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Fwd: GMCA June 17-18
by David Zahrt via OE 25 Jun '14

25 Jun '14

*Tue Jun 17* Sleeping in a bed and inside for two nights: wonderful! The Galls had raised 4 children so Luke and I had our own bedrooms. Actually Luke must have been intoxicated. He slept on the couch in the living room even though Jean had asked him not to. I took an early morning tub bath. When I asked about the laundry, Jean took me to the basement and put the laundry in. She returned to the kitchen and I sat in the dining room just off the kitchen. Eventually she sat at the dining room table with me and continued to ask about the March community. She was upset that Luke had slept on the living room couch overnight. She had showed him his bedroom and told him that she didn’t want him sleeping on the couch. I indicated that was one of the issues I found in the March community: that the younger generation did what they preferred and didn’t listen to requests from the larger community. After breakfast we discussed plans for the day. Luke borrowed a bike and rode into downtown Denver (we were about 15 min, by auto, E of downtown on 26th St). Duane helped me schedule an appointment with the Apple Store at Cherry Mall. I went in the afternoon but the Apple Store couldn’t/wouldn’t help me fix my charger. My Laptop is 10 years old and they don’t service that kind of computer! They referred me to a Mac App shop in Englewood, but the Galls couldn’t work it into the schedule. Jean cooked a picnic dinner and we went to the Botanical Garden. We got back home by 9 PM, and there was my electric bass that Lin had Fedexed to Mark, who brought it to me. We packed lunch and belongings for tomorrow and went to bed. *Wed Jun 18* We got up at 6, had breakfast, packed the car, and got over to the Mercury Café a little after 7. Duane and Jean dropped us off, said goodbye, and left to fulfill family obligations. Those who had their home-stay in Boulder were a little late. Once the gear truck was loaded the Marchers reviewed the route that went past a refinery, received masks, and left. This was the day I planned to begin riding my bike, which was on John J’s trailer parked in a nearby Farmers Market lot. I got my bike and caught up with the Marchers at the refinery. They paused there and demonstrated against the refinery with signs they had created before we left Denver. I continued on the route because I didn’t have any sign. It was a 15-mile ride to a high school. We were told to camp on the soccer field. In the middle of the afternoon we had a thunder shower with hail. It stopped and we got our tents up. Then it started again. It showered, hailed, and there was a strong wind. I have been sleeping in the big 9-person tent. I was in it to get out of the weather when it blew down. Once we put it up again there began to be a puddle of water on the floor. Zach, a young Marcher who joined us in Denver, indicated he had a 2-person tent and invited me to stay with him. I immediately took him up on the offer. The cooks moved the meal prep inside the food truck. We ate dinner in the rain. After we ate it was still thundering and showering. Then the irrigation sprinklers for the soccer field came on. There were a lot of people that moved their tents. I, for one, slept in a very moist sleeping bag! -- Peace, David

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Jaime for Friday, June 27
by via OE 25 Jun '14

