METROPOLITAN by MCC Churches

METROPOLITAN

COMMUNITY

CHURCH

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IN N I TY

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club to discuss my hunger. I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly and prayed for my release. I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearanc • I was sick and you kn It and Lhank d G d for your health. I was homeless and you pr ach d to m the spirirual shelter of God's lov I was lonely and you left me alon pray for me. You seem so holy, so close to God. Bu~, I am still very hungry and lonely and cold.

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PUBLICATION

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A NEW HOME FOR M.C.C.L.A.

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THE

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LLOWSHIP

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COMMUNITY

!llniuersal :Fdlo\Dshi~of mdro~olttan C!ommunitn C!hurrhcs

TROPOLITAN CHURCHES

1149Y.

~ I10ARD OF IcLOf:RS

I'tJIIT.tCATION ~'I'MI'

i('V. Troy lJ. Perry, Moderator Rr-v , John Hose, Vice-moderator H"v. ItIchard Ploen, Clerk Mr. 1.0111.0nes

1)""11111 .10 . II C;llbert, M • IIIhIlWII<ll,.,I·;ditors ClltCtJI.A'I'IIIN MANA!:!)i Mr. ,n'lI I. (11" •• 111 ADVERT IS LNG MANA(a',H Mr. Wayne Paul STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Mr. Pat Rocco CONTRIBUTORS Mr. Paul Young, Mr. B.C.Van Hecke

NORTH VIRGIL

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CALIFORNIA

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ELDERS

1'IIIlI.ICII'I'ION C:()M~lr'rrlm Rr-v . T'r oy n. f' -r ry , I':l<l<'r Il"aeon .Io s . II.Cllbert, Editor-in-chief Mr. Willie Smith, Treasurer Mr . .Iohn Wild jr., Secretary

IN UNITY Magazine is published monthly by Metropolitan Community Church, Inc. Rev. Troy D. Perry, Pastor & Founder. Editorial and Advertising office, P. O. Box 8205, San Diego, Calif rnl 92102. Copyright 1970. Un Ivor sal F llowshl.p ( f Ml'tfOjllllllunCommunity (;hllrclll'H, ll/,9~ N()rLhVlri\11AV('1I111', I.IIIIAlIlI('I(,". Cn ll f'o ru ln 90029 All rillilillR""I'rVI'd, li"prlldlll'llllll III Willlil'III' pllr without pI'r,," I'lOll IIII'rohlhl'I'cI.

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chunches ·

CIIICAGO (GOOD SHI::PHERD) 1'. . BOX 285 CII!CAGO, ILLINOIS 60690 REV. ARTHUR GREEN, PASTOR

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ANGEI,I':S I1119',NORTII V IR(; II.AVI':NIII': IIOI.l.YWOOD,CALI "'OliN lA, 1)()()?9 REV. TROY I). 1'1':IUiY, I'MJTOll

PHOENIX (CHAPEL OF THE NOMADS) P. o. BOX 2357 PHOENIX,' ARIZONA 85002 REV. KEN JONES, PASTOR

SAN FRAN I 'CU P. O. IJOX 99)(\ , .''rATION0 SIIN FRANcrH O. CAl.lfORNIA 94109 RI':V.IIOWAIW WI':LLS,PASTOR

MIAMI 180 S.W. 9TH STREET, #7 MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130 REV. P. BRAD WILSON, PASTOR

SAN IHEGD P. O. BOX 8205 SAN DIP-GO, CALIFORNIA 92102 REV. TROY D. PERRY, ACTING PASTOR

DALLAS P. O. BOX 5944 DALLAS, TEXAS 75222 REV. PAUL VAN HECK, PASTOR

COSTA MESA (CALIFORNIA) 2232A PACIFIC AVENUE COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA REV. ROGER HARRISON, MISSIONER

HAWAII P. O. BOX 1116 KANOEHO, HAWAII 96744 DEACON RON HANSEN

REV. TROY D. PERRY REV. RICHARD A. PLOEN REV. JOHN H. HOSE MR. LOUIS A. LOYNES

Dear Member Churches:

