1985 - Journey Magazine - July/August

,General Conference 12 .~~~~

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Reflections:

" ...on the way it was in the beginning" It's Finished

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"God, Gays & The Gospel is finally completed" Suffering & Death .

First in a series Felrowship News

Church

News

Edit.or Associat.e Bditor Ma.aging Bdit.or Assist.ant Edit.ors

Gra.t. 1..,.Pord Sandi Robinson Pat.rick Hogall Carol Ann Kyrias' Chris Pasillski Scot.t. Phipps Pred Kalve

General Manager Liaisoll BIder

Ravi Verma 'T'roy Perry

In this issue...

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JOURNEY IS published mont.hly (except.

August.-Sept.ember and December-January) by t.he Universal Pellowship of Met.ropolit.an Communit.y Churches.

'T'he focus of JOURNEY is 1.0 provide ne~s and report. issues of concern wit.hin UPMCC and t.he larger communit.y. rAil mat.erials submit.t.ed 1.0 JOURNEY must. be inclusive of gender, age and race. 'T'he edit.orial st.aff will modify allY language not. meet.ing t.hese crit.eria.

Subscript.it>n rat.e $16.80 per year U.S., Canada,.

Mexico. $20.80 ot.her areas. Cont.ent.s are copyright.ed and may not. be reproduced, or quot.ed ext.ensively wit.hout. permission. ,

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We 6el.,;e\>e .....

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In one \riune aod. omnipo\en\. omnipresen\ and omniscie.\, of one subshnce and of \hree persons: aod--our Plfen\-Crea\or; Jesus Chris\ \he oilly belOUeft son of aod, aod in flesh, human; and \he Holy Spiri\--aod as our Sushiner.

Tha\ UIe Bible is \he divinely i.spired Word of aod, sbowinl for\h aod \0 eyery person UIroulh \he law and \he propheh, and finally, compte\ely alld ul\ima\ely on elf\h in \he beinl of Jesus Chris\, I Tha\ Jesus ..,\he Chris\..his\orically recorde4 as livinl some 2,000 years before \his wri\illlJ, is aod inc"na\e, of human bir\h. fully aod and fully human, and'.Jha\ by bein, olle wi\h aod, Jesus hasdemons\ra\ed once and forever tha\" all people are likewise Children of aod, beinl spiri\ually made in aod's imal•.

Thd \he Holy Spiri\ is aod makin, known aod's love and in\eres\ to aU people. The Holy Spiri\ is aod. available \0 and workinl \hroulh all who are wiHin, \0 place \heir welfare in aod's keepin,.

Eyery person is justified by arlce \0 Qed throulh fai\h in Jesus Chris\: , We are sayed from loneliness, despair and delrada\ion \hroulh aod's lin of lrace, as was declared by our Saviour. Such Irace is not earned, bu\ is a pure lift from a'aod of pure IoYe, We fur\her commend the communi\y, of the faiUlful to a life of prayer; \0 seek lenuine forliveness for unkind, thoulh\less and uiliovini ac"; and \0 a commiUed life of Chrislian servic.•.

The Church serves to brinl aH\people \0 aod \hroulh Chris\.

To this end, it shall arranle for relular services of worship, prayer, int.rpr.h\ion of th. Scrip\ures, and .dification throUIJh the t.achinl and preachinl of the Word, 2

Journey

The Question Of Suffering

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by Rev. Celena M. Duncan

Heflections: On The Way It Was

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by Rev. John Hose

It's Finished ~""""""""""""

by Rev. Troy Perry

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The. First Step

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.> !y What does that word 'authentic' mean?

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National News Church News Guide Posts Chaplin's Corner Worship Directory

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Authentic is defined as that which can be believed or accepted. It emphasizes clarity and freedom from sham and fantasy. It stresses' that the thing considered is an agreement with Cad or actualitj; I believe thatUIf'MCC is in a God-given struggle to become an authentic church. The hope is that this. magasine will continue to express and reflect the issues of that struggle. It cannot be emphasized enough that if those issues are not dealt with in an 'authentic' 'manner,' that you the reader are responsible to participate in bringing the edit~rial starr to clarity.

-, Our issues are not new but vital to maintain' the Christ- consciousness to which we are called. Matthew Fox in On Becomin, a MUSical Mystical Bear: Spirituality American Style, defines prayer as 路80 radical response to life.路 If lile is God then how we respond to and accept life is how we respond to and accept God. Every act or thought in our being then, that responds to another human being .is a response to God. This kind of thinking is not at the root or the belier system of some of us. Some of us are struggling to be wha~ others want us to be instead of what we are called to be individually. Some of us are trying so hard to be an accepted part of the 'norm' .through the acquisition of money and status, that we wind up becoming or trying to become an indistinguished p,art of the wh,ole.

This cheat us out of the transformation toward , the Christ+consciousness that is our girt. This also pulls valuable energy away from the mutual authentic participation in the suffering or each other.

As Bishop Desmond Tutu said, 'Y ou do ' not get to glory, you do not get to resurrection except through Good Friday." Whether we choose to or not, we will be called more and more to this participation. In our struggle for July-AuIUS\ 198&

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health, the devastating disease aids is rapidly becoming more and more real to the point that we can no longer deny or run away Crom it. In ecumenism we will Cindthe participants who . will respond by helping in ministry to heal the tremendous suffering and pain to come; The denial of our racism, sexism, -classism, etc., prevents us from authentically responding to people who contribute to our wholeness.

Holding on to the oppressive attitudes ta.ught to us by society cripples the oppressor even more than the oppressed. We cannot afford this. H9W many of our congregations have one or two Blacks or Hispanics or other 'others' trying to worship in the authenticity preached by the Fellowship, but are continually hurt by insensitive. comments and exclusivity.

These people, some of whom cannot go back "home" because of who they are, are faced with pain on both sides. How much wm it hurt the majority in -the congregation to practice -compassion Cor them'?

UFMCC is gifted and distinguished by a tradition set by our "Church Mothers'--Ziegler, Smith, Hamilton, McCoy, Cisneros-Hunt, Wilson, Vierra, Turner, to name a Cew--at whose feet I have sat. UFMCC is a kaleidoscope of visions. What ar~ the visions of our authentic 'Church Fathers'?" Are they visions that are 'Cree from sham and Cantasy'?" This writer believes that some are. A reflection from Rev'd Joseph Gilbert is that, 'In a secular society Americans are beginning to ask whether we would not be better off as a good stew ...with identiCiable 'carrots, potatoes, onions and chunks of meat ...instead of a melted pot. In a Universal Fellowship sometimes tempted to the universal orderliness of a cosmos, we might even be better oCC if we celebrate our pluralization .... Not matter how we may lust after being the post-Constantine church, no matter' how Cearful of being the Apostolic Church, the pre- or post-denominational church, no matter how trite or rate our prayer-liCe .rnaj be., when are are the church, proclaiming the Gospel, prophesying to the world, caring Cor the others, . worshiping, praying, serving and seeking . : justice ...then other MCCers, other lesbians and gay men, other people of every sort and condition are lilted up ...else how could the world I

function.'

--Sandi Robinson, Associate Editor .•

Journey

'New and Improved' At least that's our goaL.it improve and add new things to our denominational magazine" based on the hard work of those who preceded us; It's not an easy task to fulfill, because there are all sorts of things you may have liked, and things you've wanted. .So we'd appreciate hearing from you. Tell us what you 'liked, and what you want to see.

Our n~w editor, Rev'd Grant Ford, is pastor of Holy Covenant MCC, Hinsdale IL. Prior to this he was publisher of Chicago's Gay.li/e newspaper, which he and Abe Olivo Iounded in 1915. -Our associate editor, Sandi Robinson, Irorn Columbus OH, also serves the Fellowship as co-chair of Ecumenical Relations.

The rest oC the staff is generally Crom the Chicago area, each with their special expertise to add to J ()urney. ' , A word about our goals: We plan to publish ten times a year, publishing monthly except ,during the summer quarter and the winter quarter. Our next issue will come out after General Conference. . You'll notice that we have made several economic moves to match our present income: we are printing on newsprint, and we are temporarily using a less expensive means of typesetting. This allows' us to offer an expanded magazine, . while . still achieving considerable savings. As your support increases, we will make improvements in the size and qualitj' of the magazine.

We are also working to bring down the price of Journey so more churches can order in bulk rate. We believe that Journey should be in the hands of every member--and potential member--in your church and. community.

And. talk' about¡ something revolutionary ...we want to pay our writers, editors, photographers, and other co~tributors.

But this takes increased subscriptions, and it will have to start small. The present "editorial' salary' is being used Cor small stipends for some of Jhe working editorial staff (except Cor the editor and associate editor), with some small payments to. writers.

Finally, while we get things worked out between Chicago and Los Angeles, all material Cor Journey should be addressed to Grant Ford, Editor, 22 South Seventh Av, LaGrange IL 60525; all subscriptions and payments should continue to go to the Los Angeles office.

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• lIP On August 9, 1983 the Metropoli~an Community Church of Springfield MO was damaged by fire when kerosene soaked newspapers were stuffed into a mailbox. Damage to the building was reported not to, be major Subsequently members of 'The Cevenant, The Sword a.nd The Arm of The Lord" sect were charged by the Arkansas federal grand' Jury with violating several federal racketeermg statutes.

Those named in the indictment were Ellison and Willia.m Thomas, a. former elder of the sect.

The' federal charges include

Lutherans propose home for gay young people Ph,Irzdelplua

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Luthera.n Children. and Family Services has proposed a plan to the Philadelphia Depa.rtment of Human Services to operate a. small group foster care system for gay and lesbian youth, reports Philadelphia Gay N euro Program Director Allan Goldberg, said t.ha.t the first youths home' may begin opera.ting in July He would not disclose how much money wa.s requested The Human Services Department's Children and You.th Divisron approached several agencies a.fter the Bromin Center, gay counseling agency that ran a similar group home, closed. Goldberg said hrs agency has banned recently discriminatton against ga.y and lesbian foster parents, and st&ff members are now required to a.ttend workshops to increase ga.y, and lesbran sensit"vity The foster homes, in "mixed' neighborhoods -black, white, ga.y straight,' would he supervised by live-in ·professiona.l" foster parents, and allow "ga.y sociahsation" designed to foster an "awa.reness of the gay commurutj ," Goldberg said "I'he objectrve of the program IS

the actions at the Springfield MCC, the burning of a Jewish center m Indiana,. the bombing of a natural gas pipeline in the Southwest, and a whole host of other acts. The cha.rges carry a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment and a $25,000 fine.

Agents of the IRS, FBI and the Treasury's Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Firearms seized the encampment of the sect, discovering a large stash of gold bars and coins Arrested also in that seisure were members of the Nee-Nasi group know as The Order to maximize the socialization cultivation • of a. positive'

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Wedding Bells for controversial Boom Boom San Francesco -'-- Jack Fertig, better known as Sister Boom Boom of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a. Sa.n Francisco based order of gay ma.le nuns, ha.s told the Bay Area Reporter that he intends to ma.rry a woman.

The . bride-to-be is the first female member of the order Sister Mysena (aka.

Misty), a professional dominatrix.

Fertig, who denys tha.t thre IS the death of Sister Boom Boom says 'she hkes my boyfriends and I like hers' Says Fertig, 'God created a. beautiful garden for all of us t.o enjoy When we ma.rry we'n qua.lity for domestic pa.rt.nership benefits. Just because I'm a. man &~d she's a woman doesn't. inean' we ca.n't love each other,' adding &fter questionmg tha.t th,ey don't hue sex. Asked how she could marry such a 'promment. gay man,' Misty replied "I don't care a.bout that. I like Jack because of Jack'.

Commenting on the notonety he has with the

na.tiona.l press, Fertig said, 'Quite (rankly, it's a pain in the ass. I like my priva.cy I don't hound the media. The media hounds me.

The /Iettere to th~' editor's column will be full of letters tWisting my love a.round. What we rea.lly need are people concerned about changing our world for the better, helping our people.'

New York Mayor~ executive order upheld New Yor/(; -- Major Ed Koch's executive order requiring city contractor's pledge not to discriminate against gays 'and lesbians was upheld by that state's appellate court last week.

The court pa.nel ruled in a 3-1 decision, that the Mayor did not only have the authority but a.lso •• 'constitutional obligation" to bar all forms of discrimination that were not rela.ted to Job performance.

'Where sexual proclivity does not relate to job function, it seems clearly unconstitutional to penalize an individual in one of the most imperative of life's endeavors, the right to earn one's daily bread,' wrote Justice Sidney H. A~ch for the majority. New York's Roman Catholic Archbishop John O'Connor, the Saha.t.ion Army and Aguda.th Israel of America ha.d won three lower court rulings against, Koch's ruling thruough arguements that Koch had no authority to make gays into a protected cla.ss when the City Council has vot.ed against such a law. The Archdiocese has vowed to appeal this latest. ruling to the st.ate's highest. ruling court, the Court of Appeals Chicago Ma.yor Harold Washingt.on's gay and lesbian liaison Kit Duffy has been July-Aulust 1986

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wa.tching the case closely because a. ma.yora.l executi ve order is ,11 tha.t protects Chica.go ga.y and lesbian city employees. ·It's so fa.r reaching," she sa.id of the ruling. 'It rea.lly opens up a. lot, certa.inly in terms of ga.ys, but in r"r more respects tha.n just gay Issues.

Blood Sisters Drive nets hundred-fifty pints Seat-tle The Blood SisterSea.ttle blood drive received donabions of 150 pints of blood, on beha.lf of ga.y men. with .AIDS laat month, reports Sea.ttle Gay News.

Blood 'Sisters spokesperaou Carol Sterling sa.id tile success mea.ns a series of drives will be held throughout the rest of the ·'1ea.r ,the ifirst as soon as June. 'The blood drive project is a.n attempt to let the city of Sea.ttle know tha.t the lesbian and : ga.y community is working together to fight a.ids,· sa.id Sterling.

'Blood is a. vita.l resource for AIDS pa.tienlls,· she said, noting that the blood supply . a.s a. whole ha.s been depleted beca.use ga.y men a.re no longer dona-ting. 'The blood of lesbia.ns is the lea.st conta.mina.ted source,' sa.id St~rling. 'Our VD rate is .001 a.nd we a.re most likely to ha.ve a. good . blood content.

And as members of the, lesbian/gay community, we wa.nted to show tha.t we ca.n help in the fight a.ga.inst AIDS'.

Public sour on Anita Bryant come-back Atlanta

Anti-ga.y a.ctlvist a.nd entertainer Anita.

Brya.nt wa.s fired from Atla.nta.

TV sta.tion W AGA recently 'r ollowing a. flood of protest calls a.nd letter a.fter 'her one a.nd only appearance on .the P.M. Atla.nta. show. Brya.nt fa.me bega.n eight yea.rs a.g·o when she successfully lobbied to defea.t Mia.mi;s's ga.y nghts ordina.nces a.nd more recently to ploSS the Oklahoma (a.y teacher law recently struck 6

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down by the U.S. Supreme Court -- a.nd lost her job a.s Florid ••l1J or ••nge juice spokesperson for ,it.

'We were under the impres'sion the the pa.st controversies th ••t ha.d surrounded her no longer existed,' s••id WAGA gener';.}· ma.na.ger, P••ul R ••ymon. 'But we did get' something of a. gtoundswell of rea.ction indica.ting tha.t it still does exist, ••t lea.st in Atla-nta..'