25 Jun '14

Lego. Let it go. I come to the end ofmy visits to the families of my eldest daughters, the first, lives in theoutskirt of Chicago, and the second, in Concord by the East Bay Area of SanFrancisco. I have four grandsons (twofrom each family) and Liam in Chicago at 4 is neurologically challenged. He has difficulty with time, doing thingsimmediately in the “now” and impatient to wait out the long-term, has acontrarian bent, and tends to show repetitive behavior. The last category classifies him under ASD, theAutism Spectrum Disorder. Liam’s older brotherSullivan who is 6 is a wonder in speech and comprehension, way ahead of his agegroup and grade level (he enters first grade this semester at third gradereading level). He is also a Legobuilder. The MacDonald’s allure may worka while but there is no way he can be distracted from a visit to any local Legoworld familiar or known to him. Hecruises the Internet for their locations. Happily, the public library of Palatine, Illinois where he lives has aLego world in its children’s section. His parents also remind him to tidy the plastic bits and pieces heinadvertently leaves behind on their living room floor. Sullivan has the“World of Lego movie 2014”, the first in a series of three, the second forrelease in 2017, and the third, in 2020. Lego Group, the Denmark Company that manufactures the construction toysholds the flagship product, Lego (from the Danish phrase leggodt, which means "play well"), of colorful interlocking plastic bricks as gears, minifigures, etc. The movie relates the world of an ordinaryworker who falls into the center abyss of his universe and chosen to play “special”one who wears the “piece de resistance” (a rehash of the old messianic role). Fast forward, themovie’s theme: creativity and innovation, does not come from just following theinstruction manual like many Lego players do, nor is the permanence of the krazy glue an option. Lego is about construction and deconstruction,like life itself, where beauty and passion is found in the process more than inthe product. A glued product, good forshow casing, is dead rather than alive. “Weare not in the business of making a living,” my father used to say. “We are in the business of living a life.” I added, the finitude of the same is shroudedwith the awe of mystery! Liam had a DVD of thenew cartoon movie “Frozen”. I did notget to see it while in Chicago but my two grandsons in the Bay Area of SanFrancisco, Dillon at 8 and Sean at 6, had a copy that they could not wait forme to watch. Frozen is about two sisters, orphaned princesses of a king and a queen whodie in an accident. The eldest sister haspowers to freeze anything but she almost kills her sister at play. The parents decide to keep her skill asecret, fearful that their subjects would find out about it, so they separatethe sisters from playing together again. When the eldest comeof age to assume the kingdom’s throne vacated by their parents, she has to weargloves so as not to reveal her powers. Fast forward to the end of the story over the numerous subplots. Life is not about hiding secrets to maintaina façade; it is about living the real, the authentic, and the true. The elder sister finally decides to let go ofher fears and build herself an ice castle up in the mountain. She also had to unfreeze her lowland kingdomfrom the icy cold she unleashes earlier. The movie at the end burst into a song about “letting go,” a practicalenough advice to everyone who allows fear to dictate the cadence of their livesrather than just be the authentic but wondrously compassionate and powerfulselves they already are. The tradition thatinfluenced my upbringing, particularly the European meta-brain of my schooling,conditioned me to think that the way to save someone is to liberate one fromthe grip of something imaginary and unreal, usually a dragon, an imaginaryanimal. In the Levant, the mirage is aconstant illusion, an internally experienced object attractive and enticing butnot real. In the old Persia, theydecided that reality consisted of two real opposing forces – the good and thebad - constantly battling for dominion to extend their influence. A group of nomads in the Levant decided thatreality is one, the only reality, a message now echoed from muezzins on theminaret of many a mosque five times a day. The might and power of the real to Isaiah even uses earthly sovereignsto discipline its people, the chosen ones, to make clear in their social life,the truth of that reality, lest they forgot. Some forgot and abarefoot carpenter from Nazareth not only reminded them of this chosenness, butalso showed everyone that the chosenness is a personal choice, with one’s nameindelibly marked and stamped on the messianic role to set other folks free,even unto death. The power and might wasfor the taking of anyone willing to take on the role, later self-consciouslyknown as the ekklesia (the householdof the real), to be innovative, creative and free. Lego. Leg godt. Let it go. Let the authentic practice of living ring true in life. j'aime la vie pinoypanda2031(a)aol.com yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!

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Fwd: GMCA June16
by David Zahrt via OE 24 Jun '14

24 Jun '14

*Mon Jun 16* Today is a big day because of the Denver Rally. We took the vehicles to a parking lot near the Mercury Café where we will have dinner after the Rally. The parking lot wanted over $100 so Sarah asked Bob, a Denver support person, to find an alternative. He shuttled some of the staff back to the March and returned at 12:30 with no alternative. We were shuttled back to the park where the Marchers plan to meet to begin the March to the Capitol steps for the Rally. We marched 3.5 miles and arrived at the Capitol at 4:30. While I was waiting for the Rally to begin a ‘stranger’ said “Hello” to me. It took me a moment to realize that it was Dianne Greenwald. I was thrilled to see her. We talked about the March and she indicated that she and Salvatore plan to join us through part of NE. When the presentations were over, Dianne made a contribution to the March and indicated that she had to leave. The crowd left the capitol steps and headed to the café where the EPA was scheduled to make a presentation. On my way out Jim and Oliveann Slotta showed up. It took me a minute again, to recognize them and call them by name. We walked and talked for at least a mile to the EPA presentation. When the presentation was over they went home. I went to the Mercury Café for dinner. There were approximately 110 people participating in the dinner. After dinner we had presentations and discussion groups. The discussion groups each met for 10 minutes and then reported the 3 issues their group chose as important. The presentation that inspired me was Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL). I think we should make sure there is a CCL in Carson City. When the reporting concluded, a DVD on Climate Action was shown, which concluded the evening at 10 PM. I located Duane and Jean Gall, my home-stay hosts, got my belongings, and went with them to their house. Luke was also staying with them, but he wanted to stay and listen to and play music for another hour. We arranged to have him brought home by someone else. When we got to their house we found the amplifier that Mark Welch is loaning me. I learned that Jean was originally from Iowa. They offered me a beer and asked many questions about my background and the March. We were still up at 11:15 when Luke arrived. Jean proposed breakfast at 9 AM, which sounded good to us. -- Peace, David

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Fwd: GMCA June 15
by David Zahrt via OE 24 Jun '14