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The First Annual General Conference of our Fellowship is now history. For that meeting the last "Amen" has been said, the last hymn sung, the last sermon preached and the last prayer uttered. And yet we as a denomination are just starting. Our conference is a beginning. Our move across America has begun. At the conference we had representatives from our churches and mission in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Phoenix, Hawaii, Chicago, Costa Mesa and the missionary who was going to Dallas. And we had a good letter from our pastor, Rev. Brad Wilson of the Miami Mission. As Moderator of the Board of Elders, I set a goal for us of twenty churches and missions by General Conference next year. One month has passed and already we are moving towards that goal. Our missions in Chicago and Miami are now churches. Growth is being reported in all our groups. The San Francisco Church is averaging close to two hundred in attendance and has just organized two missions ...one in Oakland and the other in Sacramento. We have received word that our Hawaii Mission has had a full page article written about it in the Honolulu Press. We have received letters asking us to send information concerning starting missions in such cities as Boston, Denver and even Buring, Arkansas! And the story goes on. God has, is and will continue blessing the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches as long as we, the members of M.C.C. keep looking to our "Alpha and Omega", the "first and last", the" I " as the head of the Church. As long as we look to "Him", we will live.

Rev. Troy D. Perry Mode'rator, Board of Elders

Something unusual has happened in the Universal Fellowship. A trend has been bucked and a national publication has moved away from home base. The status which might devolve upon the Mother Church by the publication of a denominalional organ has been scattered to all the churches and missions of the Universal Fe llowship. With Editoria 1 staff in San Diego, correspondents in each congregation it can be a Universal experience. We need your help. We need people in every congregation

Just a note buy it, to subscribe to it. We need people in every congregation to contribute to it. We need your patience. This issue is late. We hope each month to come out one week earlier until we publish at the beginning of the month and not the end. \-li th new beginnings we hope to grow in size. Only you can do it. Your Editor

a chunch heno Reprintpd

VVe haven't run a "Church Hero" column for awh i le . But while we were in Los Angeles we met one. And Dallas is lucky enough to have him. Rev. Van Heeke, (who's son incidently will be on the staff) is as young as you and me and maybe as old as time ...and just as wise. "Oh:" he ~aid. "I'm so homesick I miss you already." And, of course he hadn't even left yet. He shared of his wisdom throughout the three days of Feneral Conference. Father of three sons, he managed to make us all feel like sons in the same family. I don't suppose that anyone who heard him say: "I don't know

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what they mean by generation gap, you never le r me fee1 there was any difference, you rascals," feels there is a generat ion gap. The simple joy of seeing one of the Lord's ministers give communion to one of his own children for the first time in the life of either, the great booming (slightly raspy) voice, the grand corona of tufted white hair all provide those who know or me t him an indelible memory of unpretentious saintliness. VVe hope that Miss Robb Willis and all the other new MCC family in Dallas will learn from this wise young man. Take care of him. We love him as we know you will.

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-....~. " ...~·<···..'hat bib he mean On t.he Lr s .v en l ng r the pns ao v er , J(. US be f o rr- ('Ollng w lt.h It IN apost1 s ook brc d, bl s cd and broke it, saying, "Thls i s my body. Take thls and eat." Then, he took the cup, gave thanks to God and gave it to them, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood, which will be shed for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me." Wi.th this b r i e f ceremony, our Lord i n s t i t u t ed Holy Communion. or the Euch ar i s t , the second of the two sac rame n t s recognized universally by Christians throughout the world and history. And, at the same time he la id the found a tion for one of lhe greatest theological controversies argued by Christian believers. After almost two thousand years of Christianity, the Sacrament, rema ins, and so does the controversy, though, it is no longer very heated--the various points of view have long since become polarized. Nevertheless. almost every Chri.stian, still personally, at one time or another, finds it necessary to re-examine his own views on the subject. The Ca t ho l i.cs , for instance, believe in Transubstantiation---the doctrine that the species of bread and wine are no longer that wh ich they appear to be, bu t , rather are the body and the b lo;'d of Jesus Christ, wholely present in both. Lutherans take anoiher view: that the substance, or the inner reality of the bread and the wine, remains together with the body and the blood of Christ. This is called Consubstantiation. Others have argued a different idea: Impanation --the belief that the bread and wine coexist in a hypostatic union with

