Page 16 HIGH GEAR November 1980

3rd anniversary for MCC Akron

On Sunday September 21, the Akron Metropolitan Christian Church marked the third anniversary of the Pastorate of the Revs. Umbertino and Wheeler. A church dinner and special worship service were held to honor them. Nine new members were received and the Rev. Robert Baldauf. Pastor of the Grace

UCC in Norton who ordained Revs. Wheeler and Umbertino. and his wife were recognized as official friends of the church. Rev. Baldauf has been ordained over 40 years, and stated he was "deeply honored to be able to work in a community with these fine, capable women as Pastors and leaders."

Revs. Umbertino and Wheeler were interviewed for a feature article which appeared in the Akron Beacon Journal on Sat., Sept. 27. The article was the first feature write-up the gay community has received in the Beacon since 1974 The Revs. Wheeler and Umbertino are outspoken proponents of the idea that gay individuals are just as capable of leading healthy, pro⚫ductive, and fulfilling lives as

anyone else.

One of the big differences these two women make is the fact

selves as professionals and knowledgeable ministers who are frequently asked to speak on col lege campuses, radio shows, and to other church groups. Rev. Wheeler reported that on Wed.. Oct. 8, they were guests of Nick Anthony for an hour live on WHLO (640arn on the dial). After the success of this program they will now be heard on November 12. a Wed. evening for 2 to 3 hours from 8 to 11 p.m., on Nick's new show. It is hoped that various facets of the gay lifestyle can be covered in greater depth with the expanded time allotment. Rev. Umbertino is rather well-known state-wide as an expert on Homosexuality and the Bible, and travels giving seminars at diverse places such as Ohio Univ., the Luther League Convention of Central Ohio, the Good Shepherd Methodist adult church school (Akron). Kent State. Akron Univ., and several radio shows. Every year at least twice the church offers thiscourse as a rap group: this Fall the course on Homosexuality and the Scriptures will be in November (call the church office

at 688-4492 for further information)

In addition to speaking on the that they have established themspiritual side of the gay lifestyle,

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Revs. Wheeler and Umbertino spend a sizeable amount of time teaching seminars to professional counselors and peer counselors in the Northeast Ohio area. This Fall already they have done in-service training sessions for the psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers of Cuyahoga Valley Mental Health Agency, Family Service Society.' Portage Path Mental Health Center, Summit County Mental Health Assoc., Ahead, Support, Service Central, and Info Line. Rev. Umbertino commented: "many gay persons go to these agencies for help only to be turned off by a counselor's attitude, so our church and we as its Pastors.invest time trying to teach these other professionals how to work with their gay clients, and at times overcome their own prejudice. After all our tax dollars support these agencies and we as citizens have a right to expect good treatment."

"Obviously our church, the Akron Metropolitan Christian, Gay business foundation formed

SAN FRANCISCO (IGNA)The Golden Gate Business Association has formed the GGBA Foundation, a non-profit organization to aid other taxexempt associations and/or corporations for the purpose of charitable, educational, or scientific endeavors.

Charities that receive funds from the Foundation will be asked to demonstrate proper financial controls to ensure that money received is used properly.

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Church works hard behind the misinformed we have a recogniscenes to try and improve the tion of our endurance. "So many environment around us, and with organizations and people in our two full-time paid ministers, our community are transitory, a year congregation is attempting to here, six months there; it takes continue to establish the suppor'awhile for people to believe and tive atmosphere necessary to trust--to believe anything can change people's minds and last and grow and really work and someday the law to acknowledge help them. If nothing else the gay gay people's oppression." Rev. community here knows we are Wheeler pointed out that in this going to stay, and so does the part of the country you have to non-gay community," Rev. pay your dues' and prove to Umbertino stated.. other ministers and professionals that you are well educated, have good credentials, make sense, and that regardless of what happens you are going to stay. Some do this by lying initially, but usually they don't prove out under questioning by other professionals. After 3 years we have gained a good amount of respect for our work, and even from those who are prejudiced or

SPURS

"In March our church family will celebrate 7 years as a worshipping community and some of those from the early days are still here. That's a testimony in itself, and we still have many people to reach, but we've made a good productive start, Rev. Wheeler commented. For further information on the Akron Metropolitan Christian Church or its activities, call 688-4492.

Poetry

By Bambi Fontaine

From no where came this spur cracking stud Black leather boots with silver spurs

Two bull dogs wearing spikes Intriguing black and gold chains just waiting for some willing soul.

I wanted to run but I could not

move

I was so compelled by this big

hunk of man What could I do?

And all of a sudden I could hear the crackling of those sparkling chains

And the close but distant howls of those spike wearing hounds The excitement intrigued me to want more

And then it happened

I wanted to yell from the pain But I could not help this tremendous desire that was building up in me

What was I to do? And then I was being led on those heavy but sparkling chains My but did it ever beat any thing

that I had ever experienced was at the point that I did not

want to run

But wanted the whole glorious thing to dement my body Torture my soul

And at the same time I was floating from the pain

But it was a peaceful flowing kind of thing

What could this thing be that i was feeling

And at that point I knew my master was at hand.

And he spoke, "Just call me Mary."

Sentinel editor charges kidnap attempt

SAN FRANCISCO (IGNA) The editor of the San Franciscobased newspaper The Sentinel has said that there has been a second kidnap attempt at his home. He attributes the unsuccessful attempt to a left-wing black/Hispanic organization called the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee..

However, Prairie Fire wrote several letters to the newspaper denying the charges. Part of their statement reads as follows: "We want to be crystal-clear: these charges against PFOC are nothing but police lies, with not a shred of evidence to back them up. By spreading scare stories of impending Black/revolutionary left war against gay people, the police are whipping up racist hysteria in the gay community and posing as the defenders of gay people."

Charles Lee Morris, the Sen-, tinel's publisher, wrote an editorial in the September 19th issue, blasting "the paranoid prat tlings" of the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee.

selves from attacks through safestreet campaigns as "a nationally directed genocidal campaign against blacks and Hispanics" is "A twisted view of the world at best, the meanderings of senseless minds at worst."

Morris took further aim at the

complaints that gays are moving into mostly black neighborhoos and changing them. "First of all," he wrote, it seems to me the purpose of the civil rights movements I've been working in for the last twenty years was to totally integrate our society: Now the PFOC wants to continue creating ghettos?"

"has long histories of different He added that San Francisco migrations to the City, each wave displacing persons who arrived earlier. Gays are just the latest wave to land ashore here. There is no sinister conspiracy behind this, it's just the natural progression of people in search of freedom."

When IGNA spoke to Morris, he said that he has no intention of giving in to the implicit threads of Prairie Fire. He said that the police have advised him to move. He went on to say that to'charand others have urged him to go acterize-the-attempts-by-gays-in-into hiding, but he said he will not San Francisco to protect themdo either of these things,