O'Connor would rather lose than switch New York -Rom ••n\ C••tholic Archbi~hop John J.' O'Connor us a.g••in st ••ted th ••t he is willing to give up city funding for socia.l service a.gtmcies .if he loses his b••ttle a.g••inst Ma.yor Ed Koch's executive order requiring city contra.ctors to pledge nondiscrimin ••tion a.ga.inst g&y men a.nd lesbi ••nsl O'Ooaaor told reporters Sund ••,;· outside St. p••trick's Ca.thedra.l tha.t the a.rchdiocese is prepared , to run the ••gencies without the $72 million in city doll ••rs. 'W~ hue a. contingency pl ••n, we ha.ve it worked out,' s••id O'Connor. 'If the st ••y we hue a.sked for is not gra.nted, we would h••ve to be re ••dy by the 30th of June' Yhe~ the contra.cte ••re up for reneya.ll A sta.te a.ppella.te court Ma.y 7; upheld Koch's order, a.fter tyO . loyer courts ha.d struck it doyn, It had not been in eHect since September, yhen it ya.s barred by & lover court,' but the city's Boa.rd or Estim ••tea, yhich 'renews &11 contr ••cts, h••s required simil ••r a.nti-bia.s gua.ra.ntees from ••11 other contra.ctors.

The archdiocese, S••lva.tion Army a.nd Aguda.th Israel of America. filed suit! che.rging tha.t the order viola.tes freedom of religion ••nd th ••t Koch does no hue ••uthority to ena.ct policies tha.t the. city council . ha.s rejected.

The neighboring srchdioceee of Brooklyn ha.s signed the a.greement no to discrimina.te, b,,;t

O'Connor

insists church discrimin ••tion pr ••cticing homosexuals.

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tea.ching a.g••inst

Seminary Holds Panel on ordination· of gay.

Prince'on .

'Silence, ,nd brea.king it, is one of the things ye struggle yith most in our church,' Ms. Neely, \" I•. y minister yho is a. lesbian told a.bout 100 Princeton Theologica.l Semina.ry students l4ond ••t . The £a.ct tha.t Ms.' Neely, who serves a.t the Princeton MCC of Christ the Libera.tor, ha.d the chance to sped: a.t the Seminar y ••s itself ~ 'y"y of bre ••king the silence. , .

She &ppea.r with: severa.l other p••nelists in a. discussion of 'The Church a.nd Homophobia: •• controversi ••l topic for Presbyterie.n yhoee gener ••1 ,ssembly rejected the ordin ••tion .ol self-a.cknoyledged· pr ••cticing homosexua.l to the ministry in 1978. : The subject' wa.s raised by a. student orga.nisa.tion, Church a.nd Lesbie.n/G ••y Concerns; the first' of its kind a.t the semina.ry. lIt's a. ground brea.king for ,11 of us,' s••id . event cocoordinator Julie Gsell. M ••ny of the students, a.s well ••s the president, do not support, g••y r.nd lesbi ••n ordination, she added.

Semina.ry President Thoma.s Gillespie opposes a.llowing· homosexuals into the ministry, as w&s one of the Presbyterian leaders yho worked on the report de ••ling with t.he subject a.t Lhe 1978 Assembly meeting in Sa.n Diego. .

'Homosexua.lity is not a. sin, but the practice of It is,' Mr. Gillespie YIoS quoted ••s s••ying.

While the president sa.id he supported .the discussion which took place a.t the aeminarj , he ,Iso hoped spe ••kers on the ·m ••jority' Presbyteri ••n opinion would come. to school ••t ••nother time., A:nother

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10 percent of all Presbyteria.n members are ga.y.

Evelyn Davideon, whose da.ughter is a. lesbian and whose husband is pa.stor of a. New York City Presbyteria.n Church which ha.s opened la.y ministry to those of 1.11 sexua.l preferences -- came down hard on the Assembly ruling. , 'We' tell ga.y people they will be accepted by the church if they lie', she slid.

Three other pa.nelists ga.ve brief. ta.lks, ba.sed on their church ,experiences, then opened the discussion ·to those listening.

'Why is it tha.t ga.ys a.nd lesbia.ns ca.n't fa.ce the sympa.thy of & stra.ight wa.nts to offer'!" uked Ca.rol Maher, a. member of the ta.sk force on homosexua.lity for the Presbytery of New Brunswick a.nd sn a.dvocate of opemng the ordained ministry to &11.

'One' of my own responses is sympa.thy.

It's terribly inconvenient to hve in America.n societj' tqday a.nd not fit in,' she sa.id. .

Her 'comments set off a spa.rk of. j~e~sion in the room. A ma.le listener responded, 100 you Ieel sympa.thy for blad:s because they are black'?'

The tension softened slightly when pa.nelist Chris Glaaer, a. free-lance writer from C,alifornia, who a.s a. Presbyteri&n a.nd a. homosexua.l cannot be ordained, suggested'- Ms. Ma.her might rena.me 'sympa.thy' a.s Isolida.rityl.

'Sympa.thy sounds condescending' he sa.id.

Then the a.tt~ntlon turned to Ms. Neely. IMove from sadness 'nd get a.ngry with me,~ she sa.id. In this wa.y a.nger is a. tool to cha.nge t.he nega.t.ive View of homosexua.lit.y in our current society. . 'Sympa.thy precedes solida.rity but you must no st.op &t tha.t,' Ms. Maher sa.id Wednesda.y.

She wa.lked out of t.he meet.ing on Monda.y 'deva.sta.t.ed,'

. she sa.id. Ye~ Ms. Ma.her added she would continue to work for the ordina.tion pf homosexua.ls but chose her words more ca.refully.

For doctoral student. Don Richt.er, the discussion ga.ve new insight on is struggle 1!ith t.he .issue. Lea.rning tha.t a. person's sexual orient.a.tion is not a conscious decision, but. 'somet.hing they've a.lwa.ys felt.,1 would ma.ke him rethink his

position, he sa.id../ Other st.udent.s shared Mr. Richt.er's view. I( hope some energy turned up here will last.,· sa.id st.udent Eliza.bet.h Bowser.

Also on hand for t.he pa.nel t.o discuss ga.y and lesbia.n concerns Monday were Mr. Davidson's husband, Robert., a.nd William Kirby, cha.pla.in of the Wesley- Westminst.er rounda.t.ions a.t /"Princeton University.

Ignorance wins again

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Ca.n you ima.gme a.n execut.ive ofj Procter a.nd Oa.mble going on na.t.iona.ltelevision a.nd sa.ying, IOf course we worship Sat.an.' And yet the strange rumor mill tnat has distressed this company Cor a number of yea.rs now said: "I'he president. of Procter a O••mble Co. recently a.ppea.red on the Phil Donahue TV show. The subject he spoke a.bout was his company's 't " . support of the Church of Satan. . .

'The president st.a.ted t.ha.t a. large portion of Procter a qa.mble's profit goes t.o t.he Church of Sa.tan. , IWhen a.sked by Mr. Donahue if he Celt t.hat making that. st.a.t.ement on television would hurt the Procter i Oa.mble :1 busmess, t.he president replied, 'There are not. enough Christia.ns in the United States to make a difference." _ The ompany ha.s fought block with a. specia.l 800 number to ezplam th ••t. they do not worship S••ta.n, ••nd t.ha.t t.he comp••ny logo -- with't.he Isce of the moon i.nd thirteen sta.1"S -- represents t.he thirteen colonies, ••nd is over one hundred ye••rs old. This logo, wliich a.ppea.rson on theirproduct.s, seems to h••ve been the trigger for the irgnora.nt rumors.

PiG a.lsoproduced a.n mforma.tion pa.cket, containing letters from such religious leaders a.s Jerry F••llwell ••nd Billy Gra.ha.m, stating .clearlj thlot. the comp••ny wa.s not involved in deVil worship. Also in t.he informa.tion plocket. -were let.ters from producers of va.rious t ••llt shows, point.ing out. clea.rly tha.~ no Procter a Oa.mble executive had ever a.ppea.red on their '. progra.ms endorsing Sata.n. k'·l The rumor quieted down for a.while, but ha.s sta.rt.ed ba.ck with a. vengea.nce. So the complony is a.ba.ndoning it's moon-and-st ••rs symbol, removing it from loll P a 0 products.

They've decided that just ca.n't ba.ttle 19nora.nce any longer. So 'ignora.nce wms a.ga.in!

JuIY-MeIiS'1986

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Genesis Understandings FIRST IN A SERIES OF ARTICLES

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By Rer'd Celena Duncan While it. is our understanding and belief that AIDS is not a more issue; but rather+-and only--a medical issue, we must face the fact that families of those afflicted, or even of those not afflicted, have certain fears [superstitionst], ideas and beliefs Lhat AIDS is God's judgment on the afflicted person. This understanding may even extend to themselves, that is, that it is God's judgement on theDl...as parentd, relatives, and friends. 'What have I done wrong'r 'Where did I go wrong in raising this child'?'

This article seeks only to sketch' a very rough outline of where we might go in the future with a line of reasoning in attempting to convince parents and friends that they are not at Iault, that AIDS is not a judgement either on themselves or on their child.

The question of suffering and Crom whence it comes' is one of the oldest questions. I believe that it is among the very questions tha.t led to 8

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the Cormation of Scripture itself. The Genesis stories (creation and subsequent 'Fall' narratives) seem Cram such pre-technological, Ipre-writing 'campfire' questions as 'Where .did all this (creation) come from,?Why are things the way they are'? Why is there sufCering,?

Why are children born with accompanying pain and blood'? Why do we sweat for food and keep'? Why is life hard'? Why do we die'?'

Obviously the ancients. could onlj assume that ' they must have done something wrong, something to offend the most holy God. That belief has stayed with humanity through thousands of years of' human history, through 'dark' times and enlightenments.

Approaching this issue Cram Scripture, we have such witnesses as the Books of Job and 4th Esdras, both of which spend the bulk of their time asking and exploring the issue of where suffering comes Crdm and why it must be. Neither book comes up with. any definitive, fina.l, or satislaetorj explanation. The authors of these books a.re quite aware of their dilemma -,

Why must we suffer?, What is the meaning of this sl;lffering?

the question of

SUFFERING "

about anger at all. God says, 'What have you but are caught in ~ conundrum: they are, at the done'?" (Gen. 3:13) I picture a parent standing center ot maelstroms of suffering, both personal there, a "sinking feeling" washing over her, for and collective. they must--and they will--at 路when the priest and priestess of Creation quit least voice their frustrations.

The writers celebration Creation, evil (i.e., nothingness) understood, however bewilderingly, that God was became real. The jaws of the abyss were open the source of destructive as well as creative again. Nothingness would call back its own.,2 energies. Not long after tha't the, J~ws' took on dualistic understandlngs,attrlbutlng evll to what . The risk taken in creation has occurred. we might call a demi-god or demon (dalmon in Humanity, through God's grace and' love, had the Greek). . been called forth from nothing and, by their Paul TiUich is lone of the modern own choice an'dactivity, would now return to theologians who have been engaged in dust. Augustine recognized the act that God attempting -to bring us back .to the original foreknew' what would happen and chose to understandings of the term 'holy.' Tiliich notes: believe that God (coldly, it seems) went ahead "the mysterious character of the holy 'produces with the divine plan' 'anyway to 'show' an ambiguity in [humanity's] '-!ay of humanity 'the wickedness of their price and the goodness of God's own grace."s The 路Calvinists,路 experiencing it. The holy can appear as creative as THlich calls them, carried Augustine to the and destructive. Tillich continues ". ..One cold say far extreme, asserting that 'Adam fell by divine' that the holy originally lies below the alternative of the good and the evil; that it is , decree.'" Certainly, God foreknew; but I cannot both divine and demonic.,t The term 'demonic' even rone, myself to. believe or entertain for an instant the notion that God coldly or 'by may be somewhat strong for many people: The decree' allowed humanity to fall.

Holy may not really he demonic as we have The element of risk in creation, as come to understand the -term. But it is true discussed at great length by John MacQuarrie, that the Holy is so powerful .and so makes a great deal more sense to me. Creation incomprehensible to us that we can' only perceive it as something demonic. ACter all, all involved risk for the creator as well as for the we can really say about the Holy' is that it is - creation. God took the risk that Being would 'other! ' (MacQuarrie says, 'may') be dissolved in nothing. For this is a God who has always 'been If indeed the, causes of death come Crom God, does God 'wish' these causes on us'? Does 'in this' together wiib us, not jus~ since the God judge us with them'? Genesis seems to Incarnation', but even berore Creation: a God suggest that death itself, is God's judgment on who seems "weak' (MacQuarrie), "Coolish"(1 Cor. humanity. (Gen. 3:19b) If indeed this is so, I 1:21拢0, by placing GOD's own self 'at the mercy of the world.,6 The absurdity is inherent, and it believe rather that death is God's wise and beneCicient judgement--or gift-- rather than does not begin with Christ's cross! It was wrathCul punishment. Western tradition has present even before creation. long taught that death is the result of sin and Surely God could take such a risk only out that God in anger cast humanity from the of a sense of love, not coldness. Ours is a God Garden.

The Eastern tradition, however, of love: God knew what would happen to ~nvisioned God sitting down with Adam and' humanity, took the risk at cost to Self as well Eve and weeping with them over their error. as to creation, and stayed by humanity in the Continue readinl on pale 1.'3 And indeed, the Genesis account says nothing JUlY7AuiUd1986

9

May 30,

1985

All .Hembers and Friends of UFHCC ( Throughout the World FROM:

Rev. Elder Freda Smith, ~astor River,City Hetropoli tan Co~muni ty Church Sacramento, California

RE:

UFNCC General Conference, Sacramento,

July 1:--7

I wa nt; to take this opport un i ty to ) nvi te everyone to the biggest,-best, General Conference ever.

Of course, every General Conference is bigger and better than those which have gone before, but since this i:? taking, place in'my home' town, and since my home church has the privilege of having all of you for guests~ I especially want to extend a warm welcome to all of you.

I know that many of you have been saving up for this conference since you attended the last ,,' one in 'Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

For soiae of you it w~i.llbe your first Conference. l'-lhatever the case, UF'r'1CC ~Emeral Con ferences are a Lway s worth the time, the effort,'-and the money.

Although the business of the Confer~nce is the business of the confer~nce (fiaure that one out), the spirit o~ fhe Conference is the Family Reunion of t.he Pamily--of GO,d. Good Preaching, great music,-'friendly brothers and sisters, and the excitement of sharing out leap of faith and couragewhich we have all experienced" serve t.o make these Conference days a magical experience.- I, especially wan t you to be my: special gJ1ests~ as the /family member ",T1:1o,sponsors the reunion a Lway s wants the family to feel at home.

River City r1CC members have been' p~eparing for over three year~ for this occasion._ If you have any needs which we can meet, '"'Ie want; to know about them so we can meet them.

Nosotros casa es su casa, our home is your home. We will maintain a hospitality suite at the, Capital Plaza Holiday Inn_to supply free coffee and tea, both mornihgs and evenings.

Our ~epresentatives will be in the River City Bookstore at t he Coriverrt.Lon Center.

Our homes and our hearts, are open to ypu • i

.:t._

Hay God bless and keep each one of you, 10

Jo"rn~,

/

.

.

