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MARCH
1983
 
by
RichardPloen GeneralConferenceCoordinatorCONFERENCE PLANNINGSESSION HELDINLOSANGELES
WhenGeneralConferenceXI
begins
onMondaymorningat8:15amwith worshipinthehugeConvocationHallat theUniversityofToronto,itwillbegina seriesofeventsandprogramsthatwillbe bothinterestingandenjoyable. Theweek-longConferenceprovides opportunityforofficialdelegatestocome togethertotakecareofthebusinessofthe Fellowshipbutthiswillbemixedwith informativeworkshops,specialinterest meetings,arally,afair,goodfoodand fellowship. TheConferencePlanningCommittee metinLosAngelesovertheweek-endof January29and30andgotdowntothe hardworkofseeingtoitthatthiscon- ferenceisgoingtobeaworshwhileevent. WorshipServiceswillbeheldbothmorning andevening,withspecialmusic,useofthe greatorganinConvocationHall,avolunteer orchestra(afirstforaGeneralConfer- ence!)aDeafChoirandinstrumentaland vocalsoloists.Themusicatthiscon- ferenceportendstobeahighpointofthe wholeeventwithDannyRayasMusic DirectorfromDallasMCC. AfterMorningWorshipthedelegates andattendeeswillmoveovertotheMedi- calSciencesBuildingonthecampusofthe UniversityofTorontotohavebusiness meetingsandseminarsintheclassrooms andAuditorium. Dr.VirginiaMollencottwillbethe specialspeakerthisyear.Heraddresswill begivenonThursdaymorning.Aperiod oftimeisplannedafterwardsforinterested peopletomeetwithher.Sheisafascinating speakerandshouldprovideanotherin- terestpointintheconference. MCCTorontoplansahospitalityroom tobeopenmostofthehoursoftheweek. ThepeopleofTorontohavescheduleda majordancetobeheldontheSaturday nightofconference.Inaddition,forthose whoarenotdelegatesandwouldliketours ofthecityandotherinterestingplaces, thesewillbeavailableintheafternoons. GeneralConferencewillconcludewith aworshipserviceonSundaymorning.This willbeafittingendtoaweekofmaking newfriends,ofmeetingoldacquaintances andfellowshippingwiththemandofworkingandplanningtogetherforthe future.ThePlanningCommitteethisyearis madeupofthefollowingpeople:Gary Chapman,fromthehostChurchinToronto; AdamDelsaugh,MediaCoordinator;Renee McCoy,WorshipPlanner;DannyRay, MusicDirector;andtheManagement Team:NancyWilson,ClerkoftheBoard ofElders;MichaelMank,Treasurerofthe BoardofElders;PhilGallnitz,Fellowship OfficeAdministratorandRichardPloen, ConferenceCoordinator. FRONTROW:Rev.NancyWilson,Rev.ReneeMcCoy,PhilGallnitz.BACKROW: R.AdamDeBaugh,MichaelMank,DannyRay,GaryChapman.
2JOURNEY,MARCH1983
 
