Chi Rho Press eNewsletter
Vol. II, No. 4
27 January 2001

“A good book is the best of friends, the same to-day and for ever.” Martin
Tupper (1810-1889), “Proverbial Philosophy”

Welcome once again to the Chi Rho Press eNewsletter. Thank you for passing
this eNewsletter on to others.

To join our list, send an e-mail message to ChiRhoPress-subscribe@egroups.com.

Please visit our Web site at http://www.chirhopress.com/ to see our entire
lines of books, Handouts, tchochkas, and stained glass.

Direct all other e-mail to Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. See the end of this
eNewsletter for a complete list of e-mail addresses at ChiRhoPress.com.

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Contents:

1. A Tribute to MCC (on the anniversary of the arson of MCC Los Angeles, 1973)
2. My Memory Book
3. Final Week! January White (Paper) SALE!
4. Staff Bio: Kevin Stone Fries
5. Featured Book: The Bible and Homosexuality
6. Adam's Last Word

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1. A Tribute to MCC (on the anniversary of the arson of MCC Los Angeles,
1973)

On Jan. 26, 1973, the Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles on Union
Street was destroyed by arson. The building had been the first property in
America owned by an organization with a primary outreach to gays and lesbians.

The Sunday after the fire, the Rev. Troy Perry, the pastor, led worship in the
street next to the church for a massive crowd. Despite the fiery attempt to
destroy the first MCC, God’s LGBT people sat in the bright sunshine, unafraid
and unashamed of who God had made them to be.

The movement continued to grow. There are now MCC’s all over the world and
many own their own buildings.

Chi Rho Press pays tribute to Troy Perry, and all the saints of MCC, who have
paved the way for a vibrant LGBT religious reformation.

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2. My Memory Book

We are very pleased to announce to the young and the young-at-heart a second
printing of “My Memory Book: A Journal for Grieving Children, Second Edition”
by Gretchen Gaines-Lane, LCSW-C.

Please visit http://www.chirhopress.com/products.html and click on the social action button on the left to see a cover of the book.

Though created for children by a children's grief and bereavement specialist,
many adults are using “My Memory Book” to create memorials for loved ones who
have died. Like a panel in the AIDS quilt, a copy of “My Memory Book” can
become an important part of the grief process after losing a beloved friend or
relative.

“I love this workbook for children of all ages,” says Patricia Kelly,
co-author of “Final Gifts” and a consultant in the Washington, D.C. area. “This is a book to treasure.”

Space is available throughout the book for the grieving person to write or
draw. Directions for over 20 exercises are given on the left hand side page,
and the right hand side page is devoted to the grieving person’s creative
use. The reader uses “My Memory Book” to create a book of memories about the loved one who died that is uniquely his or her own. “My Memory Book” encourages written exercises, collage, journaling, and drawings in any medium the user cares to employ.

Dr. Phyllis Silverman, one of the most reknowned experts in the bereavement
field, writes, “This is one of the best workbooks I have seen to help . . .
understand the nature of grief. It legitimates . . . ties to the deceased and
helps find ways to talk about these connections.”

The unique genius of this book is that it is wonderful for anyone to use,
regardless of age. “My Memory Book” provides enough exercises for readers of
any age to return to it again and again to celebrate the life of one recently
lost and of their life together. The book also includes a special section in
the back for readers to design their own exercises.

Though many buy this book for family members, many counselors in the
professional community have also recognized the therapeutic benefits of “My
Memory Book” and use the book with their clients. “This workbook is a
wonderful tool to assist therapists and counselors in their work with bereaved
children,” says Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, BCD, Professor, Fordham University
Graduate School of Social Service.

An Illinois hospice and hospital just ordered another 100 copies of “My Memory
Book” for their on-going use. We are proud of their recommendation of this
important book as a bereavement tool for people of all ages.

“My Memory Book” is available from Chi Rho Press for $10.95 each, $8.95 each
for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.

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3. Final Week! January White (Paper) SALE!

These are the final days for our special sale in the month of January 2001.
We have been calling it our January White (Paper) SALE!

For all paid orders received through snail mail and postmarked in January
2001, we will pay the shipping and handling.

We want to make a special gift to readers of this eNewsletter so rather than
changing the Web page shopping cart, this sale is only for prepaid orders sent
to us via snail mail.

You can use our web page as your Chi Rho Press catalog. Just choose as many
books, handouts, stained glass, or other products as you want from what you
find on our Web page (http://www.ChiRhoPress.com). If you would prefer a
printed copy of our catalog, just e-mail us with your mailing address.

Jot down a list of the items you want in a letter to us. Figure the cost of
the items, and send a check or money order for that amount. Don't add
shipping and handling, we will pick up the tab for that!

Again, this is only for prepaid orders, sent to our mailing address (P.O. Box
7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898), in the month of January 2001.

Of course, if you prefer, you may still order on our Web page, using our
convenient shopping cart and paying with your credit card, but shipping and
handling will be included in your charges.

Hurry and order today! Only five more days! We look forward to hearing from
you!

