The GAYZETTE

a GLBT and Allies Publication

The newsletter of the Reading Pride Celebration serving the Greater Reading Fall 2010
area with the latest GLBT news, reviews, announcements and m ore. vol. 1 no. 3

After 29 years
wedding bells gaily ring
by Jolene M. Flamm
In a simple yet elegant ceremony they
gathered their family and friends in All Souls
Church to celebrate their commitment to each
other. And amid this setting of ric h tapestry
and old world elegance, Benedict Renkus and
Richard Spangler formalized a 29 ½ year
commitment of deep devotion.

Why get married after 29 ½ years? The

couple found a community at All Souls, a
place where gay couples could worship, a
community w here they could solemnize their
commitments to each other.

Watching the ceremony unfold was an

honor know ing how much Ben and Rich love
each other. Dressed in black and white tuxe-
dos the wedding party proudly gave away their
2010
g performer at RPC
Joey Josephs, dra
photo: Randy My
ers
Thea A u
(Continued on page 3) former, s tin, RPC 2010
belts ou
Danc er. t her hit headline per-
‖ photo: s ong ―R
Randy M hy thm is
y ers a
The wrap up on Pride
at A ll Souls
Chapel at Calvary UCC. The ser-
by Donald Maher vice included many moving and inspiring mo-
ments from a range of different faith traditions.
On behalf of Reading Pride Celebra- Nice job to Henry, who coordinated the ser-
tion, I w ould like to thank all our support- vice!
ers, vendors, volunteers and members
for making this year’s events such a After the prayer service, Reading Pride had
huge success. What a weekend it w as! its’ ―Pride Night Before Party‖ at the Red Star
Here’s the wrap up: Saloon. The event was both ―packed‖ and
―hot.‖
On Friday night, Reading Pride began
at Reading Area Community College w ith The weekend’s main event was, of course,
the forum on gay bars. It included a pres- the Pride Festival itself, w hic h was held on
entation on the history of the gay bar and Sunday at Reading’s Centre Park. Special
a screening of the award-w inning film kudos to Daniel w ho oversaw the creation of a
(Continued on page 6)
―Small Tow n Gay Bar.‖ The film w as well
receiv ed (one young person describing it
as ―awesome‖), and a number of older INS IDE
men provided even more information on ♥ Ben and Rich’s wedding —-p.3
the gay bars in the Reading’s his tory. To
♥ The Bibl e and queer spirituality —p.7
think that w ithin the last couple of dec-
ades, Reading has had some fif teen ♥ Transge nder in the Workplace—-book rev iew—p.8
different gay bars! Thanks to those who ♥ Jesus in Lov e—book rev iew—p.8
provided memorabilia from some of
♥ State of drag in Pennsy lv ania—p.9
those gay bars.
♥ Dining out with Chef Joe D—p.11
On Saturday, Reading Pride hosted it ♥ Bob’s seasonal kitchen—p.12
second annual interfaith prayer service, ♥ RPC’s new look—p.13
EDITORIALS 2
that a bunch of bigots cannot get signatures
From the Desk of the President— and talents to give us a day that will live in
on a petition and place a proposition on the
our minds and hearts throughout eternity.
“Pride on a personal level” ballot to take aw ay your rights. The wedding
was beautif ul. We were married in pic tur-
Finally, I am so very proud to be able to
by Rich esque Tilley Pond Park in Darien, next to a
introduce Ben as my husband, and that we
Spangler fountain, with a Great Blue Heron as our
had the courage to claim our constitutional
witness. We were surrounded by friends, tw o
rights and not let ourselv es be treated as
of whom w ere married imme-
For this issue of second-class citizens. And to
The Gayzette, I
diately after us. In Connecti- ―It is empowering… all of you that are in loving,
cut, we, for the first time in and yes, you
would like to talk committed relationships, and
our lives, experienced equal-
about Pride. Now
ity, not just in law but in every really do feel have thought about marriage…
normally, w hen I differently after you DO IT!!!
person we met. It w as truly a
speak about pride,
I’m referring to
memorable experience. are married. I can’t It is empow ering…and yes,
Reading Pride Celebration. But this time adequately put it into you really do feel differently
Third, w e found a home at
All Souls Church, a congre- words, but you look at
it’s about pride on a personal level. As after you are married. I can’t
many of you know, my partner--excuse me- adequately put it into words,
gation w here we could prac- the one you love in a
-my husband Ben Renkus and I w ere re- but you look at the one you
cently married. We liked it so much we did
tice the faith we both love different light. ‖ love in a different light. Maybe
and were raised in. This
it tw ice. On Wednesday September 1, it’s the leap of faith…the com-
church is not only welc oming but embracing
2010, we were legally married in the Town mitment...but you truly know you are not in
and loving of the LGBT community as well.
of Darien, Connecticut and on Sunday, this alone.
This w as our biggest determinate in marrying
September 5, 2010, we were married in a
now .
nuptial mass at All Souls Church, a paris h And the bonus is …when we finally get
of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, in full equality (and w e will), you’ll be ready to
Our wedding was everything we could
the Sanctuary at Calvary United Church of reap the benefits…because you will be
have possibly hoped for. Candles and white
Christ Church. People asked us why, after already married!!!—Rich Sp angler President,
ribbons lined the aisle. We were surrounded Readi ng Pride Celebratio n
29 ½ years together, we decided to marry.
by family and friends, where the feeling of Contact: rb1502@aol.co m
love made a tangible presence in the church.
First, because Ben finally proposed.
We thank all our friends who gave their time
Second, Connecticut is a state where
same-sex marriage was legislated into law
and did not have referendum, w hic h means
Come join us in pride, READING
Reading Pride! PRIDE
The Gayzette: CELEBRATION
a GLBT and Allies Publication by Richard Todd Wagner
Fall 2010 Vol. 1 no. 3 meetings
Newsletter Committee Chairs Hey Greater Reading PA! It’s a new year every third Monday
Brenna J. C orbit and Richard T odd Wagner
for Reading Pride Celebration. We held elec- of the month
EDI TOR, DESI GN, a nd
LAYOU T
CON TRIB U TORS
Robert Bailey
tions of our new President and Treasurer. 7 pm at
Brenna J. Corbit Amber Brown And it’s time to start working on next year’s
COPY EDI TOR Deb Coggin
Brenna J. Corbit
Pride Celebration. We need your help! It
Valerie Schaeffer
EDI TORIA L S TA FF Lana Davis takes a lot of work and a lot of people to
Joe DeCindio
Joe DiCindio
Jolene M. Flamm Jennifer Glass make each year’s pride events a success.
Kimberly Kalbach Kimberly Kalbach
Ben Renkas Daniel Kincade
Richard Spangler Georgia Kurtz Come out to one of our monthly meetings
Donald Maher
Richard Wagner and check us out. We are open to everyone’s
PHOTOGRAP HY
Charles Corbit
Henry Pruski
Ben Renkus opinion! We need your ideas! We are starting Sixth & Penn Avenue
Jolene M. Flamm
Kimberly Kalbach
Valerie Schaeffer
Richard Spangler work on a new fundrais er, and we need your West Reading, PA
Randy Myers Richard T odd Wagner ideas for our newsletter, the ―Gayzette.‖ The
Valerie Schaeffer
Richard T odd Wagner
more people we get, the more we can do. So
please come out and join us! We alw ays need
The Gayzette: a GLBT and Allies Publication is a
quarterly publication of the Reading Pride Cel ebrati on. more people!