24 Jun '14

*Sun Jun 15* We got up at 5:30, packed a lunch, had breakfast, packed the gear truck and food truck, and sent the Marchers off by 7:30. We drivers waited in a Castle Rock, CO shopping center so we wouldn’t arrive at Saint James UMC in Littleton too early. Sarah gave us directions and stayed behind. I followed John J. and he got lost. I followed my directions and got lost. We still arrived before church was out and put our vehicles in the back. The enablement team seems to be a bunch of solitary jobs. Once we leave Denver and head for NE, I expect someone else to drive the Gear truck. I don’t know if riding my bike will be more communal. I find myself all alone. Why? 1) I have difficulty hearing; 2) I am not familiar with all the resources on my new phone and don’t have a computer that consistently connects with the Internet; 3) I don’t multi-task on computer/phone; 4) There are some young people (19-25), some middle-aged singles/divorcees (25-40), and a few older (55-76). I rehearse a mantra every night before I go to sleep that includes—“May you belong to community…May you connect with colleagues”... But so far I find no results from the mantra. We had a return visitor that conducted a before-dinner workshop on the need to engage in conversation so that we can understand each other. He had us break into pairs. The conversations were designed to be confidential. He encouraged us to have assigned partners and to have a regular schedule that allowed us to share with each other. Izzy and I were sitting next to each other. We each had 5 minutes to share the issues important to us. I shared the issues I have just written about because the important thing was getting the issues objectified. We broke at that point because dinner was ready. After dinner the leader shifted the focus to the first time we saw a person of another color. I didn’t remember any encounters with people of another color until we moved to 5th City Chicago in 1966. It’s probable that I saw people of color before that, but I have no recollection of it. Later we lived with Aborigines in Oombulgurri, Australia, and blacks again in Mugumoini, Kenya, and Pace, MS. He asked us to break into groups, and just then I was asked to move the Gear truck to the south side of the church. -- Peace, David

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Salmon: Response to your Earthrise
by William Salmon via OE 24 Jun '14

24 Jun '14

Claire-- Your "Earthrise" was deeply moving. This is what a witness is for. I've been to church and found the deeps of life all in the same message. Beautiful.Thank you! Bill and Beverly Salmon ----- Original Message ----- From: 'Clare Whitney' cla9ken8(a)ecentral.com [earthrise] To: earthrise(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:38 AM Subject: [earthrise] June 2014 Clare &Ken’s Birthdays: June 18 and 19 Ken and I have just come from a journey that started in Burlington VT and ended in Nashville, TN. It was a splendid time, mostly. The formal excuse for the trip was Joleil’s 8th grade graduation on June 7th. Peter’s memorial service was on June 6, 2013, and we arrived to see Carol and the girls on June 6. (We had met in Boston after Christmas last year so we had seen each other, just not in East Burke.) The first stop we made was at the cemetery to present some flowers and weep a little at the loss of a very great man, far too young. The stone is a granite pyramid, representing the mountains that Peter loved so much. It was painful and healing at one and the same time to see his name engraved on the stone and to be there at all. So we all have lived a year with a huge hole in our hearts that is mending very slowly and may never be closed, but we are caring for it and loving everyone we have in our lives. Nashville was our last stop and involved immersion in a culture about which we know very little – that of country music. We went to the “church” of country music – The Grand Ole Opry, where you even sit in pews. We experienced the witnessing aspect of country music, and the tremendous significance of this part of our American culture, impressing this classically trained musician from New England. The major image, of course, is “Let the Circle Be Unbroken” representing the long tradition of country music performance from the Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry site outside Nashville. That’s a good image for our family’s year – the circle was broken, and we are trying to bring it back together again. Clare Whitney Denver CO __._,_.___ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Posted by: "Clare Whitney" <cla9ken8(a)ecentral.com> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (1) For additional information, including guidelines and schedule, go to: http://www.geocities.com/earthrisegroup/webpage.html Visit Your Group • Privacy • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2014.0.4592 / Virus Database: 3972/7735 - Release Date: 06/24/14

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Jaime for Thursday ST
by via OE 24 Jun '14