COLLECTIVEEDITOR:
PaulaJ.Schoenwether
COLLECTIVEMEMBERS:
LoniAllen, TeriAnglin,LuciaChappelle,PhilGallnitz, HasaniGough,KurtKreisler,RickO'Dell, ErnestoBorgesTorres,FrankZerilli
COLLECTIVELIAISON:
TroyPerry
COLLECTIVEARTIST:
JeanGralley
COLLECTIVEWRITERS:
R.AdamDeEaugh,BobArthur,JennieBoydBull, LarryUhrig,NancyWilson
COLLECTIVECONTRIBUTORS.
Michael E.England,GeorgeS.MeDermott,Roger Webb,ElaineHall JOURNEYisamonthlymagazineofUFMCC.ThefocusofJOURNEYistoprovidenewsandreportissuesofconcern withinUFMCCandtheLesbianandGaycommunity.Contentsarecopyrightedand maynotbereproducedorextensivelyquotedwithoutpermission. EditorialOffice:5300SantaMonicaBlvd.,Suite304,LosAngeles,CA90029.Phone:(213)464-5100.Subscriptionrate$16.80peryearU.S.,Canada,Mexico. $20.80otherareas.PublishedbyUniversal FellowshipPress.PrintedinU.S.A. AllmaterialssubmittedtoJOURNEYmustbeinclusiveofgender,ageandrace.TheEditorwillmodifyanylanguagenotmeetingthesecriteria.
2
GeneralConference 3AlcoholRecovery
4
Profile
5
CCCC
6
WorldCouncil
7
SpecializedMinistries
8
ReflectiononNCC
10
FFO
11
SES
12
MovieReview
13
BookReview
14
Lesbians
&
Scripture
15
FellowshipNews COVER:
RickO'Dell
The~
I~OV
manytensemomentsago.It'shardtosay whathappenedexceptthatIdidhit bottom...andthendiscovered,tomy surprise,thatpeoplereallydidcarewhat happenedtome.Theywerewillingto help...notdotheworkforme...buthelp andsupport.Itmeantpickingmyselfup bythebootstrapsandfacingthethings thatIusuallydranktoforget,toignore. I'dbeenaroundAlcoholicsAnonymous enoughtohavememorizedalloftheirlittle clichesthatdidsomuchtokeepmesober. Oneinparticularstuckinmymind..."One dayatatime."Ilearnedthehardwaythat sometimesitwasonlyonehourata tirne...oneminutethatIwouldn'tdrink.I alsolearnedtoknowthatIdidn'thaveto beashamedtobeanalcoholic.Iwasin goodcompany...thereweremillionsofus. Itwasadisease,notasin.Itwasasinonly ifIletitdestroymeinsteadoftreatingit theonlywaypossible...stopdrinking. WhenIgotsobertheproblemswere stillthere.Lifewasstillahassleattimes, butitwaseasier,inthelongrun,andmore satisfyingtofaceitwithaclearhead.No morerabidfearofbeingtoolongaway fromthebottle,toofarawayfrommy nextdrink.Lifelooksalotdifferentwhen it'snotviewedthroughthebottomofa scotchbottle!Thedistortionisgone. There'saclaritytolifethatisasatisfaction inandofitself.Rewarding. TwothingsIlearnedaboveallothers. One,IcanbeproudofmyselfforwhatI've done,andtwo,Ican'tsuccessfullyreplace peoplewithbooze.Mygratitudeisbound- lesstomyfriends,thepeopleIworkwith, thestaffattheFellowshipOffices.Without themImightbepushingthatcartaround,
continuedonpage6 MARCH
1983,
JOURNEY3
byKurtKreisler CollectiveMember
Iwatchedhimfrommyvantagepoint inthecar...maneuveringhismarketbasket fromonepointtotheother,barelyableto walk.Disheveled,dirty...forgottenand ignored...drunk.Hispracticedeyesingled outindividualsthatlookedlikeeasymarks forahandout."Alittlechangefor somethingtoeat?"Hecheckedhispocket. Almostenoughforanothercheapbottleof wine,panaceaforthatemptyacheinside ofhim.Myheartwentout,tornbetween givinghimabucktohelpkillthepainorto shakehimviolentlyinanattempttowake himup.Iwasnostrangertothatpain.I knewitwell.IfeltitagainasIwatched himandbreathedasigh-ofreliefthatIhad madefriendswithit...embracedit... learnedtolivewithitandbegrateful. AtmydrunkestmomentsIhadcome withininchesofthegutter,knownthe spectreofit,fearedit...andinthethroesof myanxioushopelessnesshadalmost wishedforit...justtogetitoverwith,hit bottom...meetmyfatesothatIcouldtruly wallowinmyself-pity...justifymyselfasa failure. Sixtimesthroughthehospitalcircuit hadtaughtmenothingintwoyears.Istill fellintothegutterbetweentwoparked carsandcouldn'tgetup...stillwetthe bed...stillpouredmyselfthatfirstdrinkin themorningwithhandsshakingsobadly thatIspilledtheliquoralloverthefloor... stillhadthedryheaves...stillhadblackouts thatblottedoutallmemory...andworse.I hadtrulylostthebattle. Thatwasthreeyearsofsobrietyand
of 00

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