DISCLAIMER Our meetings are held at Chef Alan’s in

The views express ed i n these articles are thos e of the
authors and do not necess arily reflect the views of The
Reading Pride Celebration.
Our Mission is to C elebrate U nity and Di versity In the
Lesbi an, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community of
Reading and Ber ks C ounty.
Contributions are enc ouraged and must be s ubmitted
via email, CD or fl ash drive. Articles are s ubjec ted to
editing and may be rejected; article l ength approximatel y
250 words or less.
Deadline for Winter issue s ubmissions is December 5,
2010 Contact: brennacorbit@gmail.com
West Reading, every third Monday of the The Gayzette
is looking for writers, photographers,
month, and the meetings start at 7 pm. Bring editors, sponsors and advertisers
a friend or two. Come and join some us for for the Winter 2010 Issue
dinner at 6 pm. Chef Alan’s has a fantastic deadline for submissions
buffet for a good price. So come out and is December 5, 2010
Adv ertisers and Sponsors contact
make a difference. Hope to see you there. Kim Kalbach at
—Richard To dd Wa gner, VP, Readin g Pride mustbekimmie@yahoo.com
Celeb ration Contact r35badboy@aol.co m All other submissions contact
Brenna J. Corbit at
brennacorbit@gmail.com
WEDDING HIGHLIGHTS 3

Wedding bells gaily ring

Wa gn er
ha rd To dd
ph oto : Ric
Brian Pinto (groomsman), Henry Pruski (bestman), Ben Renkus
(groom), Rich Spangler (groom), Dan Schlenker (bestman), Kyle
Blankenbiller (groomsman). photo: Kimbe rly Kalbach

(Continued from page 1)

friends. Best men were Henry Pruski and
Daniel Schlenker and groomsmen w ere
Brian Pinto and Kyle Blankenbiller, w ith
Rev. Dew ayne Messenger officiating.
Before the congregation Ben and Rich
pledged an already life-long commitment to
each other, follow ed by songs and words ― Wh y get married
selected by the couple. The ceremony after 29 ½ years?
opened w ith the beautif ul voic e of Kimberly
The couple found
Kalbach accompanied by Joe DiCindio on
organ, matching her voice note for note. a community at All
Souls, a place where
Prior to the ceremony, the couple were gay couples could
married in a civil ceremony in Darien, Con- worship, a community
necticut on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 where they could
r w ith the Revs .
amid the gardens of Tilley Pond Park, w ith solemnize their commit-
ooms Ben Re nk us and Ric h Spangle Mess enger
Gr s
Justice of the Peace Mary Pugh officiating. ments to each other.‖ and Dew ay ne Jame
Connecticut is one of six states where gay Samuel L. Fis her
lbach
marriage is legalized. photo: Ki mberly Ka

The reception was located at the Ster-

ling Manson a few blocks from the church,
a place of simple Victorian elegance that
matched the ceremony. With perfect
weather, guests sat on the terrace sharing
conversation and praise for the new ly-
weds. Tables spread out from room to
room w ith crisp white table clothes, white
floral arrangements and candles, w ith
each setting including wedding favors of
elegant white candles wrapped in flowers
and sheer ribbon.
May the new lyweds share another 29 ½
years and more.

—-Jolene M. Fla mm is a co mmittee me mber of

RP C and a liberal arts student RACC. She
shares her life with her life-long partner Brenna
Corbit.