\

Reflections: II

... ~

~L _'

By The Reverend Elder John H. Hose, Emeri*us

In

_-~

ut-e ~

~ ~

"

the

church where I was baptized and there was a stained glass windo.w under the balcony 'in the rear of the sanctuary, a story windo.w depicting the parable ,00C the sover. As I reflected 'on the beginnings oC this , Fellowship Ior Journey, I tho.ug,ht about the 'seed which feU into good soll, where it bore Iruit, and the yield was thirty-Co.ld, sixtj--Icld, even a hundred- Iold," (Mark 4:8-9) Our-first General Co.nference was definitely a time of planting. We were certainly 'scattered' during the first General Conf erenee.. in 1910. Tbe opening service (which was replicated in the 1919 General, Conf erence) was held in the Metho.dist chapel on the University of Southern palifo.rnia campus. I was privi~eged to b~ ~he kejnote speaker, and the late Bishop O'Neil and 'his gospel choir provided stirring music. The Saturday session was' convened in .the Unitarian Church in Pasadena. Delegations were present from Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco. and Chicago.

Four elders who. had been appointed by the Los Angeles church to. develop' the 路co.nfederatio.n'--as it was thought to. be--were confirmed to. serve 'fo.r liCel' They were 'Rev'd Tro.y D. Perry, Mo.derato.r, Rev'd John H. Ho.se, Vice-Mo.derato.r, Rev; Richard Plo.en, Clerk, and Mr. Lou Lojnes, Treasurer. During the course o.r the meeting, the Phoenix congregation was welcomed into. arriliatio.n.

A research project was approved to. justify the existence of Samaritan Theological Seminary. (This study was done as the thesis

confirmed,

,

.

~L, -

.I~

A~"",.I~,

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.""e- ut-e '~v'v'vv'7'

禄)

project Ior my master's (degree as USC.) Much discussion ensued as we adopted the St.atement 'o.f Faith and By-Laws which had been laboriously developed during the previous year by the Elders. Soil was sovn with many kinds of seed and much came to. fruition, although some years ",QuId elapse berore we multiplied an

hundredfold, After

an evening of 'missio.nary

vork,'

we

concluded the Conference in a building which. had previously refused wo.rship space to. the Los Angeles congregation. What a celebration! Mo.re than six hundred joined in the grandest display of vestments ever seen. It was magnificenLa clarion call to the wo.rld: 'Ye that have ears, HEAR!' We surely made a jojful noise as well as history, In 1971 the ,so.ng continued and the seed was nurtured. Twelve congregations gathered at ,MCC Los Angeles' o.w~ church building at 22nd and Union. A significant breakthrough at this Conf erence was the beginning of an established procedure for eredentialing clergy ~ The first edition of a Ministerial Credentialing Co.mmittee had been appointed, ,Many Celt called, but not all were chosen. The "business' of the church was handled, and the Fellowship was growing, Saturday night a number of choirs presented Christ in, song. Memo.rable were the 'Mighty Mites' from Sacramento. (all three' of them) and the robed choir from San' Diego. using caftans purchased from Ah Men. We certainly dared to. be different, The second highlight was the closing, address ,by Dr. Evelyn Hooker of the famed "Hooker" report.

As I had the honor of July-Aulust. 1985

11

presenting this great champion of our 'normalcy," we bestowed upon her the only honor we then hadavailable--we declared her to -be an "honorary homosexual,' These were troubled times with harassment and disappointments, but we had overcome, and we celebre ted accordingly.

Although the vision Cor this church was /' clear to Troy Perry in 1968, and tQ many others over the span of time to this ConCerence, the mechanism to fulfill the vision was slow. While theological . -and some organizational -guidelines are clear in the Scriptures, the day to day nitty-gritty is undefined. .The 1972 Conf erence, again held in Los Angeles, was marked by our increased sense of mission. The number of participants had nearly tripled with representation coming from -both coasts. This conference was a路 replica of the previous one in many wliys--only lots more of everything. Not only did we develop' a document Ior Church World Evangelism (later changed to Outreach, then Extension), but it was a time when our social. consciousness was being aroused, when we became aware that we epitomized -*iiberation theologj" by our very' existence.

Although we believe wholeheartedly in separation of Church and State, we know there are times when one must insist upon the right. of all to Creely worship as they choose--without impediment.

This is a right that. must be claimed. We were reminded again that. love wit.hout. justice is marred. In light. of this, we asked Mr. Willy Brown, a member of the California General Assembly, t.o be our closing speaker on Sunday night. "He had pioneered a "gay rights bill' in the California legislature. ,We Celt. we needed to affirm his efforts.

This decision was not. made wit.hout cost.

MCC Denver and Salt Lake City walked out and others dissented because they Celt Brown was "too 'political.' Also, this was the year when we laid to rest any statement in our By'- La ws which condoned excommunication.

W路e were always sure of the "truth' and the "liCe", but not always, so sure or' the 'way," From-Hawai'i to Miami, from Seattle to Dallas, the' UFMCC was beginning to make the world take notice that Christ had indeed come for all!

The f-irst Conference held outside Los Angeles and expanded to Cive days, General ConCerence IV was quite significant for the Cuture of UFMCC. Our vision had become I

I

12

Journey

global wit.h the presence of representation from London, England, and an observer from France.

We began to deal with the concept of "inclusiveness.'

Although the emphasis was primarily, on the use of language, there was much more involved. We_ began to ,reckon vith the elitism that literally forced lesbians and gay men out of the established church.

Subsequently, it was imperative Cor us to be the vanguard of inclusiveness. We began to learn in Atlanta that Christ's use of "aUI meant just that: no language barriers, no racial barriers, .no ' sexual barriers, no economic harriers, no ritualistic barriers. What we said to ourselves was "preach it, teach it, do it,' An outgrowth of the somewhat painful experience we had in dealing with our own

it was a time when our social consciousness was being aroused, when .. we became aware that we epitomized . ,'liberation theology' by our very existence. prejudices and biases was the appointment of the Commission on Faith, Fellowship and Order.

We dared to believe that our people at the grass roots level could do theology, Further, we demonstrated that Bible=believing Christians, who declared their faith in orthodox trinitarian Christianity could serve a~ a prod and a conscience to all of Christendom. It was there that we laid the roundation-e-albeit unwittingly--Cor the discourse ten years later with the National Council of Churches, We ordained our first female clergy person, the Rev'd Freda Smith, acknowledging not only her ability, but giving assent to our efforts to be inclusive. The Board of' Elders was expanded to seven persons, with, Rev'd Smith being elected an Elder.

To be sure, ensuing General Conferences have seen 'our growth to two hundred plus congregations, but l'see General 'Conference IV as the time when this Fellowship emerged from its cocoon, came of age, and indeed the "Voice of the turtle was heard in the land.' (Cant, 2:12) See you' at General Conference XIL.for surely if the song is to continue, we must. do the singing!

of God's own substance, but from something that had been created from nothing.

We, ConLinued from page 9 therefore, carried the seeds or tendency of struggle to overcome nothingness. "A God who physical disintegration within us, no matter securely hoarded Being would be no God at a.ll. what our state, fallen or pre-fallen.

In this Only the God who does confer Being and so schema, what we brought on ourselves was the goes out' from [God's] self into creation and into rorms that physical death takes. Perhaps the risks of finite being that is bounded by pre-fall death would have been a gentle falling , nothing, only this God is holy Being and lays . asleep and a transmutation into a spiritual form claim to our worship and allegiance .•6 or body (like a Resurrection body'?) that would So God made the world and humanity and rest in and with God forever., called them all good (Gen. 1:31): good, not We see that the Fall also brought pain and perfect Humanity was created finite, from the sweat-filled labor; and this is also the type of dust of the earth, which had been created Irom death it brought: one in which we would nothing. And so enters the "tragic element" experience suet ering, anguish and even terror; (Tillich and MacQuarrie), the "Cault" (Paul and then, not a transmutation, but a.

Ricoeur), "distortion" (Ernest Becker): Humanity disintegration, a return to the dust' from 'which was created with free will. we had come. How much starker and real 'could Tillich writes: OMan is free to play and . knowledge of our creatureliness be? We could build ...to create the world of technical tools and only blame ourselves, not God. products ...artistic expressions ...theoretical To digress Cor but a moment: is it desirable structures and practical organizations free even to wish to live forever? Science fiction writers have dealt with the issue of immortality for from his freedom; that is, he can surrender his ' years, and many have posited that lengthening humanity. ...ln man, freedom and destiny limit each other, for he has finite freedom.or life only brings a new set of horrors and fears.

I find' that, by and large, I must agree. ' God allowed finiteness and freedom to -, We see Christ reminding us that there is come together. Tillich goes on to say that "The no sense of being anxious about death, for it possibility of the Fall is dependent on all the will come when it will come, whether 'it be by qualities of human freedom taken in their unity.

Symbolically speaking, it 'is the image or God in disease, accident, old age, or another means. In man 'which gives the possibility of the Fall. , any event, it is still death.

Onlj he who is the image of GOD has the God has willingly and lovingly taken a risk power' of separating himself from GOD. His in -Crating. For better or worse, like it or not, greatness and weakness are identical. Even God we have entered into that risk. The very fact could not remove the one without removing the of our existence creates a covenant of sorts other. ...orthodox theologians have heaped between ourselves and God. perfection after perfection upon Adam before Paul Flucke, a UCC minister, has written a the Fall, making Adam equal with Christ ... This probing, sensitive article in The Christian makes ...the Fall completely unintelligible .•a Mlru.stry, dated March 1983. The story following Tillich points to God's prohibition not to so well illustrates my points. So it is reproduced eat of the Tree, noting that this "presupposes a (by permission) in full. kind of 'split between creature and Creator ...which makes the command necessary ... .There are many who say that "sunering It presupposes a desire to sin .•9 God had ha ving no purpose' is a weak argument, a stipulated to Adam that death would be the 'cop-out." While suffering's having no purpose result of eating the fruit of the Tree. does not make less any pain I feel, it certainly MacQuarrie critieises- the exelusire linking ofhelps me through my anguish and sense of loss, sin and death, seeing death not as arbitrary if I may understand that God, my creator, is punishment Cor sin, but as the working out of with me in that loss, and not above me or sin in existence. against me.

It gives meaning to the The implications of this concept then is 'foolishness' of the Gospel (1 Cor. 1:21ff): It that death had been a part of creatureliness gives meaning to Christ's own death-s-the least alvays and was not this dreaded punishment understandable death in all of history--and we'd brought on ourselves. Finitude means being even more meaning to Christ's Resurrection in mortal, having limits. We were not created out ~hat it brings hope. It makes death itself a door.

Suffering •..

\

I

1

Jul,-Aulusl

1985

13

Coming from a much more emotional; intuitive , level, I wrote a pqem in 1970 which makes this very point t.hat I have all these years struggled to arrive at on an intellectual level.

I think that death is a. waking.

We are fearful, relating it to the void, .

Sleep,

A Parable of Suffering

By Rev'd Paul Fluke

In a certain city on the shore of a lake, at the edge of a prairie, there lived a woman whose happiness vss-shattered by 'a great and sudden sorrow: her only brother, a good man and dearly beloved, died in the prime of his life. Now the woman was faithful soul' who believed firmly in the power and, goodness of God, but she was deeply torn by this cruel event. And in her anguish she cried out, ·Why, 0 God, why~(' But there came no answer.

The woman, however, could not be satisfied with silence, and she determined to go out in search of the answer which would give meaning to her pain, resolving to pursue her quest, if need be, to the very Presence of the Holy One. And so she set out.

She had not gone very far when she came upon an old man sitting on a bench beside the road. And he was weeping.

"Why do you weep, old man'?' the woman asked, pausing beside him.

"I have suffered a' grea.t loss,' he replied. "I am' a 'pain ter, and. I ha ve lost the sight of my eyes. I shall never see beauty again, nor spread it on my canvas.' "l, too, have suffered loss,' the woman said. "Tell me, do you know: why God allows such things to happen'?"

"My friends tell me that 1 am suffering the penalty for my own misdeed,' the man replied. "God is just, they say, and so my blindness must be only what I deserve."

"DoyolJ believe that'?' asked the woman.

"No,' he answered, '1 do not.'

'Nor do' I,' said she. 'Come with me, and let us seek the truth together.' And so, taking' her arm, the old man went with the woman.

As they walked, they overtook a 14

Journey

which' is more deathlike But Sleep is merely a circle and Death is a door.

We would do well to strive the focus off of unanswerable 'place our energies into things control; .perhaps &ba& is. the , final

than Death. _ rat.her to t.&ke quest.ions, and that. we can lesson ,of the

young man' who trudged aimlessly along the road.

'Come and walk with us," the woman said to him.

"You will not find me good company,' the young' man 'responded. J'My heart is heau, for I have suffered. a. great. loss.' ' "What loss is that'?' they. said; "My wife, the joy of my days, has' 'left me Cor another and I am alone in all -t.he world,' he sighed. ' 'That is indeed a loss,' said the woman. 'But have you Iound the meaning of your pain'?' . ?, "My friends have tried to comfort me,' said the young man.

"I'hey tell me that God is wiser than and must surely .have done this to. make me strong."

"Do you believe that'?' the woman asked.

'1 try,' .he said 'but I cannot.'

"Then come with us,' she said, "and we will seek together.' .

YeL a little farther on the road, 'they came La a cottage where a, young wli!man sat on the> step. Her hands covered her Iace, and liney could hear her· sobbing softly., \ 'Why do. you weep'?' they asked her ..

"My baby has died,' she said. 'She was but a few weekS old, healthy and full of life, and now my arms shall never hold her nor my eyes see her grow to womanhood.' ·W'e weep with you,' ~he older woman said, 'Cor we, too, have been visited by grief. But tell us, has God revealed to you why we must know such pain?"

'My husband says there is no God in 'a world where babies die,' the girl replied, her eyes red with crying: 'He sajs that all is chance, trtrat .Ialth is for fools and justice but a cruel joke," "Do jou believe Lhat'?" the woman ~k~.

• "I do not want to,' the girl replied. 'I would' not want to live iC that were true."

r

story' above. Following' the Via l(elafiva, ,letting go, letting the pain become a part oC us, exploring it, searching it, leads us to God and La each other, leads us--even those of us lefL behind, as it were--inLo new liCe. .•

..•.

t Paul lillich,Dynamics

of FaiU, 1967, !>p. 14-16

',', 'Then come with us,' the woman said, 'and let us seek another answer, if we must search even to the, Presence of the Holy One.' .

And together the Cour oC them went off down the road, and theY:lwalked Cor a viry long time. , They .spoke with many people as they joarnejed, and always they asked their question, but nowhere did they hear more than they had already heard, They were bent with discouragement and weariness ",h~n, at .last, they reached the bridge of twilight that leads to the Presence of the Holy. One. They were about to cross over it when they stopped short: there on the bridge, coming toward them, clothed in )ight, was the very One they sought.

Terrified, they covered their eyes with their hands and were about to run aw80Ywhen the light parted and they beheld a face as careworn as, their own. <., ·Y ou have come a long way,' said the gen·tle voice. 'What is it you seek Cram the Holj-One?' ?~ Wwe seek the truth of , suffering," all Iourlctravelers exclaimed at once. 'Why do you visit Jour children with tragedy'?' "ls it to punish us Cor our misdeeds'?' . cried the blind old man.