body and the blood of Christ. 'ont mporary of Luther, Zwingli, « Swiss theologian, who was ordinarily in substantial agreement with his fellow reformer, sharply disagreed on this subject. He believed that Christ is only symbollically present and that communion with Christ, in the Eucharist is only through the faith of the recipient. Anglicans believe that he is not symbollically, but, really present in and under the form of bread and wine. There are hundreds of other positions held by Christians. Today, the Zwinglian view is prob ab ly the mas t ac c e o ted bv Pro tes tants, including those Protesta~ts now members of Metropolitan Connnunity Churches. Regardless of these various opinions regarding Communion, the words of Jesus are really quite clear. He said, "This is my body ... this is my blood ... " He promises that he will be there wi th whoever partakes of this, the holiest of meals. He promises, that whoever partakes will receive. "My Flesh," He says elsewhere, "Is real food; by blood is real drink. Whoever eat s of my flesh and drinks of my blood, dwells continually in Me and I dwell in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Fa'her, so ~e who eats me shall live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven and it is not like the bread which our Fathers ate; they are dead, but whoever eats this bread shall live forever." (John 6:55-58) At M.C.C., Holy Communion is, even by By-Law, considered to be such an essential part of divine worship that it is ce lebrated at every Sunday Service Ih

individual believes that Christ is indeed present and that the species are no longer bread and wine or he believes in the purely symbolic concept of Communion, he can still be certain, that when he takes the bread and wine, he does indeed receive Jesus and at ·that moment he can be no closer to his divine Savior. Paul Young

every Sunday Service, unless, it is not possible because an appropriate minister is not present. Holy Communion is the perfect manifestation of Christ' s love for man, because it is part of his sacrifice on the cross, and there is no better way for man to experience that love than by receiving the bread and the wine. Whether the

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lonely tono quiet desparation? Jesus, You were lonely, too, when You were dying on the cross; yet, You aren' t lone ly now ..• BECAUSE YOU DARED TO LOVE. Is that the problem? Am I more concerned about being loved than to love? Am I more Ln t er e s re d in passing myself off as a commodity to be carressed and held than to be willing to hold and comfort ... and love? Send me send me next door, into the next room, to speak somehow to a human heart beating alongside mine. Send me to bear a mote of dignity into a subhuman, hopeless situation. Send me to show forth joy in a 'moment and a place where there is otherwise no joy but only the will to die.* Send me to reflect Your light in the darkness of futility, mere existence, and the horror of casual human cruelty. But give me Your Light, too, Lord, in my own darkness and need, and I won' t be lone ly anymore. Howard ue Ll s

I'm so damn lonely at times that I don't feel that I can survive the impersonal world for another day. ~et, somehow I do ... ~ou know, each time I go to the bars, I'm always looking for someone ... and if I r e a l ly think about it, I know that it's not just for sex ... it's for companionship. People smile and cruise in the bars, Lord .•. and they laugh ... and swing with the music ... And they are crying on the inside, just like me •.. they are just as lonely as I am. VVhat keeps me apart? "he tragic thing is that I know what the results of my search will be, even before I hit the bars ... at best, a trick for the night, at worst, a terrible sense of despair ... and always, loneliness. And even if I "succeed", that ache in my heart, that feeling of meaningless existence still lingers on; in fleeting moments I realize that my 1ife is like an endless treadmill that's going faster and faster, and going nowhere. ()h, God~ Is this all there is to life? Isn' t there any a I ternative to this empty, superficial existence? Is there any escape from my life of

*No"e: from Malcolm Boyd' s "Are You Running With Me, Jesus?"

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mcaco. cmcaco Every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Church, 2500 pali Hwy. the Hawaiian Mission of the Metropolitan Community Church meets for Christian worship with their deacon, Ron Hanson. Flon Hanson, who represented his congregation so well at General Conference, tried to come to terms with himself about being a homosexual. That soul searching went on for ten years, all during his attendance at a mfe s t onar-y school. But after Ron had heard Troy Perry in Loa Ange les give his sermon titled "I'm Not Afraid Anymore" he felt he had r.eceived a personal message from that sermon. " I'v come to realize tha t God looks at the inward man, not the outward man. We as Christians are hung up in our ~Jritanical beliefs sbout what our bodies do outwardly'. The island group had it's first meeting at the home of Deacon Hanson, at which there were ten people. Since then he has been able to use the facilities of the Unitarian Church. " I'm happy," he said. "People somehow think that a homosexual cannot be happy. i' t s taken me years to accept myse lf and what I am••• I even 'ried to change once. Most

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of the problems homosexuals face are surprisingly similar to those faced by straight people." Hawaii's Deacon has said he believes he can help other homosexuals achieve a sense of self worth ••• to accept the fact of their homosexuality. "Everyone who goes to this kind of service for the firs t time wonders what this is all about. They want ·'0 shrink into a corner unnoticed. I was that way the first time I went. But when the serivce started, I res lly fe 1 t as though I was worshiping God wHh fellow Christians." Christianity ..• not homosexuality .. is the basis of the Metropolitan Community Church. In a recent interview with the Religion Writer for the Honolulu Advertiser, Deacon Hanson said: 'VVe want to offer something that benefits homosexuals. But anyone can benefit from it. We, who know benefits homosexuals. But anyone can benefit from it. We, who know what it's like to be ostracized, want to open ·our doors to all."