photo: Richard Todd Wagner ph oto : Jo

len e M. Fla
mm

photo: Richard Todd Wagner

photo: Richard T odd Wagner

EDITORIALS
Community, something to be proud of
obert M ye
rs
Photo: R
by Daniel Kincade
Community. Simply hearing the w ord
makes you feel welcomed, doesn’t it? I know
that w hen I hear the word community, I feel
like I am part of something bigger, something
worthwhile. I came out 13 years ago, and
since that time, I have had the opportunity to
see Reading’s GLBTQ Community grow and
prosper…and that makes me very proud.
When I came out 1997, there wasn’t
much to do in Reading and Berks County
especially if you were young and gay. At the
time, Reading had tw o gay bars, the Red
Star Saloon, at 11 South 10th Street, and
The Scarab, located at Franklin and Lemon
Streets. When The Scarab closed down, in
2005, it really looked like the end for Read-
ing’s GLBTQ Community, but looking back, it
was only the beginning!
In early 2005, I packed up my belongings
and moved to Bethlehem. I w as in-between
jobs, and I saw what I believed to be the end
of Reading’s GLBTQ community, so I de-
cided to move on to find new things.
In 2007, I returned to Reading to help
care for my mother and what I found when I
came back really shocked me. Reading’s
GLBTQ Community had not died…in fact, it
had actually grown!
How do you make a community grow?
Well, it’s not necessarily because you’r e
adding more people to the population. Read-
ing and Berks County has alw ays had a large
GLBTQ population, and even though it has
grown in numbers, that’s not the way to really
make your community grow. The only real
way to see your community grow and pros-
4
per is becoming active and supporting it. Red Star. Please try to come out that night
to support this truly worthy cause.
In the past, the main way of being an
active member of the GLBTQ Community Community Theatre
was to go out to one of the local gay bars. Community Theater has alw ays been a
While going out to The Red Star is still a favorite hang out for members of the
great way to meet people and be social, GLBTQ Community. By supporting these
there are many more ways to be activ e in institutions, you ensure that generations of
your community. GLBTQ youth and adults w ill have these
organizations in w hich they can be activ e
The SPECTRUM and grow.
Planned Parenthood of Northeast and
Mid- Penn, on the corner of 4th and The Rainbow Review
Franklin Streets, has a group for GLBTQ Th e Ra i n b ow Re v iew
youth called The SPECTRUM. I w rote www.therainbowreview.com is a great way
an article back in June’s Issue of The to stay informed and to support the local
Rainbow Review high- GLBTQ Community. The many
lighting this group and businesses that advertise in
the great things they do
―The only each issue of The Rainbow Re-
for the youth here in real way view are both GLBTQ and/or
Reading and Berks to see your GLBTQ-friendly. By supporting
County. The SPECTRUM these businesses you will help
is alw ays looking for volun- community grow them prosper; in doing so, you
teers, guest speakers, and, and prosper will encourage more GLBTQ and
most importantly, funds. is becoming active GLBTQ-friendly businesses to
Helping to support this open in our area.
group is an awesome w ay of and supporting it.‖
being involved in our Reading Pride Celebration
GLBTQ Community. I w ould be remiss if I ne-
glected to mention Reading Pride Celebra-
Clubs and Social Groups tion in this article. Reading Pride has really
Reading and Berks County is home to inspired a lot of growth here in Reading and
many great clubs and social groups. Berks County’s GLBTQ community. Read-
Clubs such as GOBAB (Gentlemen of ing Pride is not just a picnic that is held
Berks and Beyond), Berks Bears, and once a year in Centre Park; it is a group
BGMSG (Berks Gay Men’s Social Group) that is active all year long. Reading Pride is
are great ways to meet new people in our alw ays looking for new members, volun-
GLBTQ Community. Another club in the teers, and donations.
area is the Reading Railmen. The Rail-
men is a non-profit gay and lesbian So, as you can see, there is a lot to do
leather/Levi club who do much for our and a lot to be a part of in Reading and
community. The Reading Railmen is very Berks County’s GLBTQ community. Be-
active in our community w orking to rais e come active and support our businesses,
money for their Ed Noll Memorial PWA groups, and charities. By doing so, you’ll
(persons with AIDS) Fund, w hic h helps feel rewarded know ing that you did your
provide direct cash assis tance to people part to help make our GLBTQ community
right here in Berks County who are living grow !! —Danie l Kincade President Rainb ow
with HIV/AIDS. There is als o the Benefit Review. Contact: daniel@therainb owreview.com
Variety Show on November 13th at The
Befriend us on facebook
and find more information and photos
RPC HIGHLIGHTS
“Never To Be Forgotten,”
a project to remember the
GLBT community
by Richard Todd Wagner
―Never To Be Forgotten‖ is a project I have
been working on now for a few years. I plan
on making a Pow erPoint presentation to re-
member our loved ones from the gay commu-
nity who have passed away.
I have received much help from a number
of people out there and thank them so much
Pride 2010: Full of Info,
Services, Wares and Food
by Ben Renkus
Vendors are an intric ate part of any Pride
Celebration, and this past year, a slew of
information, services and wares were pre-
sented to festival-goers.
Information on youth and advocacy
groups, health and social organizations,
religious groups and others were there to
introduce and update you w ith the latest
fare
fers up Latin
i Cas a Su Cas a Caf é of Charles Corbit
M o:
ndees. phot
for Pride atte
Berks Democrats show support for their candidates
activities. Services involving
and encourage Pride revelers to register and vote for
real estate, legal and financial advi-
the upcoming November election. photo Charles Corbit
sors, travel and many others were
there, wanting to help you plan for
your future endeavors. There were als o all meetings of Reading Pride Celebra-
vendors selling their w ares such as Pride tion.
items, Celtic decor, stain glass and jewelry
just to mention a few of the items. And, of Check the calendar at
course, no festival is complete w ithout www.readingpridecelebration.org for
food, especially in Berks County. Hot dogs, all scheduled meetings.
5
for it. But now I am turning to you. I need Check us
photos of people who have passed away
and w ho were members of the gay commu- out
nity. This means a lot to me, and I w ould
love it if you can help. I would also like to
online
create a photo presentation to be seen at for
next year’s Pride events.
additional
if you can please help, I would greatly
appreciate it. You can e-mail the photos news, photos, events
and information (date of birth, date of death,
etc…) to me at rt524wagner@gmail.com or and a lot more
mail them to Reading Pride Celebration,
P.O. Box 15242, Reading, Pa. 19612. Attn:
Richard T Wagner. Thank you.
hamburgers, ice cream, pizza, soft pretzels ,
fried Oreos, BBQ ribs, Latino delights, tropi-
cal drinks were available, along with much
from Reading Pride Celebration
more.
Get short, timely messages
This year, we had sixty-six ven-
dors utilizing seventy-two spaces. Next
year, we hope to have even more vendors
offering more of a variety of information,
services, wares and food. So if you know of
someone who would like to partic ipate in
the upcoming 5th Annual Reading Pride
Celebration on July 17, 2011, w e’d love to
have them! We hope to add more local
restaurants to the mix of food vendors and
expand our KidsSpace with more activ ities
for our children.
So w hen you add the vendors w ith great
entertainment…w hat a great recipe you
have for success…and what a success it
was! Got ideas? We’re listening. Vendor
meetings w ill be scheduled throughout the
year, and you are invited to attend, as w ith
—-Ben Renkus is the Vendo r Ch airperson For
Readi ng Pride Cele bration and can be contacted
at RB1502 @aol.co m.
Liz Brad
b
Penns ury and Tris h
tous pres e y lv ania Div ers ity a Sulliv an of th
tion abo nc e at Pride e Netw ork e
u ve , a ub
Couples t the Photo Proje nts , s hares info iqui-
: Fac ing c
Inequalit t—-400 Same rma-
y . photo: -Sex
Char les
Corbit
RPC HIGHLIGHTS 6
where you can also view our new newsletter,
Wrap up on Pride the ―Gayzette.‖ Check us out on Facebook,
MySpace and Twitter, as well. Considering
(Continued from page 1) becoming a member and/or a volunteer?
rainbow -colored pagoda at the central fountain Attend our general meetings, which are usu-
area of the park. The park and the people of ally held on the third Monday of the month at 7
Reading looked beautiful. This year’s head- PM. Check our website for locations.
liner w as Thea Austi, who gave a particularly
generous performance as she shared the Hope to see you at all our many events in
stage w ith the good people of Reading. The the year ahead, and at next year’s ―Weekend
entertainment w as non-stop, with perform- of Pride Events.‖
ances by Tom Goss, DJ Evelyn and many of
our favorite Drag Queens and Kings. Was that — Do n a l d
really Lady Gaga? Nice job to David, who Maher,
Marketing/
emceed the event! P u b l i c
Re l a t i o n s
Follow ing the Pride Festival, Reading Pride c hairper-
continued the celebration with a major ―After s o n ,
Party‖ party at the new Stokesay Castle, Re a d i n g
whic h featured a DJ, music and dancing along P r i d e
with drinks and food. It w as a classy event, Ce l e b r a -
tion
held outdoors on a tented-terrace adjoining
the facility. About tw o hundred people gath-
ered for the after party. All were impressed by
the cute and hospitable staff. Thank you
Stokesay!