"Do you torment us. -.to make us strong'?" asked the younger msn, "ls our faith in justice only Colly'?' the girl blurted out. ·What answer can you give to heal our pain'?' asked the woman. .For a long moment there was no reply. And then, as the Iour seekers waited, Cirst one of them and then the next drew back in wonderment. For there, before them, tears rolled down the. ,<nheeksof the Holy One. At length,. the soft voice spoke: 'Forgive me. My heart is heavy, Cor I am . bearing a great weight of sadness. I weep today Cor a woman who has lost her

2 S 4 6 6 7 8 9

Bruce Ri,dom, McCormick Theololical Seminary. class noles.

AUlusline, Cily of God, Yol. 2 Paul Tillich, Syslematic Theolon, Yol. I John MacQuarrie, Principles of Christian Theolon, p. 2&6 Ibid .

Paul Tillich, Syslemalic Theolon, Vol. 2 Ibid Ibid

brother, and Cor a girl whose baby has died.

I grieve Cor a love in which lance delighted and which now is rent asunder. I weep Cor an artist whose eyes are veiled in darkness.

I go now in search of those who can comfort me.'

Even as the words were spoken, the woman, moved with an overwhelming pity, stepped C orvard and took the arm of the Holy One, placing it about her own shoulders. The young man supported the other arm, and the girl came Iorvard to wipe the tears Cram the moist cheek. The blind man groped and C ound a wrinkled hand and clutched it tightly in his own.

Thus did they stand together for a long time.

Then at last the woman spoke: ~But why, _0 Holy One'? Why, in your own realm, must you endure such pain'? Why do you let it come to those you love'?'

IMy dominion,' replied the voice, 'is the 'dominion of the heart. There I cannot prevent pain. I can only heal it."

'Then what is the purpose of suffering?' asked the artist.

Mlt has no purpose. It can only be 'endured.'

"But how can we endure it'?" cried the girl. / 'Only by sharing it: was the reply.

"Then show us how to share it: begged' the young man.

"That,' said the voice, '1 have already done." And then it said no more. And suddenly, the Holy One was gone. .The woman looked up, and it was the young man's arm which lay upon her shoulder. It was he who held the artist's hand, . and the girl's caress wiped the tears from the woman's cheek.

For a moment longer they stood, each holding the next in a circle. And then, arm in arm, they turned and walked down the road that led back to their homes.

I

CoyprigM 1983 '. permission.

•

by

Chris1ian Ministry.

Reprinted

b1

J\tly-AullIst .1986

16

,

,, /

路We have worked for over three years to complete this project' of the Universal Fellowship and I am delighted with the end product,' said the Rev'd Elder Troy D. Perry. He was announcing the completion of "God' Oays i The Gospel: This Is Our Story," the national television . special about UFMCC. Perry went on to say that once he received the/ completed one inch tape of the television show he previewed it through several select 'organizations in Los Angeles to get Lheir responses. Perry stated, 'The first group that I went to was Christopher Street West, the gay pride organization in Los Angeles who contributed the first large check--$S,OOO--to the project when it was just on the' drawing boards before we even had a demo tape to show them.

'When I took the film to their board meeting I was on pins and needles. I was anxious to see how a non~MCC group would respond to the film. The audience of about sixty board members and alternates was deadly quiet during the film, which made me very nervous.'

Perry says that a,t the end of the Iilrn, 'within two seconds after it stopped, as I walked up to the Iront of the room to turn oCC the machine, I was met with thunderous applause. I turned off the machine and turned .sround and everyone in th~ room was standing on their feet', .still applauding, and a third of them' had tears in their eyes. I knew immediately, 'We have a hit on our hands."

te

Journey

"GOD, GAYS & THE GOSPEL ... "-

I I I /

\ -

/

, Left: Reverend Troy Perry, Executive Producer Right: Mr. Greg Cutts, and Ms. Mary Anne McEwen,

Co-Producers

Perry stated to that group that there are three diCferent groups that he is trying to reach with 'God, Gays i The Gospel.,": lour friends, our enemies, and those who love us,' Since that initial viewing with路 that audience, Rev'cl Perry has conducted four TV Premier Dinners: in Los Angeles, Dallas, Washington DC, and Chicago. The response has been the same in /every case. The film has met _with enthusiastic responses Irom the audience in ~ll Cour cities. Perry is now in the process of raising funds to. purchase the air : time, aiming Cor a Call date to show the program on television in America and Canada.

"I'm still getting bids on how much it is going to cost to show the program in fifteen American and Canadian markets,' Perry stated in his Los Angeles office. "Hopefullj we can keep the cost oC showing the program under $125,000." However, because the bids are not all In, Rev'd Perry cannot, at this point give a definite figure as to what will be needed in the fund-raising that is going on now to put the show on the

I

air.

"However, I know within my heart that we will have no problems raising the funds tha.t we need- to show the program," Perry continued enthusiastically, "This program is too important not to be on the air as we promised, and it will be. As one Gospel song states it. so well, 'I don't believe that God has brought us this far to leave us no."

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\ July-AUlud 1986

11

presided a.t the service at MCC Otta.wa. Rev'd Bergeron is the Holy Fellowship celebrates District Coordina.tor for the Ea.st \ five years of ministry ~Ca.n&dian District, and pastors Holy Fellowship MCC, MCC/ECM Otta.wa, located In London, Ontario, MCC/ECM Otta.W& also celebrated its Fifth Anniversa.ry recently acquired office and on the weekend of April 21, 1985. meetrng space three blocks from Although they currently hold the Parliament Building, in the mission sta.tus, over seventy-five hea.rt of the city, people a.ttended, demonstra.ting wide sup'poI.~in the J-Jondon. a.rea....

In addition it wa.s encouraging to Toronto church remodeled note that all the clergy within The sanctua.ry of MCC , the District pa.rt1cipated in the Toronto has been' completely festi vities. remodeled and are thankful for the ability to see this project to East Canadian Conference completion.

EAST CANADIAN DISTRICT

has healing workshops

'The Ea.st Ca.nadian District Montreal has' new group Conference wa.s held during the Montrea.l is the site of the week of May 17-20. Its theme newest fea.sibility study in the was designed to meet two Ea.st Cana.dian District. It 1~being importa.nt objectives: District facilitated by Real Murr&y, r.nd business and Spiritual Renewal. is pnmarily 110French spe&king The- - P-la-nning-..Commi-ttee-----teek-..." group. great pride in securmg a. conference site tha.t would accent MID-ATLANTIC DISTRICT their goals: Camp Scugog in Spring Conference held Northern Toronto.

One of the highlights of this Conference was New Life MCC In Norfoli VA hosted the Mid-Atlr.ntic the ·Healing Workshops· lead by Spring District Conference. The Anne Bartrum, professor at the Reverend Elder Troy Perry wa.s 110 University of Toronto. special guest speaker.

In addition, Rev'd Claudia Vierra, a member of the Clergy Review Committeea.nd chair of Two churches celebrate the Clergy Credentials - and Con.their anniveJ;saries cerns Committee, addressed the MCC I1c and MCC Conference during one of- its Baltimore both celebrated their renewal services.

14th and 13th year r.nnivers&ry ea.rl1 this Spring.

Holy Union celebrated MCC Philadelphia. is proud In a ceremony In both to announce its - most recent French and English, close to one parish extension located in Allen hundred guests and participants Town PA and fr.cilita.ted by Irene celebrated the Holy Union of Krats, a student cleryperson In Rev'd Ron Bergeron and Carol the Philadelphia. church.

Richer on Sat~rday, Ma.y 11, 1985.

MCC of the Disciples, "one The Rev'd Claudia Vierra. of the fa.stest grOWIng churches 18

Journey

in the fellowship,· &ccording to Adam DeB&ugh, Mid-Atl&ntic District Coordinator, h&s recently announced its budget for the upcoming yea.r of $70,000dollr.rs.

• MID-CENTRAL

,DISTRICT

Business meet scheduled The District Business Meeting is scheduled .Ior June 30, 1985, .in Sacramento, The Yuba room a.t the Generr.l Conference site h&s been reserved from 9:00 110mto 5:00 pm. The Board of Home Missions will convene . promptly at 9:00 ,m with the business meeting following r.t .1:00 pm a..ndending lot 5:00pm.

.Feasibility Study formed A new fer.sibility study wr.s str.rted in Colorr.do Springs CO under the direction land lea.dership of Pikes Peak MCC. They hue had in r.ccess of 25 in attendance. r.nd hold' Worship services &t a time tha.t does not conflict with Pikes Pe&k MCC. This new group requests to be called Ma.r&nr.tha. MCC, They ha.ve recently opened a. checking account and are well on their wa.y in becoming 110church body, according to Rev'd Bonnie Daniel, District Coordinator.

MCC of Greater St Louis celebrates anniversary On April 28, 1985 MCCSL celebrated its Eleventh Anniversa.ry. Rev'd Elder Troy Perry, founder of UFMCC, ler.d them in &- SpiritU&1 Renewr.l weekend: \

Quad Cities MCC celebrates first MCC Qu&d Cities celebrated first anniversa.ry on Ma.y 5, 1985. The Rev'd Delores Berry, from Baltimore lead the, congre-· gation in spirit~&l reneval. its

North Country has new parish' extenson group

I

A parish extension group has begun in the Diluth -MN and Superior WS area.

All God's .Ohildren MCC in Minnea.polis has accepted this nev vori as a. Ia.y outreach.

The' group meets on Saturda.y ., ••fternoon.

"Ted P&tterson, a. member 01 the Third World executive committee of UFMCC, . truels to Diluth the Cirst Sa.turda.y of each month to preside a.t the vorship services.

A lay de'lega.tion referred to as a. 'grovth group'

by Rev'd Roy Birch&rd,' pa.stor of All, God's Children' MCC, travel to Diluth the seco~d' Sa.turda.y of each month.

This delegation of usua.lIy ·three persons organise and preside pver vorshlp services.

Rev'd Birchard believes this . kind of pa.rish outreach presents opportunities {or I&y persons to become Involve in church evsngelram.

Although currently 'meeting inr'a. congrega.nt's home, this Iellovship of eight persons IS in search of a. public meetmg place.

1

Birchard guest University I

, .

"

lecturer at

The Rev'd Roy Birchard, pastor of All God's Children MCC located m Minneapolis, lectured on the subject of Homosexuality and Rehgion a.t the UniverSity of WisconSin, Ea.u Clare, on M&rch 20, 1985. Rev'd Birchard va.s invited by .the ca.mpus ga.y,' and' lesbian orgamsatron.

Rev'd Birchard reports tha.t over seventy people were in attenda.nce along vith a.' number of reporters from the campus nevspaper, the local nevspa.per, and the local television' sta..t.jon. It va.s quite evident to Rev'd Birchard tha.t vide interest on this subject exists in this a.rea. since partiCipants a.sied him questions for over three hours a.fter the event oHicia.lly ended.

,

\

SOUTH ,ATLANTIC DISTRICT

GREAt' LAKES DISTRICT

Student Clergy assists starting Study Group

Conference elects officers

in

Nancy Campbell, student clergy Irom Nev Life MCC of Charlotte NC has recently been assigned to the District to a.ssist in sta.rting a. nev study group in Hickory NC, accordmg to Rev'd Gil Lincoln, District Coordinator for the South Atla.ntic District.

MCC .Blue Ridge closes Re·Jld Gil Lincoln, District Coordina.tor· of the South Atl&ntic area reports' tha.t MCC Blue Ridge in Ashville NC closed dovn ea.rly this Spring because of a shift of 'interest in this area.

Rev'd Lincoln has appointed a. commission of - three clergy to bind up any loose' ends In Asheville.

Rev'd Pa.ul Tucker and Rev'd Lynn Guerra, ASSIstant District Coordmators as yell as the Rev'd Arthur L Fleschner, pastor of Nev Life MCC 10 Charlotbe NC, VIII be responsible [or retrieving church property and p'aying a.ny outsta.nding debts Rev'd Lincoln has been careful in closing the doors because, a.s he sard, Ii mean to go ba.ck, ~nd soon"

D.istrict subsidizes work In 'Memphis The South Atlantic District voted to subsidize the mmistrj' of MCC of the Living HORe in Memphis TN. Three hundred dollars VIII be used pnmanly to cover some of the living expenses of Rev'd Steven Quesnel, nevly appointed WorshipCoordina.tor.

Membership is currently around t.venty people and continues to grov a.ccording to Rev'd Oil Lincoln, District Coordinator

Professor appointed Rev'd Dr. Chuck Lippy, professor from Clemson U'nYversity, located just outside of . Greenville NC, has been approved by the District to act as Worship Coordinator for MCC Greenville Rev'd Dr. Lippy vas imtla.lIy ordained in the Methodist church but is' considering transfenng credentials to the UFMCC.

The May District Conference of the Great La.kes District, held at MCC Detroit, elected Rev'd LaPa.ula Turner (formerly Columbus MCC) the nev District Coordina.tor.

Others elected are Ja.ckle Walker (Detroit/Sojourner], Asststant Distnct Coordinatorj La.ity, Dee Dale-French (Louisville], Assista.nt District Coor dinator I Clergy, Jack Boren (GSP / Chicago], Treasurer, and Rich Johnson [Springfield], District Lay Representatave

Dayton. has renewal Rev'd Brenda Cisneros-Hunt vas the speaker for a veekend of Spiritua.!

Reneva.l at MCC Dayton Parish, on the weekend of . May 19- 21. The church reported especia.lly good services, according to vorship coordinator Chuck Sheilds

Holy Covenant celebrates Tenth Anniversary ,

Holy

Covenant

Mec,

Hmsda.le (Chica.go/Western Suburbs), celebrated its Tenth Anniversa.ry vlth a Service of Celebration on Sunday, April 21, vith the Rev'd Arthur Green, founding pastor, as guest speaker.

The evening before the church held it's Spring Dmner/ Dance, vith people from other MCCs in the Chicago ana. part.icipating in the tvo events. The Rev'd Celena Duncan, Good Shepherd Parish MCC, started the evening vith the. Invoca.tion.

After-dinner speakers included the Rev'd Green, v,ho recounted the, beg innings of the church and spoke of the future, the Rev'd LaPa.ula Turner, vho had just completed the.

Anniversary Spiritual Renewal, held Wednesday through Frid&y preceding the dinner, the Rev/d, Grant. Ford, senior pastor of Holy Covenant, vho had' just been released 1 from' the hospital Iolloving back surgery, and the Rev'd Stephen Stahl, interim pastor of Holy Covena.nt during Pastor Ford's recovery time.

Several 'pioneer" members vere introduced, along vith the Board '\ . of Trustees, Council on July-Au~ust 198&

19

District Coordinators, Pastors, Lay Leaders... We wa.nt to hear from you. Let us know wha.t's going on, so we can tell others, and encour3oge them. Send your news and up-coming events --- for tile Calendar secsion, whIch begins next )ssue -to ChrIS Pasmski, Journey, 22 South Seventh Avenue, LaGrange IL 60525. Spread the Good News!

Mmistries

members,

and

the

Disconate.

Neighboring churches have 24-hour "Infoline" _ Beginning on 4 April 1985, t.he Iour Metro-Chicago MCCs Christ the Redeemer MCC/Hva.nston, Church of the Resurrection MCC/Hyde Park, Good Shepherd Parish MCC/New Town and Holy Covena.nt MCC/Hinsd3ole -kicked off a new 24-hour "lnf'ol.ine" cooperatively sta.拢fedby volunteers from 3011 four congregations.

The new phone number for a.1l the churches will be (312) 327- 5168.

