Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 17, 1995)
ju s t o u t T in a rc h 1 7 . 1 9 9 9 T 9 S P I R I T U A L I T Y Alabama MCC targeted Once again, it seems, gay men and lesbians are allowed to exist as long as they keep a low profile. Try to move to a better neighborhood, however, and trouble starts. That, according to an Associ ated Press story, is what happened to the Metro politan Community Church of Huntsville, Ala., when the congregation moved to its new $140,000 worship center. The MCC congregation had been virtually ignored in Huntsville during the seven years it met in a rustic mountain lodge and a downtown office building. The trouble started about five months ago, when the congregation made the move to its new quarters, located behind the public library. A sign stating “Homosexuality is a sin” was erected by the minister of a neighboring church. Other de grading comments were scrawled on signs by several neighbors. On the up side, a local company donated a flag depicting a cross and a colorful rainbow. Gay pastor allowed to stay An Oakland, Calif., Lutheran church that de fied an order to fire its gay pastor has been rewarded for its loyalty and Christian actions. On Jan. 15, the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America reversed its position on the firing of pastor Ross D. Merkel. Previously, the synod had defrocked Merkel as the result of a disciplinary body ruling that he was involved in a relationship with another man. Al though the defrocking stands, Merkel will remain in charge of the St. Paul Lutheran Church congre gation. Lesbian and gay clergy are allowed by the church only if they are not sexually active. Church representatives removed from state commission A complaint filed by a fundamentalist Catho lic and an Assembly of God minister has resulted in the court-ordered removal of two Catholic and two Mormon representatives from a state com mission studying the civil rights of gay men and lesbians in Hawaii. In ordering their removal. PC Athisors 22S-5212 ft 4 My PtctULWU- federal court Judge Harold Fong said their ap pointment as designated representatives of orga nized religions violated the separation of church and state. Resources supporting and empowering women A Lesbian Owned business O pen 7 days a week ! Rhode Island gets first open gay minister Choosing its 300-year tradition of progressive politics over fear of the unknown, the Newport Congregational Church hired its first openly gay minister. On Jan. 22, the Rev. Lark d ’Helen became not only the leader of Newport Congrega tional, but also the first openly gay minister in Rhode Island. D’Helen was trained at Harvard University and ordained in the United Church of Christ. According to Carl Beckman, a member of the search committee, after a bit of soul-searching the congregation chose to live up to its policy “to be open and affirming to all people regardless of their sexual orientation.” Newport Congregational Church history in cludes both a parishioner who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a former pastor, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins, who was one of the first American ministers to denounce slavery. Monday thru Saturday 10am to 7pm Sunday 11 am to 5pm (503) 236-0505 4526 SE Hawthorne Portland, O R 97215 (Right after 45th, on Haw thorne next to the 7-11) Episcopals support rights based on sexual orientation The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., passed a resolution declaring sexual orientation “morally neutral,” according to The Washington Blade. The resolution, called the Koinonia State ment, also calls for church recognition of same- sex relationships. A second resolution, stating the diocese’s support for Maryland legislation that would add sexual orientation to the state civil rights bill was also passed. The Rev. John S. Spong of Newark, N.J., first introduced the Koinonia Statem ent at last summer’s General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Although more than 70 bishops have signed the statement, the district diocese, which comprises about 100 Washington, D.C., and Maryland churches, appears to be the first to endorse the statement at its convention. Compiled by Kristine Chatwood Calculate Your Tax Savings PC Advisors has the software package for your TAXING needs_ T urbo Tax • Q uicken • Q uick B ooks • Sylvia Porters We have these software packages at incredible prices!! We offer product training, installation, and support! Our Just Out tax season special: 486/66 mhz Computer with 850mg Hard disk $ 1198.00 m bnngfim dasl w Your Representative: Brian Rhone expertise to your computing needs Li You R eally D o n ' t K now O riental R ugs U ntil You K now M r . O pie . Before you consider buying an Oriental Rug, call lames Opie, an inter nationally recognized authority on auth entic Middle Eastern rugs who knows what l(X)ks real and what is real. J ames O pie * * ORIENTAL R U iS INCORPORATED 214 S.W. Stark Portland, OR 97204 For an Appointment, Call 226-0116 MenTalk Join a friendly group o f gay and bi m en for an evening o f talk, laughs, and inform ation on the subjects o f HIV, dating, sex, com m unity and more. Call and we w ill schedule you into a one-tim e M enlklk group. Call 233-6339 ext.160 Speak Tb Your Brothers is a project of the Men’s HIV Prevention Program at Cascade AIDS Project.