For photos from the weekend, see our

website at www.readingpridecelebration.org

Co-County
Wellness
Services,
Festival revelers
keeping an eye photo: Ki mberly
di s play their rainbow co
lors at RPC 2010
Kalbach
on AIDS .

for 25 years
by Ge orgia Kurtz
Co- County Wellness Services is a non-
profit organization, celebrating 25 years of
service in October. We started in 1985 as
Berks A IDS Health Cr isis (BA HC), an all
volunteer group to help family members
losing loved ones from A IDS. We have
continued our close association w ith the
gay and bi-sexual community throughout
our jour ney from BAHC to Berks A IDS
Netw ork (BAN) to Co- County Wellness
Services.
We serve Berks and Schuylkill coun-
ties, providing services that address risk
behaviors for HIV/STD/HCV prevention,
risk reduction, counseling, planning, test-
ing and screening, in addition to services
for HIV positive individuals; education and
outreach.
All services are voluntary, confidential
and free. STD screenings are now by w alk
Berks County ranks sixth of the 67
-in on Mondays; appointments are re-
counties in Pennsylvania in number of
quired Tuesday through Thursday. HIV
HIV cases.
and syphilis testing is available on a
If you have been at risk, GET TESTED!
walk-in basis on Tuesdays from 11 am
to 7 pm and Thursdays from 9 am to 1
Berks AIDS Net work
pm. Appointments can be made if nec-
429 Walnut Street, P.O. Box 8626
essary. We are located at 429 Walnut
Reading, PA 19603
St., Reading. You can call us at 610-
610-375-6523
375-6523.
Schuylkill Wellness Services
512-514 North Centre Street
In addition, in Berks County w e pro-
Pottsville, PA 17901
vide FREE and CONFIDENTIAL HIV
570-622-3980
testing at the Red Star the first Saturday
Co-County Wellness Services
night in the month.
429 Walnut Street
P.O. Box 8626
The CDC estimates that there are
Reading, PA 19603-8626
over one million people in the United
(610)375-6523
States w ith HIV and over half of them
ban1@enter.net
are in the MSM community. —-Georgi a Kurtz Prevention Services Manager
Co- County Well ness Services
New infections are estimated at over Berks AIDS Network
56,000 yearly in the US. MSM account 429 Waln ut St.
Readi ng, PA 19603
for half of the new infections. 610-375- 6523 X 113
www.cocountywellnessservices.org
RELIGION and SPIRITUALITY
RPC 2010 interfaith service draws many worshipers
by Henry Pruski
The second annual Read-
ing Pride Celebration Inter-
faith Service was indeed in-
spiring and more than the
planning committee even
anticipated. The weather was hot; however,
that did not diminish the celebration in any
―The w eather was hot; however, that did not
diminish the celebration in any way. The
chapel of Calvary United Church of Christ
was packed to the brim.‖
Photo: Ki mberly Kalbach
way. The chapel of Calvary United Church
The Bible and queer spirituality—interpreting scripture
by Revs. Deb Coggin
and Jennifer Glass
As pastors of a Christian church that
predominately ministers to the LGBT
community, w e are frequently as ked,
―What does the Bible really say about
homosexuality‖? Well, there is no sim-
ple answ er. In fact, w e often present
infor mation like this in a four-to-six hour
workshop. Before w e even get into the
potential scriptural references, w e share
some things w e think are important
which w e call ―Bible Basics.‖
Let’s consider interpretation of the
Bible. Often the authoritative nature
that is placed upon the Bible goes back
to 2 Timothy 3:16, w hich reads, ―All
of Christ was packed to the brim. Additional
chairs were set up in the aisles to accom-
modate all the individuals, a true diversity of
voices gathered in one community. The
personal stories were touching, the music
was "hopping,‖ and the dance group was
graceful.
Perhaps the best summary of the ser-
vice are the words of Rosalind Hyman,
President of Temple Oheb Shalom, Wyo-
missing:
―What an extraordinary evening!! Thank
you for allow ing me to be a part of
this wondrous event. I can hardly wait until
next year!
A special thank you to Rev. Mary Wolf e
of Hope Lutheran Church, Rosalind Hyman,
Nancy Knoblauch of Temple Oheb Shalon,
Rev. Jen Glass, Brenda Kulikow ski and
Jenn Heil of Vision of Hope MCC, Rev.
Dew ayne Messenger of All Souls ECC and
Reading Pride Committee members Joe
Dicindio, Henry Pruski, Ben Renkus and
Richard Spangler. Thank you to our co-
hosts, Rev. Steve Ohnsman of Calvary
UCC and Rev. Dew ayne Messenger of All
Souls ECC and their congregations. Thank
you to the Joyful Noise choir led by Mykal
scripture is inspir ed by God and is useful
for teaching, for reproof, for correction
and for training in righteousness.‖
The w ord ―inspired‖ in Greek literally
means God w inded or God breathed. To
say that the Bible has author ity is to say
that the Scriptures w ere authored by no
one else but God’s self and as such,
should be treated, read, and obeyed
accordingly. Yet, even w ith this said, it
should be noted that no one person looks
at the inspiration of the Holy Scriptur es in
the same w ay. Thus, w e suggest that
scripture can be interpreted in four w ays.
First, scripture can be inter preted in a
Literalist w ay: God said it, I believe it and
that settles it--sums up the understanding
of the literalist school. Literalists believe
in and adhere to the Wor d of God--as is-
w ithout alteration.
A second interpretation is Fundamen-
talist, w hich places very heavy emphasis
on the truth that is revealed in the Bible.
This interpretation affirms that the teach-
ings put forth in the Bible are God-
7
One of several dancers fills the interface
service w ith a spiritually uplifting presence
Photo: Ki mberly Kalbach
Slack and the Movements of Praise Dance
Team led by James Snyder of Vision of
Hope MCC, Mountville, PA. Thank you to
the organists Joseph DiCindio and David
Gross. Thank you to Robert Schmoyer of
Royer’s Florists for providing the floral ar-
rangement, and Rev. Mary Wolfe for the
printing of the programs. And a big thank to
those who shared their stories, clergy and
GLBT members and allies who partic ipated
and attended the service.
Indeed the Interfaith Service was ―A
Place in Time‖!
—Hen ry Pruski is RPC treasurer
inspired truths for humans to embrace
and live out in their day to day lives.
A third interpretation is Non-Literalist,
which treats the Bible as texts of sacred
worth, stories of w is dom and faith appli-
cable to our current circumstances. This
interpretation is subject to study, analy-
sis, and critical reflection.
A fourth biblical interpretation is Lib-
erationist, w hich also approaches the
Bible as texts of sacred w orth, as w ell as
seeks to prove the intentional choice of
God and Jesus Christ to w ork on behalf
of the oppressed and marginalized peo-
ples of the w orld, bringing hope, healing,
restoration and reconciliation.
As pastors, w e suggest considering
the follow ing six steps w hen studying
scripture:
1. What is the biblical passage that is
being read?
2. Read the passage carefully and criti-
cally.
3. Research and study key w ords and
phrases.
4. What is the context of the passage
being read?
(Continued on page 12)
REVIEWS 8
Brenna’s library shelf—The complete guide to
transgender in the workplace—book review
by Brenna J. bara, CA: ABC CLIO, 2009. ISBN:
9780313365843
Corbit
—-Brenn a J. Corbit is a librarian at Readi ng Area
As an em- Co mmu nity College’ s The Yocu m Library. She is
ployer, chances of a transitioned, post-op mal e-to-fe mal e transsex-
hiring a trans- ual and shares her life with her life-partner,
gender person or Jolene Fla mm. The libr ary has an extensive
having an em- GLBT collection of books and films, many of
which are generous donations and grants from
ployee come out as transgender is greater the Pa. Diversity Network and PFLAG. All
than ever as the nation moves towards reviewed ite ms are available fro m the RA CC
inclusive GLBT policies. According to Library, a collection opened to the public.
Vanessa Sheridan, author of The Complete Brenna can be reached at
Guide to Transgender in the Workplace, brennacorbit@g mail.co m
―[T]ransgender is corporate America’s last
great human rights issue‖ (45).

