A-10 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE PRIDE GUIDE 1997
Queer in the belfry
Gay pastor will keep vigil for hungry children
by Dawn Leach
Cleveland-Right wing religious conservatives might be surprised to hear that a pastor who is about to lead a vigil for needy children from his church's belfry is also planning to lead contingent in the Gay Pride march. For Rev. David Bahr, openly gay pastor of Archwood United Church of Christ, both have become annual traditions.
"We've made the cultural shift with regard to women and with regard to slavery, but the same thing has to be done with gay and lesbian people."
Bahr said it's important that gay and lesbian Christians have a visible presence at Pride because of the negative associations many gays have with religious organizations. Bahr said the UCC is a denomination with a more accepting attitude.
"We've made the cultural shift with regard to women and with regard to slavery," said Bahr, "but the same thing has to be done with gay and lesbian people."
For the fourth year, Bahr will confront his fear of heights to climb into the open-air steeple towering above Archwood UCC at 5 pm Friday, June 6. He won't come down until the steps of the church are covered with food donations for the Brookside Hunger Center.
"Just like pride, it's important that we do this for the sake of our self and our larger
community," Bahr said. "There is a joy in being able to give, and we're providing an opportunity to do that."
"I hope that people will help me get to come down," he added.
Members of the congregation will keep a 24-hour vigil to pray for the people who need food. According to the Brookside Center, over half the people it serves are children.
Bahr said that when summer arrives, children are no longer in school where they can get subsidized meals. At the same time, giving decreases. Bahr began doing the annual vigil in 1994 to draw attention to the problem.
"We started doing it to have some fun on our 175th anniversary year, to celebrate and try to raise a dramatic amount of food," said Bahr.
The event was very successful, and Bahr was asked to do it again the next year.
"I get nervous every year as it comes closer," Bahr said.
Bahr had planned to stop after last year's vigil, but he said, “People keep telling me it's too important."
For safety reasons, the Cleveland Fire Department will lift Bahr to the belfry with a hook and ladder truck, rather than have him climb the rickety ladder he used for the first two years.
Bahr said he is also looking forward to marching in the Pride parade this year, and has ordered a new banner for the church members to carry.
"A pride that is enriched by religious faith and practice is a deeper and more enriching pride," said Bahr, "because it doesn't seek to elevate the self for its own sake but to grow in love and understanding of one's self that those around us may also be transformed." The church is located at 2800 Archwood Ave., off Pearl Rd. just south of I-71 in Cleveland.
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ARCHWOOD UCC
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The Cleveland Fire Department lifts Rev. David Bahr into the belfry of his church for last year's hunger vigil.
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