24 Jun '14

By the Diablomountains Concord on the northeast side of the Bay Area of SanFrancisco lies on the western slopes of the Diablo mountain range whose peakand hills extends from Costa Contra County in the north to the Kern Countysouth where Bakersfield is county seat. Concord is the largest city of Costa Contra next to the county seat ofMartinez. My daughter’s house is about four houses from BuchananAirfield that straddles the border of Martinez and Concord. The airport is a controversial prime propertyand its function as an airport with jets has since been replaced by Byronairport and as an airfield diminished to hosting small propeller engineplanes. Buchanan’s history began as theConcord Air Force Base in the 1940s on to being an originating point tomilitary flights headed for the Korean theatre. On this week’s visit, my daughter’s Queensland heeler dogbarked as pilots training to fly prop planes from the airfield buzzed theneighborhood. The US Coast Guard usesthe facility for emergency purposes, particularly to drench bush fires in thebrown hills surrounding the verdant forest of the Diablo peaks seen from adistance. This is not a travelogue on the mountain range nor on theinteresting Bay Point of the San Francisco Bay Area extending towards PittsburgCA, the current end point of the BART’s Yellow Line. A descriptive tour might delight ourCalifornia readership, but that has not been the regular tone of this column. Nor an introduction of Concord, Martinez, and Walnut Creek(CM&WC) would be unwelcomed by the towns consumers for they have convertedtheir downtown areas as shopping centers of boutique quality, and in this mode,the towns are quaint with antiques, and contemporary in coffee shops where ahazelnut macchiato in espresso is not an uncommon fare! It is the “devil” in “Diablo” that intrigues us and why thatwould even be relevant in the downtown areas of CM&WC where retirees tendtheir social nets well and have come to live and are visibly in display allover the place enjoying the sunset of their years. There are younger families in the area, mydaughter’s included but of the short times she cruised with me in the threetowns looking for a place that might sell USB connectors to two external drivesthat have photos of my China home I wanted to share, the places teemed withwell-heeled retirees who did not hesitate to draw out their credit cards forany purchase in any of the stores. A disambiguation: “Diablo” is used as name for fictionalcharacters, music pieces, video games, places like the aforementioned mountainrange, sports personalities and teams, a gene that negatively interacts withthe death cell, and a type of hot, dry wind common in many deserts. There was once a USS DiabloAmerican submarine named after a deep-sea bottom-dwelling batfish of theWest Indies whose first assignment was to sail to Saipan after it wascommissioned just before the end of WWII hostilities. Exchange of firepower on Mt. Tapuchao ceasedbefore the Diablo reached its destination so its eventual first portage wasGuam. The submarine was delivered laterto the Pakistan navy in a military assistance package and became the Ghazi, Pakistan’s sole underwatermilitary submersible that mysteriously sank in 1971. My devilish sense looking up at the majestic mountain rangefrom Concord probably stems from my detachment from the rabid consumerism nowattendant to a country that still holds my fealty and political devotion. Everywhere I turn in my visits to my twodaughters’ families, the symbols of economic prosperity around them are held upas the overriding preoccupation of identity, vocation, and lifestyle. No activity or value is worth pursuing untilone had done the math on how much it will cost, or what amount will be gained,a cultural practice of estimation I am not privy to. As a retired member of the straddling class between the“silent” and “baby boomer” generations, I might still carry the traditionalvalue of personal character against personal wealth as criteria for measuringan individual’s worth. While financesare obviously very important, and my daughters are not by any measure countingtheir pennies, they have yet to make it the overriding consideration in gaugingpeople’s social standing. Happily, Imight claim that my daughters’ attitude, to a certain degree, reflects that oftheir father. I am evidently divorced from the contemporary preoccupationof personal worth by accumulation and expenditure, not from the inability toearn the dough (though the charge had been leveled against my earning skills)as it is an absence of passion to follow the acquisitive path; I am toohabitually at home in the monastic practice of earthly detachment. I do not condemn the practice but Iacknowledge that I no longer belong to this age. In fact, my room smells too much of my agethat I have to open my window to let the Diablo air and the hydrocarbonemissions of fast moving traffic on CA State Highway 4 not too far from mybreathing, to come in. The devil is in the details, we say. This one is mountain size. j'aime la vie pinoypanda2031(a)aol.com yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!

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Re: [Oe List ...] Fwd: rocking the Methodist boat in Texas
by Mark Harvey via OE 24 Jun '14

