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29 Aug 01
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Chi Rho Connection
Vol. II, No. 19
29 Aug 2001
'If you judge people, you have no time to love them.'
Mother Theresa
Welcome once again
to the Chi Rho Connection, the
electronic newsletter of Chi Rho Press. Thank you for
passing this Chi Rho Connection on to others.
.To
join our list, send an e-mail message to
mailto:ChiRhoPress-subscribe@yahoo.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. Become
an Angel On-line!
2. Readers Value Weekly Reflection from The Road to Emmaus
3. New Kreider/Wallner Video Available
4. New Promissory Notes Available
5. Report on Soulforce at the Lutheran Conference
6. Stained Glass Class
7. Adam's Last Word
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Chi Rho Press continues
to develop an effective on-line
connection with its fans by making its latest change to
the ministry’s Web site, http://www.ChiRhoPress.com.
For
the first time in the Press’ eleven year history it is now
able to take contributions on-line.
The changes to the
Web site reflect the Press’ efforts to
build a stronger financial base from which to realize its
mission. Chi Rho Press is an ecumenical, grass roots
ministry that provides resources to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgendered, and seeking people of faith and
their friends and family.
Over the summer,
Chi Rho Press launched its Guardian
Angel Individual Sponsor Program and has since received
the support of Angels far and near. The support of
Guardian Angels will help the Press to publish new books
and build the ministry.
‘I am proud
to be a Guardian Angel of Chi Rho Press!’ says
the Rev. Clay Witt, pastor, Holy Redeemer MCC, College
Park, Maryland. ‘The ministry of Chi Rho Press is very
important to me and to our faith community. Please join
us!’
To make it easier
to contribute to the ministry of Chi Rho
Press, it is now possible to put contributions on your
credit card, using our secure shopping cart on our Web
page.
1. Go to http://www.ChiRhoPress.com
2. Click on any of
the icons on the front page, such as
Products, the first icon on the left with the book with
the turning pages.
3. You will see a
list of links on the left to navigate
around the Web site. The first group of links takes you
directly to various pages of books and other products,
then there is a series of links in blue (How to Order,
eNewsletters, Become a Sponsor!, Links, About Us, etc.)
4. Click on the blue words, Become a Sponsor!
5. You will see the
words, "I would like to make a
contribution to the ministry of Chi Rho Press! I am
making a contribution of" and a box with the numeral 1
and a link, "Add to Cart." Below this is the explanation
of the minimum contribution for Guardian Angel Individual
Sponsor program, "(Gifts of $150 a year or more from an
individual, couple, or family make them eligible to become
Guardian Angel Sponsors of Chi Rho Press. Write for more
details of this new program.)" The word Write is a link to
our e-mail address.
6. Highlight the
numeral 1 in the box and type in the
amount you want to contribute (for instance, $150 to
become a Guardian Angel).
7. Click the Add
to Cart link to the right of the amount
box.
8. The Shopping Cart
will come up and you can either
continue shopping or click on Check Out Now, which will
take you through the check out process, asking you for
your credit card number, etc. Be sure to give us your
mailing address as well as e-mail address so we can send
you your welcome gifts.
9. When you have
filled out all the fields, click Submit
Secure Order at the bottom of the shopping cart.
10. And that's all
there is to it. Except to receive our
thanks for your support!
Chi Rho Press is
looking for Guardian Angels: individuals,
couples, or families who will become sponsors of the Press
and more involved as partners in this ministry.
Please join the Guardian
Angels who have already taken Chi
Rho Press under their wings. Please help us today. And
pass this on to your friends and family and ask for their
help as well!
Guardian Angels will:
receive a welcome gift of a Stained
Glass Cross; be eligible for a 7.5% discount; be listed
as a Guardian Angel in Chi Rho Press publications; receive
a new Newsletter; receive an annual report; be informed
about advance sales; and of course, remain in our prayers!
We only ask three
things from our Guardian Angels in
return: please keep the ministry of Chi Rho Press in your
prayers; send gift of at least $150 a year to Chi Rho
Press; and keep your friends, family, co-workers, and
churches informed about the resources available from Chi
Rho Press, our Web page, and our eNewsletter.
Simply send your
check for at least $150 to Chi Rho Press,
ATTN: Guardian Angel Program, P.O. Box 7864, Gaithersburg,
MD 20898.
OR, make your contribution
with your credit card on
our Web site (as described above).
If you have specific
questions about the Guardian Angel
Program, you may e-mail us at Angels@ChiRhoPress.com,
or telephone us at 301/926-1208.
Thank you for your support!
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2. Readers Value Weekly Reflection from ‘The Road to Emmaus’
Chi Rho Press began
to feature meditations from ‘The Road
to Emmaus,’ an inclusive devotional edited by Dr. Joseph
Houle, in weekly e-mails July 29. ‘The Road to Emmaus’
offers readers the right mix of worship and reflection.
