmed that God’s vision of humanity embraced and celebrated its full diversity. Thousands of clergy and laity signed that statement. The purpose of In All Things Charity was to work toward positive change concerning the issues of inclusiveness and heterosexism at the 2000 General Conference, and the Broadway United Methodist Church of Chicago sponsored the organization as a national ministry.

On September 19, 1998 Reverend Gregory Dell conducted a marriage service for two men from his congregation. The Methodist Church filed charges against him and conducted a trial in Chicago at the end of March 1999. On March 26, 1999 the jury voted 10-3 to find Dell guilty of disobedience to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church. He was suspended from his duties as pastor of the Broadway UMC from July 3, 1999 to June 30, 2000.

During his time of suspension Rev. Dell served as Director of In All Things Charity, and he worked diligently, speaking throughout the country in behalf of the organization and its mission to lobby the church to become more inclusive at the 2000 General Conference. The Conference was held in May 2000 in Cleveland, Ohio and despite their best efforts and those of like-minded groups such as AMAR, and the Reconciling Congregation Program, the majority of church members failed to agree to make the church more inclusive. Shortly after the conference ended the Steering Committee of In All Things Charity recommended that the organization become a dormant, rather than active, committee of Broadway UMC as of July 1, 2000. On June 30, 2000 both Dell’s suspension as pastor of the Broadway United Methodist Church and his service as Director of In All Things Charity ended. Although the results of the 2000 General Conference were not favorable, the Reconciling Congregation Program of the Methodist Church was given a renewed focus. In October 2000 this group became the Reconciling Ministries Network, with aims to bring the 35% of the Methodist who support full inclusion together. With this in mind, on April 1, 2001 Reverend Gregory Dell wrote a letter to all the supporters of In All Things Charity to notify them that IATC was ending and that all its remaining resources would be transferred to the Reconciling Ministries Network.

Subject Tracings

Broadway United Methodist Church

Jimmy Creech

Gregory R. Dell

Homosexuality

In All Things Charity

Fred Phelps

Matthew Shepard

United Methodist Church

Inventory of Collection

Series I: In All Things Charity | Series II: Rev. Gregory R. Dell | Series III: United Methodist Church |
Series IV: Documents Relating to Same-Sex Couples | Series V: Audio/Visual Materials

Box 1 | Box 2 | Box 3 | Box 4 | Box 5 | Box 6 | Box 7 | Box 8 | Box 9 | Box 10 | Box 11 | Box 12

Series I: In All Things Charity

Box 1

Box 1
Folder 1
Description: History and Organization Documents, 1996, 1998-2001

Box 1
Folder 2
Description: By-Laws, 1999

Box 1
Folder 3
Description: Brochures (2), November 1999, n.d., and Memo, September 9, 1999

Box 1
Folder 4
Description: Newsletters, October 1999-July 2000

Box 1
Folder 5
Description: Job Description for Director, ca. 1998, June 14, 1999

Box 1
Folder 6
Description: Gregory R. Dell Vitae, 1999, January 3, 2000

Box 1
Folder 7
Description: Correspondence, April 1996-July 1998

Box 1
Folder 8
Description: Original Signers, 1997

Box 1
Folder 9
Description: Publishable Signers, Clergy Sorted by State, 1998

Box 1
Folder 10
Description: Clergy E-mail List, 1998

Box 1
Folder 11
Description: Press List, July 1998

Box 1
Folder 12
Description: Organizing Event, August 11, 1998

Box 1
Folder 13
Description: Funding Request to Rainbow Endowment, 1999

Box 1
Folder 14
Description: Fund Raisers, 1999-2000

Box 1
Folder 15
Description: Fund Raiser - La Gran Scena, February 27, 2000

Box 1
Folder 16-17
Description: Clergy Response Forms, A-Z, 1999-2000

Box 1
Folder 18
Description: Laity Response Forms, A-F, 1999-2000

Box 2

Box 2
Folder 1-2
Description: Laity Response Forms, G-Z, 1999-2000
General Conference of United Methodist Church [also Box 6, F. 15-17