24 Jun '14

Anyone who has read The United Methodist Discipline understands that there is NOT going to be a schism, because every church has a trust clause on their real property giving the property to the denomination should they withdraw. That's a Constitutional clause, meaning it cannot be legislated away by a chagrined majority. Follow the money. Dissenting churches are NOT going to walk away from property (though I'll admit, we might be better off walking away from many of these old decrepit church buildings.) It's NOT going to happen! United Methodists will walk the fence on this issue until every state in the Union, or the Federal government, have effected the kind of sea change of opinion which wil make us change if we want to survive at all. Remember The Sacred Canopy, by sociologist Peter Berger. Churches make official changes to 'rubber stamp' the culture. The United Methodist Church is not the wedgeblade. That's why we all left the UMC way back when, but then went back to build a pension. On Saturday, June 14, 2014 5:03 PM, Ellie Stock <elliestock(a)aol.com> wrote: Hi Mark and Mary, Thought you might be interested in this latest string of emails from the OE list serve. Read from the bottom up. Ellie -----Original Message----- From: jlepps(a)pc.jaring.my via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> To: George Holcombe <grholcombe(a)gmail.com> Cc: ICA/OE List Serves <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Sat, Jun 14, 2014 4:54 pm Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] rocking the Methodist boat in Texas Thanks for your thoughtful and historical response, Marshall. Your comment, "I agree with John's implied point that at minimum it's a HUGE distraction from the REAL missional issues that the church should be struggling to address" is the only point I was attempting to make. Certainly I agree that same sex marriages should be honored in United Methodism. It would be a shame for the church to split over this. It has forced me to distinguish between the Church as institution and the Church as movement. The former exists to enable the latter, but often it lags behind. It even tends to function to perpetuate itself rather than its cause. When that happens, it's due for a reform. It may even be that the institutional church is wrestling with the major issue of accommodating diversity that affects societies around the world. If it's at that level, then maybe this is not a non-issue. Thanks for bringing up this level of the conversation. The coffee smells like Illy latte! John At 03:02 PM 6/14/2014, George Holcombe wrote: Dear Marshall, I don�t believe John is "talking out of school.� I�m sure he can speak for himself, but LBGT for our society is a non-issue, it�s over. Gay marriage will be the law of the land. Every day the LBGT community is gaining ground. For the younger generation it�s a non-issue. The UMC is just running into a stone wall. It would be much better if they let loose of the prejudice and got on with the business at hand. Climate Change, poverty, corptocracy, just to name a few need action. I am glad to see our Board of Pensions removing investments from companies that support Israel, but there�s lots more stuff we need to be about. > >We have a good bunch of local clergy who stand with us who�ve signed the pledge. The �Conservatives� (although I�m not sure that�s the correct appellation) are going to scream their heads off, but time is marching on. For the UMC a real LGBT issue is going to be how we support the gays in Africa and elsewhere and deal with a false interpretation of scripture, discipline and tradition that leads to hatred and violence. > >It�s happening. Reality is staring us in the face. > >George Holcombe >14900 Yellowleaf Tr. >Austin TX 78728 >Mobile 512/252-2756 >grholcombe(a)gmail.com > >"Whatever the problem, community is the answer. There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Margaret Wheatley > > >On Jun 14, 2014, at 3:01 PM, W. J. via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > wrote: > > >George Holcombe is one of the Texas 'rebels' >>Marshall Jones >>10 Retired Clergy Say They Will Officiate at Weddings of Same-Sex Couples >> >> >>10 Retired Clergy Say They Will Officiate at Weddings ... >>Even though their denomination's policy officially prohibits clergy from officiating at the wedding of any same-sex couple at the risk of losing their ordination, t... >>View on unitedmethod... >>Preview by Yahoo >> >> >> >>On Saturday, June 14, 2014 12:38 PM, W. J. via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net > wrote: >> >> >>Methodism seems to be teetering on the brink of rebellion, confrontation, and schism.You can follow the rapid escalation of Methodist conflict in the following articles: >> >>Methodists fear split over same-sex marriage >> >> >>Methodists fear split over same-sex marriage >>Evan as more states legalize gay marriage, United Methodist leaders appear at an impasse. >>View on www.usatoda... >>Preview by Yahoo >> >>http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2014-03/time-split >>http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2014/04/08/conservative-church-leaders-c… >>http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2014/04/02/conversation-good-newss-tom-l… >>http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2014/04/01/good-news-releases-statement-… >> >>In the light of the current 'conversation' in Methodist circles cited above, I find John Epps' characterization of the key conflict over the Discipline as a "non-issue" very puzzling. >> >>If I were a betting man, I'd bet about 50 million bucks that Bill McElvaney, Tom Ogletree, and Bishops McLee, Johnson, and Talbert (as well as many others) would NOT call 'ceremonies of homosexual union' a "non-issue" for United Methodists. >> >>I agree with John's implied point that at minimum it's a HUGE distraction from the REAL missional issues that the church should be struggling to address. >> >>But when I look through the keyhole of this so-called "non-issue" that threatens denominational schism (similar to the schism over slavery in 1844), what I see looming are the VERY SAME theological/cultural issues that define the cultural rift (I accidentally typed 'risk'--there's that too!) with the Tea Party radical right wing. >> >>The 'Good News' contingent is going whole hog to use Legalism, Literalism, and