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Portland Observer Thursday. August 30. 1979 Page 7
Alcena Boozer joins Deaconate
by Kathryn H. Bogle
At St. Philip Episcopal Church, in
a bright, colorful ordination service
o f Friday. August 24th, which was
conducted by the Right Rev. Mat
thew Bigliardi, Bishop o f the Episco
pal Diocese o f Oregon, Alcena
Elaine Caldwell Boozer became the
first Black woman to be ordained to
the Episcopal deaconate in Oregon.
The event was the culmination of
months and months o f study and a
lifetime o f testing. This evening, the
evening o f her recognition, was
marked by the high voltage o f love
which vibrated from the priest-filled
sanctuary o f the church to its con
gregation and back again.
According to the Reverend Father
300 students, establishing contact
and rapport with them from their
freshman days to their graduation
four years later.
Now Mrs. Boozer, in her new
assignment, w ill be in charge o f
discipline fo r all the girls in the
student body, according to Stan
Blair, the principal at Grant. Mr.
B lair had known fo r some tim e
about M rs. Boozer’ s hoped-for
position with her church.
In an interview prior to the actual
ordination, he expressed his sincere
regard and appreciation o f the high
caliber o f Mrs. Boozer’s standards.
He mentioned his awareness o f her
compassionate understanding o f the
students who have come to her for
guidance and help. Mr. Blair sees an
LOOK FOR THE BIG "T”
"A Sure Sign of Good Taste"
BBQ SAUCE
OPEN
ON
LABOR
DAY
K raft Hickory or
Onion Smoked or
TÔ
DORITOS
TO
OPEN
ON
LABOR
DAY
H ot or Rag Flovoo
I I si.
Tortilla Chipi:
Regular, Toco,
Nacho, or
Sour Cream & Onion
Father W illiam W etzel. J r., pastor of St. Philip Episcopal Church,
w elcom es Alcena Boozer to the Deaconate.
W illiam Wetzel Jr., priest at St.
Philip Church, Mrs. Boozer joins
fo u r other women who occupy
similar positions in the diocese. She
is the only Oregonian, by b irth ,
among them. We believe her to be
the first, and only, Black woman or
dained to fill such a role on a regular
basis in any Oregon church.
About 300 available seats in the
nave and the parish hall were filled
well before the hour arrived, and
every inch o f standing room was
utilized. Some persons stood patient
ly outside.
A long w ith her priest and her
bishop, family support was strong
for this event, their presence attest
ing th e ir a ppreciation fo r M rs.
Boozer’ s place among them as
daughter, sister, wife and mother.
Scattered through the congregation
o f well-wishers were many personal
friends, some made in association
w ith her d a ily w ork outside her
home. Among these latter were her
high school principal and his wife.
Earlier in this exciting week, one
other distinction had been brought to
Mrs. Boozer. This remarkable lady
was named as acting administrative
vice-principal at Grant High School,
a step up from her long held position
there as counselor. Formerly, she
had been responsible for as many as
“ admirable deepening" o f the chan
nels o f communication,” which can
only be, he said, " a very practical
assistance to her work as a coun
selor. The two positions, as he sees
them, “ w ill be aligned in a com
plimentary fashion with each other."
A Portlander by b irth , Alcena
Boozer is a daughter o f Mrs. Mar-
celene Caldwell and the late Edward
Caldwell, both members o f St. Philip
C hurch. She was the fifth child
among three brothers and two
sisters. She received her elementary
education at Holladay and Irving
ton Schools. She was graduated from
Washington High School in 1956 and
later attended Portland State Univer
sity. Her m arriage to James C.
Boozer came in 1960. A return to
college completed her work in social
studies and she was awarded her
Bachelor’ s degree from Oregon State
in 1970. Mrs. Boozer earned her
Master o f Science degree at Portland
State in 1974.
The couple has two sons, Bentley,
17, and Clarke, 16. Clarke is a junior
in high school, plays football and is
a track letterman at Benson. Bentley
is handicapped by a degree o f mental
retardation.
Mrs. Boozer speaks openly now
about Bentley’ s situation and she
DO YOU NEED HELP?
Is the DEVIL working against your home, nature, job, church, money, child
ren, sex, neighbor, health, sick, family, loved ones? Are there demons on
your body or in your home? Have you been in a fix where you cannot keep
or find the RIGHT man or woman? If you need help with any or all of these
problems you should call me NOW II Tomorrow may be too latelll Does your
luck pass you by? If so, I have lucky hands to help you be a winner in all
GAMES OF CHANCE —Bingo, Reno, Tahoe, Las Vegas, Special, Miami,
Fla., etc.
