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HIGH GEAR/APRIL 1978

COMMUNITY PHONE REFERENCE

Gay Hotline 321-8632

CLEVELAND

GAY ORGANIZATIONS

Gay Community Center 321-2664

Dignity/Cleveland 791-0942

Nativity Fellowship Church 951-8705

CINCINNATI

Gay Men's Hotline 241-0001 Lesbian Referral Line 621-CARE Dignity-621-4811 M.C.C.-241-8216

DAYTON

Dignity-426-1836

HEALTH CARE

-241-2619

V.D. 24 Hour Information Tape 621-2191 Gay Alcoholics East Side Free Clinic-721-4010 Near West Side Free Clinic 2831-4242 Free Clinic of Lake Co. 255-6783

WOMEN

Cleveland Women's Counseling 321-8585 WomenSpace 391-6650

Rape Crisis Center 391-3912

Women's Growth Cooperative 321-8582 Oven Productions 371-1697.

What She Wants 391-6551

Gay Center 278-3963 Lesbian-Feminist League 275-3606

KENT

Kent Gay Liberation Front 672-2058

Oberlin College Gay Union Ohio Gay Rights Coalition

OBERLIN

775-8131 775-8131

TOLEDO

A.C.L.U. -781-6276

Legal Aid Society 861-6242

LEGAL

Personal Rights Organization 243-9351

YELLOW SPRINGS

BOWLING GREEN

Antioch Gay Liberation 767-7311 x217

Gay Union 352-8712

AKRON

COLUMBUS

Gay Women's Peer Counseling 263-0229 G.A.A.-443-7892

Alcoholic Help 443-1052, 864-5440 DIGNITY-COLUMBUS-274-1029 CENTRAL OHIO LESBIANS 291-9114 GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE 422-8212 GAY LAW ASSOCIATION 422-1764

CENTRAL OHIO GAY COALITION 291-9114 GAY PEER COUNSELING 284-6337 PARENTS AND FRIENDS 294-0082 OT'S MUSIC UNION 299-4587 GAY ALCOHOLICS 864-5440

M.C.C.-836-3930

CASCADE COMMUNITY CHURCH 434-5709

If there are any organizations not listed that you feel should be, please write:

Community Phone Reference

C/O HIGH GEAR

P.O. BOX 6177 CLEVELAND OHIO 44101

MCC: FRONT LINE REPORT

By Rev. Karen J. Wheeler

A church which proclaims liberation for all, a church which extends its ministry to black and brown and yellow and white alike, a church in which women and men are one in Christ Jesus, a church in which there is a mingling of rich and poor, old and young, handsome and homely, butch and fem, transvestites and leather devotees, a church which welcomes gay and straight people to worship together, to witness together and to work and serve together ... such a church is, indeed a rare church in the twentieth century. But this is the kind of church described in the pages of the New Testament. This is the kind of church revealed to the Rev. Troy D. Perry in the modern day revelation which led to the founding of the Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles. on October 6, 1968. This Fellowship of churches has grown rapidly and well in its nearly ten years of existence, and the one hundred and thirty church groups and over 30,000 members world-wide stand as testimony to this fact. While the church has been growing rapidly and visibly in

numbers, it has also grown invisibly in inner strength and drive.

This last summer at the International Conference of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in Denver, Colorado, when thousands of our members and friends gathered for the week long activities, Brian McNaught brought greetings before one of the meetings by telling us that the meetings by telling us that many people in the community saw "MCC as a pillar of fire at night." He exhorted us not to dim our beacon.. as we give many hope.

It is interesting to note the general changes that have occurred in the gay community during the existence of the Fellowship. The GLF (Gay Liberation Front) organizations came and went... they began a renewed struggle for gay rights in many cities and then faded as factionalism and political concerns became more divisive. Lesbian organizations struggled with feminist and political issues and many D.O.B. (Daughters of Bilites) chapters folded as interest waned.

Now national and fe

coalitions seem to be the new force in the gay community as the NGTF (National Gay Task Force) gains and grows. But as Blueboy magazine recently pointed out so aptly, "MCC is the only stable and enduring thing in the gay community to date, and it has the advantage of being an organization where men and women work together."

A few years ago people thought it impossible not only for gays to be Christian, but also for them to develop any programs or institutions of a lasting nature. Yet there's a fly in the ointment ... MCC, the exception to the myth.

MCC is always on the front line in the struggle for human liberties. Our prison ministry has fought several successful court battles to bring the word of God and liberation to our brothers and sisters who are incarcerated. We operate programs in the area of drug abuse and alcoholism on a nationwide basis. Naturally, we teach many classes and do public relations work for the gay community on T.V., radio, and college camBuses Recently, many other many other denominations have been

discussing gays in the church and clergy... these groups are calling on MCC for resources, for speakers, for explanations and for help.

proud of our association with the Fellowship. We are firmly resolved to serve and unite the gay community in the greater Akron area. Through worship services, social events, activities, classes and presentations we reach out and provide opportunities for sharing to sisters and brothers all over Northeastern Ohio.

If you would like to come and share a worship experience with us... our services are at 3300 Morewood Road (directly across from the Market Street entrance to Summit Mall) at 2 p.m. every Sunday. Or for more information on activities and events during the week, call the church office at (216) 836-3930.

By virtue of our very existence we challenge in a real way the teachings and doctrinal positions of the established churches. We at MCC do this in a way that gay liberation organizations cannot ... for we do not proclaim to be a "gay church" but a Christian church open to all where sexual orientation does not determine acceptability in our sight or in God's sight. We confront those denominations toe-to-toe in their treatment and teachings regarding the homophile community. This is an appropriate happening as the persecution of gays began in the Christian church in the second century, and it is only fitting that we in MCC stand in the fury with our Christian brothers and sisters. Regardless of the outcome of some of these skirmishes the battle for justice and human freedom continued and MCC will always be on the front line. Here in Northeastern, higiene e miniscencinin and specifically in Akron, we are

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