Our readers have
loved receiving these Chi Rho Reflections,
the weekly e-mail that includes a selection from ‘The Road
to Emmaus,’ which is our featured book for the next month.
Readers have written Chi Rho Press describing the weekly
Reflections as ‘a blessing’ and ‘a gift.’ Other readers
have even requested the use of the material for church
bulletins and in Bible study classes.
James B. Nelson writes
of the book, ‘Reading the devotions
in The Road to Emmaus made scriptural passages come alive
for me, often in new ways. Further, the writings prodded
me to examine my spirituality more honestly. And, most
importantly, they freshened my hope.’
If you seek a deeper
walk with the risen Christ, the daily
meditations of ‘The Road to Emmaus’ will speed you on your
way. The book was published in 1989 by Emmaus House of
Prayer. Since the house of prayer ceased to exist, Chi Rho
Press has been the exclusive distributor of this wonderful
book.
‘The Road to
Emmaus’ is a valuable resource for those who
wish to balance the frenetic pace of modern life with
moments of recollection and spiritual refreshment. There
is a Gospel reading for each day of the year and a
meditation based upon it. Each meditation is a gentle
invitation to become attentive to the presence of the
Sacred in the ordinary circumstances of our lives and to
open our hearts to the risen Christ in quiet reflection.
‘The Road to
Emmaus’ affirms the goodness of all God's
children -- young and old; male and female; lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgendered person; heterosexuals; single,
coupled, and celibate; and people of all races, physical
ability, and education. Its message is that the Gospel
is good news for all people.
‘The Road to
Emmaus’ is available from Chi Rho Press for
$9.95 each, six or more copies for $7.50 each, plus
shipping and handling. Please order it on our secure
shopping cart on our Web site at http://www.ChiRhoPress.com.
Subscribers to the
Chi Rho Connection will also receive
the Chi Rho Reflection at the beginning of each week.
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3. New Kreider/Wallner Video Available
Chi Rho Press author
and Pennsylvania activist Roberta
Krieder is now featured in a new video produced by
John Davis. The Press now offers 'Family Stories:
Journeys of Spirit in Mixed Orientation Families'
through mail orders only. The video also includes the
story of Mary Lou Wallner, and an introduction
by the Rev. Peter J. Gomes.
'Family Stories'
presents the journeys of two women whose
lives have changed dramatically in working through issues
of sexuality and religion. The untimely deaths of family
members (one a gay brother, the other a lesbian daughter)
lead them to confront their feelings of confusion and
hypocrisy. They provide hope for families, as well as
religious and social organizations, by clearly
demonstrating how minds can and do change.
The video should
prove a helpful resource for prayer
groups, educational efforts of various organizations such
as PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians
and Gays), and anyone interested in considering the
costs of discrimination.
Roberta Kreider,
who has labored tirelessly in her
own communnity, compiled and edited the book
'From Wounded Hearts: Faith Stories of Lesbian,
Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgendered People and Those Who Love
Them.' Chi Rho Press published her book in 1998. She
is a 74 year old heterosexual living in rural Pennsylvania
with her husband Harold, a retired Mennonite minister.
Mary Lou Wallner
is an active member of Soulforce,
and a
frequent speaker across the country. She is an R.N. and
runs a free HIV clinic.
The Rev. Peter J.
Gomes is the author of 'The Good Book:
Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart.' He has served
as Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard
University and minister in The Memorial Church since 1974.
'Family Stories'
is in VHS format, color, and 35 minutes,
and sells for $29.95, shipping and handling included.
It is only available through the mail. Please send your
check or money order for $29.95 to Chi Rho Press, P.O.
Box 7864, Gaithersburg, MD 20898. Pre-paid orders only
please.
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4. New Promissory Notes Available
The Chi Rho Press
Board of Directors has authorized the
issuance of new Promissory Notes. We have recently paid
off the first four of the 17 Notes that are outstanding,
and the Board feels it is timely to offer additional notes
to continue our full capitalization program.
As before, $1,000
Promissory Notes are available from Chi
Rho Press, at 8% simple interest, repaid in eight
quarterly payments over a two year period.
Write Adam@ChiRhoPress.com
for the text of the Promissory
Note, or send your check for $1,000 (or $2,000, $3,000,
or even $5,000!). We will send a signed Note after the
receipt of your check.
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5.
Report on Soulforce at the Lutheran
Conference
by the Rev. Jeff Miner, pastor, Jesus MCC, Indianapolis, IN
On Monday, August
13, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, gathered at its worldwide assembly, narrowly
voted against authorizing Holy Unions for same sex
couples. With over a thousand delegates voting, a slim
majority (51%) voted to study the matter instead for the
next four years.
Soon after the vote,
Soulforce swung into action. A
Soulforce press conference was held outside the convention
center. Various gay Lutherans, parents of gay Lutherans,
and affirming clergy spoke of the terrible toll that
discrimination is taking on the LGBT children of Lutheran
families. Perhaps the most eloquent speaker was a 19 year
old Lutheran boy who shared his pain at being rejected by
his Church. The press conference was covered by the
Associated Press, Channel 8, Channel 13, and various other
media.