If you are a spiritual seeker who needs help not promises -call me. I am a
"God Gifted" man. I can help you in a hurry.
TESTIMONIALS
1) Miss Joyce J .W .. Portland, O R ., was in a fix where she could not
find or keep a good man. I, Rev. Hoskins, removed the fix and the jinx from
her. NOW she can draw the man of her desire to her like a magnet.
2) M r. & M rs. C.P. of C om pton, C A ., could not win the BIG one. They
called Rev. Hoskins and Rev. sent them a for-sure win blessing money hand.
They went to Las Vegas and their luck kept on coming, winning more than
♦16,000.
3) M s. Barbara T ., In g le w o o d . C A , had a man who left home for
another woman. She called Rev. Hoskins with tears in her voice. She want
ed him backll Now he is back and eating out of her hand.
4) M r. Paul. Los Angelas, C A., was in a fix and rooted by this woman.
As a result he lost his nature for other women, but through Rev. Hoskins’
work, Paul regained his nature and became luckier than ever with women,
money and his business
6) M rs. O .I.. Long Beach, C A ., had demons in her body, and in her
home, causing all kinds of bad luck, and unnatural sickness. She called Rev.
Hoskins and in 72 hours her home and body were free of unclean spirits.
(The names in the above testimonies have been changed for the protec
tion of the individual.) I guarantee to do what I say I can do. I have a big re
putation to protect.
I know the power of the SPIRIT Don’t put it off. Don’t let distance keep
you from calling. Call nowlll You will be glad you did. Tell a friend where to
get HELP today.
RE8ULTS G U A RA NTEED .
REVEREND CLAUDE HOSKINS
563 GLENVIEW AVENUE
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 94610
TELEPHONE: (416) 444-4883
Paid Advertisement-------------------------------------------
The Right Reverend M a tth e w Bigliardi conducts service of O rdin a
tion of Alcena Boozer. Her husband. James C. Boozer, participates in
the cerem ony. (Photo:
admits freely that at a certain period
o f her life she was frustrated and
angry that one o f her children could
be so affected. There was a time
when she cried out angrily to her
Maker. "H ey! God! I’ m mad! How
could you do this to me?!”
During those trying years, Mrs.
Boozer remembers that she learned
much o f patience and acceptance o f
Bentley’ s condition, plus how to
gradually cope with the problems
this presented within the family con
stellation. The fam ily’s dear friend
and counselor, their minister, the
late Reverend Lee Owen Stone, was
the bridge.
Mrs. Boozer, a member o f St.
P h ilip, was confirm ed by Bishop
Dagwcll. She became a lay reader at
St. Philip in I976. Quite possibly
because o f Father Stone’s influence
in her life, she began to feel that
somehow God had prepared her
uniquely fo r some form o f the
ministry.
Enthusiastically Mrs. Boozer gives
credit to Father Wetzel for giving her
the chance to learn, and to find her
niche. W ith Father W etzel's en
couragement, she persevered in ef
forts to be admitted to the Diocesan
School o f l.earning, which, in turn,
cleared away the first hurdles on the
path toward the deaconate.
There follo w ed six m onths o f
study with various priests o f the
diocese, succeeded by days o f ar
duous interviews conducted by relays
o f other priests and laypersons o f the
diocese. A ll this was necessary before
she could be considered eligible to be
declared a postulant equipped to
begin serious study! M eanwhile
Father Wetzel continued to coach
her and to make his extensive per
sonal library available to her.
How did the family fare with all
this outside w ork and a c tiv ity
surrounding the mother?
Clarke found his mother a very in
teresting person in her am bitions
and, on more than one occasion,
Clarke brought in school friends just
to see “ my mother, the preacher!”
Husband James Boozer is a “ very
organized” person Mrs. Boozer de
clares, and theirs is a “ very
organized household.” Mr. Boozer
is an Industrial Relations Coordina
tor for Portland General Electric,
but he does his share in keeping the
household running smoothly. When
the family leaves the home in the
morning, the house is in order. This
way is now habitual with all o f them.
Periodically, Mrs. Boozer selects
menus and recipes from her extensive
files o f what she styles as “ do
nothing dinners." Someone, she says,
“ puts them together so that we are
all well fed. We have lists and lists
for everything.”