Box 2
Folder 3
Description: Coalition-Legislative Sub-Committee, August 1999-February 2000

Box 2
Folder 4
Description: Communications Sub-Committee, March 2000

Box 2
Folder 5
Description: Delegate Sub-Committee, December 1999-January 2000

Box 2
Folder 6
Description: "Packet for people volunteering for General Conference 2000 advocacy work,"
ca. December 1999

Box 2
Folder 7
Description: Correspondence and Related Documents, September 1999-May 2000

Box 2
Folder 8
Description: Delegate Form Letters, AMAR, January 2000

Box 2
Folder 9
Description: "Angels, Shepherds, and Volunteers," (names and addresses), January-February 2000

SERIES II: Rev. Gregory R. Dell

Box 2
Folder 10
Description: Chicago Human Relations Award, January 26, 2000, and
Horizons Community Services 1999 Human First Award

Box 2
Folder 11
Description: Correspondence, 1997, 1999-2000

Box 2
Folder 12-14
Description: Speaking Engagements, 1999-June 2000

Box 3

Box 3
Folder 1
Description: Speaking Engagements, March 2001

Box 3
Folder 2
Description: Speaking Engagements-Media/Articles, May 1999-February 2000, n.d.

Box 3
Folder 3
Description: Speaking Correspondence and Thank You’s, (February 1999-March 2000)

Dell Trial

Box 3
Folder 4
Description: Charges vs. Dell, October 1998-March 1999

Box 3
Folder 5
Description: Committee on Investigation, October 1998-February 1999

Box 3
Folder 6-8
Description: Proceedings against Rev. Gregory R. Dell, March 25, 1999

Box 3
Folder 9-11
Description: Appeal of Rev. Gregory R. Dell, April-September 1999

Box 4

Box 4
Folder 1
Description: Counsel, November 1998-March 1999

Box 4
Folder 2
Description: Defense Team/Defense Arguments, July 1998-March 1999

Box 4
Folder 3
Description: Bishop Sprague, Prosecution of Dell, December 1998

Box 4
Folder 4
Description: Witnesses, March 1999

Box 4
Folder 5
Description: Jury, March 1999

Box 4
Folder 6
Description: Broadway Trial Committee, October 1998-March 1999

Box 4
Folder 7
Description: Trial Fundraising, October 1998-June 1999

Box 4
Folder 8
Description: Trial Support/Strategy of Support, February-March 1999
Letters of Support, Pre-Trial

Box 4
Folder 9
Description: Broadway UMC, October 1998-March 1999

Box 4
Folder 10
Description: Children/Youth, October 1998, March 1999, n.d.

Box 4
Folder 11
Description: Chicago Area, October 1998-April 1999

Box 4
Folder 12
Description: Northern Illinois Conference, October 1998-March 1999

Box 4
Folder 13
Description: Other United Methodist Conferences, October 1998-March 1999

Box 5

Box 5
Folder 1
Description: Out of Chicago Area, October 1998-March 1999

Box 5
Folder 2
Description: Other Denominations, October 1998-March 1999
Letters of Support, Post-Trial

Box 5
Folder 3
Description: Broadway UMC, March-April 1999

Box 5
Folder 4
Description: Chicago, March-May 1999

Box 5
Folder 5
Description: Northern Illinois Conference, March-June 1999

Box 5
Folder 6
Description: National UMC, Other Conferences, March-May 1999

Box 5
Folder 7
Description: Other Denominations, March-May 1999

Box 5
Folder 8
Description: Other Letters, March 1999-April 2000

Box 5
Folder 9
Description: Anti-Dell Letters, April-December 1999

Box 5
Folder 10
Description: Trial Memorabilia, March 1999

Box 5
Folder 11
Description: Verdict/Penalty, March-November 1999

Box 5
Folder 12
Description: Trial Reflections, February-August 1999

Box 5
Folder 13
Description: “The Minister, the Media, and the Message: an Examination of the Media
Coverage of the March 1999 Trial of the Reverend Gregory Dell,”
April 26, 1999