two became friends. On Sunday evening at 7:00 PM, ninety five people atended ehe worship service at the Broadway Methodist Church (3342 North Broadway). Flev. John Hose noted the deference Chicagoans show for Rev .Arther Green their pastor. Hose felt that this was obvious ly due to Rev. Green's ability and skill in dealing with people. Of his two day visit, Rev. Hose had only one "complaint"-"They used white wine for Communion" and it is not hard to feel Rev. Hose's prob lem in identifying the wine w It h the Blood of Christ. Ftev. Hose had a suggestion to the Chicago family that is well to pass on to the other churches and members of the Universal Fellowship. He reminded Chicago (and us) that the early Christian Church lived together yet separated by distance through epistolary coromunt c a t i.on . "Papa John", as Rev. Hose is fondly known thought that MCCought to consider establishing "pen pals" throughout all the churches and their members. "Because," he said, "there are so many beautiful people in our churches." And he must have had in mind ,at least in part, the many beautiful people he met in Chicago that Charter Day weekend.

T he Good Shepherd Metropolitan Community Church of Chicago, invited Rev. John Hose of MCCLAto be their guest for Charter Day and the followi ng Sunday, Oct obe r 17 and 18. Flev. Hose, in a less-than-exclusive interview (given to his seminary S ':udents) s ta ted his impressions of Good Shepherd by saying,"Exhilerating was an insufficient word." He complained that Chicago is "the second larges t city in the U. S. and all r hey (Chicagoans) can talk about are ehe problems of the National Democra t ic Conven t ion, and abou t being the 'Hog ButcherJ.ng Capital of the World'." Butinfact, one of the nat-ion' s larges t homophile communities also exists in Chicago and they are obvious ly ready to s tart a church. On Charter Day, Saturday evening, Rev. Hose spoke to forty five persons thirty of whom became members and

STATES DALLAS recently ordered four marriage certificates. Congratulations to someone. These have no assignment of "roles" and are approved lor use in this denomination.

In MIAMI the MCCBenefit Performance of ''New Girl in Town" at the Upstage Theatre was one of the best bargains in town.

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Jerry Wilson from the SAN DIEGO congregation had the opportunity to worship recently with the HAWAII

Thursday ternately group-all

mission.

Church.

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evening in CHICAGOis a l,« Bible study and discussion in the Broadway Methodist

The Cool-Aids, the youth group at MCCLAhas been having dances nearly every other Friaay. The group itself is for those between 13 and 20.

SAN FRANCISCOhas organized a midmorning Club for those who work in the evening. One recen t Thursday A.M. saw Bicycling in Golden Gate park.

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• PHOENIXnow operates

an answer-line service in ''The Nomad". It's called ''Hope''. It's confidential and also informative.

COSTAMESA points out that we need to publish lists of our churches . wi th real addresses and not jus t Post Office Boxes. Correspondents? Help!

•• ............................................................................ 'I ru. vou.t. 19616 VI:;\ITlilU BLVn: TARZANA, CALIF. 91356 XXI·1660 - 469·7975

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One Years Suhscript ion 3rd Class $10,00 1st Class 511),00 outsid e the l.',S, S13.00

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I know! M.C.C.L.A. home!

We do not have time to worry about trivial theological points such as how many angels can sit on the head of a pin when young men are selling their bodies on Selma Avenue in Hollywood. We do not have the Luxury of debating whether a person shou ld be administered baptism by sprinkling or immersion when young homosexual teenagers, boys and girls, are finding themselves caught in a lonely world with no realistic moral guidance. We cannot: be so flippant as to get uptight about how communion. is administered or what hymns are sung at worship services when old homosexual men can gage how much love they can obtain by determining how thick their wallets are. We cannot afford the complacency inherent in achieving institutionism and respectability as a church when our brothers and sisters are being fired from their jobs, thrown into jail, and beat up in the streets because of ~heir sexual proclivities •

