LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
In Brief |
Jazz Mass Returns to All Saints' Church in Rehoboth In what has become a Jazz Festival tradition for Rehoboth's All Saints' Episcopal Parish, the rector, Father Max Wolf, and the joint choirs of All Saints' Church and St. George's Chapel, will present two performances of a Jazz Mass by Steven Porter during the Autumn Jazz Festival weekend. Mr. Porter composed this Mass in 1997 and it was published in 1998. The All Saints' choir presented the Mass for the first time in October of 1999 where it was so well received that it has become an annual event. This year the Mass will be presented on Saturday, October 20th at 6:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, October 21st at the regular 10:00 a.m. service. The church is located at 18 Olive Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. The Mass performance will be accompanied by a jazz combo featuring Christy Taylor on piano, Ed Bawley on string bass, Janel Price on drums, Jalisa Bonville on flute, and Jeremy Edler on trumpet. With syncopated rhythms and encouragement of improvisation, jazz has always embodied the spirit of celebration and is used in the religious community to celebrate the spirit. Each part of the Mass is introduced by a chant taken from the Gregorian repertoire and both the Latin and English texts are standard verbiage from the Mass liturgy. The entire text of the Mass is not used, however, and thus the Jazz Mass falls into the historical category of a "Missa Brevis" (a brief Mass). The Mass will be under the direction of Jack Schaffer, Director of Music at All Saints' Parish. The prelude for this service will be a dramatic setting of "Lord of the Dance" for piano and organ by the Jazz composer Joel Rainey. The piano part will be played by Tom Tibbetts of Lewes. The anthem will be a very upbeat arrangement of "Great, Great Morning" by Joseph Martin, and will also be accompanied by the jazz ensemble. The Mass is being dedicated to the memory of all the people who lost their lives in the tragic incidences of September 11, 2001 and also to their loved ones who grieve. All Saints' Episcopal Church is located at 18 Olive Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. There is no charge for the performance.Wow, Were Those Waffles Good! On Saturday morning, September 22, the New Amsterdam Gourmet at 26 Baltimore Avenue, was filled with people enjoying waffles, waffles, and more waffles, as part of a Women's Project of CAMP Rehoboth fundraiser. This early bird event was the brainchild of New Amsterdam owners Nedra Myers and Kit Nease. Together with volunteers from the Women's Project, Ned and Kit provided a tasty waffle, juice, and coffee breakfast that was enjoyed by all. Half of the ticket sale proceeds went to the Women's Project, and the $408.00 raised will be used to support upcoming events sponsored by the Project. A big thank you goes out to the volunteers who, besides being incredibly cheery that early in the morning, also helped by selling tickets, serving and cleaning up. This hearty crew included Bea Wagner, Andrea Andrus, Libby Stiff, Mary Hudson, Elva Weininger, Lesley Rogan, Ellen Feinberg, Maggie Shaw, Joan Glass, Louisa Watrel, Cindy Johnson and Judy Turner. Thanks to all that came to support the Women's Project by eating waffles. We couldn't have done it without you! To volunteer for future events, or for more information on The Women's Project, call CAMP Rehoboth at 302-227-5620. Tutto Bene Benefits Asthma Foundation Reprinted with permission of Cape Gazette Acclaimed actor Paul Sorvino will bring his campaign against childhood asthma to the Cape Region Saturday, November 17, for a fundraiser at the Tutto Bene Ristorante Italiano in the Midway Shopping Center. Tutto Bene is hosting "Dinner and An Evening with Paul Sorvino" to benefit the Sorvino Children's Asthma Foundation. "It is going to be an illustrious cocktail party with food stations showcasing our authentic Italian cuisine. It is an honor to have Paul Sorvino coming to help with an important cause," said John Dileo, co-owner and executive chef. Dileo has joined the actor in fundraising efforts for the asthma foundation in the past. Child asthma is one of the most common conditions affecting children globally. "We want everyone to know this is not going to be a full show, though," said Tutto Bene co-owner Fran Gonzon. "Sorvino may decide to do a few numbers or just mingle with the group over dinner." What is guaranteed by the Tutto Bene owners, is a culinary tour of Italy, including menu favorites, an open bar, house-made specialty desserts and an enjoyable evening for a good cause. Tickets for the event are $200 with 100% of the proceeds going to Sorvino's foundation. For information and tickets call Tutto Bene at 302-644-9005.. MCC Presentation on GLBT Legal Issues Legal issues affecting the gay and lesbian community will be the focus of a presentation at MCC Rehoboth on Thursday, November 29 beginning at 7:00 p.m. Ellen Feinberg, a Rehoboth Beach attorney, will be the speaker. A large part of the discussion will focus on wills, powers of attorney and partnership agreements. This will include an explanation of what these documents are, how they work, and how they are of particular importance to persons in the gay community. Ms. Feinberg will discuss the purchase of real estate and various ways that title to property may be held, including transferring property from partners to one person only or vice versa. There will also be a question and answer period for issues of specific interest to the local gay and lesbian community. Light refreshments will be served. The event, which costs $10, will be held at the MCC Rehoboth Worship Center, located in Midway Center on Highway One in