[Oe List ...] [SPAM] congratulations, George! congratulations to the O:E!

[Herman Greene]

Retire?

 

Matthew Fox suggests re-firement.

 

Herman

 

  _____  

From: oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net
[mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of W. J.
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2012 12:28 AM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: [SPAM] [Oe List ...] congratulations, George! congratulations to
the O:E!

 



 


 


http://www.umcmission.org/Learn-About-Us/News-and-Stories/2012/August/Congre
gation-and-Community-Developer-Nominated-to-Lead--United-Methodist-Mission-a
nd-Evangelism-Efforts

 

George Howard, his entire family, and all his colleagues are to be
congratulated on his new job!

 

As one who toiled for years (& peanuts, BTW) in the back rooms at 475
Riverside Drive for what was then the Methodist Board of Missions, I am
particularly proud to celebrate this occasion.

 

For years Joe Mathews and company went hat in hand to the Methodist
establishment to offer a new model of 'mission' -- and to invite their
cooperation and financial support for our efforts to demonstrate this model
globally. Without, of course, all the theological and institutional baggage
that conservative Methodists tended to perpetuate through their "career
missionaries."

 

Bottom line is that although we created some amazing partnerships with
churchmen of all denominational stripes, particularly at the local and
regional level and especially in places like Asian nations where there was a
strong institutional infrastructure of Methodist presence, the
denominational hierarchy @ 475 tended to be institutionally rigid
(reflecting the conservative mission theology in local churches that sent
and supported their career missionaries). Their response was more like,
"Yes, BUT . . ." "Yes, but where's your orthodox Christology and your
evangelical preaching calling individuals to make decisions for Christ?" Et
cetera.

 

Fast forward a half century, more or less. Amazingly, almost all of those
career missionaries are gone. As are most of the short term misisonaries in
the program Lela Jahn was in. 

 

And, amazingly, this Board finally gets it that in order to create
significant partnerships with Methodists and their institutions worldwide,
it's necessary to give up the old (and resented) model of sending
missionaries and money controlled from 475, invest in new, non-hierarchical,
cooperative relationships with these Methodists (not to mention others
outside the denominational fold), and pursue what they call "asset-based
community development" (which means tapping and developing the potential
resources that are already present, rather than pouring in vast quantities
of outside funding). Sounds strangely familiar!

Of course they were wise enough to hire George Howard!

 

So to all of us who sweated blood for years in the global band of human
development projects and the religious houses and local colleagues who made
it all happen (despite an absence of institutional support in many cases), I
offer my profound gratitude for all we did together to be part of 'the great
turn.'

 

Now we see more evidence that our years of practical research and
demonstration have finally taken root and blossomed within the established
church. Amazing. But what else could they do? The fundie missionaries are
clueless and up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

 

As one who is about to REALLY retire and just enjoy the amazing view from my
front porch rocking chair (& I mean this LITERALLY!), I'm very happy to let
go of any sense of having to pursue any unfinished business. Let the Order
Archives team organize, preserve, and disseminate our corporate wisdom for
the new world. And let Terry and company take care of the Kemper Building
and preserve our footprint in Chicago to be of service in the new world.

 

Amen.

 

Marshall

 


 



 

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