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Openly-gay pastor joins Archwood UCC church

by Kevin Beaney

On February 7, a special ordination service will be taking place at the Archwood United Church of Christ (UCC). At 4 pm, David Bahr will be formally ordained and also installed as pastor of the church, located at 2800 Archwood Ave, near Denison and Pearl.

Bahr is a gay man who has been serving the UCC in various capacities for many years. With his appointment as an openlygay pastor, he joins only a handful of others in UCC congregations across the country. Bahr determined from the beginning that during any interviews he would make his sexual orientation known; any church choosing him would have to accept and validate that he was openly gay.

The new pastor grew up in North Dakota, knowing from early on that he would serve his church. While in college he had religious training that enabled him to serve as "interim pastor" at several South Dakota

January 22, 1993

Male Group of the Year

Volume 8 Issue 7

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An Independent Chronicle of the Lesbian & Gay Community

Photo by Drew Cari

The North Coast Men's Chorus is among the 1992 recipients of the Chronicle's Community Service Awards. Six other groups or individuals will also be honored at a ceremony on February 21. A look at all of the recipients is on page 20.

churches. Recognizing the reality of sparse HIT covers '92 deficit; programs continue

population and few ordained ministers who choose to relocate there, the UCC arranges for licensed interim pastors who, while not formally ordained, perform those function

Continued on Page 7

Stonewall is making progress with city rights law

Representatives from Stonewall Cleveland have recently met with City of Cleveland officials and presented recommended revisions to the city's anti-discrimination ordinances.

Current city anti-discrimination legislation was written mostly in the 1960's and focuses almost exclusively on race. As a result, these ordinances do not always protect citizens from discrimination based on sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, ancestry, handicap or national origin.

In preparation for the meetings, Stonewall Cleveland reviewed all current and relevant ordinances and found that each should contain consistent language protecting all citizens from discrimination.

Meetings with City Council President Jay Westbrook and with Sam Thomas III, executive director of the Community Relations Board were called successful by Keith Sutton, Stonewall Cleveland's acting president. Both officials expressed their support and are in favor of such improved protections. No legislation has been introduced at this time, pending logistical decisions about how it should be re-written.

by Kevin Beaney

The prolonged recession through 1992 continued to take its toll, reducing individual donations and grant monies to service organizations. The board of the Health Issues Taskforce (HIT) saw trends developing by mid-year that their budget could not be met. By October, they had trimmed their projected expenses from $600,000 to $470,000, eliminating important,but_not critical operational items and applying a wage freeze. They also began an emergency fundraising campaign.

The projected deficit was $120,000 before the campaign started. By year's end, Executive Director Joseph Interrante reports that $121,000 was raised, assuring that HIT enters the new fiscal year fresh and

ready to face even greater financial challenges.

"The success of the fundraising is due to the many volunteers who participated, and to those who gave donations. It would not have worked without the volunteers," said Interrante. Donations came from the board, a major donor solicitation, many individuals, as well as several special events such as the "Red to Black" fundraiser. Some grant donors provided emergency support, and collections during the Great Lakes Theatre Festival's A Christmas Carol and the touring Guys 'n Dolls were shared with HIT and Broadway Cares, a New York-based group.

Other funds that were planned for in the budget also went towards the deficit, such as United Way contributions and some of the $16,000 raised from the AIDS Walk in

'Princess' and partner dead in Youngstown murder-suicide

Former Clevelanders Charles T. Cline, 42, and Joseph Fryar, 27, were found dead in their home on Jacobs Road in Youngstown on December 14. Police discovered the men after a neighbor became concerned when she had not been able to contact them for several days.

The Mahoning County coroner's office determined that Fryar murdered Cline and then committed suicide. Cline, popularly known by his drag name "Princess," was found in the basement with his body covered by blankets and his feet, wrists and neck bound with electrical cord. Fryar's body was found asphyxiated in a car in the garage, a hose running from the exhaust to the interior.

The Youngstown Vindicator reported Continued on Page 7 that Detective Sgt. Cosmo Santillo and

Detective David McKnight, who were assigned to the case, learned that Fryar was HIV-positive and a crack cocaine addict. The victims had argued over Fryer's addiction, according to McKnight. Cline was a recovering alcoholic.

Fryer had left his family in Youngstown and moved to Cleveland at the age of 16. He met Princess here and the two of them had been living together for about two years. The couple moved to Youngstown in April, 1992. Cline worked as a clerk at Salvation Army stores during the past few months.

Fryer was buried on December 18 in Youngstown; Cline's body was cremated and taken to Pennsylvania by his mother. Friends ask that donations be made to Kamana House or the Living Room in their memory.

October.

The Taskforce's HIV education and assistance programs were never affected by the shortfall, although if the fundraising had not been a success some programs might have suffered.

HIT, like most service organizations, has complicated books. Almost all grants are for specific programs, where the money must be spent only on that program's direct services. Administrative expenses which are a necessary part of the process need funding from other sources, typically individual donations. When an event, such as "Take a Stand," raises money for HIT, almost all of it is earmarked for direct services such as housing subsidies, financial assistance, and education programs.

As the emergency fundraising campaign continued, HIT administrators took the crisis as an opportunity to rework their infrastructure. In the past, the Taskforce was not flexible enough to respond to sudden shifts in economics or programs. Now, Interrante feels HIT is ready to adapt and grow much more easily. A companion chore he accomContinued on Page 7

CONTENTS

Mass wedding at the March .. 5 FBI hate crime report out 5 Courts could stop amendment .. 6 Make March travel plans now Are "we" everywhere?

On the Air

Coming out to your kids

Chorus concert review

Two plays of note

Book reviews...

8

11

17

18

23

24, 25

26, 27

Charlie's Calendar, classifieds. 32 Personals..

Look out-here come the Lesbian Avengers!

Resource Directory.

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