Authoritarianism to defrock noncompliant Methodist clergy, retired seminary presidents, and bishops. This is about instilling fear in bishops and clergy alike by using the Discipline to crack down on dissenters. >> >>So with all respect due to John, I cannot call this a "non-issue". >> >>Our profound cultural and theological biases around 'heteronormativity' are as much of a HUGE issue as our biases around the racial inferiority of people of color and female submission to male dominance (not to mention the economic imperialism of the "1%"). >> >>I grew up in what had been the Methodist Episcopal Church, South until the year before I was born. That geographic contingent in reunited Methodism retained its political and cultural clout as the lily-white Southeastern Jurisdiction until the Central Jurisdiction was dissolved in 1968 as a condition of union with the EUB's. >> >>I mention this ancient history to point out that the cultural legacy enshrined in the 'Good News' version of conservative southern Methodism is the legacy of slavery and 'White Supremacy' that their white male Methodist ancestors fought and died to preserve forever. >> >>Bishop Francis Asbury (whose name is legendary to this day in western North Carolina) wrote in his journal that on 11/30/1810 he spent the night (and very likely preached in the attic chapel) in the house Jacob Shook built in 1795 in what is now Clyde, NC near Lake Junaluska. >> >>Friday our troubles began at a foaming, roaring stream, which hid the rocks. At Catahouche I walked over a log, but then O the mountains- height after height and five miles over! After crossing many streams and after losing ourselves in the woods for a time, about 9 o'clock at night we gratefully came to Vater Shucks. >> >>If you visit Jacob Shook's house today, you can see a handwritten receipt for the purchase of several slaves. After he died in 1837 his house and farmland was purchased by members of the Welch family, who together had about 150 slaves. I mention this to illustrate that slavery was considered economically 'necessary' and normalized by this part of white Methodism as God's Will for Africans. Even Asbury failed to object, though he denounced slavery and pleaded for abolition with George Washington. >> >>In Clyde and throughout Haywood County the heritage of slavery is almost totally invisible today. The slave cabins are long gone, as are the descendants of slaves who worked the plantations. The county is about 96% white, 1% black, and only 1/2% Native American. >> >>The cultural reality of white male dominance is so pervasive, normalized, and unconsciously internalized that residents and visitors alike don't even think about it. When they visit nearby Cherokee, NC, they focus more on the lure of the casino than on the hidden-in-plain-sight reality of 'ethnic cleansing' that forced the vast majority of the Cherokee Nation to endure a death march to Oklahoma. Even this tragic history has been reduced to summer theatre for tourists. >> >>Since 1972 United Methodist clergy have been required to enforce the standards of 'heteronormativity' to eliminate what Aquinas called the 'vice against nature', which includes any and every sexual act except for heterosexual intercourse in the famous missionary position (reserved exclusively for those legally and heterosexually married, of course!). Aquinas seems unconcerned with the fact that 70% of women can't orgasm that way. Perhaps he was concerned only that women did their procreative duty, whether they enjoyed it or not. >> >>Reserving 'holy matrimony' for certain classes of people makes everybody else's sexuality second class, promoting 'sexual cleansing' in the church. >> >>The Legalism, Literalism, and Authoritarianism of the Methodist system leads to a Taliban concept of justice that inevitably exacts severe punishment of violators. Methodists exemplify the tyranny of majority rule with zero tolerance for minority views within the system. >> >>If your upcoming wedding would be welcomed in a Methodist Church, that's because you are enjoying hetero privilege (and probably taking it for granted). >> >>White male supremacy takes sexual privileging for granted. If you owned slaves, you could totally control and manipulate them sexually. You could have sexual intercourse and father 'illegitimate' children with people of color who were coerced or bullied, or who used your sexual interest to acquire personal benefits. Often family members could not protect them. You could invoke 'Racial Purity' to constrain and manipulate white women sexually. You could demand 'monogamy' from your wife to control her sexual interest in other people, while you ignored that standard in your own behavior. >> >>Now the likes of Maxie Dunham and Fred Phelps simply reflect the mindset of white male sexual privilege. Since Loving vs. Virginia they can't get away with railing against 'miscegenation.' Now their last refuge is their obsession with the evil of non-procreative sexual coupling symbolized in 'ceremonies of homosexual union.' >> >>And yet John Epps calls this a "non-issue." I say: wake up and smell the coffee, John! >> >>Marshall Jones >> >>From: JOHN L. EPPS <jlepps(a)pc.jaring.my> >>To: W. J. <synergi(a)yahoo.com> >>Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2014 8:14 PM >>Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] rocking the Methodist boat in Texas >> >>Thanks Marshall. >> >>When I was at Perkins, Bill McElvaney, Bill Holmes, and the late Will >>Bailey were the three Dallas "role models" for the forward-looking >>theologs. All three were students of Joe. It's good to see he's still >>pushing the envelope, though it's a shame that this non-issue takes so >>much energy. >> >>Quoting "W. J." <synergi(a)yahoo.com>: >> >>> more Methodist news from Texas: >>> >>http://um-insight.net/issues-section/supervisory-response-under-way-for-rev… >>> >>> Marshall >> >> >> >> >>---------------------------------------------------------------- >>This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my >> >> >> >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>OE mailing list >>OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net >>http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>OE mailing list >>OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net >>http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net