Sheridan points out that ―over 175 For- Jesus in love:

tune 500 companies have adopted policies
that prohibit discrimination based on gen- a novel—book review
der identity‖ (52). One company, J.P. Mor-
gan Chase, reports ―325 of its 160,000 by Valerie
employees, or roughly 0.2 percent, self - Schaeffer
identify as transgender‖ (Human Rights
Campaign). While transgender employee
What if Jesus knew
statistics are non-existent, these numbers what it meant to be at-
show the need for corporate awareness of tracted to both men and
this special population. women? What if the
Holy Spirit is Omni-
Through well-titled chapters, subtitles, gendered? And what if God not only ac-
bulleted information, index and organized cepts gay people, but created them to be
appendices, Sheridan’s guide provides g a y ?
quick and easy access to important infor-
mation. Chapters touch on subjects such Just writing those words seem blasphe-
as the facts and myths of transgenderism, mous. After all, the major argument against
restroom issues, trans-specif ic training, gay rights and homosexuality in general has
coming out at w ork, tools for organizations, alw ays been its assumed immorality and
tips for transgender workers and more. opposition to God’s w ill. But Kittredge
Numerous appendic es reiterate vital infor- Cherry, in her book Jesus In Love, ques-
mation and guidelines, and provide recom-
tions that argument and explores the possi-
mended reading and w ebsites. bility that Jesus not only accepts gays but
he himself experienced sexuality in his
Sheridan also answers important ques- earth ly l if e as w ell.
tions, such as ―What’s in it for you,‖ stating
that it is cost-effectiv e to retain transgender When we first
employees. The total of terminating and ―What if Jesus meet Jesus, he
rehiring can ―equal anywhere from half to knew what it is resting on an
tw ic e the employee’s annual salary‖ (54).
Moreover, the ―taking of intelligent, strate-
meant to be isolated hilltop.
As Jesus prays, echoes the beauty and yes, even sexiness,
gic ris ks is how organiz ations and individu- attracted to both of the physical and spiritual relationships
the Holy Spirit
als move toward success‖ (60). Without a men and women?‖ descends upon among Jes us and his disc iples.
doubt, Sheridan’s guide is an essential tool him, and pro-
for employers and trans-persons alike. poses an idea The novel follows the timeline of Jesus’
none of us would ever expect from the Holy life set forth in the New Testament, from his
Sheridan, herself a transgendered indi- baptism to Satan’s temptation in the desert
Spirit. This proposal sets the theme for the
vidual, has been educating corporate entire novel, the idea that Jesus’ fluid sexu- to Jesus’ meeting the moneychangers in
America on transgender in the w orkplace ality is a major part of his lif e as it is for all the temple. The novel ends w ith Jesus
since 1991 through public speaking, writing o f u s . preparing his disciples to go into the w orld
and consultation for organiz ations of all with his message. At the end of novel,
sizes. For more information, go to As the novel progresses, we see Jesus Cherry includes an excerpt to the sequel of
www.vanessasheridan.com/ meeting and befriending Mary Magdalene, the novel entitled Jesus In Love: At The
John, Andrew and many others who would C r o s s . .
Sheridan, Vanessa. The complete guide to become his disciples and for some, his
transgender in the workplace. Santa Bar- lovers. Cherry’s writing of these scenes (Continued on page 9)
ENTERTAINMENT 9

