Crista Approves Group Home For Aids -- Christian Organization Will Begin Fund Raising

CRISTA Ministries' board of trustees has OK'd a plan to establish a group home for people with AIDS, the first such facility in the Northwest that would be operated by an evangelical Christian organization.

Jim Gwinn, CRISTA president, said after yesterday's decision that his agency now will work out details for the proposed home, including its site, and will begin fund raising forthe estimated $195,000 it would cost to operate the group home the first year.

Gwinn gave no date for when the home might open.

He said CRISTA, an interdenominational Christian service organization at 19303 Fremont Ave. N., in the Shoreline area, was eying potential locations in South Snohomish County or in Des Moines.

The home would serve six to 12 people with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, probably the majority of whom would be gay men. The facility would provide food, transportation, physical therapy, counseling and other support services to its residents, according to CRISTA officials.

In an earlier interview, Gwinn said the evangelical community has been behind in responding to the AIDS crisis, partly because a number of evangelical or conservative Christians have thought AIDS is a consequence of choosing to engage in homosexual practices.

Gwinn said CRISTA would separate its AIDS ministry - serving the needs of people with AIDS - from the issue of homosexuality.

He said the letters and telephone calls CRISTA has received have been "overwhelmingly positive" since news of its plans was reported on Monday. Churches, individuals and businesses were "pleased that an organization like CRISTA would show Christ's love to persons with AIDS," Gwinn said.

Some mainline religious groups already have established group homes for people living with AIDS. University Unitarian Church operates DeWolfe House in Seattle.

The Multifaith AIDS Project of Seattle has two group homes and is looking to start a third. The Catholic Archdiocese contributed $100,000 to the development of Bailey Boushay House, a nonsectarian nursing home and adult day-health program in Seattle for people with AIDS.

Gwinn said CRISTA already has some money for its planned group home but will seek both public and private contributions.

"We are stepping out and trusting the Lord to supply it," he said.

He said the only negative calls CRISTA received were from people who did not identify themselves and said they were disappointed CRISTA was taking up the AIDS ministry.

CRISTA was established in 1949 and operates senior-care facilities, elementary and secondary schools, radio stations KCIS-AM and KCMS-FM, the Seattle Street School for youths who have been expelled from public schools, and World Concern, an international relief and development agency.