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Contributions for August edition of Winds and Waves
by Robyn Hutchinson via OE 22 Jun '14

22 Jun '14

To read in your browser click here Dear colleagues, It is just 10 days until the deadline for receiving the information from ICAs and other contributors, regarding submissions for the upcoming August edition of Wind and Waves. The Archives team are busily working on a range of articles for this edition. We thank other folk who have indicated they will be submitting. We really want short stories, items about power of the methods, reports, events, works in progress, from across the globe, highlighting the impact of EI/ ICA over the years, (and into the future) on your life or organization or community! Can you share one of these? See guidelines below. Other pertinent articles are of course very welcome. Would you mind completing the questions below, and returning it to the senders above, before July 1. Many thanks Robyn and Isabel, for W&W team. ____________________________________________________________ Dear ICA and many other colleagues around the world, We do hope you have enjoyed reading past editions of Wind and Waves. We are constantly exploring how we can make this magazine more user friendly and accessible to as wide an audience as possible, and are always delighted to have your suggestions. ICA's PLEASE FOWARD THIS INVITATION, or similar, TO ALL YOUR MEMBERS, for their contribution, and that of their networks, as appropriate. The Wind and Waves team invites submission of articles for the next edition of Wind and Waves Magazine. We hope that each ICA would take responsibility for sourcing relevant articles from members and non-members for each edition. August Theme "Back to the Future" presenting and exploring the 50 year old history of the ICA through the Archives project, major landmark events or programs, and its implications for future generations! We are changing the Wind and Waves format slightly: 1. In-depth leading topic article 2. 2 -3 supporting articles on theme 3. Other theme related items 4. Reports, stories, events, works in progress For the August edition featuring the Archives Project, we are looking for items from: * those involved in the archives work, and its implication for the future * personal stories from colleagues around the world who have experienced life change through practical application of these ICA / ToP life processes and methods, and future potential * other exciting human development works in progress Contributions could include reports, poems, images, songs, and stories about the people and organisations that you are working with, the breakthroughs that you have had, your learnings and insights, and your thoughts on future directions. Does your ICA, individual members, or someone you know have a story to share? Please forward an invitation as appropriate to your networks. TIME FRAME for WIND AND WAVES - August edition Leading Topic: ICA Archives ('Back to the future') Content Deadline: Friday, July 18th, 2014 Publication: August, 2014 The deadline for submission of articles for August edition is July 18 , 2014. We would like a heads up from you by July 1st or earlier on the following points: By July 1, please let us know these details on the article you / other person plans to write: 1. Title - subject line: story proposal........ 2. In the email body: 2 SIMPLE sentences not "paragraph-sentences" a. The story to share is about: .......... b. The point of the story for the reader is:....... 3. Estimated length............ 4. The number of photos, diagrams, images, that will accompany the article.... 5. Your name and author's name.... Please send the above information to Isabel, Robyn and Peter Ellins, by July 1. Some guideline tips for your attention, include: - avoiding jargon; remembering that this is a public magazine; items can be in Spanish and English - audience is ICA and non-ICA folk - Items can be in English and Spanish. * December 2014, and April, 2015 issue themes will be posted, shortly, in a separate email, for your forward planning) * Further guidelines for this Archives edition will be posted to the Archives team, for their consideration. With many thanks in anticipation, Robyn Hutchinson: hutchinsonsydney13(a)gmail.com Isabel de la Maza: isadelamaza(a)vtr.net Contributions Coordinators, for the W&W team Please send cc to Peter Ellins, peter(a)icai-members.org If you did not receive a copy or notice of the last edition of the magazine, please contact: Peter Ellins: Email: peter(a)icai-members.org; or Robyn Hutchinson: Email:rjhutchinson@optusnet.com.au

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Mark Dove's articles in Progressive Christianity
by Lynda Cock via OE 22 Jun '14

22 Jun '14

Colleagues, Thought you'd be interested in this news from Mark Dove. Lynda _____ From: T. Mark Dove [mailto:markdove543@gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2014 8:28 PM To: llc860(a)triad.rr.com Subject: Progressive Christianity articles John and Linda, There are 7 articles of mine that have been published by Progressive Christianity. It isn't real easy to find them, but I finally figured it out. When you go online to www.progressivechristianity.org, and type in the "Search" box in the upper right hand corner; T. Mark Dove, you will see symbols two boxes--one titled Baptismal Liturgy and the other Leadership Learnings from "Down Under". If you go back to the opening page and type in Funeral Conversations or Corporate Worship or The Call or Community is a Necessity or Communion Invitation, you will see a box to click on to bring each article to the screen. Grace and peace. Mark