How does this amazing woman
manage to keep her beautiful calm
serenity, her optimism and her stores
o f energy adequate? She is a jogger!
Gets up at 5:00 a.m. and runs from
three to five miles every other day!
She is joined by two other Grant
teachers who find this an exhila
rating way to start the day.
Alternate days o f walks, or Satur
day jo g g in g , are taken w ith her
husband. Sometimes on Saturday the
couple walks ten miles. As men
tioned above the extended family o f
the Boozer’s are all supportive o f the
Reverend Mrs. Alcena Boozer. Some
o f them took part in the ordination
ceremonies. They were among the 35
persons o f the clergy and laymen
listed on the program. Mrs. Mar-
celene Caldwell, the mother, and
James Boozer, the husband, were
among the seven persons of the church
who o fficially presented Mrs. Boozer
to the Bishop for the ordination.
Mrs. Delores Leggroan, sister, and
Bentley Boozer, the elder son,
presented the elements for the com
munion service. Clarke Boozer and
Kris Caldwell were listed as Taper
Bearers.
The Reverend Father Renee L.
Harris o f Saints Peter and Paul acted
as Master o f Ceremonies for the en
tire celebration. Women o f the
church joined in arranging an informal
reception afterward at the Masonic
Lodge on Russell Street adjacent to
the church.
Soft-spoken, with the joy o f life
and living eminating from her being.
Deacon Alcena Boozer began her
functions and duties prom ptly on
Sunday, August 26th, offering the
Bread o f Life to all who knelt at the
Communion Rail.
The Reverend Deacon Boozer has
chosen not to accept a stipend for her
services to the church and its people.
She prefers to give her time and
strength because "th is frees me to
o ffe r back the g ifts I have been
given.”
She states emphatically, “ I have
no ambitions to be a priest, I just
want to be a deacon. I am accepting
my servanthood; I want to interpret
to the church the needs o f the world,
and to the world—the church.
" I am o f the world, and I want to
stay in i t — I do not want to live
separately from life. I enjoy people,
and life is too short for me to take it
too seriously.”
HUGHES M EM O R IA L UNITED M ETH O D IST CHURCH
REV. AUSTIN V. RAY, MINISTER
111 N.E. FAILING
Owl A Prayer 284 0684
Church School 9 46am
Worship 11:00am
Office 281 2332
Specializing In
Individual • Marriage and Family • Group Therapy
The Church W here NO Stronger Feels Strange’
1 s i. er mere
14410 S I (»VISION
3955 S I POWELL
N.E. 74th 4 SLISAN
HILLSBORO-960 S E OAK
W. BURNSIDE at 2 1 it
SAN RAFAIL-1910 N.E, 122nd
4 A 20th 4 DIVISION
S.l. 72nd 4 RAVEL
N.E. 15th 4 FREMONT
Forest Oreve-2329 FAClr
Oregen City-171 MOLALLA
Canby-1OSI S.W. l i t
LLOYD CENTER
T R D0QE3Q L L
ENERGY.
W e can 't a ffo rd to w a s te it.
ALLEN TEMPLE CME CHURCH
Corner of 8th and Skidm ore
Sunday School 9:30am
Sunday Worship 11:00am
Christian Youth Fellowship 6:00pm
(second and fourth Sundays)
Reverend Thomas L. Stray hand. Minister
NEW HOPE M ISSIO NARY BAPTIST CHURCH
REVEREND A. BERNARD DEVERS, PASTOR
THE CHURCH DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR NEED
Sunday School
Morning Worship
Evening Service 2nd. 4th and
5th Sundays
Communion 1st Sunday
W ed
Family Prayer Meeting
and Bible Study
Friday Brotherhood
Fellowship Service with
Morning Star 3rd Sunday
9 30ain
10:30am
7 00pm
5 00pm
7 30pm
7 00pm
Prayer and Pastor Phone 281 6476
Church Phone 281 0163
3725 N. Gantenbein Avenue. Portland, Oregon 97227
ST. ANDREW S CATHOLIC CHURCH
806 NE ALBERTA STREET
Reverend Bertram G riffin, Pastor
281 4429
Masses
5 00pm Vigil -S aturday
10 00am Choir - Sunday
12 00pm Folk — Sunday
ST. ANDREW C O M M U N ITY SCHOOL
4919 NE 9th Ave
Norita Kelly, Principal
Phone 284 1620
Grades 1 thru 8