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4. Staff Bio: Kevin Stone Fries

We continue our board and staff bios with our newest paid employee, Mr. Kevin
Stone Fries.

Kevin Stone Fries, Chi Rho Press’ Editor/Office Manager, first learned about
the Press in 1998 and volunteered to help edit Roberta Showalter Kreider’s
“From Wounded Hearts: Faith Stories of LGBT People and Those Who Love Them.”

In the spring of 2000, after editing Dr. Rembert Truluck’s “Steps to Recovery
From Bible Abuse,” the Board of Directors made him Editor. Last October,
Director Adam DeBaugh and the Board hired Kevin as the Press’ first paid
Editor/Office Manager.

An avid diarist, Kevin has kept various diary and journal projects going since
1988. He hopes to build a professional expertise in the subject of
life-writing (a quasi-subgenre including diaries and letters, autobiography
and biography).

Since 1997, he has been working with Felice Picano (author of many books and
articles including “Like People in History,” and “Book of Lies”) to publish
Mr. Picano’s diaries. To date, selections of Mr. Picano’s diary will soon appear
in “a/b Auto/Biography” magazine (http://facstaff.uww.edu/hoganj/ab.htm), and “Afterwords: Real Stories from Gay Men's Erotic Diaries,” edited by Kevin
Bentlek and to be published soon by Alyson Books.

Last spring, Kevin began to learn about various modes of energy work, focusing
mainly the Japanese tradition known as Reiki. Kevin’s interest in Reiki is
inspired in part by Chris Hubble, a future Chi Rho Press author.

A 1996 graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, and a 2000
graduate of the George Washington University Center for Professional
Development with a Professional Editing certificate, Kevin hopes to
continue to develop his academic and trade credentials in the language arts.

Kevin has lived most of his life in Montgomery Village, Maryland, a no-longer
outer suburb of Washington D.C., very near the Press’ offices.

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5. Featured Book: The Bible and Homosexuality

Our first featured book of the new millennium takes us back to the basics.
For too many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people of faith, the Bible
has been used as a club to batter and beat them down.

Only six lonely little verses that have been used against LGBT people.
Despite the paucity of unequivocal condemnation in the Hebrew and Christian
Testaments, religious folk use those six verses to justify a world of hurt for LGBT people, their families, and supporters. These "clobber passages" are over-used and abused!

So for much of the LGBT community, "going back to the basics" of their
oppression is going back to the Bible. The Rev. Michael England has written
what we think is the best primer on "The Bible and Homosexuality." We are
proud to have published this slim, but important volume, which has been our
best seller for 10 years. In 1998 we published the fifth edition of Michael's
important work.

"The Bible and Homosexuality" is $10.95 each, $8.95 each for six or more
copies, plus shipping and handling. You may order from our Web page at
http://www.chirhopress.com/products.html

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6. Adam's Last Word.

January has been a busy month for us. We are very excited about the second
printing of “My Memory Book” and we strongly recommend it to you all.

Our contacts with bookstores and with LGBT religious organizations continue to
grow, especially among the welcoming and affirming churches.

We are looking at the necessity of a second printing of “Steps to Recovery
from Bible Abuse” very soon.

There never seems to be enough time!

I had thought that I would be able to relax a bit more once Kevin Fries
started working, but it seems that the more we do, the more there is to be done.
Kevin’s efforts have increased sales, which have depleted inventory, which
means more printing, which means more expenditures. Go figure!

Yet, as I look at my life and ministry, I am generally pleased. I know God
has placed me and Chi Rho Press in this place and at this time for “such a time as
this.” I have made some mistakes (don’t get me started!), and the Press still
has its weaknesses, but overall I believe that God is doing a mighty thing
with us here.

I am pleased you are with us on the journey!

Have a wonderful week.

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We are glad you are partners with us here at Chi Rho Press. We are eager
for your comments, your suggestions, your assistance with selling our books, and
your own purchases! And of course, we covet your prayers for this ministry.

Grace and peace,

Adam DeBaugh, Director
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Our snail mail address is:

Chi Rho Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 7864
Gaithersburg, MD 20898

Our telephone and fax number is 301/926-1208.

You may order any of our books via snail mail, telephone, fax, or e-mail at
Orders@ChiRhoPress.com. You may pay by credit card on our web page or we
will ship your order after receiving your check or money order. Include your
e-mail address, mailing address, and telephone number please.

Visit our web page at http://www.ChiRhoPress.com. We now accept credit
cards on our web page!

Our Canadian friends can order using credit cards on our web page or through
our Canadian distributor, MAP Enterprises, Mary Ann Pearson, Box 340, 54
Centre St., Odessa, ONT., Canada, K0H 2H0; e-mail: mapenterprises@home.com;
phone or fax: 1-613-386-5711; or toll free (leave a message) 1-877-245-9569.

Copyright 2001, Chi Rho Press, Inc.

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R. Adam DeBaugh, Director, Adam@ChiRhoPress.com.
Kevin Stone Fries, Editor/Office Manager, Kevin@ChiRhoPress.com

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