Chi Rho Press eNewsletter
Vol. II, No. 13
8 June 2001

Welcome once again to the Chi Rho Press eNewsletter.
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Direct all other e-mail to Adam@ChiRhoPress.com. See
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Contents:

1. Name This eNewsletter!
2. Fred Phelps at Soulforce
3. Chi Rho Press Combined Travel Schedule
4. 'Come Home!'
5. 'Called OUT! The Voices and Gifts and LGBT Presbyterians'
6. 'Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse'
7. Adam's Last Word

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1. Name This eNewsletter!

OK, it is about time. The first volume of Chi Rho Press’
eNewsletter began on May 1, 1999 and ran for 34 issues,
through the end of 2000. The second volume (2001) has had
13 issues now. We have decided that it’s about time to
name the eNewsletter!

So we turn to you, our faithful readers, for suggestions.
We would like something catchy, descriptive, and
appropriate. Please send your ideas to
eNews@ChiRhoPress.com

The Board of Directors will make the final judgement from
all of your ideas. The suggestion the Board chooses will
win your choice of any one item from our catalog
(see http://www.ChiRhoPress.com).

Send in your suggestions today!
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2. Fred Phelps at Soulforce

I am forwarding this press release from our friends at
Soulforce. I think this is an excellent opportunity for
us to support Souforce’s important ministry.

FRED PHELPS TO CONFRONT SOULFORCE IN NEW ORLEANS.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!

A Personal Invitation from Karen Weldin and Bill Carpenter,
National Co-Chairs for Soulforce New Orleans’
Journey to Justice.

Dear friends of Soulforce,

We don't know whether to laugh or cry at Fred Phelps’
latest attack on Soulforce. See his full press release
plus photos of "fag whoremonger" Mel White and his
"grinning faggot wife" Gary Nixon on the Soulforce Web site
under the heading "Fred Phelps To Picket Soulforce Events
In New Orleans http://www.soulforce.org/pdf/phelpspicket.pdf

Instead of laughing or crying, we're going to use the
occasion to help Soulforce and thoroughly frustrate Fred.
We don't know exactly who dreamed up this wonderful response
to Fred's picket lines, but we love the idea and ask
you to consider joining in.

Instead of going eyeball to eyeball with Fred and his
family,the Soulforce volunteers in New Orleans will
(as usual) prayerfully ignore him. In fact,we're hoping
that he pickets every Soulforce event at the Southern
Baptist Annual Meeting in New Orleans, including our
vigils and the Jazz Funeral.
http://www.soulforce.org/nolaaction.html

Here's where you come in. Fred has announced that he will
picket our 6 pm dinner and training at St. Mark's
Community Center, our 8 am and 5 pm vigils at the
Superdome (as 13,000 "Messengers" enter and exit their
meeting), and Wednesday's 12 noon Jazz Funeral, press
conference, and possible civil disobedience.

Usually he and his recruits picket for an hour or so,
then, once they've had their photos taken, they head back
for their campers. That would mean Fred will probably
picket 4-6 hours during our Soulforce events in New Orleans.

Will you pledge an amount to Soulforce for each hour that
Fred and his people picket Soulforce with their GOD HATES
FAGS signs? If you would pledge $5, $10,$20 or even more
per hour, it will help underwrite this second Soulforce
campaign to bring truth to the Southern Baptists. The Jazz
Funeral, the vigils, and the possible civil disobedience
cost a lot of money, but if just one Southern Baptist is
touched by our visit, it will be worth it. Any amount
you pledge is tax-deductible and gratefully received.

Simply e-mail the amount you would like to pledge to one of
our many great volunteers, Denise Ray Mueller, at
deniray@columbus.rr.com. Denise will be handling all e-mails
related to this pledge drive. After the Southern Baptist
Conference is over, we'll let you know by return e-mail the
exact number of hours Fred pickets our Soulforce actions.