By calling this number one will always contact 30n MCCer who has 'inlormation concerning all Iour congregations' in - the Chicago area -parbicularily, mformatronpertaining to times and locations Cor worship services, social events and educational programs.

This efforb is a landmark event Cor our Fellowship being the first time neighboring congregations have come together in a. coopera.tive, Jong term effort such as the nev lnCoLine.

Diaconate training continues in Great Lakes After having completed a. successful Deacon's Training Course last year, there are nov (our traming courses being conducted In the ,Great Lakes District.

Chuck Sheilds, vorship coordinator, and Jan Russell, deacon, of MCC Da.yton Parish, who originated the hrst course, started路 a. second one-year course Cor the churches in the South Area.

[Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky).

Rev'd Lin Stoner, pa.stor on sa.bba.tica.l from Redeemer MCC20

Journey

(Flint

MI)

IS

, one-year course

conducting Cor churches

&.

in

Michigan.

A tvo-yea.r course is being offered in Chicago and Springheld for the lllinois churches, with .the clergy and selected de3ocons a.nd la.y leaders involved . a.s mstructors.

was hosted by the MCC of the Resurrection (Houston), vith Pastor Chuck Larsen setting in - motion the adiVities vith an inspirational message.

Clarke Friesen reports that the highlight of the Conference New deacon installed was vhen the Christian Hope Holy Covena.nt .

MCC Baptist Church Inspirabional metalled its newest deacon during Choir from Houston brought the its Ascension Service, Thursday, house路 down vith their spirit M30Y 16. \ Deacon Christine hlled voices and the Rev'd BIder Paainski was sponsored by her Don E&stman brought the aunt, Bernice La.udont who V30S congregation to a standing &150 her godmother at baptism. ovation- vith his sermon entitledCelebrant and officiant of the 'On Fire For Christ" The service W30S Pastor Grant Ford, service lasted three and a. half "sslsted, by Rev'd Stephen Stahl, interim pastor, and Deacons John hours Whennen and Robert Savage, vho put the deacon's cross and stole on her and presented her SOUTHWEST DISTRICT with the' Gospel Chris had served for a number of yea.rs as deacon District. Conference held candidate while completing her The Southwest District held Master's degree and training for there Spring District Conference the diaconate.

In Long Beach CA The Long SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT Beach church has' recently completed the renovation of their. nev building and It proved to be Churches approved for the perfect atmosphere for a Mission status distr ict reunion.

The Long Beach The Board of Home Missions church held their building 'recommended three churches for dedication service dunng MIssion status: MCC Amarillo, conference vith the Rev'd Troy MCC HI Paso, and River Cities Perry as their guest speaker.

MCC, Shreveport LA. In addition, Friday and Saturday services the Board of Home Missions vere filled vith beautiful music. voted to close MCC Nev Guest preachers were the Rev'd Orleans.

Their requests are Elder Nancy Wilson and Rev'd being forvarded to the Board of Emmett Watkins respectively.

Blders.

The conference theme va.s 'Trust' All activities and workshops were centered around District Conference held this topic.

The highlight of the Spring District Conference Conference vas the talk on blossomed into a spirit-filled 'Trust and Prayer' delivered by. celebration and reunion for many Rosahnd Rinker, renovned in the South Central District, author of a number of books on according to Clarke Friesen, prajer.

District Coordinator.

Conference

'r

---~-30

June

Sunday

PENTECOST 5

Job 38:1-11 2 Cormthians 514-21 Mark 4:35-41

1 July

,

Mond:ilY

Why must. God appeal through me?

Moses felt she same wa.y: "Who am I, 路that. I should go to Pharaoh?" God's response: "I am who I am." God is 'making t.he appeal through us" Maybe w-e're JUst. the vessel, not. the appeal ltself

I

5

"God answ-ered Job out. of she storm." (Job 381 NIV) How- we' long for the gentle w-hlsper of Elijah'!,! God. (1 Kings 19:12b) But. 1t.'S not. a.lw-&ysso. We must. also listen for God's VOice In the angry meeting, the tears of the desperate, or In our own raging doubts.t.he real storms of our lives

Storms ag:ain!! "A furious squall came up .." (Mark 4:37 NIV) Why must I always feel my boat. is about. to be sw-amped?' Is It because I too often fail 路to recognize who my life's passenger is, back there "sleeping' on a cushion"?

2

6

July

T,-esday

When strange or unfortunate events come our w-ay, we sped inordinate energy asking "w-hy?"

Finally God says, "Brace yourseIL:' (Job 383; 407) )lhen God speaks we. must stand up to the truth that God is in charge, cast. aside our assumptions, and gladly receive God's revelation of

July

July

RnJd Wednesday

"So stop evaluating Chnstians .."

(2 Cor. 516) If we are God's reconcilers, then does that mean the cantankerous church member IS "my own Ilesh and blood?" And that Jerry Falw-ell IS my pra;yer reaponsibihty?

The old way of evaluating things was sure a lot easier! .

4

July

Saturday

"Qulet.! Be StlW" (Mark 4:39 NIV) Finally a httle peace and quiet, because Jesus speaks. But w-hy am I still a. little terrified deep down Inside? I know he's w-ith me, and "even the Wind and the 'w-aves obey him." Maybe next tune I'll learn the truth I hope so! These storms sure scare me.

truth.

3

Friday

July

Thursday

"We are Chnst's ambassadora." (2 Cor 520 LB) Couldn't God have Iound a better representative?

7

July

GraD~ ford Sunday

PENTECOST 6

.2 Samuel 6:1-18 2 Oonnthians 8:7-15 Mark 521-43

8

July

David was afraid of G'Od day .." (2 Sam 6:9) How typical of' us to att.nbute calamities t.o God, to hue a fear of God (as did primiti ve people) rat.her than looking for good (God's Will) In all things. And by 'pat.lently wa.iting for God to I

And,

Monday

I t.hat

show- t.he blessing, w-e know- It. comes as it. w-a.s show-n t.o David w-ho had first. feared.

9

July

Tuesday

"And David danced before God w-ith all his might..路~(2 Sam. 6:14) Often" w-e feel t.ha.t we hue to walt to experience and know- our Idy, 'w-hen i't eXists for us a.1I the t.ime. David danced to show- his love, 10Y and thankfulness to God (or giving him the Ark ,Ct.he symbol of God's' presence). We hue God's presence in us (snd With us) at. all times. So our life can be the dance of joy no matter w-hat. the conditions, circumstances, and a.ttitudes of ot.hers may seem to be. ,

10

July

---

Wednesday

"Now as you excel In everyt.hing -in (alth, m utt.er&'nce, in know-ledge, in all esrneatnees ...see LhaL you excel in this gracious work also." (2 Cor. 8:7) So often God seems fa.r aw-ay, our prayers seem to go unansw-ered, our life seems w-it.hout. 10Y and spirit. 'because w-e do not. seek t.o excel in spiritual pursuit and practice.

We do not t.ake time t.o study the Scriptures, read spiritual works, pray and meditate. Then we wonder w-hy life lacks graciousness and excellence. We have only lio earnestly pursue ili to have it!

11

July

Thursday

"For if readiness IS there, ili IS acceptable according to w-ha.1ione has, not according to what one has not.' (2 COJ, 8:12) If w-e a.re ready to grow in God through our commitment. to Christ. Jesus, July-Aulus\ 1985

21

,.

••

surely .no ma.tter w·ha.t our fina.nces, our emot.ion~l st.a.te, our la.mily/friends/job rela.t.ionships -- we will groy a.nd protjper.

Being' willingly open to God brings our hea.ling, a.ns:vers our needs ••nd ca.uses us to grow in Christ.

12

Jul,

13

J

Jul,

, Saturda,

•...And they were immedia.tely overcome with a.ma.sement.1 (Ma.rk 21:42) Nothing God does or . c~n do should proba.bly· a.ma.zeus. hi tha.t it does often comes 'Irom our own sense .of un~orthiness t.o know- tha.t God wa.nts us to rely on Him/Her *,s Divine Pa.rent. Only by relying' on the fullness' of God's a.ll-providing gra.ce can we (know the resurrecting power we a.re called to live 80S individua.ls ••nd live in a.s the Church' community.

- InJeI Adhur Green

14

Jul, .

$und.,

PENTECOST 7

2 Sa.muel 7:1-17 2 Corinthia.ns 12:1-10 Ma.rk 6:1-6

15

Jul,

Monda,

'Here I a.m, living In a pa.la.ce...while the ark of God rema.ins In a. tentl (2 Sam. 7:2) 22

Journey

..

~ •.

l.

,.

'

..,

Hugs For The

Frida,

•And they la.ughed a.t him...• (Ma.rk 21:40) The f.ith journey oft.en ca.uses us t.o be derided or ridiculed by those wit.hout. fa.it.h.

How oft.en hue we let the opinions a.nd the view of others keep us from our being ra.ised up in fa.ith? If we a.re persistent in 'putting outsi~e' the opinions of others, we will a.lwa.ysbe true to 0\lr God, Church ••nd our true Selves -- ••nd know t.he rewa.rds.

e

In

Clergy

Life?".~

Your

,

••

1

This monsh'a. eolumn-eontinuee t.he series on' ca.ring for ' the clergy in your life a.s a. melons of keeping their performa.nce in tip top sha.pe. Presented here sre some 'hugs' or lit.tle wa.ys of .ma.king a. difference I~ the life of those clergy with whom you hue contact. The pastor or worship coordin ••tor (la.y or clergy) come to mind first:., however, remember th ••t there sre a.ssista.nts, a.ssociates, students, District a.nd Fellowship clergy a.nd lay spiritua.l lea.ders phlS those who help out in a. pinch.

The point is tha.t _'Iit-tle', t.houghtful a.cts a.re often the grace tha.t ma.kes the next minute, da.y, week, or yea.r possible.

Think a.bout it .,-- how often in your .lile ha.s some sma.11t.hing been either your brea.king or ma.king point? :You can mtentiona.lly provide these· for the people who are- a.lwa.ys· extending themselves fori~Jbu. They cion be done in such a. nr.iety of wa.ys tha.t a.ny 'church or individua.l ca.n a.{ford them, They can be a.s inexpensive a.s a. note on a. scra.p bf pa.per a.ddressed t.o the pa.stor which is put in the offering b••sket. ( Do you know the birthda.ys a.nd a.nniversa.ries for the clergy in your life? If not how csu you' send a. ca.rd a.nd/or lead the church in providit\g a..specia.l remembrance? While you are lot rt, wha.t a.bout the. birth da.te of a. spouse or other fa.miJy memberts], remember, there a.re. two who sha.re th ••t . a.nniversa.ry of relationship. These ddes ma.y be discovered by simply a.shng the person, the mate or a. close fnend. If you hue access to a. resume, check it. Don't be shy a.nd don't be a. nosy n,Ulsa.nce.

The .church body. remembers these occa.sions with a. moneta.ry or other specia.l gift. They ma.y be noted during 'a. worship service (at. Announcements or Sha.red Concerns ••nd Celebra.tions, ete.) by the. Vice-Modera.tor, Cha.ir of Hospita.lity or Social Committee or 'other similt.r person .. For a. l••ndma.rk birthda.y or a.nniyersary, -ehurches hue even been known to give some extra. paid tt,me off plusa.n expensle paid tnp to a. special place (even a. classy motel in the next t~wn). .

While you lore ma.king· note of da.tes, record the da.te of a.nniversa.ry as you pa.stor a.nd the a.nniversa.ry of yea.rs of professronal mmistry a.nd/or of ordina.tion (whichever is more significa.tion to tha.t clergyperson). Better yet, see a.11three as I

:

,

excuses to do something special. They. are milestones which are worth noting. Some years will get more. attent.ion than other but loll years deserve a.t least an honora.ble mention.

The a.nniversa.ry of a pa.storate is always appropriately' ma.rked during a worship service. It is a celebration for both pa.stor a.nd congregation, as both sha.re it. It is observed escb yea.r by a.t lea.st a. special minuLe in worshIp. An entire service ma.y be designed around this theme. The pa.stor is usua.lIy included in the worship development wiLhout ha.ving to reveal a.ny planned surprise. Feel free to suggest such a.s worship servrce to you pa.stor or worship coordinator.

Additional ways of celebra.ting include a. .cake at fellowship hour, a special reception or dinner. '.

A relevant plaque often a.ccompa.nies.;this remembrance on Ia.ndmark yea.rs while cards, certificates and lor gifts are always presented Your local 'trophy' s.tqre 'is· proba.bly set up to customize a. pla.que for you. Look under "Trophies" in the "Yellov Pages" A landma.rk yea.r IS the 1st year a.nd then every five yea.rs (5th, 10th, 15th, etc.)AnJ yea.r you want to choose can b a Ia.ndmark yea.r for< personal sIgnificance or because it ha.s been a. particularly rough and/or productive yea.r H(;)w do you a.fford this? As "an lndivldual or couple you only .a..f.ford wha.t IS rea.sona.ble for Jour pocketbook. As a. church- you ca.n burld expenses like these mto your annual budget so tha.t there IS &Iva.ys some money [or birthda.ys, anmveraartea and don't forget Christmas. Some churches ta.ie a. special -olfermg for occa.sions like ~'hese with or without the pastor's knowledge (one of" the few .occasions you can do something behind the pa.stor's ba.ck):··It is still a.ppropria.te for the staff to to together for a remembra.nce In addlt.ion to wha.tever else ia being done. ,h·o" Leti'S' think up other excuses to' tell the spmtual lea.ders In our; -Iives tha.t they are loved and appreciated. ,Your intention and ima.gma.tion a.re the only limit on when it is approprrsse.

Valentme'!iI da.y' IS a. logiul choice, how· about the Iirst daj'bf sprtng, summer, autumn~a.nd.vinter, the first snow, the first sunny da.y a.fter a cloudy, cspell, the third da.y of a. cloudy ·or·-iraany spell, Mother's Day 'or Father's Day for thosewho are fa.thers . a.nd mothers.'

Was Sunda.y's sermon pa.rticula.r1y helpful or a. prayet!' touching?

A ..note· of apprectatron, a. card, even a' cheerfll't phone call (no business) a.re lust. Iine for these. The idea. is·'to hnd wa.ys 1;0 let these . people inov they a.re a.pprecia.ted a.nG'thought about.

GIVIng thoughtful ~hugs· cion a.lso mean doing nothing Be a.va.re of the busy times -- Ba.ster a.nd Christma.s, annivers:ArY, spintua.1 reneva.l, etc. If the pastor vas a. little short vith you, vnte It off""to the extra. dema.nds, forgive In your hea.rt ·and forget It. Loving confrontatton does not need to occur if you choose to resolve it betveen you and God an if you decide to . let it remain closed forever. Doing nothing may mvolve a week of sitting and pra.ymg on tha.t great inspirataon you got from renewa.l so that the pastor may bave some open space after reneval to 'recha.rge' batteries Your great idea .vill probably be In better shape after a veek ofiTprayerand so vill you pa.stor Do these suggestions sound lood for others in your life? " Use them freely! They're no trade ma.rked!

CC's Address 1 Phone .NuDlJ,er: CA 9!30! 714/75&-&141

80:1

9170, AnaheiDl,

David shows a. great concern that · his own material possessions are much greater than the resources of the work of God. What would happen if we assumed the same attitude?

Can you imar;ine what vould happen if our churches vere not on a "shoestring budget?' After all, people around us are loing without shoes, physically and spiritua.lly. Wha.t is our response?'

