ju s t o u t ▼ d o c o m b o r 1 0 , 1 9 9 4 T i l
SPIRITUALITY
Helen Peterson honored
The Church of the Four Winds honored Dr.
Helen L. Peterson earlier this year for her work in
founding the ministry of Four Winds and seeking
to educate all people about the issues of Native
Americans.
The Church of the Four Winds was founded by
a small group of Episcopal native people in 1985.
The initial grant for the ministry was secured from
the Episcopal Church USA with Peterson’s advo
cacy. She was chair
woman of the Province
Eight Episcopal Com
mittee and part of the
National Board of Indian
Ministry for the Episco
pal Church.
Peterson is an en
rolled member of the
Oglalla Sioux tribe of
Pine Ridge, S.D. She has
lived most of her life in
the West, with the ex
ception of a stint in
Dr. Helen L Peterson
Washington, D.C., dur
ing the 1950s. Peterson has lived in Portland and
worked with the Pacific Northwest tribes for the
past 20 years. Her distinguished career includes
advocacy on issues for native people such as termi
nation, restoration, recognition, tribal government
sovereignty, treaty rights, religious freedom, health
and human rights, and education. Peterson has a
keen understanding of the need for all people to be
aware and knowledgeable of the govemment-to-
govemment status of tribes. Peterson was quoted
extensively in the recent book about the fight for
the return of the Black Hills: Black Hills, White
Justice.
Excerpted from Portland Indian News
Call for nonjudgmental
response to AIDS
A new document on AIDS issued by national
religious leaders calls for tolerance, compassion,
justice, and comprehensive prevention efforts.
Known as “A Commitment on HIV/AIDS by
People of Faith...The Council Call,” the declara
tion was drafted by the Council of National Reli
gious AIDS Networks, which is composed of lead
ers of AIDS service groups associated with several
religious bodies. “The Council Call” has won
endorsements from individuals, religious leaders
and organizations.
“This pledge will give every concerned person
of faith in the United States an opportunity to ‘sign
on the dotted line’ and commit to a compassionate,
nonjudgmental response to HI V disease and AIDS,”
said the Rev. Kenneth South, executive director of
AIDS National Interfaith Network, which con
vened the council. By calling on all believers in the
United States to confront “racism, classism, age
ism, sexism and homophobia,” and labeling big
otry and intolerance as sins, the document adopts
positions that are not often heard from faith groups.
On Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, “The Council
Call” was officially signed by selected religious
leaders at a public ceremony at the United Nations
to celebrate the endorsements received. AIDS
National Interfaith Network encouraged all houses
of worship to toll their bells 14 times at 1:40 pm on
that day, in commemoration of the 14 years of the
AIDS epidemic in the United States. Jewish con
gregations and communities sounded the shofar as
part of this nationwide effort.
The eight-point declaration—available in En
glish and Spanish versions—calls on all believers
in the United States to adopt its commitment “to
develop comprehensive AIDS-prevention pro
grams for our youth and adults” and to seek ways
to eliminate barriers to prevention, such as pov
erty. From the very beginning, the faith commu
nity in the United States has been involved in the
AIDS epidemic: providing assistance in the form
of pastoral counseling, home care, housing, meals,
and transportation to those infected with or af-
fected by HIV and AIDS. Today, nearly 50 percent
of all community-based AIDS service organiza
tions are rooted in faith communities.
In 1988, AIDS National Interfaith Network, a
private, nonprofit national association of AIDS
ministries, was founded to ensure that people with
HIV and AIDS receive com passionate,
nonjudgmental care, support and assistance. Last
May, the organization established the Council of
National Religious AIDS Networks to increase
collaboration among religious AIDS networks.
H A A / I I D ’S I
PERSIAN RUGS
At its yearly convention, held Nov. 17 to 19, the
Episcopal Diocese of Western Oregon voted to
establish a Diocese Commission for Ministry to
gay men and lesbians. The resolution was pre
sented by the Columbia-Willamette Chapter of
Integrity, which is the lesbian and gay organization
of the Episcopal church. Although the resolution
was amended on the floor of the convention, it
passed, by a significant majority, in a form pleas
ing to members of Integrity. The resolution states
that the Bishop shall appoint members to the com
mission, and that the commission will work toward
establishing a broadly representative membership
of people from the diocese interested in the church’s
ministry to gay men and lesbians. Integrity antici
pates that several of its members will be appointed
to serve on the commission, which will begin its
work early in 1995.
Commitment ceremonies
now available nationwide
Based in Woodstock, Vt., the three-year-old
organization Pride, Love and Union Services, of
fers help to couples wanting to arrange and pro
duce their wedding ceremonies.
The company provides a guide to commitment
ceremonies which includes such information as
sample ceremony certificates, planning checklists,
referrals to local gay- and lesbian-owned or sup
portive businesses and services, sample vows, and
retail information on wedding bands and same-sex
cake toppers.
Address inquiries to: Pride, Love and Union
Services, PO Box 283, Woodstock VT 05091;
(603) 448-3754 or fax (603) 448-4076.
Drug S Alcohol Treatment Programs
2130 SW FIFTH AVK. STF. 100 • l’O M I ANO OK ^7201
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F or in fo rm a tio n or to m ak e a n a p p o in tm e n t for
T h e Triangle P ro ject, a gay a n d lesbian specific
program , call the In ta k e C o o rd in a to r at 2 2 4 -0 0 7 5
248-9511
901 SW WASHINGTON ST.
Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5
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Sliding Fee Scale • Oregon Health Plan • Insurance
—Member. Portland Area business Association
potter's ioouse
Christmas -Cve
Gays and Lesbians Worshipping Together
C andlelight Praise and W orship
Message 'Twos tfjc lilicjfit Before tfiristmas"
9:00 p.m. December 24th*
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11:00 p.m. December 31st*
3830 S.E. 62nd Ave.
(between Powell & Foster)
* No Christmas Day/New Year's Day Service
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WANT TO FREELY WORSHIP
ON CHRISTMAS EVE?
No closets required.
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New Thought
The God Connection Center for New Thought
Christianity has just turned two years old. The God
Connection was founded in 1992 by the Revs.
Berdell Moffett and Casey Chaney. The center is
founded on New Thought principles which do not
define God for the individual, instead encouraging
each individual to define God for herself or him
self. The basic Christian philosophy of "Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you” is
studied and applied to all of life’s challenges. The
center honors diversity, and the congregation is
approximately 60 percent gay and lesbian—the
balance are very supportive.
Moffett and Chaney are life partners who have
been together for 12 years. They have been out of
the closet everywhere, for years, even as public
school teachers. Aside from their usual ministerial
duties, Moffett and Chaney work to help other gay
men and lesbians come out, believing that coming
out is the main key to nullifying the efforts of
organizations like the Oregon Citizens Alliance.
Worship services are 10 am Sunday at Westgate
Plaza, Suite 105, 3900 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., in
Beaverton and 7:30 pm Wednesday at Metropoli
tan Family Services, 2200 NE 24th Ave., in Port
land.
Compiled by the Rev. Matthew Nelson,
an ordained minister in the
United Church o f Christ.
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Episcopal ministry
established for sexual
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Come celebrate Christmas with people who
embrace homosexuality as a gift from God!
CHRISTMAS EVE
CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
DECEMBER 2 4 ,1 1 P M
UNIVERSITY PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
4775 N. LOMBARD ST. - PORTLAND
This service is sponsored by Metanoia Peace Community United Methodist Church,
University Park United Methodist Church, and Shalom Ministries.
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For more information, call 281-3697 or 289-7843.