OCR Text |
Show Church to era! unions r - 10-da- y Wednesday. How high are the stakes? "They don't get any high- - ; ; said Bishop James Stanton, of Dallas, president er," of 'the American Anglican Council, a recently formed coalition of conservatives who find themselves in the minor- i. ity. Stanton is especially ; -- dis- pleased at an effort to bless same-serelationships. He led a group of bishops who brought heresy charges last year against a colleague who had ordained a gay priest but a church court threw out the charges and in effect condoned gay ordinations. A church committee yesterday approved overwhelmingly a resolution to "direct the Standing Liturgical Committee to develop ... a rite or rites for the blessing of committed relationships between persons of the same sex," to be submitted to the next triennial convention x in 2000. The resolution also affirms "the sacredness of Christian Marriage between one man and one woman," prompting Stanton to comment: "You can't union i and both bless same-senot bless same-seunions. The two points cannot be reconciled." .. The resolution is "not gay x x marriage," - ' I W I i l l .... 1 " tf , said the Rev. Michael Hopkins, spokesman .for Integrity, the officially recognized group of gay and .lesbian Episcopalians. "I can't emphasize that strongly enough. We aren't there yet." Hopkins said the "simple rite celebrating a relationship" ,would be an optional one and would draw on informal blessings that many clergy already on bestow gay couples. ; Hopkins, of Greenbelt, Md., said he is one of several hun-- ; dred avowed gay or lesbian I Episcopal clergy. A measure of the church's I - stance came Wednesday night, when Presiding Bishop Edmund Browning celebrated I a mass for Integrity at St. I Luke's and the Epiphany I Church, on South 13th Street. I Three candidates to succeed the election is Browning ! Monday attended, Hopkins said, and a fourth candidate ; sent greetings. It's not clear when the bless- ings resolution will be debated 5 in the Episcopalians' complex legislature. There's the House vof Bishops, and the House of Deputies that i Includes both clergy and laity Knight-Ridde- r Newspapers V ,:, , uii'i .. :. -- ULJ L XvlM - , j, A BAL HARBOUR, Fla. customer calls Neiman Marcus in the Bal Harbour Shops and orders one of everything by Versace in his size. A Boston doctor calls his Plantation, Fla,, decorator and tells her to buy $6,200 worth of Versace fabric immedi- x ately. " r A '4f-- 1 ; -- s - r . .1 tion." Two days after the Italian designer's murder, fans are snapping up his clothes and r items like they're going out of production. They're certainly not going out of style. "I think that people are just trying to grab a piece of histoMartin, ry," said Martha spokesperson for Neiman's Bal Harbour. She said at least one customer of the men's designer sportswear department picked out one of everything in the Versace line: jeans, jackets, shirts. "There has been a major heightened interest in the label," said Rosemary Audia, Bloomingdale's division merchandise manager for designers in New York, where the chain's flagship store dressed a Versace commemorative win- - j " i 1 ' . "I -- - J- W . I I fV , vH - .... Customers can't wait to buy the new faux fur blazers from the Gianni Versace boutique at Bal Harbour. "It's been one big zoo here today," a boutique clerk said on Thursday, the day company stores, closed since the murder, reopened. "People are coming in crying, giving condolences. A lot of people are buying the new collec- ' - ;';' - fe i . home-deco- - iMhiiiniiirtiiiiiiwitimfiiiMTwiTMiiiMirrwiwiimMMiiiMrlmintr "Regular customers who have been wearing it want to enhance their wardrobes, and there's a whole other element among those who didn't pay that much attention before. "They come in and see it and say, 'Oh, this is really great. The Wall Street Journal reported that someone even offer for made an Versace furniture used as floor samples in Neiman's Galleria store in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. open-ende- d 'i Post shoetlng surge: An unidentified shopper looks at suits by the Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace Friday in appears; has lent a dark dazzle to Versace's already suave style. The slain designer's high priced clothing sales are she thinks. "I'm going to he adding to my own collection," she said. "I have some of the throw) pillows, winch are tough to come "There has been a major heightened interest in the label. Regular customers who have been wearing it want to enhance their wardrobes, and there's a whole other element among those who didn't pay that much attention before." The offer was refused. It's not easy to find, which is They're also not cheap. Cindy Bromberg, a sales clerk at 1,'Kxci'llence, said they why Dr. Robert Gore, a Boston radiologist, employs decorator ject if he didn't secure the fabof ric now. Sweitzer Cynthia Because of their distinctive, Plantation. She works closely with patterns, L'Excellence Designs at the Versace fabrics don't come on a Design Center of the Americas roll. The panels, 55 inches in Dania, Fla., one of the few square, range from Worried clients have been sources of Versace home decor items in South Florida. calling Sweitzer, wanting to Thursday, she bought 16 know if the line will endure and panels of upholstery velvet for if prices will rise. Yes, and yes. non-repeati- he Assui i.ili'.l 1 Now Yoik. Death, it across Ainenca. up !'