Rehoboth Beach. For additional information, call 302-645-4945 or email MCCReho@aol.com. Metropolitan Community Church of Rehoboth is an inclusive and progressive Christian congregation. Worship celebrations are Sundays at 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Delaware Court Rules for Gay Dads Two youngsters in Delaware now share two legal fathers thanks to a ruling that allows a partnered gay man or lesbian to adopt their partner's children, according to Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, which represented the children's father in the case. Having been born premature and cocaine-addicted, both boys were considered "difficult to place" by the foster care system. Nevertheless, the children thrived in the care of their adopted father, Gene Hart, and his long-term partner, Burke Shiri; the children's real names are being kept confidential to protect their privacy. Hart adopted one child in 1999 and the other in 2000, and Shiri functioned alongside him in every way as parent to the boys. In June 2000, Shiri filed a petition for adoption of the two children under Delaware's adoption provision. "In raising my children, I provide them with what my parents have given melove and the security of a happy home," Shiri said. "This decision by the court does no less than ensure their right to my care and support." The Delaware family court approved what is known as a second- parent adoption, making clear that both fathers, gay men who have lived together for 22 years, are equal parents and giving significant protection to the children, ages 6 and 1. Chief judge Vincent J. Poppiti found that granting this adoption is in the children's best interest. "In fact and in law, what does matter in their best interests is that Peter and George [pseudonyms for the children] have already begun to reap the benefits of the love of these two men and have even, in their tender years, returned it in kind," Poppiti wrote in his decision. "What does matter in the best interests of Peter and George is that they are thriving in the environment created by Gene Hart and Burke Shiri." This is the first time a second-parent adoption has been granted to a gay family in Delaware, according to attorney Norman C. Simon of Kramer, Levin, Naftalis, and Frankel LLP, which handled the case for Lambda Legal Defense. Gay Blood Donation Ban Not Justified A new study by a member of an advisory council to the National Institutes of Health concludes that the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood in the United States is not scientifically justified, is losing support among the nation's blood banks, and lone resistance to changes to the policy by the American Red Cross may be for "strictly financial reasons" rather than being in the best interests of the American public, despite chronic blood shortages each year. The new study, entitled "THE GIFT OF LIFE: Gay Men and US Blood Donation Policy," was written by Bob Roehr, an independent journalist and medical writer who serves on the Council of Public Representatives (COPR), and advisory body to the Director of the National Institutes of Health. The study was published by the Liberty Education Forum, a Washington-based think-tank. Under the policy adopted in 1985, in the wake of the discovery of HIV, gay men who have had sexual relations at least once since 1977 are automatically excluded from donating blood, while heterosexuals who have engaged in the same sexual acts are restricted for a period of months but then allowed to donate. The policy sets a double standard based on status, not sexual activity, making the policy discriminatory and scientifically inconsistent. "The gay ban differs from every other blood policy exclusion in two significant ways," Roehr writes. "First, it is based on a person's status rather than acts that put them at risk for infection. Second, it reflects a double standard where the same risky acts performed by hetero-sexuals brings a temporal restriction that generally is limited to 12 months, while a gay man is banned for life." Roehr also documents the growing support among the nation's blood banks for modifications to the policy. In testimony at a watershed meeting of the FDA Blood Products Advisory Committee in September 2000, where the FDA was reviewing possible modifications to the gay ban, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) strongly advocated changes, and America's Blood Centers (ABC), which collects nearly half of all the nation's blood supply, also supported modifications. The American Red Cross (ARC) stood alone in opposing any change. Roehr reviews reports that the Red Cross opposes changes for financial reasons, and seeks to market itself as the "safest" source of blood through a policy which is not scientifically justified. BPAC support for changing FDA policy failed at that meeting by only one vote. "What motivates the American Red Cross to maintain its opposition to changing the policy? Their rhetoric focuses on maintaining minimal risk within the blood supply, but that is at odds with the policy of the AABB to which many of their professional members belong," Roehr writes. "It seems likely that money, marketing, and sheer arrogance are factors contributing to the American Red Cross maintaining this policy." Roehr also outlines several recommended changes which would update the policy, bring greater scientific consistency, and promote increased supply, which is a major priority of the nation's blood banks. The Liberty Education Forum (LEF) is a Washington-based think tank dedicated to new insights on gay and lesbian issues from a centrist perspective. The study is published on the LEF website at http://www.libertyeducationforum.org. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 14, October 19, 2001. |