Soulforce has four major direct actions planned in the next
few months. Go to the Soulforce Web site to see our
schedule. http://www.soulforce.org/actions2001.html

These are expensive actions. Our volunteers pay their own
airfare, hotel, and other expenses. It's taken six months
to prepare the Southern Baptists for our visit and it will
cost Soulforce more than $30,000 to take this stand. We're
arriving in New Orleans with less than $8,000 in our
Soulforce account. Please help us make a difference. If
Soulforce weren't mounting this campaign, no one
else would be in New Orleans to confront the
tragic untruths.

To use your Visa or Mastercard to donate, go to the Donate
page on the website:
www.soulforce.org/shopsite_sc/store/html/join.html#donation.
Or send a (tax-deductible) check to Soulforce, Inc.,
PO Box 4467, Laguna Beach, CA 92652.

And your per "picket" hour pledge will let Rev. "God Hates
Fags" Phelps help Soulforce bring truth to the confused
hearts and minds of the Southern Baptist Convention. Please
consider going to the Web site now and making a donation or
writing Denise at deniray@columbus.rr.com. and making a
pledge to Soulforce for each hour Rev. Phelps and his folks
picket in New Orleans.

Blessings on you for your loving support of Soulforce.

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3. Chi Rho Press Combined Travel Schedule

June 8, 6 pm, Dr. Rembert Truluck will be signing his book
at the Faubourg Marigny Bookstore, New Orleans, LA.

June 8-10, Chris Glaser will be speaking at the Pride
celebration in San Jose. Contact Vaughn Beckman, VFBeckman@aol.com.

June 10, Dr. Truluck will lead a workshop about spiritual
healing after Rev. Mel White preaches at the Metropolitan
Community Church in New Orleans.

June 10, Chris Glaser speaking at a gay library center in
San Francisco. Contacts Jim Mitulski, jmitulski@sfpl.org.

June 10 Chi Rho Press’ Traveling Bookstore will be at MCC
Baltimore and their parish extension in Columbia, MD. The
Rev. David Smith is our host. MCC Baltimore meets at 10 am
at the Waxter Center, 1000 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD.
MCC Columbia meets at 6:30 pm at the Oakland Mills
Interfaith Center, 'the end of Thunderhill
Road,' Columbia, MD. http://www.mccbaltimore.org/

June 11-13, Soulforce demonstrations at the Southern Baptist
Convention, New Orleans, LA., Dr. Truluck participating.
See http://www.soulforce.org for more details.

June 12-16, Chris Glaser at the Presbyterian General
Assembly in Louisville KY and doing a book signing there.
Both 'Come Home!' and 'Called Out' have been ordered for
this book signing. Contact Julie Moloney (jmoloney@presbypub.com)
or Annie McClure (AMcclure@presbypub.com) for more information.

June 23 and 24 we are visiting MCC Rehoboth, DE, opening
up our Traveling Bookstore after the Sunday service, at 9
and 10:30 am at their new location at 21 Midway Center,
Highway One, Rehoboth Beach, DE.
http://www.mccrehoboth.org/

July 21 and 22 we are going to New Life MCC in Norfolk,
VA. The Rev. Marty Luna and the Rev. Maria Wolfe are
our hosts. The church meets at 10:30 am at 4035 East
Ocean View Ave., Norfolk, VA.
http://www.newlifemcc.org/

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4. ‘Come Home!’

‘Come Home! Reclaiming Spirituality and Community as
Gay Men and Lesbians,’ second edition, by Chris Glaser.
first published in 1990 by HarperCollins, the second
edition was published in 1998 by Chi Rho Press with the
addition of five new chapters to the original 20.

‘Come Home!’ is perhaps Chris Glaser’s best book. It is
divided into five sections, each with five chapters.
The five sections are entitled, ‘Welcoming God’s
Acceptance,’ ‘Receiving Our Inheritance,’ ‘Discerning Our
Call,’ ‘Making Our Witness,’ and ‘Declaring Our Vision.’