Jesus in love: integration of their spirituality and sexual-

ity, Kittredge Cherry’s Jesus In Love will
a novel—book review bring much desired peace and possibly,
(Continued from page 8)
entertainment.
For those who identify as gay and for
Originally published in the The Yocum
those who identify as Christian, this book
will finally put to rest the idea that being gay Library Blog Thursday, July 22, 2010
AND Christian is a contradiction. In fact, it h t t p : / /
will help those who are struggling to inte- theyocumlibrary.blogspot.com/2009/10/
f r o m- d es k- of - v a ler i e- s c ha ef f er -
grate both identities to find comfort in a
world where Jesus is the weapon used book.html
agains t g ay s a nd l e s b i a ns .
—-Valeri e Schaeffer is copy editor of The
Gayzette, and she is also a library assistant
Obviously, this book won’t appeal to at Reading Hospital and Rea ding Area
everyone. Those individuals who use Jesus Co mmu nity College.
as part of their anti-gay rhetoric will find this
novel profane and sacrilegious. But those
who either struggle w ith seemingly conflict-
ing identities or who want to deepen the

The state of drag As a drag perfor mer, I have

noticed more and more drag kings
in Pennsylvania performing. There are some drag
kings w ho are now competing in
pageants or contests, perfor ming
by Lana as male impersonators. So if you
Am
Davis know any drag king, please con- photie V anite- Kinc ade is full of
o: Randy M
yers pride at RPC
sider including them in your 2010
show s, as
Gr e et- they like y o u
ings ! I to perform are a member of Reading
am Lana on stage Pr ide, please br ing this infor-
Dav is. I just as mation to the committee
am a much as members. If you are not a
perf or m- we do! member, join!
ing drag More re-
enter- c ently , In short, the state of drag
tainer drag kings enter tainment in eastern
who has have been Pennsylvania is all good. If
made appearances all over eastern c ompeting you w ould like to see a dr ag
Pennsylvania. I have seen some extraor- in the Cen- show in the near future, I
dinary entertainers since I moved back tral PA Gay would suggest becoming a
here in March of this year. P r i d e member of your loc al
events. It GLBTQ club’s emailing list
There is a w hole list of extraordinary would be or us e Fac ebook or
entertainers, and the list keeps grow ing. I great to see Myspace to reach out to the
won't list them all here, but a few come to a drag king drag community. Yes, you
mind in particular, one of w hich I had the c ont es t can search for me, Lana
honor of w orking w ith recently at this her e in Dav is, and send me a friend
year’s Reading Pr ide Celebration. Reading. request. Drag show s are
being advertised all the
I traveled to Harrisburg to w atch our With all time all over Pennsylvania
local gir l compete for Miss Gay Pennsyl- this pag- and the United States. Go
vania A merica. The pageant lasted for eantry talk, I and support your favorite
tw o nights, and Miraj Jolie Diamond w on would like to drag entertainers, but do it
first place, w ith Aurora Fontaine as alter- infor m eve- w ith pride and unity, and
nate. They are now both on their w ay to ryone of a celebration of the GLBTQ
compete in the Miss Gay A merica Na- project in the community. And remem-
tional Pageant in Columbus, Ohio. I also works for ber, as a very w ise person
had the distinct pleasure of celebrating March 2011, told me once, ― Don't take
my 10-year-anniversary as Miss Stallions the Mis s life too seriously because
2000 w hile I w as in Harrisburg for this Key s to ne in the end…it’s all just
up, also at RPC drag.‖
year’s Miss Stallions Pageant. Inter nationa l Prec ious Caliente drags it
rs
Pageant. If 2010 phot o: Randy Mye
ENTERTAINMENT 10
Pet Drag Show contestant
is a really big winner

Peter Raber takes the lead w ith his horse, uh, dog, Bob at
the RPC 2010 Pet Drag Show w inner. photo: Charles Corbit

by Kimberly Kalbach

This year's Reading Pride Celebration held its annual Pet

Drag Show , a show for pet owners to get creative and show
off their pets in costume. Contestants parade their pets
across the stage, and the audience votes by donating
money to the pet’s corresponding collection bucket. What-
ever pet raises the most money wins!

All money raised is donated to local animal charities, and

first, second, and third place winners receive a nice gif t bas-
ket. This year we only had three entrants so they were ALL
winners. Next year we hope to have many more!

We had some w onderful prizes donated this year totaling

more than $250. I w ould like to thank the follow ing donors
for their generosity: AZ Pet & Ponds, Superpetz, Tails-A-
Waggin, Lucky Dog Grooming and Boutique, Diane's Pet
Center, Jane's Clip Joint, and K-9 Creations. Thank you
also to our contestants and our audience!

Gay bowling, straight shots with a curve

by Valerie Schaeffer
Every second Friday of the month, members of the Gay and Les-
bian Organized Sports Society (GLOSS) descend upon the Playdrome
(formerly the Rose Bow l) in Allentown for a great night of friendship,
conversation, and bowling.

If you enjoy bowling and meeting new people, then come out to the
Rose Bow l, located at 15th street and Sumner Avenue in Allentow n.
We meet at 8:45pm in front of the snack bar, and we usually bowl three
games. There is no competition, so everyone is welc omed, no matter
how good (or not so good!) you bow l. The Playdrome is now non-
smoking.

