European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                , of Btu try 27, 19&3 i religion inc stars and stats p i a a i a i Sut Artsay judge tells Catholic to remove ashes from Wirt reports Hempstead . A judge who ordered a prosecutor to remove Ash wednesday ashes from his forehead has sparked a debate Over religious Liberty and the right to a fair trial. Legal and religious experts said thursday the judge had the authority to make the ruling but some called it undue government interference irreligious Freedom. I think it is terribly offensive said Monroe Friedman a Law professor Al Hofstra University in he instead and an expert on Legal ethics. "1 have a difficult time believing that it would prejudice a jury especially when you balance it with a person s right to free exercise of  wednesday was Ash wednesday the first Day of Lent when Many. Roman catholics and some other christians receive ashes on their foreheads As a Symbol of penance. The judge Geoffrey o Connell of Nassau county court asked assistant District attorney David Mcandrews to remove the ashes during a criminal mischief trial in which a Man was charged with slashing his former. Wife s tires. O Connell a Catholic made the request after defense attorney Nancy wiggler of Legal Aid objected that the ashes were prejudicial to the  obeyed the request but said it violated his civil rights. O Connell said the sacramental ashes Are intended to communicate something to an observer that has nothing to do with the trial and Don t belong in court. He said he based his action on a 6 year old ruling in which a judge ordered lawyer who was a Catholic priest to remove his clerical Collar in court. Egyptian official optimistic on peace new York the chief political adviser to egyptian president Hosni Mubarak told american jewish leaders he was hopeful even optimistic that Middle East peace talks could Lead to Early agreements and eventually formal peace treaties Between Israel and its Arab neighbors including Syria. Osama Elbaz told the conference of presidents of major american jewish organizations that Egypt was working to Case tensions caused by Israel s temporary deportation of leaders of Hamas which he said used extremist Means including  presbyterians Eye procedure change Louisville by. A proposal readied for june s governing Assembly of the presbyterian Church . Would make sweeping changes in the Way it develops positions on social policies. As drafted by a task Force a new Rule would provide for much More input by the membership at Large both at the beginning and concluding stages of policy formation by the 3.8 million member denomination. The task Force was set up in 1988 in response to numerous petitions expressing concern about unrest in the Church Over some social policy statements and insisting there should be More input from the ranks. Changes would provide that regional and local units be notified of pending social policy inquiries be offered a Chance to make suggestions at the Start and then provide feedback on final drafts before Assembly action. Ministering to travellers his flock is transitory by de reams staff writer Frankfurt it s a consoling thought especially during takeoffs that there s a place for god on the runways. Six months ago the Rev. Keith Chamberlain an american assumed the Post of protestant minister at the Frankfurt International Airport Chapel. Located in the Mezzanine of the air port s terminal a the Chapel is available to serve More than 90,000 people who pass through the Airport daily. The mis Sion also is open to another 55,000 air port employees 79 percent of them Ger Man. With so Large a potential flock on those occasions when no one shows up for sunday services Chamberlain under. Stand ably said he finds it  services Are held in German and English he said. They Are announced through the Public address system at 10 30 on sundays and last an average of 40 minutes. Sometimes i get 30 people other times one or just a handful of peo  the Chapel also hosts Catholic services and is used by jews and moslem Al though there is a mosque in the base ment of the Airport. More catholics visit the services Chamberlain said because catholics Are better churchgoers and the priest is bet Ter known with his 20 years of service at the Airport. Chamberlain who is in his 60s, came to his new assignment from the chaplaincy at the University of Frankfurt. He grew up in Southern California and Calls Berkeley Home but he has been in Ger Many on and off for 30 years. Chamberlain studied theology in san Francisco Berlin and Basel Switzerland before being ordained As a presbyterian minister. I served in the army As conscientious objector who did not object to serving in a noncombatant status he said. I was what they called a necropsy Chi Atric technician which Means i worked in the  following his stint in the military Chamberlain came to Europe to learn German in Vienna and to play the cello. I worked in refugee Camps in Austria after the hungarian revolt in 1956," he said. Then i returned to the states and became a pastor at the University of Cali fornia. That was during the free speech movement " in the 60s, he also helped Register Vot ers in Mississippi and spent time at Stu Dent parishes in East Germany. Chamberlain who Speaks Spanish German French italian and of course 64s photo gut a Cheww the Chapel is in Hall b at Frankfurt International Airport. The Rev. Keith Chamberlain talks about his ministry. Chaplain s assistant Elke Hartmann prepares the altar. English is married to a German citizen and has two children a daughter 20, and a son 18. In addition to regular sunday services the Airport Chapel offers services on Church holidays and for special occasions such As for groups going to third world countries on projects. And one of the main tasks of the air port Mission is giving practical help to those who show up at the Chapel. We have the homeless some psycho logically disturbed who need a warm place to sleep Chamberlain said. There Are people who have been robbed lost their tickets or missed connections. People travelling by air for the first time can become very disoriented if they miss a connection even some Young  there also is counselling Ork. List Chamberlain said he sees bib work As More than sitting Back until someone comes in the door looking for help. I want to involve the Airport person Nel and the surrounding Community As much As possible he said. For exam ple an important part of the work Here is the Industrial ministry Side. That Means getting to know people at their jobs Here acquainting them with what we have to  in the near future Chamberlain Savici he Hopes to use the Mission s contacts with interesting people coming through the Airport. I can conceive of informal information Type meetings or seminars with other people who Are interested in what these people say he said. Ideally Chamberlain said he thinks the protestant Side of the Chapel should become a multifunctional meeting place meditation prayer social services and information Center