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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2011)
OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2. 2011 Gregg Ruffin Gregg Ruffin, who died Thurs day, August 11, moved to Portland from the Emerald City in 1970. He worked for several years at the Organ Grinder, where his love of the food and beverage industry originated. From the beginning, Gregg was friendly and outgoing, forming many lifelong friendships. In the mid ‘70s he transferred to EarthQ uake E thel’s, the Disco Mecca, honing his skills working as an assistant manager. In 1979 he flipped from the straight to the gay world and deputed on Stark Street, combining his professionalism and provocative wit. A great example was during his first Stark St. Rose Festival, when he made T-shirts proclaiming, “I’ve never been in the Navy, but the Navy’s been in me!” W hen Gregg started bartending at CC Slaughters, he found his true calling, making every customer feel im portant and welcome. His complimentary style and unreserved personality became a big hit. Gregg was the consummate hostess, always greeting patrons with a smile, maintaining his work ethic and sense o f humor while never missing a beat. Many people attributed their ease in “coming ou t” to sitting at Gregg’s bar. He was accommodating to his customers, who soon became regulars, often saving phantom places at the bar— knowing they would want to chat while enjoying their favorite cock tail. In 1990 Gregg was reunited with the owner of E thel’s, working at both The Brig (now Red Cap Garage) and Boxxes. He remained an integral part of the staff for 21 years. He will be dearly missed. Anti-Gay Seattle Church Expanding to Portland A controversial and anti-gay church based in Seattle is starting a new ministry in Southeast Portland. Mars Hill Church has purchased a castle-like building at 3210 SE Taylor Street, where it plans to start services September 10. Mars Hill was founded in 1996 and has since become a mega-church with eight locations in Washington and one in Albuquerque, N.M . In addition to the new loca tion in Portland, two other locations are planned for Ev erett, Wash., and Orange County, Calif. The church is popular among young people. Its various media have a slick production value, and its pastor, Mark Driscoll, has been known to give sermons on such topics as “Biblical Oral Sex.” Nevertheless, Driscoll preaches that homosexuality, as well as any sex outside o f heterosexual marriage, is a sin. “I will never say that homosexuality is okay because it’s not,” Driscoll said in a sermon posted on the church’s YouTube channel. “I will likewise never say that it is the only sin or it’s a sin that rises above the other sins and that the gay guy who comes to Mars Hill and sits next to the couple that is dating and sleeping together is any less or more righteous.” The belief is not uncommon among conservative evan gelicals, but even among them, Driscoll is controversial for his hyper-masculine views o f how Christian men should behave. “The problem with the church today,” Driscoll said in another YouTube video, “it’s just a bunch of nice, soft, tender, chick-i-fied, church boys.” LGBTQ.religious leaders in Portland are wary o f the church, but they say the community should have dialogue with the church’s members. “We don’t get anywhere by bouncing our rhetoric off of each other,” said the Rev. Tara Wilkins, executive director of the nonprofit Community of Welcoming Congregations, “because relationship matters. It’s hard to form a relation ship with someone who believes the exact opposite o f what you do, but that’s where transformation can happen.” At one of the largest LGBTQ^welcoming churches in Seattle, University Congregational United Church, ad ministrator David Anderson said the LGBTQ_commu- nity in Portland shouldn’t feel threatened by Mars Hill. “They have not made my life as a gay man more diffi cult, and I think they have challenged me to be more ar ticulate in my faith,” he said. Representatives from Mars Hill did not return calls for comment by press time. Visit blogout.justout.com fo r updates on this breaking story. — A a r o n S pf . n c e r ► 5 Year | 100,000 Warranty Ron Tonkin Chevrolet 503-255-4100 2011 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab LT 4WD Lease $375 Stock #:C251134 VIN#BG113777 MSRP$39,365 Sales Price$36,705 after All Factory Rebates, Dealer Discounts, Customer Cash due at signing $2000 plus Tax,Title and License Fee's. Call Dealer for details. Offer expires 08-31-11 .... and get 1 Years FREE Insurance ¡CHEVY INSURANCE BREAK T M fA M M d n Q N M V M M T O «M A N C I ONI 9MT • N > mm « •m I n UWÉI» — I eeeey im im d W % $ C * * n h uh «— I SEPTEMBER 3 0 - O CTO BER 8 , 2 0 1 1 W W W .P L G F F .O R G just out C e u a J. L yon «¡ass PrTde I iHNDAflON ITI I Ml marshill transitions 5 MOREL INK ~Wie ■ Ike D m » r w — H i m im a«»—r le « i CNMtAMle» m td W m bm tum r y s l r s t i as*» MeHife www.tonkinchevrolet.com