European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 27, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 the stars and stripes religion saturday August 27,1994 common scents put to use in fragrance filled churches from wire reports the Church is crowded the people Are singing the spirit is soaring but there s that smell those fumes that come from someone s perfume or hair Spray or deodorant and make the simple act of breathing difficult. Forget the spirit. Give me some air the scene represents one of the largely unremarked problems of worship in modern America where getting ready for Church May no longer mean merely putting on one s sunday Best but also dousing body parts in an array of the chemical solutions. A Church in Boise Idaho has an antidote. Earlier this summer the Boise United methodist Church introduced a service especially for people who Are sensitive to unnatural fragrances and Petroleum based fiber Slike polyester. And the Idaho methodists Are not alone. A Church i Northville mich., also has begun a no scent service. We discovered that people with that problem a every isolated in the Community said the Boise pastor the Rev. Tom Tucker. It is very difficult for them Roget out and participate normally in activities. And that includes coming to  the special service is held in the Church s Chapel made of untreated materials the Walls Are Arizona Sandstone the floors Are Marble and Flagstone and the pews Are natural Wood. The Chapel seats 75 people and does not have chemical Laden carpeting like the Church s main Sanctuary which seats 1,000. No irritating products like water and canola Oil reused in cleaning the Chapel and two hours before the palestinians to direct fest in Bethlehem Bethlehem West Bank a palestinians will be in charge of Christmas celebrations in the City where Jesus was born for the first time this year officials say. This Christmas will be under the palestinian authority israeli tourism min ister Uzi Baram told reporters monday after meeting with Elias Freij who Dou Bles As palestinian tourism minister an mayor of Bethlehem. We would like to celebrate Christma this year under the flags of peace Freij added. He said he was considering inviting world leaders to Bethlehem for the event. It would be a Sharp contrast to recent years. Freij led efforts each year Between 1987 and 1992 to shut Down the City of 30,000 at Christmas because of the pales Tinian uprising and Israel s tourism ministry did its Best to bring in Christian Pil grims.  Baram said the palestinians Wouldhave control of tourism As part of the Early empowerment the phase of the Israel pop peace Accord during which palestinian authority will extend from thyself Rule areas in the Gaza strip and Jeri Cho into the rest of the West Bank. The palestinians began assuming control of education throughout the Westbank this week and israeli and palestini an teams in Cairo Egypt Are working out the Transfer of responsibility for taxation health and welfare to the palestinians by year s end. The final stage will be the Transfer of police Powers in major West Bank population centers to the palestinians due to take place in 1995. Freij said tourism will be a major source of income for palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza strip. We want Tobe Able to build a successful tourist Industry he said. Baram said a israeli palestinian com Mittee would meet next week to coordinate Bethlehem Christmas celebrations. Service fans Are turned on to help Clear the  Are asked to come fragrance free and to Wear Only natural fiber clothes. No candles Are lighted during the service because Many of the people Are sensitive to smoke electric candles Are used instead. The pianist the organist and the minister also come unscented. The service is led by the assistant pastor the Rev. Jon Brown whose wife has a respiratory prob Lem that makes her sensitive to chemicals Ana Fra  said that the services which began july 17,have been drawing about a dozen people almost All of them newcomers who have medical problems that have kept them from Church. Even those without medical problems Are Welcome to come and enjoy the fresh air but not too Many have been participating. They apparently prefer to go to the main service and take their chances with chemicals and fragrances. In Michigan Jean Staten a Secretary at the 700-member first Church of the Nazarene in Northville said the Strong smells of perfume shampoo or Hairspray used to get her nose so blocked up she could t sing or enjoy the service. And she said her nasal sensitivity became More embarrassing whenever a particularly Strong smelling Church member sat Down beside her. What could i do then she said. I could t get Upland move. What would i say excuse me but i have to move away from you or i can t breathe ? it s such  Issue and i would t want to offend  birthday workday Mother Teresa distributes pamphlets at the missionaries of Charity i Calcutta India on Friday which was her 84th birthday the Nobel peace prize laureat was showered with baskets of Flowers earthenware pots full of Candy and toys for the poor homeless children she helps when her admirers asked for a birthday speech she said i have no message for anybody today. Thanks to god i am still Able to carry on with my work. I am quite tired org tyke  archdiocese draws a Bead on papal visit souvenirs from the associated press East Orange . People attending the hottest event at giants stadium this fall will be Able to Purchase souvenirs such ast shirts sweat shirts and Rosary beads. -. Rosary Bead certainly they Are appropriate Tor Pope Johnpaul it s visit to new Jersey in october. An East Orange company is providing the souvenirs for the archdiocese of Newark to sell i Hopes of defraying some of the $1 million Cost of the  majority of the expense will be for Security lighting staging and insurance for the papal mass a giants stadium on oct. 21, said Michael Hurley spokesman for archbishop Theodore Mccarrick. We know people Are always going to be looking for things that can become Memorabilia so this made sense Hurley said. Someone was going to be marketing stuff Why not us Hurley said adding that licensing the souvenirs that highlight the Pope s theme of the family May reduce Bootleg and tasteless items. Some churches ousted Lexington by. An association of Blac baptists in Kentucky has voted to oust several member churches because they have licensed women to preach in violation of the group s rules. Forest Tabernacle Baptist Church in Newburg and first Gethsemane Baptist Church in Louisville were removed recently by the general association of baptists in Kentucky. Several other churches have also been removed. It s amazing How Blind they Are said the Rev. Faida Alma Alexander who was licensed in 1990."how can they see the oppression from the White Power Structure and not see what they Are doing  in god s House an association notice warned that a february 1993 vote was the voice of the body that churches who have licensed women preachers cannot registering this body for  men were the Only voters because women do not have the right to vote in the association. Longtime organist retires Verdigre neb. In her 68 years As organist at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church 92-year-Oldeldiva Pavlik has played for 625 weddings and funerals. She also has played for thousands of masses an services never accepting any stipend for regular services. It was her Way of praying and giving Praise to god. Pavlik who retired recently As Church organist has received six papal blessings from four Popes Over the years to show the Church s appreciation former work. I was born for music. Music was always important in my family for generations before me. The Parish priests Haye been very encouraging Over the years and have been very appreciative of what i could do she said -. University bouncing Bock Tulsa okla the president of Oral Robert University in Tulsa is predicting a comeback of the charismatic school that his father founded More than 30 years ago. Dwe be been Down a Long time in a lot of ways Richard Roberts said recently. But in five years you won t know this  the University is $40 million in debt and its traditional base of support is shrinking. Sceptics Nave predicted the school s demise for years. But Roberts sees Progress. We Are m better shape than we were a year ago. We have been Chipping away at our debt ?".?the sales of several ancillary properties he said. We expect that within the next 60 Days we will have eliminated 20 percent of that  Roberts has been trying to turn the University around since taking Over about 18 months ago a president of the school. Roberts wants to have oru but of debt an operating within its budget in three years. To do it Roberts said that the school must tap into new resources. Roberts is hoping to find More reliable avenues of funding by cultivating relationships with Christian organizations and schools