If you are interested, please send an email to Jerry at

Jerry_Makos@hotmail.com to let him know if you are coming. This is
so Jerry can reserve the correct number of lanes. You can also sub-
scribe to the GLOSS bow ling email at http://www.gloss.org/ Will it be a strike? Jerry Makos of GLOSS shoots for a nose hit
bow ling.html. at the Playdrome in Allentow n, Pa. photo: Valerie Schaeffer
ENTERTAINMENT 11
Dining out with Chef Joe D
Chef Alan’s American Bistro
—community and great food
by Joe DiCindio

When I interview ed Jeff, Chef Alan’s brother, I learned Chef Alan graduated from
the same school I attended, The Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New
York. What a coincidence. Apparently, Chef Alan runs the kitchen aspect of the
business, and Jeff runs the front of the house. What a good combination! As Pride
members, we are proud to hold our monthly meetings at the West Reading Bistro.
Our general meetings are held the third Monday of the month at 7 P.M., in a private
dining room. I have found the food experience a great one, with friendly staff who
are very cour-
teous and
pr ofess ional. Weekly Specials:
They have
been in busi-
ness for over MONDAY—Wings, Pizza & More All-Y ou-Can-E at buff et
tw e n t y - tw o TUESDAY—2 f or 1 shared-appetizer, with 2 f ull- course
years. dinners.
WEDNESDAY—Jumbo lump crab cakes
THURSDAY—Filet Day /Turn y our filet mignon into a combo
Chef Joe entrée
DiCindio with
FRIDAY—New England Seaf ood bake
the manage-
ment of Chef SATURDAY—Prime Steak Night
Alans SUNDAY—Kids Eat Free (1 f ree kid’s meal with Adult
entrée purchase)
photo: Ki mberly two locations:
Kalbach Fairgrounds Square Mall
3050 North 5th Street Highway Sixth & Penn Avenue
Reading, PA West R eading, PA

www.chefalans.com

A Christmas Carol Do your shopping and decorating early

with strings
by Henry Pruski
After the long, hot sum-
mer, many are looking for-
ward to the cooler weather.
In only a few months, we w ill
be celebrating the holidays.
Holiday parties and festivities will be in full
swing, and Reading Pride Celebration w ill
team up once again w ith the Reading Com-
munity Players on Saturday, December
18th for their production of ―A Christmas
Carol w ith Strings.‖
We all are familiar w ith Charles Dickens’
wonderful masterpiece ―A Christmas
Carol.‖ How ever, the Reading Community
Players have adapted this wonderful work
to include an added feature of life-siz e
puppets to portray the spirits. The ghosts
of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come
will all come to life on stage in the form of
puppets. The traditional characters of Tiny
Tim, Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley and
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cratchit will all help us
get into the Christmas spirit.
and mark your calendar for Reading Pride
Night, December 18 at 7 PM w ith Reading
Community Players production of ―A Christ-
mas Carol w ith Strings.‖ Tickets are $25.00
with a wine & cheese reception beginning at
7 PM and the theater production beginning
at 8 PM. Join us w ith other members of the
LGBT community for an evening of enter-
tainment, fun and socialization. Other sur-
prises will be included in the evening’s fes-
tivities.
Reading Community Players will be
holding auditions for this production on
September 25 & 27 at 7 PM at the theater.
For more information regarding auditions
call the theater @610-375-9106 or vis it their
website at
www.readingcommunityplayers.com
It’s not too early to think about the holi-
days and plan your social activities. We
hope you w ill include December 18th Read-
ing Pride Night on your calendar and share
in the Christmas spirit with the ghosts of
Christmas past, present and yet to come!
—Hen ry Pruski is RPC treasurer
RECIPES 12

Bob’s seasonal kitchen Peel and cube your squash.

—Autumn Sauté’ in butter until tender and

by Robert Baile y
SEPTEMBER
Homemade BBQ Sauce
2 Cups, Dark Brown Sugar
2 Cups, Cider Vinegar
Dissolve the sugar and vinegar together
1 Cup Catsup
1 Jar of Sals a (medium to hot), pulse fine
1 Tablespoon, liquid Smoke
Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally, until
it reduces by ¼ to ½ or until desired thick-
ness.
It usually takes about 2 – 3 hours, but the
results are well w orth it! You will have a
BBQ Sauce w ith little bits of salsa through-
out. It’s different and should be a hit!
Note, try to use a stainless steel pot for
cooking. It should make clean-up a little
easier. I think this is
golden brown. Cool, and place
appropriate for the end in food processor. Puree, add-
ing orange zest and honey until
of the summer picnicking.
smooth.
OCTOBER This w ill make your Squash Puree
Cantaloupe Soup (cold)
4 Tablespoons, Olive Oil
1 Cantaloupe, one cup diced 4 Tablespoons, Unsalted Butter
1 Lemon, Juiced 3 Medium Onions, Chopped Finely
1/3 Cup Sparkling Cider 16 Carrots, Peeled & Chopped Finely
1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar Salt & Pepper
½ Cup Water 2 Cups, Orange Juice with Pulp
Fresh Grate of Nutmeg 12 Cups, Chicken Stock
Salt & Pepper
Purée cantaloupe, lemon juice, sugar, Grated Fresh Nutmeg
and water together until smooth. The
soup can be made the day before con- Sauté’ your onion and carrot in olive oil &
suming. Before serving, chill the mixture butter until golden brown. Place in food
and place a grate of nutmeg on top. The processer and puree till a smooth texture is
soup has a nice contrast of sweet and achieved.
sour! In a large pot, bring your chicken stock and
orange juice to a light simmer. Add the
NOV EMBER squash puree and the onion & carrot puree
together. Whisk gently until combined. Add
Butternut Squa sh Soup remaining ingredients.
10-12 pound Fresh Butternut Squash
Garnish with Fresh Thyme Leaves & Fresh
2 Quarter Sticks, Salted Butter Orange Zest
4 Oranges, zested
12 Tablespoons, Orange Blossom Honey

