NOVEMBER 11, 1994

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 9

MILESTONES

Jeff Smeltzer and Miles Doane join in holy union

THE WINNING PAIR

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Miles Doane left, and Jeff Smeltzer

In honor of their fifth year together, Jeff Smeltzer and Miles Doane were joined in holy union October 1. Both the ceremony and reception were held in a stone pavilion high on a hillside near Whipps Ledges in the Hinckley Reservation of Cleveland Metroparks.

The ceremony drew heavily on the traditions and wording of ancient ceremonies used by male (and occasionally female) couples during the twelve centuries of the Christian church, as translated in John Boswell's recent book, Same Sex Unions in Premodern Europe. With this historical context, coupled with a loathing of modern formal wear and a taste for the anachronistic, the couple chose to dress in period garb and fashion the reception after a medieval feast.

Officiating at the ceremony was the Rev. Mark Baridon, of Bosworth Road Presbyterian Church. The couple was attended by an Honor Guard of five close friends: Doug Braun, Abbie Frost, Art Kaltenborn, Kim Slater, and Rich Horton. Horton, as founding chairperson of the Northern Ohio chapter of Presbyterians for Lesbian and Gay Concerns and ordained an Elder by the Presbyterian Church, was well suited to serve as Leader of the Guard. In this role he assisted in leading the ceremony and the serving of the communion. Each of the Guard pledged to support and defend Miles and Jeff's union, as did the many family and friends gathered. Music was provided by flutist Gail Jarrol of Noble Road Presbyterian Church.

The pavilion was easily converted to an outdoor chapel using an alter table dressed in purple with gold trim. The communion ele-

Announce your happy occasions!

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ments, in a family heirloom pewter service, were placed on either side of a Celtic cross hand-hewn for the occasion. A single white rose also rested on the table in memory of Miles' father.

Following the ceremony, guests feasted on huge one-pound drumsticks, fresh fruit, and a variety of other foods served in bread trenchers. Friends of the family pressed gallons of cider in their mills in Michigan for the event. Other friends contributed a spice sheet cake. Decorated with white and cream icing and adorned by a purple and white floral arrangement, its flavor won the praise of one and all.

Obviously, the couple was happy to avoid the conventional on this day, including smashing cake in each other's face, clinking crystal from guests eager to see kissing (there was plenty of that anyway), and wild decorations on their car (a simple rainbow flag fluttering on the roof was sufficient).

Jeff and Miles met while doing volunteer work for the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center in 1989 and recommend such community service to those in the lesbian and gay community looking for friends and relationships. Like many of the friends among their guests, they are active members of Presbyterian for Lesbian and Gay Concerns.

Because the Presbyterian Church unfortunately must soon vote on an amendment to their Book of Order that would effectively ban such Holy Unions, the couple is hoping, with the help of PLGC, to make a videotape of their ceremony available to Presbyterians as an informational resource.

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