Afterward, over 100
Soulforce delegates (many of whom were
Lutheran) marched in silent prayer to the front of the
convention center. Eight of us from Jesus MCC were among
them. When we reached the front of the convention center,
in successive waves we knelt on the pavement and prayed.
As hundreds of Lutheran delegates looked on, we sang "God
is crying." Many of us were moved to tears; some of the
Lutheran delegates shed tears.
Behind us stood the
reproduction of the historic Wittenberg
Church doors. (The reproductions were constructed by Patti,
Patti, and Kerry and donated to Soulforce by Jesus MCC.)
Martin Luther nailed his demands for reform of the Church
to the original Wittenberg Doors, marking the birth of
Lutheranism four hundred years ago. To our doors we
affixed the names, pictures, and stories of scores of
GLBT Lutherans who have paid a heavy price for
discrimination. It was our way of challenging the
Lutheran Church to reform itself.
I believe that many
Lutheran delegates who watched the
Soulforce Action were moved to examine themselves as
they saw scores of us (their fellow Christians) on our
knees pleading for an end to discrimination. The
Lutheran delegates watched as many of us were arrested
and hauled away in police wagons, charged with obstructing
the sidewalk.
The scene was both
sad and deeply moving. Those arrested
from Jesus MCC were Kerry Armstrong, Deb Doty, and myself.
Julie and Jennifer Benson also knelt defiantly, but the
police refused to arrest them (and a handful of others)
once the second police bus was filled to capacity. (You
know you're having a bad day when you can't even get the
police to arrest you!) Three hours after the Soulforce
Action, the Lutheran Assembly took another vote. This time
they voted to approve a resolution stating that, at the
end of their four year study, a date-certain will be set
to begin ordaining gay clergy who are in committed
relationships. This was an odd turn of events, and marked
a measured retreat from the vote earlier in the day.
Although we have no way of knowing, I believe our
Soulforce Action probably impacted how some of the
delegates voted the second time around. Since the votes
were so very close, only a few delegates had to be
persuaded to alter the outcome.
Now we will wait
to see if the Lutherans honor the
commitment they made today. It is a shame that the end
of discrimination must await four or more years. But at
least the Lutheran Church took a step in the right
direction.
Thank you for your prayers.
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Adam DeBaugh will
be teaching a beginners stained glass
class at Holy Redeemer MCC, College Park, MD, on Saturday,
15 September at 10 am. Each participant will have the
opportunity to make a small piece of stained glass, a
sun catcher like a cross or other design. Another
larger work in progress will be there on the site for
people to see and even work on. The cost will be $5.00
to cover the cost of materials. If you are in the
Maryland or DC area and would like to sign up, please
write him at Adam@ChiRhoPress.com.
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Summer is winding
down, about to give way to autumn and
Labor Day is just around the corner. I hope you all have
had time to rest and become refreshed over this summer.
As we face the start of school, the end of the vacation
season, and gearing up for more activity at work and at
church, please don’t lose sight of the need for vacations.
God set us a wonderful
example with the institution of the
Sabbath. Every seventh day, we are advised to rest. Do
you spend your Sabbath resting, or do you fill it with too
much busy work around the house, or frantic pursuits of
pleasure? Take time to just sit and think, pray and
meditate, relax and let God speak to your hearts. Good
stewardship means taking care of yourself too!
I have long recommended
sabbath periods in all kinds of
ways. Taking off the seventh of any period of time is a
good idea. We have seventh-year Sabbaticals, the word
comes from the word Sabbath. I recommend to pastors that
they should take every seventh Sunday off whereever
possible a sabbath of Sabbaths. In whatever time period
you do it, please take time to rest; to listen to the
still, small voice of God; and to seek refreshment and
renewal.
My message of self-care
comes from my experiences of the
last few weeks. As I fight off a foot infection and
surgery that has left me wearing a surgical boot for
over a week, I am reminded of how fragile we can be and
how easy it is to fall prey to accidents, disease, or
illness. We all need to rest, relax, and take care of
ourselves.
If summer didn’t
provide you that chance, perhaps it is
time you made the time for yourself
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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
---------------------------
If you've received our Chi Rho Connection as a result of the good offices
of
someone passing it along to you (which we certainly encourage) and would
like to
receive it directly from us, please follow the directions at the end of
our
Connection to subscribe.
For
orders, please write to us: Orders@ChiRhoPress.com.
If you have
questions, please write to Question@ChiRhoPress.com.
For comments and
suggestions about this eNewsletter, please write Connection@ChiRhoPress.com.
To learn about our Guardian Angel Individual Sponsor Program, please write
Angels@ChiRhoPress.com. For
all other correspondence, please write Adam@ChiRhoPress.com.
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.
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.
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Visit the Chi Rho Press Website http://www.ChiRhoPress.com