Bishop John Shelby Spong called ‘Come Home!’ ‘powerful,
sensitive, and provocative. . . . Glaser stands inside
his own humanity as a gay male and hears the word of God
through the Bible. Christians, gay and straight, need
this book if we are to be the body of Christ.’

This is a brilliant and important book by perhaps the
best-known Gay Christian writer in the U.S. today.

The Rev. Carter Heyward called ‘Come Home!’ ‘an
enthusiastic compelling testimony to the power of faith
in the lives of many gay and lesbian Christians.’

Virginia Ramey Mollenkott said, ‘If courage, honesty,
and insight are beautiful, then this is one beautiful
book. . . . I rejoice that in this book all the gay
men and lesbian women who have been robbed of their
spirituality are issued an urgent invitation: Come home!’

‘Come Home!’ by Chris Glaser offers a vision of faith,
hope, and affirmation inviting gay men and lesbians to
come home to their spirituality through Christian faith
and community. Order your copy today!

‘Come Home!’ is available for $19.95 each, $14.95 each
for six or more copies, plus shipping and handling.

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5.‘Called OUT! The Voices and Gifts and LGBT Presbyterians’

Now more than ever, it is important to hear the voices of
LGBT people of faith. Our first anthology, ‘Called OUT!
The Voices and Gifts and LGBT Presbyterians’ is a good
place to start. Edited by lesbian evangelist the Rev.
Jane Adams Spahr, Kathryn Poethig, Selisse Berry, and
Melinda McLain, ‘Called OUT’ is in its second printing
with Chi Rho Press.

Chris Glaser is just one of 40 gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgendered Presbyterians whose stories appear in
‘Called OUT.’ It is not just a book for Presbyterians
however, but it is a book for all people of faith who
are in the LGBT community, who are non-gay friends and
allies, or who are struggling with the issue of
homosexuality in the church. Read this book and get
to know the real face of LGBT spirituality.

You may order ‘Called OUT’ on our web page at
http://www.ChiRhoPress.com using our handy shopping
cart and paying with your credit card. ‘Called OUT’
sells for $17.95, six or more copies are $15.25 each,
plus shipping and handling.

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6. 'Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse'

The second printing of one of our most exciting,
important, and unique books is now available! We
urge Southern Baptists especially to buy and read
this important book.

'Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse' has only been
improved with the second printing! The cover is now
laminated and much more durable. The back cover
features a bar code for easier handling by bookstores.
This printing also includes the Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication information. And lastly,
the author has written a short update that readers
will enjoy.

Sales of 'Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse' continue
to be very strong. Ads for Dr. Truluck's book have
appeared in the Advocate, The Other Side, Open Hands,
and Ambush and the Times Picayune in New Orleans.

'Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse' continues to be
our fastest-selling title. It is still available for
only $24.95, or $18.75 each for six or more copies,
plus shipping and handling.

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7. Adam's Last Word

I love the fact that fascist Fred Phelps is wasting his
money going to New Orleans to protest against our friends at
Soulforce. And I love the fact that we have an opportunity
to use his evil, hate-filled presence to further support
Soulforce. (Please see article number 2.)

I have pledged 50 cents for every MINUTE Phelps pickets
against Soulforce in New Orleans. This is too important an
opportunity to pass up. I encourage all of our readers to
make a pledge as well.

Our faithful readers have known for a month now that
Dr. Rembert Truluck, author of our ‘Steps to Recovery from
Bible Abuse,’ will be in New Orleans with Soulforce,
starting with his book signing at Faubourg Marigny tonight.
Half page ads have appeared in the last two issues of
Ambush, the New Orleans LGBT newspaper, and an ad will be
in the New Orleans Times Picayune as well. Chi Rho Press
is proud to be a partner with Soulforce in this important
witness to the Southern Baptist Convention. Please be a
part of our joint effort by pledging your financial support.

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We are glad you are partners in ministry 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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Chi Rho Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 7864
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Our telephone and fax number is 301/926-1208.

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Copyright 2001, Chi Rho Press, Inc.

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