Box 5
Folder 14
Description: Trial Media Articles, October 1998-July 1999

Box 6

Box 6
Folder 1
Description: Dell Appeal, Media Articles, May-October 1999

Box 6
Folder 2
Description: Dell, Media Articles, January 1998-January 2001

Box 6
Folder 3
Description: Fred Phelps comes to Broadway United Methodist Church,
(includes photographs), November 1998-May 1999

Box 6
Folder 4
Description: Photograph Album, Broadway United Methodist Church, November 1998

Box 6
Folder 5
Description: Broadway United Methodist Church, Future Ideas, July-August 2000

Box 6
Folder 6
Description: Report of the “Broadway’s Future” Task Force, January 14, 2001

Box 6
Folder 7
Description: United Methodist Church and Homosexuality, January 1998-February 2001

Box 6
Folder 8
Description: Reconciled Through God’s Love: The Reconciling Point of View, 1998

Box 6
Folder 9
Description: “Religious Institutions and the Gay Community,” by Daniel Ross Chandler, n.d.

Box 6
Folder 10
Description: Rev. Jimmy Creech, Trial #1, Media Articles, February 1998-May 1999

Box 6
Folder 11
Description: Rev. Jimmy Creech, Trial #2, Media Articles and Correspondence, (includes Soul Force, and trial button),
May 1999-January 2000

Box 6
Folder 12
Description: “Sacramento 69,” (includes photographs), November 1998-April 2000

Box 6
Folder 13
Description: Bishop Jack Tuell, September 1999-April 2000

Box 6
Folder 14
Description: Anti-Inclusion Letters/Materials, May 1998-Spring 1999
General Conference, May 2000 [see also Box 2, Folders 2-8

Box 6
Folder 15
Description: Media Articles, Brochures, Photographs & Related Materials

Box 6
Folder 16
Description: Arrests, May 11, 2000

Box 6
Folder 17
Description: Reflections on, May-July 2000

SERIES IV: Documents Relating to Same-Sex Couples

Box 7

Box 7
Folder 1a
Description: Inventory of articles relating to “Union Service for Same-Sex Couples”

Box 7
Folder 1b-64
Description: Articles, Summer 1996-November 2, 1998

Box 8

Box 8
Folder 65-132
Description: Articles, November 3, 1998-January 25, 1999

Box 9

Box 9
Folder 133-189
Description: Articles, January 26 - March 24, 1999

Box 10

Box 10
Folder 190-236
Description: Articles, March 25 - May 15, 1999

Box 11

Box 11
Folder 1a
Description: Inventory list of Fred Phelps Documents

Box 11
Folder 1b-11
Description: Articles, January 1997-October 1998

Box 11
Folder 12
Description: Non-Methodists & Homosexuality, February 1999-July 2000

Box 11
Folder 13
Description: Matthew Shepard, November-December 1998

SERIES V: Audio/Visual Materials

Box 12

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: WLS-TV, October 23, 1998

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: TV News Coverage of Dell Trial, October 1998-March 1999

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: P & C, April 5, 1999

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: “The Religion Report,” April 11, 1999

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: Plain Speaking with Bill Blaine, “Methodism and Conflict,” May 19, 1999

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: Dell’s First Sunday back at Broadway United Methodist Church, July 2, 2000

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: Church Vote (several channels), January 14, 2001

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: Rev. Greg Dell News clips, n.d.

Box 12
Video Tapes
Description: Unidentified tape, n.d.

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: “Pastor Dell,” January 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: NPR - Greg Dell, “Gay Unions,” February 11, 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: NPR - Greg Dell Trial, March 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: Rev. Greg Dell, March 24, 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: Pastor in Exile, September 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: “Go and Sin No More,” side 1, Dell at Aravada UMC in Colorado,

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: Quarterly Enrichment, side 2, Dell, both September 12, 1999

Box 12
Cassette Tapes
Description: In All Things Charity, Greg Dell, January 25, 2000

Box 12
Floppy Disks
Description: “In All Things Charity,” six discs, 1998-2000

Box 12
Floppy Disks
Description: AMAR Coalition, 2000

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