AUGUST 30, 1996 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Church installs new pastor

by Bruce D. Mann Akron-A gay and lesbian church, without a minister for almost a year, will install its second pastor in a service and reception to be held in mid-September.

Linda Meredith, an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ, will lead worship services at the Emmanuel Fellowship Church beginning September 15. Meredith will move to Akron from Columbus, where she has been the chaplain for the Hospice of Grady for the past four years.

"She's a marvelous human being with a wonderful sense of humor," said church secretary Walt Brown. "It's a great opportunity for both growth and outreach."

Meredith was unanimously elected to the post in a congregational meeting July 21. Since the previous minister's resignation last September, nine candidates originally filed for the position. The field narrowed to three over the summer, with each candidate preparing a sermon for the church services. Meredith's appearance July 7 drew “scads of visitors", Brown said.

Services have been conducted since last September by the church's coordinating committee.

Brown said he hopes Meredith's appointment will result in working together with

other area churches, increased female visibility within the congregation, and increased membership.

"I see the building of a real community," Brown said.

A church newsletter describes Meredith's theological approach as including “affirmation, realization and utilization of gifts, actualization of personal and group potential.”

The newsletter also calls Meredith an evangelist, who "invites others to participate in personal spirituality and organized religion" who "offers her faith to those seeking insight and options. She does not negate another's journey or perspective."

Church attendance is expected to increase in light of the appointment, said Brown, and the church, which currently seats approximately 75 people, may have to switch to double services on Sunday to accommodate the increase. Currently, membership is estimated at 90, with over one third participating every Sunday.

"We're very excited about the possibilities," said Brown.

Emmanuel Fellowship Church is an independent unaffiliated church formed in 1986 with originally 15 members. It met in various homes and stores until moving to its current location at 60 N. Arlington St. in 1989. Services are at 11 am.

Akron candidates meet with voters

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would not oppose allowing school children to learn how to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases. He said he would not support a ban on same-sex marriage.

"I believe in tolerance," said Schmidt. “I will not tolerate discrimination against any group. Schmidt said he wasn't sure if sexual orientation was covered under any non-discrimination clauses in his district (Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, and parts of Akron) and the crowd scoffed when he said he thought it was illegal to discriminate against anyone.

Ohio has no law against anti-gay discrimination, nor do any cities in the Akron area.

Ohio House Rep. Betty Sutton, D-47 (Barberton and southern Akron), said she will introduce a bill that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to those who get HIV antibody tests. Sutton is seeking reelection.

She also denounced an insurance company that refused to release HIV test results to a man who tested positive. “That shall never be in Ohio," said Sutton. "Your are entitled to your records. They're your records." Sutton said in order to get important bills passed, it is imperative that Democrats, who now are the minority the House, take the majority.

Stonewall president Chris Hixson said that while a majority of voters support AIDS funding and equal rights for gays and lesbians, the increase in hate crimes and discriminatory legislation including preventing gays from marrying means more work is needed. "We cannot afford to be complacent about this."

Incumbent Akron Juvenile Court judge Martin Shapiro said, "Kids need love and understanding and that comes from a lot of different directions. I am not predisposed that one element of the community is better than another."

Akron Juvenile Court Judge Marvin Cook, referring to a Stark County judge who may have unethically voiced strong opinions against lesbian foster parents, said he agreed that a vocal, homophobic judge is undesirable. By a code of ethics, judges are not allowed to voice opinion or make judgment on social matters apart from interpreting the law.

Cook, Shapiro, and incumbent candidates Summit County Prosecutor Maureen O'Connor (R), and Summit County Common Pleas Judge Ted Schneiderman said they would not discriminate in hiring or allow discrimination to disrupt their offices.

Elinore Marsh Stormer, a candidate for Akron Municipal Court, also spoke. U.S. Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Akron, 14th district, sent a representative. Ohio House Rep. Karen Doty, D-Akron, 45th district, attended, but did not speak.

U.S. Rep. Joyce George, the Republican candidate challenging Sawyer; and Marty Bodnar, the Democratic candidate challenging O'Connor, were scheduled, but they canceled.

A representative of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay lobbying group, was supposed to attend but never arrived.

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Nadine DeSanto and Jeff Boone, both of Cleveland, became friends through the Buddy program, a service of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Clevakud, just one of the nine local agencies that benefit from the AIDS Walk.

don't put much stock in labels such as HIV+, gay, straight, female, male and so on. I believe in unity, not division. Labels divide us. I believe we are all one and healing can only happen with love and an open heart.

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