16

July

Tuuday

'1 will provide a place for my people ...• (2 Sa.m. 7:10) God will see tha.t the church does not do without, when the people of God lore fa.ithful to their calling.

'Wicked people will not oppress them a.nymore ...• And God w·ill · bless our ministry, despite all dtempts .a.t oppression, vhen· we . continue to proclaim the Good News. Love does conquer all! .We must, hold 'on to }that. .

17-

July

Wednuday

go on boa.sting.· (2 Cor. vas never bashful about telling anyone and everyone about what God ha.d done . for him ...a.nd through him.

He wa.s filled witli great pleasure tha.t God would choose to work · through him. Are we. sometimes shy a.bout spea.king out, even boasting a little?'

Peter 8&YS: IAlva.ys be prepared to give an a.nsver to everyone who a.sks you to give the reason for the hope tbt you have." (2 ~ Peter 3:15 NIV) . " · II must

1-2:1) Paul

18

JuI,

.Thursday

We were never promised a rose garden, but we vere promised ... liMy grace' is sufficient 'for you, a.nd my poyer is made perfect in wea.kness.· (2 Cor. 12:9) It's not in our own strength that ve a.ccomplish things for God, beca.use we know -our veaknesses all too well. But God's gra.ce csn m.ake us strong in our dependencj. In Christ 'vhenl am veak, then I 10mstrong.' (v. lOb)

19

Friday

Jul,

IJesus ...went

to his home

town ...•

July-Aulusi. ·1986

23

(Ma.rk 6:1) It's not ea.sy to go home. Some of jou know the tria.ls of 'coming outlw to pa.rents, £a.miIT, friends. And you know ~he feelings of rejection, just a.s did Jesus! But remember ...you are a prophetic voice of the redeeming power of God. 'Jesus could not do anymira.cles there ..' (v. 5) You may not be a.ble to do any "miracles" either, but you a.re still ca.lled to live prophet.ica.lly.

20'

July

" Satuntay

It.'s a. case of nustaken Identity!

'Isn't this the carpenter'?

Isn't this Mary's son ..'?' (Ma.rk 6:3) And what a.bout. you? Have you ever been judged by what you are, rather than who you are?

They. judged Jesus by his occupa.tion a.nd his lineage.' They might judge you by the same standarde, or even by your lifestyle.

But you must know for cert.a.inty who you sre ... 'Y ou a.re sons a.nd daughters of GQd t.hrough fa.ith in Christ Jesus' (Ga.!. 3:26) Not. wha.t. we are, but who we are is t.he source of our strengt.h.

21

July

Sunday

PENTECOST 8

2 Samuel 718-29 Bphesiane 1:1-10 Mark 6:7-13~

I

July

Monday

In 2 Samuel 2:18-19, we read •.bout. a. time not too different Irom ours. 'We re •.d of & people pursumg a.nd killing their own fa.mily members. I see •. lot of t.h•.t t.oday. 'Must the \sword devour forever'?'

This is the question f •.cing the' world t.oda.y. . \ What. Will 'our answer be?'?

23

July

Tuesday

IGod predestined us to be sdopted a.s children through Jesus Christ ..' [Bph. 1:5 NIV) If we could gra.sp thiS one scnptural promise, it could make & great deal of difference in our lives.

When a. person IS a. child of god, nothing can stand m his or her ny. Believe it toda.yl 24

Journey

?

Wednesday

July

•...gra.ce, which God ha.s freely given to us ..' (Bph. 1:6 NIV) Did you know tha.t God's gra.ce is freely given through Christ.

Jesus'? You don't ea.rn God's grace, no ma.tter bow hard you} t.ry. Just &S you don't earn the love given to you by another person.

You don't ea.rn God's love, you simply a.ccept it as a. wonderful gift. Why not accept God's grace right now'?

25

Thursday

July

Ha.ve you even thought of wha.t it means to be a.dopted into the family of God'? In secular la.w, a.n adopted child cion never, for a.ny reason, be disinherited. In Pa.ul's da.y, Ion a.dopted child wa.s t.hought to be a. new person. The •.dopt.ed child wa.s under. no obliga.tions connected with a. prevtous fa.mily; even old debts were marked 'PAID' The same thing a.pplies to a.Christia.n He or she is a. new creature a.nd a.1I put sm IS marked 'P AlD' through the blood of our Lord Jesus. Sta.rt living 'DEBT FREE.'

,

22

24

26

Friday

July

Jesus ga.ve us a.uthority over a.dverse situa.tions in our lives.

(Ma.rk 6:7 NIV) The problem is t.ha..t we fa.il to ta.ke ,&uthority Too m&ny of us still believe tha.t somehow we must e•.rn our Lord's f&vor Ta.ke your God-given a.uthonty Begm to use it. toda. y!

27

Saturday

July

Obvioualj

Jesus' wa.s a.sking the ea.r1y disciples to trust tota.lly in God (Ma.rk 6:8 NIV) when they. were sent. out. I beltev~ Jesus •.sks the same of his disciples 'in 1985. If we are going to c&rry the message of God's love, then we must begin to trust God for our da.ily needs.

- Ru'd

James Lewey

28

July

. Sunday

PENTECOST 9

2 S·a.muel 11:1-15 Ephesia.ns 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34

29

Monday

July

E&ch of us ha.s & pla.ce of vulnera.bilit.y that when threa.tened, we forget the da.nger

by Jumpmg into the da.nger.

Among the vulnerable a.rea.s tha.t ca.use us problems a.re resentment, fear, confusion, impa.tience, la.ck of fa.ith, greed, Jea.lousy, and gossip. Da.vid's's wa.s forgetting ethica.l st •.nd•.rds when his persona.l· needs were threa.tened. (2 Sa.m. 11:1-15) We must be c•.utious not to let' the best of who we a.re be overridden by the least. of who we'a.re.

30

July

Tuesday

'Put Uriah in the front lines where '. ·the fighting IS the fiercest' (2 Sam. 11:15). Some of us are able to choose our own front lines. For some of us, the front 'line is chosen for us. The gift of: Christia.n m&turit.y is finding ourselves less often a. victim but. a.lways a. victor a.8 God's power and strength en&ble us to survive each front line tb •.t we encounter. t

31

July

Wednesday

If we can ma.int •.in foremost in our hearts •.nd minds th •.t. in Christ there is' no ba.rner (Eph 214), perha.ps we ca.n •.lso 'Iind more opportunities for forgiveness and reconciliation.

1 August

Thursday

We are a. dwelling pla.ce of God through the Holy Spirit! (Eph. 2:22) Therefore, we are a. gentle, loving people, celebrating the goodness of abundance of life Let us use this da.y for celebrationl .

2

August

Friday

Ahhh! Thank God, it's Friday!

Prepa.re yourselves to rest a.lid

should make us wonder' vhy we work so hard for ea.rthly riches, and expend so httle time and energy for "God's glOriOUS riches."

I

8

, rein.

Be good t.o yourself, a.nd k90W t.ha.t. t.he work in you needs t.o be rest.ored! "Come a.pa.rt. into & desert place, a.nd rest a.while I (Ma.rk 6:31)

I

Saturday Have you ever not.iced tha.t when you lore the most spiritua.l people lore att.ra.cted to all t.ha.t you lore?

Th&t. is the blessing of God prepa.ring you to share God's gift with others. (Ma.rk 6:34) I

- Rn'd

,

,

4

Candace NaisbiU

August

Sunday

PENTECOST 10' 2 Samuel 121-14 Ephesians 314-21 'John 6:1.-15

5

e

August

Monday

"Instead, he .took the eve 130mb tha.t belonged to the poor person ." (2 Sam. 124) We've heard such tales before: the nch stealmg Irom t.he poor. And yet ve are so ncb In God's blessmgs. Is It possrble we steal from the "poor" by not sharing those nches? .

6

August

'

August

"God IS able' 1;0 do .1Inmeasurably more than all we ask or rmagme ...• [Bph 3:20) What power we have In rmagmatroa.

Just to be able to I;hmk a.nd dream, a.nd know that God can do even more for us. Let your unsgmabion run! Dream big things from God!

g

August

Wednesday "I pray that out of God's glOriOUS riches 004 ma.y strengthen you.

In your Inner being." (Bph 316) W,hat a. source of strength, God's nches Riches that ma.y not be banked on earth, but which will last a hfebrme and beyond It

Friday

because' they SloW the miraculous signs he had performed .." (John 6:2) There are a lot of people who are 'sunsbine' believers, Iollovrng when the good things ha.ppen But there's that quiet moment ..: I Jesus vent up on the hillside and sat down With his disciples." (v. 3) Sometimes It'S better to Slli In vonder With Jesus, and forget the spectacular for a while. \

10

Aupst

Saturday

"Ga.ther the pteces.. Let nothing be vasted.· (John 612) Jesus can also be practical He IS interested In the lIttle "left-over' things m hle that ve so eaSily overlook, Let.'s not be vasteful of the left-over ' minutes or opportunities In our hle

Tuesday

"I anointed you klOg ... and vould have given you more" (2 Sam. 7, 8) We have been given so much, and yet we trea.~ It so casually.

We live as, we please, so often forgettmg tha.t our acttons affect others. Sometimes It's important for us to admit: "I hue sinned a.galnst God' (v 13)

Thursday

Sunday PENTECOST 11 2 Samuel 12:15b-24 Bphesia.ns 4:1-6 John 6:24-35

12

Au •••• l

Monday

It is not Ion easy thing to wa.tch someone we love die, and yet, for Christiane dea.th is not Ion ending but a. beginning. You and I, hie David (2 Sam. 12:23), must go on 11Ylng in the knowledge th&t we Will indeed go to jom our loved ones m Paradise.

13

Au •••• l

Tuesday

"I urge you t.o live a. life w,orthy

of the' c&lling you hue received."

(Bph. 4:1) We don't often remember tha.t God ha.s called all of us to ministry -- not just the clergy. Pra.y to God that you will . know your calling a.nd be able to live your life a.ccordingly. Our God not on,ly expects us t.o hea.r our individua.l and collective calla but also t.o live our lives a.s new and re-created peop!e.

14

Au••• sl

Wedne.day

HumIlity is not a. gift t.ha.t al] of us possess, but God ha.s comma.nded it of us.

"Be completely humble a.nd gent.le" (Bph. 4:2) Here we see t.ha.t God would hue us del. I With one another without pride a.nd arrogance. How much better our wit.ness to the world would be if we could only learn to minister to one a.nother .m piety, loving kindness, an,d ,humble serva.nthood.

15

Au•••• l

Thursday

"00 not work for food th&t spoils, but. for food tha.t endures to eternal life." (John 6:27) We are often ca.ught up in spendmg loll of our time a.quiring "worldly goods" a.nd yet, of wha.t use are t.hey if ·they don't a.dya.nce the Dominion of God! Let us re-exa.mine our mot.i.ves and be sure t.ha.t all of our energies a.nd vork lore directed t.owa.rd God a.nd not towa.rd empty a.cquisition.

16

Au•••• t

Friday

,

"The work of God IS this: t.o believe In the one God has senti (john 6:29) Our work is rea.lly rather simple -- to believe in Jesus Christ.

Do we rea.lly believe? Do ve live a.s though we rea.lly believe? Think on these things. True and unfa.iling belief in Christ will reveal our strongest witness in a. broken and sh&ttered world.

17

Au•••• l

Saturday

"then Jesus declared, 'I am t.he bread of life.'" Bread, the ·sta.ff of 'life,' is used the wodd over to feed millions of people. ~s July-Aulusl 1985

25

be

Christians, our bread must the suing gr&ce of God through the Risen Christ. Christ is our -'st&U of life' and, through our f&ith, .we have received admission to the Bternal Banquet.

- R.n'd S'ephen g'ahl

18 .Au••• ~t '

. Sunday

PENTECOST 12

2 Samuel 18:1, 5, 9-15 Bphesius 4:25-'-5:2 John 6:35, 41-51

19 Au••••• 'Be gentle vith the young mu Absalom for my sake,' (2 Sam. 18:5) When ve are vronged by those ve love, the natur&l reaction is to fight b•.ek, to give hurt for hurt. ,After •.11, look vhat they're doing to us, right?

But 'for our ovn sakes' ve must notl We must seek the gentle y&y, the Christ-v&y, no m&tter . vh&t the outcome.

-. 'Be completely humble and gentle; be p&tient, ber.ring vith one &nother in 10Ye,I (Bph. 4:2) It's not the V&y of society around us, but -it is the yay of Christ.

20

Au••••t

Tuesday

•Absa.lom had taken a pillar and erected it ...as a. monument, to himself.' (2 Sam. 18:18) This is all Absalom h&d to shov for his jealousy and lust for pover ... & pillar in .the King)s Valley.

When next you hunger. to be. 'head honcho' in your .ehureh, or to climb oyer another person to adYlonce yourself, remember Absalom.

A lone pillar is not much .to leave" behind as a testimony to a ba.rren, prematurely shortened life.

21

Au••••t

Wednesday

22

Au.....

Thursday

I can get sooo .mad!! And then I resd 'in your uger do not, ,8~n.·.

(8ph. 4:26) And th&t's not 'e&sy:"1 kn~v that my anger IS just ... ' 1 just knov it! But uncontrolled longer is like undirected energy, When ve are &ngry, ve must let thd anger motinte us to do something 'constructi ve, something redemptive, . And then our uger vill turn to positive energy, a.nd anger vill turn into laith-positiye aCtion.

23

Au•••••

Friday

'Stop grumbling among yourselyes.·. (John 6:43) It's the curse of the church. It vas the curse of the vande ring Israelites.

Grumbling, vhen ve could be breaking bread together.

And. in the simple action of breaking bread ve &gain call to Qur presence the one vho said: '1 am the bre&d of life.'

Who ",can grumble vhen Jesus is pres~nt vlth us?

24

Au.....

Satarday

'If anyone e&ts/ of this bre~d, that one vill live forever." (John 6:51b) Btern&l Life! Abund"nt Lifel Wh&t & vay to liyel We 'are called ~o pr.rtake of the life of Christ by f&ith, ud our ~nt.ire lives t&ke on nev meaning. Hov much better' to live lives that ~ vill h&Ye eternal qualities, th&t vill never end. 'Let us break bre.d together on our knees.'

25 ~ ••••t

Sunday-,

PENT~COST 1'3

Sometimes I it's difficult to tell the truth. •...each of you must put off falsehood and spelok truthfully to your neighbor.'

(8ph.

4:25) I had heard many people t&lii~g about a friend of mine, finding fault In a csrelees action she had taken. But none of them venti to her. So I called her, and asked if she h••d done it.

She vas shocked at the' reaction 26

of people, but &dmitted her mist&ke, and took steps to &pologize. Wh&t if 1 h&d', kept silent?

Journey

2 Samuel 18:24-33 8phesians' 5:15-20 John 6:51-58

26

Au"d

-u M••• day

'He must be bringing good. nevs, Loo.' (2 Sam. 18:26) Runners vere bringing -!levs of the battle to David. And there vas great . anticipation on Lhe p••rt of. thoie

vho vere keeping the watch.

They vuted good nevs! And hov disappointed they vere.

Ahim&al said •All is yeW' But D&yid found out moments later all . V&S not .vell, UQ. ve tell people vh&t they vant to hear, or do ve tell them the: ..hruth?