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We cannot indulge in the luxury of self righteousness when our heterosexual brothers and sisters are bound in small worlds of bigotry; ha "e , prejudice, and ignorance, when parents worry thenselves sick by asking over and over, ''Where did we go wrong?" and young homosexuals learn to hate themselves, their parents, and God "for making me this way!" We have only one commission from our Lord ••• to acknowledge His Love for each of us and to proclaim that Love thr oughou t the land. If eachofus will throw out his own net of Christian compassion to our brethern, those individual efforts will be combined into one mighty force, emanating from this fellowship, drawing those persons who are Los r , tormented, lonely, and frustrated into the arms of the Lord. Soon, the waters of life surrounding this fellowship will become a stormy fro'h of spiritual activity as our numbers multiply and our individual and congregational efforts to do God's wi 11 increase in effec tiveness. As Christian homosexuals, we have the unlimited capacity to let the Holy Spiri t dwe1r and thrive in each of us by encouraging a child-like fai ':h in the boundless Love of God and by developing a mature Christian philosophy grounded in responsible brotherly love. If we consciously strive for such a life style, each of us shall surely touch the face of God. II A Sermon given at General '\'\ Conference by Howard Wells

•••••• :what is rt>

:hecommunity •••they are all members and should be warmly welcomed. The community, at larg~, is really a perplexing thing. It is riddled wi--hapathy, coa red w i t h frustration, and charged wi ':hfear. Sure ly it reac cs more like a group' of sheep than the lion it can be. Do not .get me wrong! I'm not knocking it! How can I knock wha t I am part of, what I helped create, what I am?But,I must comment and criticize if ever I can expect change to occur. "God Loves You! You are as important to Him as a straigh t person is!" if the homophile community will take that to heart how strong it will become. Le t's ge t rid of the apa thy, dilute the frustration and negate the fear. Let's do it in our hearts first ..an easy start is by accepting your brother homophile regardless of what sub-cultural mask he wears and brandishing a kind and loving heart. A smile is enough. That's what M.C.C. is about From an article by Ric Laconick The Miami MCC Advance

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Congratulations on a job wcll done. In a community with much need.

Would a masochist dressed in leather regalia singing in the church choir upset your nerves? If it would, you have a long way to go to get where you really should be. After all, regardless of attire, a believer is a believer. The essence of M.C.C. is founded on this principle. It herds all members of the community to the altar raid and says: "You are Mine." -Certainly a member of the lea~her set can believe in his God just as strongly as an elderly widow grips her God to her bosom. Thus, if a drag queen comes flitting dovgIthe aisle some Sunday you should be much more than circumspect ••• you should say to yourse-lf, ''Welcome Brother." It is the drag queen, the leather member, the butch dyke, the transexual that makes up part of

Mr. Dick Martin formerly [rom Chicago, Ill.

Congratulations on the fine work that is happening in M.C.C. and "In Unity". Sock it to them. The world needs this work. from: Thl'hcterosexual part of the Van Hecke family - Las Vegas Mr. & Mrs. E. D. Van Hecke Mr. V. G. Van Hecke

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Inn

9804178

11262

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of others. We have contributed to the breaking of our society and the fragmenting of our world. When we smile, our hearts ache. When we cry, we are ashamed for we do not understand our feelings. We stand close to one another in this circle and in life, yet we do not comprehend one another or ourselves or you. Jesus. So we have gathered once again in this community. We ask that we may hear and receive your Word. Jesus. We ask that we may participate in the outward and visible and also in the inward and spiritual grace, of communion with you. Jesus.

Jesus, we are here for communion with you. Jesus. Jesus, we are here in the imperfections of our shared and common priesthood. We are here in the ambiguities of our shared and common response to you, and the failures we have experienced in discipleship. Jesus. Jesus, we would rather be selfishly alone with you than sharing with our brothers in your life. We would prefer to dictate who mayor may not be in this circle. We would like to come here according to our own wishes instead of being obedient to you and 'h~ others. Jesus. We have abused our lives and those

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0 PLACIDLY AMID THE NOISE &: HASTE, &:

REMEMBER WHAT PEACE THERE MAYBE .. IN SILENCE. AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT surrender be on good terms with aU persons. Speak your troth quietly &: clearly; and listen to others, even the dull & ignorant; they too have their story. ~ Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain & bitter; for always there will be greater & lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. ~ Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism. ~ Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity & . disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. ~ Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue & loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. ~ You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees &: the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is dear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. ~ Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. ~ With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautifUl world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~

UNIVERSAL

FELLOWSHIP

REV. TROY

OF METROPOLITAN

D. PERRY

COMMUNITY

CHURCHES

FOUNDER