( )KT I.At'DKKDAI.K. M The murder ol'f:i' designer ( lianni Versace "" steps of his ( )cean I )rivt' has drawn journalists wide to South Florida li'i story that has attracted in nal ional interest low much interest'.' .In local police. "Due to the volume nl that we have received com ing t he deal h of (lianni Vers I ' i we're unable to return calls on a miely basis." .i voice-mai- l greeting ivpoii calls to llie public inliiriii i' office of Miami I'each polm In "Does t he media Some! imes yes. delmiteh." Det. .loan lielCastillo. a M. Dade police spokesman. I admire. "He stopped and chatted for 15 minutes." said (lore. "I told him, 'You're the maestro.' lie shook my hand with both hands. I thought. 'My God. there's no pretense w halsocvcr." about $280-$50- O KK'l'i come in five sizes, from $200-$800- . Rugs range from A sofa? $15,000. said he saw pictures of (lore Versace's Ocean Drive villa in a magazine and was so dazzled by the interiors that he had to have the look for himself. During a visit to Miami Beach in January, he even ran into the designer outside the villa, which he had stopped to Gore, who paid $400 apiece and worried that he might not be able to complete his decor pro- M( Media coveraiu ovcrwhclmiim Miami police by." Rosemary Audia, Bloom iiiiidalcs New York rnn"fJ ij'iiii iiiitawii'iiinaifiriiiiiiiiiiiMiMitiiiB (iINO l)OM dow. . - u By ELINOR BRECI1ER 1 ; l'i i virtual Versace zoos PHILADELPHIA An ecclesiastic blessing for same-sex unions. A requirement that ;.fcll Episcopalians must accept Jlordained women in their pul- pit. Threats of schism. And, oh, yes, a historic linkup with the Lutherans. The Episcopal Church is digging into that busy and fractious agenda with characteris-'- , tic calm at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in a convention that began I '"'MJ-'-- W MUBW1 mating retail shops Newspapers I Mil verve Off-the-ra-ck By RON GOLDWYN Knighl-Ridde- KM II! Designers, retailers report run on Versace products rite for b!sss!ng Sams-sa- x lm I'lT llll SiiikI.iv lulv :ii Imagine a hearing aid so small, so comfortable, it's hardly noticeable... Z -- from 115 dioceses. In effect, all three groups must approve any formal action. The House of Deputies yes-'terday agreed to allow dioceses J to include domestic partners of I church employees in health- benefits coverage. Less than 60 Z percent of both laity and clergy approved, a closer margin than 'liberals expected. The plan, which doesn't define domestic partners, now goes to the ; House of Bishops. ; Stanton, the conservative ; bishop, isn't talking about any walkout, however. "I'm in this church for the long haul," he said. "But I will not act against God's words." Tougher talk comes from the Episcopal Synod of ' America, a traditionalist group that will hold its own meeting jin Rosemont, the day after this (convention closes. If liberals push through their agenda, (says counsel David Rawson, "we may end up with two piscopal Churches." :, lay-le- d I 4 . (el o High quality performlnce Soft Choice was developed by Miracle-Ea- r hearing care experts -- with technology from Bausch & Lomb. Because of its soft and comfortable fit, SoftChoice requires less amplification than most other hearing aids. That means you don't have to turn the volume up so loud to hear better. You get high quality performance and real wearing satisfaction. SoftChoice is dependable... with made by Miracle-EaBausch & Lokfb technology Manufacturer SoftChoice - the Suggested Retail Price: Special Price: Stock Canal Aid (30dB) first-tim- e May be ideal for aid usersf hearing $""89 $199 NOW $ 299 Earshell made with soft silicoi ne material for comfort Wear it home today With Coupon Price includes hearing testt 1 year limited warranty Satisfaction GuaranteeH r' Call or stop by today to see if Sofchoice may be right for you. SoftClwice is tiny...others may not even 908 S. State notice you 're wearing it. 224-944- Orem Ivfi Miracle-Ea- iv aids)orthe.S('('.ln)ice stock Si, 4 all-da- y L comfort. and flexi-blc.fo- may t aid. only be used on orders placed between I UU vj SoftChoice is soft custom-buil- hearing system (2 hearing r Coupon "21-9- " Available nnh at p.inn.inaii:ig and u Ic '3 l'ar ;; kaiiom j i mm imiiijiiiiP'i!"i.iAMwiPM. um i The marked price of any r listening Miracle Ear -- Hearing Systems by Bausch & Lomb tHunngiidv .ni txjltuiion jihl o lututjl lujntii; h' ,nl.i'i Jllcirmp U'Marvilw.U'tlriT tVi iittiMitlam lot ttttJih m N"i nK IK ntnu m jn U Hiiilitit n .vi lit rw nt Mn.uk l.u rcpuMiii n .n u n "ti il i iv .milt u m HrtMnm d i.m (m .jhi implilt. .iimh m In lum unl Imln hlti.il t impiiin .iinm .im J main jl (. .n, '' |