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Jaime for ST Tuesday
by via OE 21 Jun '14

21 Jun '14

Bamboo and theweather In the movie Crouching Tiger HiddenDragon, warriors defying the laws of physics walk on billowing bamboo topsas they chase each other in a highly choreographed dance of Tai Chi, a remarkable feat ofcinematography, on the one hand, and a mythological drumming of theimagination, on the other. I stopped by Wudanshan in Shiyan Prefecture last yearwhere the Taoist section of the Wushu martialarts of the movie was shot. From Shiyanin Hubei all the way to Fujian in the east cost are moso bamboo forests (Phyllostachys edulis, moso, ortortoise-shell bamboo, or mao zhu), remarkable for their shinyskin sheen and the absence of sticky spikes. The bamboo grows like the grass it is in China’s eastern hills, plainsand shores. Living with the bamboo is an Asian source of rich metaphors. The tinkling tinikling, bamboo stick dance of my former archipelagic home,celebrates a lifestyle of avoiding the clashing bamboo branches in a storm(typhoon/hurricane) by dancing in between the clashes. Grace under pressure! Were I Nikos sitting in Cyprus watching the clouds hovering overOlympus at a distance, I probably would not see anything across the Aegean, asI am sure the skies have become overcast like the rest of the planet. But the weather in Dong Bei in late May wouldhave forgiven Nikos if he said that the Olympian gods had gone wild! We already had rains in spring but I did not shelve the long john inour wardrobe for the cold vacillated with the reluctant sun. We had a day when short sleeves left ussweating in the sweltering heat, shattered by lightning and thunder with coldwinds in the early night. The followingday, the sun came out strong again, until an afternoon hailstorm triggered allthe automatic sound alarms in the parked vehicles to blast a discordantsymphony of blaring sirens and flashing lights. Pedestrians sought cover under apartment door eaves, as umbrellas wereno protection to the ice-cube sized hail that peppered parasols. Hard rain pelted Guangdong southwest of Hong Kong causing flooding inurban center Shenzhen. Nikos would beforgiven if he thought Zeus had been peeing under his toga and Minerva couldnot hold her countenance. But where rainwas not needed, there was too much, and where it was needed so badly, nary wasthere a drop. My normal two-week springdid not last a couple of days. Summerarrived with a vengeance, making us suddenly neighbors to Taklimakan and theGobi. My Shenyang sunroom is my solariumof potted plants. I usually sit in themorning to soak the warm rays, think and write but it turned into a Turkish spawith heat making cozy friends to my sweat pores. The thunder and rain followed us in the wetlands of northeast Texasas storms darkened the skies and tornadoes touched down on Okie land, making aninternationally diverse group gathered at a symposium on realistic livinggrateful for the relief on Texas hot, though fierce lightning in the nightscared the bejesus out of our fragile souls. We found harsh winds in Chicago even as tornadoes wrecked homes inWisconsin, ferocious twin twisters leveled Pilger, Nebraska to the ground, andSouth Dakota battled the twirls. Some powerfulvoices in the U.S. Congress still find no alarm in the radical changes happeningwith our weather but denial has become more prominent than the river in Egypt. The resilient bamboo that grows fast and in some places is used as fancyflooring when made into plywood (plyboo@) is an eco-friendly alternative tohardwood. Full maturity happens in fiveyears compared to hardwood that matures as long as 120 years. It is also self-renewing because the rootsystem remains intact after harvest, preventing rapid soil erosion that followshardwood harvests. In its naturalenvironment, it grows without the assistance of chemicals (insecticides andpesticides). The carbon footprint inproduction and utilization is very low though some have criticized thetransport cost since a majority of the product comes from China. I am in no way suggesting a direct correlation between bamboo and theweather. The production of plyboorequires high urea formaldehyde (allegedly no longer used), a high dosage beinga health hazard, though the material is widely used for bonding in toys. As a resin, it is a derivative from oil, sothat is a plus in oil utilization. I amsuggesting that where bamboo grows naturally, they can be cultivated for theireco-friendly quality rather than from the perspective of raking a profit. To be sure, activities surrounding its usehave to be viable commercially to continue its use, but it is prudent not to makeit a profit making investment but rather as an inexpensive environmentallyfriendly ally, universally supported by the public through its governments. As to the weather and climate change, the easy way out isdenial. We are way past the option ofrestitution; our option is adaptive evolution, a metabolic change in thespecie. We humans are resilient as thebamboo. Be pliant! j'aime la vie pinoypanda2031(a)aol.com yesterday, appreciate; tomorrow, anticipate; today. participate. In all, celebrate!

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