27

..-'#

·Au•••••

.Tuesday

'My son,' my son Absalom! If only I b&d died instead of you -• (2 S&m. 18:33) Most loll of us hue felt grief at the de&th of eomeone close to us. We can identify vith David. And hov sad it is vhen th&t someone' close dies & spiritual death. Perhaps it vas someone in your, church, someone vlth vhomt;·,.You had vorked closely.

IWe~oul4 vant to give our ovn lives to save them, but it's not' i,u..~t·possible, Yet the grief IS resl, and it's caused by l~ye. "b >

28

Au~t

Wednesda,

We 'c&n do vhdeye·r ve vant, just as long as Ve~ have Jesus, right?

Paul seei!l.l}, to' think othe.rvise: 'Be very.qareful, then, hov you lire ...making the most of every opportunity' (8ph, 5:15) Do 10U take care ab~ut, vhat you eat, hov you exercise', hov yo~ drive? Do you' take,: ~re of your moral life, your " m~ntal being, your spiritual pefsoiP,hood? Does one &fleet the otheft Paul S&ys... 'liye as vise [persone].". Are ve bein~ vise in the way ve live?

20

Au••••t·

Thursday

'Speak to one another... sing ... glye tha~is... submit to one &Bother.' (Bph., 5:19-21) Living in love is the vltness of God to our community.'

It's something vhich they see very little.

Being open, honest, caring, tha.nkful people vill do more than all the Bible-thumping in the vorld. Let us not just proclaim it, but let us hye 'the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

ot

30

Au•••••

Friday

'For my flesh. is real food a.nd my blood is real drink' (John Coniinue re,dinl oll.p'le

31

...

'WORSHIP

I

,

DIRECTORY

Servic.s ar. 'Sundt, unl.ss ind!cated.

I

-----~--------------------------------------

.Please Note

The address" belov are places of vontiip, Rot "aili", addresses. In most cases, churches have a diff~r.nt mailinr address altorether. Copies of tlie Direclor, of .

Conrr.ralions Ind Clern are nailabl. from the offic" ·of Uf't~CC. >;,:"\

*

•

lelesie de fa Comunidad Metropolitan.

'I>I~

:>.

' e: .

-------------------------------~~~~---------

Australia

~li .

.IT::!:"

,

CAPITOL TERRITORY 1\1 EW SOUTH WALES

S1d2.e'1 MCC SJdne/J, Village C~ Pa.ddington; 730 pin~ (02) 358-2635

QUEENSLAND 'Briekne fortitude

'

.SOUTH AUSTRALIA Norib Adelaide MCC Adel&ide, The Religious SocietJ of Friends Libr&rYj~ Pennington Tr; 7:00 pm; (08) 332-0315

VICTORIA" Souib Melbourne MCC Melbourl1e, Uniting Ch, Dorcas St; 7:00 pm; (0011) 613-52§",:."'i5$7 . .~~~ ,,;~~i:.t."

ALBERTA CaITarJ'!' MCO C&lg&ry,204 16th Ay'''NW; 11:30 &m.i iOO-'pm;(403) 277-4004 . rl.,,' 8dDlonion MCC Bdmonton, 12530HOth Av; '.s 7:30 pm; (408) 438-5168' . ~.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

~~t

New Zealand Auckland MCC of Auckland, 165 K&r&ngaliopeRd, Nevton; 7:30 pm (vinter); 275-5643 or 30793

,..!!c.

.MCC Brisba.ne, 424 Brunsvick St, VIJ, 7:00 pm; (06) 52-1414

Cana,~a

Mexico Ciiy lCM Mexico Cit.y; 2:80 pm; [call for service' info) (905) 538-6095 Cuernanca lCM Cuernava.ca.;(cion for service mfo] (011) &27-315-2915 ' Guadalajara, lCM Qu&dalaja.ra.;(ca.ll for , service info) (011) 523-635-2458 Nocale'l lCM OristoObrero, Ten9chitla.n,128, Bsguin& Zar&IMa., Nog•.lea, Sonora; 6:00.pm; (602) 6.24-877.8 (Tucson

'I',

MOO' C&nberra., Friends Meeting

Can~l'I'a House

Mexico

United KI~gdom BirDlinchaDl .MCC Birmingh&m, 174 Bdmund St;' 7:00 pm; (011-44-21) (021) 565-4378 Bournemou'b MCC Bouraemouth, The 'Centre of Unity/ 167 Sh~lbourne Rd, Ohsrminster: 8:00 pm; (0202) 681869 LiTerpool MCC Liverpool, The Link Centre, 14 Colquitt St; 7:00 pm; (OSl) 708-6522 London MCC London, 2A Siatova Rd, .

Ba.lham SW 1~; 7:00 pm; (011-44-1) '(01) 670-9755 f,Jondon MCC North London, Cromer Oommunity Centre, Argyll Sq; 7:00 pm; (01) 435':"7507 " .

Middle .•brouchMCC Middlesbrough, 188 BoroughRd; 7:30 pm

,

.I

,

'''~''

Vancounr MCO V&ncouver, 1811~~r16th.

Av; 7:30 pm; (604) 681-8525 ,;iii

USA

ONTARIO

ALABAMA

London Holy Fellowship MOO, 29 Victori& St; 7:30 pm; (519) 433-9939 OUawa MCC Otta va, J&ckPurcell .

Community Centre,' 320 Blgin St.7:qo pm; (613) 232-0241 Toron'oMoo Toronto 730 Ba.thurst St; 11:00i.m i 7:00 pm; (416) 536-2848 Toronio Ohristoe- MOC, St. Lukels United Ch, 353 Sherbourne; (416) 968-7423

Birmincbam Coven&nt-MCC, 2024 8th Ct S~ 4:00 pm; (205) 320.;..6113 Mobile MCC Mobile, 4500 Bit .i Spur Rd (Luther&n CIi); 7:00 pm; (205) 476-:9142 , MonioDler1 MCC Montgomery, Unit&ri&n Ch, Va.ughn Rd; 5:15pm; (205) 264-7887

Denmark Copenh.cen Aben Kirkes:ruppe/MCC, Da.g Ha.mmarskjolds&lle30 (Modelobler); 6:00 pm; (01) 20-41-96

ALASKA .: Anchorace MCC Anchora.ge, 602 W 10th-Av; 4:30 pm; (907) 276-300&. '.

I

ARIZONA Kincman Nev Hope MCC, 813 N first Av; '6:00pm' " , ..

Pboeniz C&a&de Cristo MCC, 1029 B Turney; 9:00 i 10:45am, 7:00 p~; (602) 265-2831 JuI,-Allln' 1986 27

/

Tempe Oasis MCC, Danforth Chpl, ASU Campus; 6:00 pm; (602) 268-5188 .

Tucson MCC of Tucson, 560 S Stone Av; 10:45am a 6:80 pm; (602) 622-4586 Sierra Vida MCC Apostles of God, 58 James Dr NE; 6:80 pm) (602) 459-8807

ARKANSAS

fayeUnilie MCC of the Osarks, Kenray a Plsumev: 11:00am; (501) 448-4278 Nor~h LiUle B.ock. MCC Little Rock, 2017 Cha.ndler; 2:30 pm; (501) 664-8749

CALIFORNIA Bakersfield MCC Bakersfield, 2415 Alta Vista Dr; 7:00 pm; (805) 827-8724 Ca~hedral Ci~y MCC of the Desert, 68-715 A St; 10:00am i 700 pm; (619) 821-0596 Concord Diablo Valley MCC, 2247 Concord Blvd; 5:30 pm; (415) 827-2960 Cosb Mes. MCC Ocean of Life, 1001W 17th St; 11:00am i 7:30 pm; (714) 631-8399 fresno MCC of the Vineyard, 4144 N Millbrook; 5:00pm, (209) 441-0105 Gueruevitle Rusaian River MCC, Guerneville Community Ch, Armstrong Woods Rd; noon; (707) 887-7622 ,

--GREATER

1.OS ANGELES--

Garden GroTe New Covenant MCC, 10242 Westminster Av; 11:00am; (714) 686-6505 Glendale Divine Redeemer MCe, 346 Riverdale Dr; 10:00am; (818) 500-7124 Lonl Beach Mce Long Beach, .1231 Locust Av; 11:00a.m i 7:30 pm; (213) 432-3641 Los Anleles MCC Los Angeles, 1050SHIll St; 10:40am i 7:80 pm; (218) 748-0121 Nor~h Hollywood MCC in the' Valley, 5730 Cahuenga. Blvd, North Hollywood; 9:00 i 11:00 am; (818) 762-1133 San~a Ana Christ Chapel.MeC, 720 Spurgeon St; 900, 11:00am a 7~80pm, (714) 885-0722 Wes~ Hollywood De Colores MCC, CONNEXXUS Women's Center, 9054 Sa.nt.a.

MOniCa.Blvd; 1100 am; (213) 225-9104 Wed Hollywood First MCC, 106? Fairfax Av #214; 1100 am, 1296 N Fairfax; 7:30 pm; (218) 650-6806 'Modes~o Modesto MCC, Communiliy Center, 800 E Morris Av; 1000 am, (209) 578-3694 On~ario MCC of ~hc Pomona Valley, 508 S Euchd Av; 1045 a.m At 730 pm; (714) 984-1258, - 628-9958 RiTerside Good Shepherd MCC, 5327 Mission - Blvd; 11:00am; (714) 658-2934 Sacramen~o RIver City MCC, 2741 34th St; 11:00am i 1:15 pm; (916) 454-4762 San DielO MCC San Diego, 4333 30th St; 10:00am i 7:00 pm; (619) 280-~883 28

Jou.rnay

San Diego MCC by the Sea, St Francis Ohpl, 741 Cerro Go~do Av; 9:30 am i 7:00 pm; (619) 234-9909, 231-9556 --SAN

fRANCISCO BAY AREA--

Hayward Ma.ra.na.tha.MeC,22577 BaYVIew Av, Ha.yva.rd; 6:00 pm; (415) 881-5649 Oakland New Life MCC, 685 14th St; 4:00 pm; (415) 839-4241 Redwood Ci~y , Ca.lvary MCC, 2124 Brewster Av (a.t Lowell); 5:00pm; (415) 868-0188 San francisco MCC San Francisco , 150 Eureka. St; 10:30am 拢 7:00 Pf!1; (415) 863-4434 San francisco Golden Ga.te MCC, 1748 Clay St; 10:30am i 7:30 pm; (415) 474-4848 San Rafael MCC of the Redvoode, 10_olive St; 11:00am; (415) 864-5102San Jose MCC San Jose, Gra.ce BaptIst Ch, 10th a San Fernando Rd, Room 25; 6:00 pm; (408) 279-2711 Sanb Barbara MCC Sa.n.ta Barbara, 280 Lighthouse Rd; 7:30 pm; (805) 966-6770 S~ochon MCC Stockton, 320 E Poplar St #A; 11'00am; (209) 943-5277 -Temple Cit.y MCC of the San Gabriel Valley, 5561 Sult.a.na.Av; 11:00a.m i 6:30 pm; (818) 09-~560 Vent.ura - MCC Ventura., 4949 Foothill Rd, 6:80 pm; (805) 483-7700

COLORADO Colorado Springs Pikes Peak MCC, 120 E San Miguel; 500 pm; (303) 634-3771 Denver MeC of the Roches, 2090 S Bannock St; 9:80, 11:00am i 6:45 pm; (308) 778-.0101 Greeley United Faiths MCC, 1815 Yorktown (Foothills Unitarian Ch); 200 pm; (303) 330--9439

CONNECTICUT Hart.ford MCC Ha.rtford, 75 Mam St; 715 pm; (203) 523-7760 New Huen MCC New Haven, 425 College St; 400 pm; (208) 777-9801}

DELAWARE Arden Imma.nuel MeC, YWCA; 7:00 pm; (215), 872-2906, (302) 944-2171 Wilmin;t.on Wilmington MCC

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washin,~on MOC Wa.shmgton, 415 M St N:W; 1045 am i 8:45 pm; (202) 638-7373 Wa~hin;t.on路 MOO of the Disciples, 2201P St NW; 300 pm; (202) 265-6223

FLORIDA

.

ft. Lauderdale Church of the -Holy Spirit MOC, 330 SW 27th SIi; 1100 am i 7:00 pm; (305) 462-2004, 462-2014 Fi Myers MOC of the Palms, 1414 Dean St; 1100 a.m .i 7.00 pm, (813) 884-4443

Fi Wahon Beach MCC Ft Walton Beach, Unitsrien Ch on Carmel St; 7:80 pm; (904) 267-8806 Gainenille MCC of Gainesville, 2814 NW 48rd ss. (UU Flwshp), 780 pm; (904) 878-2088 JacksonTil1~ St Luke's MCC, 801 Druid ss, 11:00a.m .i 7:00 pm; (904) 884-6004 Key Wesi MCC Key West, 319 Duval St; 11:00am; (305) .294-8912 .

Lakeland Good News MCC, 1508 Creekwood Run; 11:00am; (818) 858-5500 Miami Christ MCC, Corner of 23rd St .i NB Second os, 7:00 pm; (805) 573-4156 Orlando Joy MCC, 2500Curry Ford Rd (New Age Ontr], 7:15 pm; (305) 894-1081 Pensacola MCC Pensacola, 510 Massachusetts Av; 1080 am .i 7:00 pm; (904) 433-8528 Si Peiersburs King of Peace MCC, 4825 9th Av N; 1000 am .i 7:30 pm; (813) 323-5857 Sarasoia MCC Sarasota/Bradenton, 3975 Fruitville Av; 7:30 pm; (813) 957-0058'Tampa MCC Tampa, 2904 Concordia Av; 11:00 am .i 780 pm, (813) 839-5939 Wed Palm Beach \ MCC of the Palm . , Beaches, The Woman's Club, 105 S Flagler Dr; 11:00am; (305) 655-9228

GEO.RGIA Adania MCC of the Blessed Redeemer, 800 N Nighland Av NE; Noon .i 7:00 pm; (404) 872-2246 SaTannah St Micha.el's MCC, 821 E York St; 7.00 pm; t912) 238-5518

HAWAII Honolulu MCC Hawaii, 2500 Pali Hwy; 7:30 pm; (808) 945-3973 Wailuku MaUl MCC, 1300 Congregational Ch; Third Sunday; (808) 242-5071, 242-7739 -

IDAHO Boise MCC at BOise, 1023 EState pm; (208) 342-6764

St; 645

ILLINOIS Carbondale MCC of Southern Illinois, Interfaith Ctr, 913 S Illinois Av; 800 pm; (618) \ 549-,-1482 --METROPOI.IT AN CHICAOO-MCC INFO I.INE: (3121 327-6168

,

Chicaso Church of the Resurrection MCC, 5688 S Woodlawn Av (Hyde Pari); 8:00 pm; (312) 327-5168 Chicago Chnst the Redeemer MCC, 938 Chicago Av, Evanston; 7:00 pm; (312) 561-4842 Chicago Good Shepherd Pansh, 615 W Wellington 'Av (NewTown); 9:00 am .i 7:00 pm; (312) 472-8708 Chicago Suburbs Holy Covenant MCC, Maple i Washing lion, Hinsdale; 930 a.m i 7:00 pm; (312) 579-1299 I

Peoria MCC Peoria, 908 Hamilton St; 1:80 pm Quincy MCC Illiamo, 124 1/2 N Fift'h St; 6:00 pm; (211) 224-2800 .