BISCOTTI The Bible and queer spirituality

by Joe DiCindio
1 cup butter, soften
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon anis e extract
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped almonds
In a mixing bow l, combine butter and sugar, and beat
eggs, one at a time. Stir in extract. Combine flour,
baking pow der and salt; add to creamed mixture. Stir
in almonds. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease
the foil. Divide dough in half, form dough into two 11 x
3 inch rectangles. Bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes
or until golden brown and firm to touch. Remove from
the oven; using the foil, lift the rectangles onto wire
racks; cool completely.
Increase oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Place rectangles on a cutting board; cut diagonally
with serrated knife in to ¾ inch slices. Place w ith cut
side down on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10
minutes.
Turn over; bake 10 minutes longer. Cool completely on
wire racks. Store in an airtight container.
(Continued from page 7)
5. Research and r eview the original meaning
of the passage.
6. Apply any lesson and meaning of the pas-
sage to the circumstance of today.
When studying scripture, you might w ant to use:
*A Good Study Bible (perhaps Harper Collins New Revised Standard)
*Bible Dictionaries
*Bible Commentar ies
*Exhaustive Concordance - one w hich matches your translation
*Cross-referencing
Got questions about the Bible? About other matters of faith?
Please feel free to email Pastors Deb and Jen at
pastor@visionofhopemcc.org
Rev. Deb Coggin is the Lead Pastor and Rev. Jen Glass is a pastor on staff at Vision of
Hope M CC. Vision of Ho pe is a me mber of the deno minatio n known as the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Commu nity Churches. For the last 42 years MCC has grown
into the world’ s largest Christian faith group providing spiritual support to lesbians, gays,
bisexuals and transgender persons along with their allies. We are “Led by Christ, Em-
powered to Rock the World” with locations in Mountville, York and Reading (Sundays at
7p m at the Quaker Meeting House, 108 N. 6th Street).
ANNOUNCEMENTS / EVENTS 13

Reading Pride Celebration

Wedding Announcements has fresh new look
Brenda Kulikowski and Jennifer Heil of Our first new style in RPC fashion
Berks County were married in a civil ceremony is our new logo based upon the old
in Darien, CT on Saturday July 10, 2010 at one, pictured left. The new logo, de-
Giovanni's II by the waters edge. Justice of the signed by graphic artis t Susan Kurtz,
Peace Mary Pugh officiated at the ceremony. adds a fresh new look w ith a black back-
The ceremony was followed by dinner at Gio-
vanni's II with family and friends. A religious
ground and white script lettering.
ceremony is planned for a future date.
Col. Raymond Knapp and Rev. Dewayne Messenger, Pastor of All
Suzan Kurtz grew up in Berks County and
Souls Ecumenical Church, Reading, PA were united in legal marriage on
moved to Daytona Beach, FL after graduating
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 9 o'clock A.M. at Grace Church, Vineyard CMU w ith a B.A.A. in Graphic Design & Art History. She has
Haven, MA. Their long-time friend, the Rev. Robert Hensley officiated at been a designer for 10+ years designing everything from Logos,
the ceremony. Business Cards, Corporate Identities, Flyers, & Brochures. She
Henry Pruski and Thomas Ryan of Reading, PA were married in a also loves to volunteer in her community as the Volusia County
civil ceremony in Darien, CT on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in the board chair for the American Lung Association. Check out her
beautiful gardens of Tilley Pond Park. Justice of the Peace Mary Pugh website to view some of her recent work. http://
officiated at the ceremony. Long time friends of the couple were present SuzanKurtz.Synthasite.com — A mber Br own RP C website designer
to share in this special event with Henry and Tom. All attended a dinner and co mmittee chair
at Sono Seafood Restaurant in South Norwalk, CT following the cere-
mony. And second on our list of RPC
Benedict M. Ranks and Richard L. Spangler, president of Reading fashion surpris es is the Pride
Pride Celebration, were married in a civil ceremony in Darien, CT on Celebration centerpiece rainbow
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in the beautiful gardens of Tilley Pond pagoda. The Rainbow Pagoda as
Park. Justice of the Peace Mary Pugh officiated at the ceremony. Long - a logo and centerpiece for
time friends of the couple were present to share in this special event with
the celebration represents the
Ben and Rich. All attended a dinner at Sono Seafood Restaurant in
diversity of our community in a
South Norwalk, CT. Then on Sunday, September 5, 2010, family and
friends gathered for an inspirational Mass celebrating the Sacrament of
unique Berks county fashion. If
Marriage that was held with All Souls Church, A Parish of the Ecumeni- you see the rainbow pa-
cal Catholic Communion, at Calvary U.C.C., Reading, PA with the Rev. goda you'll think of us. The
Dewayne Messenger officiating. Henry Pruski and Daniel Schlenker wooden pagoda debuted at the
were best men and Brian Pinto and Kyle Blankenbiller were groomsmen. 2010 celebration, replacing the
A private reception was held following the Mass at the beautiful Sterling balloon version of previous
Guest Hotel in the Centre Park Historical District, Reading PA. (Full events. It w as designed not only
story pages 1 and 3 ) to create a permanent fixture but
also to help us divert future funds
Anniversary wishes to Gerri Farley and Terri Kosikowski August 2nd to other areas of need within the Photo: Randy Myers
organization.

I want to thank David Sloyer for performing the difficult

task of turning a tw o-dimensional image into an eight-foot tall
SPONSORS three-dimensional sculpture. IT LOOKS GREAT!!!!!. So next
year I w ant to invite all our attendees to head to the center of
Judy’ s on Cherry Red Star Saloon the park and have their photos taken in front of the pagoda
upscale 11 S. Tenth Street
as a great backdrop.—Daniel Schlenker RP C decorations co mmit-
Mediterranean dining Reading, Pa. 19602
610-375- 4116 tee chair
lunch Tues.-Fri. 11:30 - 2
dinner Tues.-Sat. 5 - 9:30 Diamoz Nightclub
332 Cherry Street
Reading, Pa. 19602 and Restaurant
1913 W. Broad St.
HAPPY
610-374- 8511
Bethlehem, Pa. BIRTHDAY
Ralph’ s Food Market 610-865- 1028
grocery and PA Lottery wishes to . . .
open 7 days a week Immix Wireless
146 Oley St Berkshire Mall David Ramos July 14
(2nd and Oley Sts.) 1705 State Hill Road Amber Brown July 22
Reading, Pa. 19601 Wy omissing, PA 19610 Geri Farley July 22
610-374- 8744 610-378- 9300 Red Star’s Charlie Bowels July 23
&
Feeney’ s Funeral Hom e Fairgrounds Square Mall
Scott Sheetz August 16
625 N 4th St 3050 North 5th Street Highway Tadd Casner August 18
Reading, PA 19601-28 92 Reading, PA 19605 Tom Ryan August15
610-939- 9377 Brenna J. Corbit September 6
Chef Alan’s Ben Renkus September 11
6th and Penn Aves. Terri Kosikowski September 28
West Reading, Pa 19611 Anthony Torres Torres September 30
610-375-4012 Joseph M. DiCindio November 1
Richard Todd Wagner November 23