Springfield Faith Eternal MCC, 415 N Walnut; 7:00 pm; (217) 525-9597

IOWA DaTenpori MCC Quad Cities, 1229 Le Cla.ire; 11:50am; (819) 822-5055 Des Moines Church of the Holy Spirit MCC, Bell i Casady [Uaitarian Ch); 6:00 pm; (515) 287-6747 .

Waierlo9 The Church of New Hope MCC, 712 Jefferson; 5:15 pm; (819) 234-1981

AKANSAS Olathe Johnson County MCC, q01 A Bast 123rd Tr; 10:00am; (913) 764-9237 Topeka MCC Topeka, UU Fellowship, 4775 W ,21st St; 6'00 pm; (918) 282-6196 Wichib MCC Wichilia., 1704 S Sa.nb Fe St; 11:45am; (816) 267-1852

KENTUCKV

Louinille MCC Louisville, Fourth a York Sts, 4:00 pm; (502) 289-3788 days, 426-8849 . nights

LOUISIANA Baion Rouge, MCC Baton Rouge, 7877 Jefferson Hw:y;7:00 pm; (504) 887-4554 Lahyeiie MCC of Acadiana/BCM de l'Acadien, 107 Mudd Avenue; 11:00am; (818) 287-9588 New Orleans MCC of New Orleans, 1800 Jefferson Av; 7:00 pm; (504) 899-1468 Shrevepors River Cities MCC, 1184 , Shreveport -Barkedale Hwy; 8:00 pm; (818) .687-9186

MARYLAND Bahimore MCC Baltimore, 27th I'St Paul St (St John's UMC); 300 pm; (801) 889-6863 RochiJle MeC Rockville, 501 Manaiee Rd [Unitarian Ch); 7:09 pm; (801) 588--0841

.MASSACHUSETTS .Boston MCC Boston, 131 Ca.mbndge St; 7:00 pm; (617) 52~-7664 -Worcesier Morning Star MCC, 47 Hsdven Rd; '7:00 pm; (617) 755-8974 Springfield MCC Springfield, 245 Porter La.ke Dr; 7:00 pm; (617) 755-8974

MICHIGAN Det.roii MCC Detroit, 1152Bennaville St, Birmlngham;-11:00 am i 7:00 pm; (313) 644-6026 Det.roii SOJourner MCC, 2"2750Woodward Av #214, Ferndale; Noon; (818) 545-7914 .

Flini Redeemer MCC, G2474 S Ballenger , Hwy (Unitaria.n Ch); 6:00 pm; (318) 238-6700 Grand Rapids Reconciliation MCC, 24 Fountain St NE; 1000 am; (616) 459-6980 July-AuJus\

1986

29

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1 .

MINNESOTA Minneapolis All God's Children MCC 704 E Lake St; 10:30am I; 7:00 p~; (612) 824-2673 S~ Cloud New Spirit MOC, 201 S 4th St; 7:00 pm; (612) 251-7638

MISSISSIPPI , Jackson'. MCC of Jackson, 513 N Sta.te St; 10:0080m;(601) 355-7495 x 8

/

MISSOURI Kansas Cdy MOO of Greater Kansas Oity, 4000 Harrison; 10:00am i 1:30 pm; (816) 931-0750 S~ Louis MOO of Greater St Louis 1120 Dolman St; 11:0010mi 7:00 pm; (314) 231-9100 Sprin,f'ield MOC Springfield Fa.mlly, 718 N Kansae Expy; 10:30am I; 7:00 pm; (417) 864-8373

NEBRASKA Omaha MOO Omaha, 420 S 24th St; 110:30am I; 7:00 pm; (402) 345-2563

NEVADA Las Ve,as La.s Vesas MCC, 1119 S Main St; 10:00am i 6:00 pm, (702) 384-2325

NEW JERSEY Princdon Christ the Liberator MOC, Cherry' Hill Rd i Rt 206 (Unitaria.n Ch); 130 pm; (609) 443-1706

NEW MEXICO ,Albuquerque MCO Albuquerque, 120 Morningside Dr NE; 10:50am I; 6:30 pm; (505) 268-2937 Sania Fe MOC Sa.nta. Fe, 630 Oa.nyon Rd; 6:00 pm; (505) 411-4529, 983-1698

"

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NEW YORK Buffalo MOO Buffalo 370 S Elmwood 'Av' 630 pm; (716) 883-3375' , --NEW YORK CITY-New York· ICM Queens, 38-09 Junction, 2n {4'lr;2:30 pm; (212) 485-9536 New York MCC Brooklyn, 85 S Oxford St, Brooklyn; 5:00,pm; (718) 596-0191 New York Harlem MCC 417 W 126th St 2:30 pm; (212) 662-8934 . ' , New York MOC New York 201 W 13th St' 645 pm, (212) 242-1212' , New York Trinity MCC, 152 W 66th St; 6:00 , pm; (718) 456-9.308 '

CharloUe _New Life MCC, 2125 Oommonvealth Av; 7:00 pm; (704) 378-0694 Greensboro St M~ryls MCC, 3010 Monterey Av; 7:00 pm; (919) 288-7701 ,.., Ralei,h St John's MCC, Dixie Tra.i'l i Wa.de; 3:00 i 7:30 pm; (!H9) 834~26il

I"

OHIO, Cineinnati MCC Cincinnati, 65 E Hollister St; '2:00pm;,(513) 241-8216 Columbus MCC Columbus, 98 W Weisheimer St; 4:00 pm, (614) 294-3026 D",~on MOC Da.yton Parish, 665 Sa.lem Av; 6:00 pm; (513) 277-6448 .

Toledo Good Samaritan P•.rish MCC, Central UMC, 3015 Scott.wood; 6:00 pm; (419) 536-532-

OKLAHOMA

OREGON \ ConaIlie MCC Corvallis, 1165 NW Monroe St; tOIL pm; (503) 757-1286 _ .Eugene MCO Eugene, 1236 Kine•.id, 700 pm; (503) 485-3665 , Por~land MCC Portla.nd, NE 24th I; Broadv •.t. 10:00am i 600 pm; (503) 281-8868 . Pordand Rose City Fellowship MOO,.. .

Roeebur& ,-MOO Roseburg, 3842 Carnes- Rd; 2:POpm; (503) 673-4633 Salem MCC Sa.lem, 490 19_thSt NE (Unitarian Ch); 400 pm; (503) 363-6618 l' 'L

Harrisburl MCC of the Spirit,Friend~ Meetins House, Sixth .I Herr St; 7:00:pm; (717) 232-7040 ~ Lancader . ViSIOn of Hope MCO, 538 W .

Chestnut S't"(UDlta.na.n Otr], ; 7:00 pm; (717) 232-7040 Philadelphia MCC Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut St; 7:00 pm; (215)'563-6601 PiUsbur,h MCC Pittsburgh, 4401 Fifth Av; 7:30 pm; (412) 681-0765

RHODE ISLAND Previdenee MCO Providence, 134 M•.thewson St; 7:00 pm; (401) 726-8106

'SOUTH CAROLINA

Rochest.er MOC of Grea.ter Rochester 243 Rosedale St; 730 pm; (716) 271-8478 ' Syracuse Ray of Hope MOO, 819 M8odlsonSt; 500 pm, (315) 472-8968 '

Charieeson St JOlonof Arc MCO, 69 C•.nnon ' St; 7:00 pm; (803) 722-7&41 Columbia St Jude's MCC, 2601 Seminole Rd; '100 pm; (803) 772-2553, 252-5377 Green"iUe MOC of Greenville, 213 McDona.ld St (0££ N Main St); 700 pm; (803) 233-3527

-NORTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE

Charloue MCC Charlotte 700 pm; (704) 598-7188'

229 Austin Dr ,

Johnson Ci~y MCC of the 'I'ri-Oinee, 711 ,W Maple St; 7:00 pm, (615) 926-3562 ,,'

30

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Oklahoma Ci~1 Christ the King MCC, 1900 NW 12th St; 11:00a.m i 6:00 pm; (405) 52~-8352 Tulsa MCC of Grea.ter Tulsa., 1623 N " .

Maplewood; 11:0010mI; 7:00 pm; (98) 838-1715

PENNSYLVANIA

Journey

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.'

Conlinued from pace 26

6:55) Rea.lity is not a.hra.ys vha.t ve ca.n see, hea.r, ta.ste, smell or touch. There is a. depth of rea.lity beyond our senses, a. dimension vhich is just a. rea.l. And this is the rea.lity tha.t Christ invites us Lo sha.re. It's tha.t rea.lity of the Spirit, vhere love, hope, joy a.nd fa.ith a.re 80S rea.l a.1i body a.nd blood.

31

Aup••

Coming ...

Complete Conference Coverage ...

Joy-Bearing Teddy Bears ...

You are the light of tfie world

Knonille MCC Knoxville, Univa.ria.nCh, 3219 Kingston Pike; 4:30 pm; (615) 521-6546 Memphis MCC of the LivlDg Hope, 292 W Virginia. Av; 3:15 pm; (901) 274-8355, 324-1769 Nash.,ilIe MCC Na.shville, 131 15th Av N; 11:00a.m 7:00 pm; (615) 320-0288

a

TEXAS Albilene Exodus MCC, 1925Collins; 11:0010m; (915)' 692-2411 Amarillo' MCC Ama.rillo, 2123 5 Polk; 11:00 10m;(806) 372-4557 Arlincton Mid-Cities MCC, 401 Lillard; 11:00 sm j 7:00 pm; (817) 265-5454 Austin MCC Austin, 408 W 23rd; 2:30 pm; 2:30 pm; (512) 929-3660 Brownnille MCC of the Rio Grande Va.l1ey, 124 Paredes Line Rd; 7:00 pm; (512) 544-5882, 882-8255 Bryan Ca.ritas MCC, 401 H 31st St; 11:0010m j 6:00 pm; (409) 775-7219 Corpus Christi MCC oi Corpus Christi, 1705 10th St; 10:4510mj 7:30 pm; (512) '882-8255 Danas MCC Dallas, 2701 Rea.gr.n St; 10:30am i 12:30,7:15 pm; (214) 526-6221 BI Paso MCC in HI Psso, 2201 Mills Av; 1:00 pm; (915) 542-1227 fort Worth Aga.pe MCC, 4615 5H Loop 80 (Forest Hill); 11:0010mi 7:00 pm; (817) 535-5002 GahesLon MCC Ga.lveston lsla.nd, 1824 Broa.dva.y; 11:0010m;(409) 765-7626 HousLon MCC of the Resurrection, 1919 Deca.tur St; 10:4510m.i 7:15 pm; (713) 861-9149 Lubbock MCC Lubbock, 7516 Av H, Ste C; 11:00a.m i 7:00 pm; (806) 745-3599 Midland Midland/Odessa. MCC, 2812 S Industria.l Loop; 11:00a.m; (915) 697-6383

/

'and much more news, views, and artides of interest

Salurda,

Flesh a.nd blood...yuck! Do you cringe vhen they sing 'Poyer In The Blood''? 'Whoever ea.ts my flesh a.nd drinks my blood rem&ins in me, a.nd I in them.'

(John 6:56) And yet we are ca.lIed Lo sha.re in the flesh a.nd the blood of Jesus.

While

-

Communion is &t the hea.rt of the ma.tter, I suspect Jesus melons more tha.n a. simple mea.l here. To be a. pa.rt of Christ ve must pa.rta.ke of loll of him, not just the .'sveetness and light' pa.rts.

Even the 'bloody' ma.tters.- B.ey'd Grant rord

Send your contribu,ions Lo: Journey 22 South Serenvh Avenue LaG.ran,e IL 60525

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San Ancelo Nev Life MCC, 152 Tita.n Ln, S Concho Park; Noon; (915) 944-7187 San AnLonio MCC San Antonio, 6025 Rlttima.n Plasa; 11:0010mi 7:30 pm; (512) 824-2561 .. .

Temple -Ha.rmony MCC, 522 Joyner Ol, Killeen; 7:30 pm; (817) 780-2829, 526-4506

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UTAH SalL Lake CiLy MCC Salt Lake City, 569 South 1800 East; 6:00 pm; (801) 972-8383

VIRGINIA NorC'olk Nev Life MCC of Tideva.ter, 789 Yarmouth St (Unita.ria.n Ch); 6:30 pm; (804) 622-5896 B.ichmond MCC Richmond, 4500 Kensington Av; 6:80 pm; (804) 353-9477 .

Oakton MCC of Norther~ Virgi~ia, 2709 Hunter Mill Rd (Fairfa.x Unita.rian Ch); 6:45 pm; (703) 685-2683 _

WASHINGTON Olympia MOC in Olympia, 219 B St [Unitarian Ch), Tumwater; 7:00 pm; (206) 456-1697 R.ichland River of Life ,MCC, 1393 G W Way Ste #3; 11:0010m;(509) 943-5428 .

SeaUle MCC Seattle, 128 16th Av H; 6:00 pm; (206) 325-2421 Spokane MCC Spobne, W 321 8th St (First , Unitaria.n Ch); 7:00 pm; (509) 325-1252 Tacoma MCC Tacoma., 1527 S Fa.vcett; 6:00 pm; (206) 272-2382

WEST VIRGINIA MorcanLown Family of God MCC, 429 Wa.rrick (UDlta.ria.nFlwshp Bldg); 7:30 pm; (304) 292-3128 July-Aucusl

1986

31

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"Look at the Metropolitan Community Church today- the Gay Church - almost accepted into the World Council ...

National Council of Churches. Almost. The vote was against them. Bur they will try again and again until they get in. And the tragedy is that they would get one vote. Because they are spoken of here in Jude as being brute beasts - that is going to the baser lust of the flesh to live immorally and so Jude describes this as apostasy. Thank God this vile and satanic system will one day be utterly annihilated and there will be a celebration in heaven."

From a Sermon on the 1V Program 路Old

No, Jerry, that's not what Metropolitan

fllll8

Gospel Hour" by Rev. Jerry FaJweI~PresidenL MOlal Majority.

Community Church is like beceuse:

We are a caring, loving group of people.

We have created a 50-minute television documentary to confront those kind of lies, and others made by people like you. who preach that we, as, Lesbian and Gay males are brute beasts, not people.

Our documentary portrays the lives of women and men in the Gay.community prayin,g for and stru~J9ling to secure freedom and liberation for all people ... teachers ... Cuban Refugees ... Third World People ... persons with AI OS ... Gay parents ... the churched and unchurcDed ... youth and seniors ... sisters and brothers around the world who seek peace and prosperity. We have shared .on tape the truth that spirituality and sexuality are compatible.

Mr. Falwell, I am asking my friends for help to show it like it is. I am asking them to please send their taxdeductible donations to me to get this message on the air. And it will be on the air because my friends care.

~ODJ GA YS & THE GOSPEL: This is-O!JR story. .

A television presentation of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches .

YES! I would like to ans~er Jerry!

o AN ENABLER: Minimum donation of $50.00 per year. o A SPONSOR: Minimum donation of $100.00 per year. o A CONTRIBUTOR: Minimum donation of $500.00 per year. o A PARTNER: Minimum donation of $1,000.00 per year. o I cannot join at this time, but keep me on your mailing list o Enclosed is my donation to help defray costs.

Name Address City, State, Zip

_ ------:-

Send your tax-deductible' donations to: Reverend Troy D. Perry UFMCC Media Fund 5300 Santa Monica Boulevard, #304 Los Angeles, CA 90029

I