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Re: [Oe List ...] [Dialogue] Death of Robert Shropshire
by PSchrijnen＠aol.com 01 Jun '12

01 Jun '12

My, these are beautiful fragments of a great life. Can we all get on-line on a skype conference call and sing: "For all the saints...." or maybe: "Free men live..." ? Paul In a message dated 01/06/2012 07:37:09 GMT Daylight Time, jkjmbarker(a)bigpond.com writes: REMEMBERING ROBERT SHROPSHIRE Robert is remembered with deep affection and gratitude by the Mowanjum community and all of us who were there as staff in the Derby Religious House in the early 70's. His presence in an Aboriginal community in the remote North West Kimberley region of Australia caused far more attention than he was comfortable with. The press were on to his presence - at first positive when a great photo appeared on the front page of "The Northern Times" of him with the senior elder Micky Bunguni in front of a new sign "Mowanjum Community - Mission to the World" together with the wedgeblade. But later the same paper led a scare campaign with banner headlines "Black Power comes to Derby!" Robert's response was to laugh at the notion that he of all people should be considered a dangerous threat - after all "I am only a cool school teacher". Some of our fond memories of Robert are: * such an empowering and imaginative teacher especially of teenagers * introducing Aboriginal people to music they had never heard before * his delight in embellishing the story of the great sheep drive (5,000 of them) including the fact that they all got lost at the first attempt! * his coolness towards our tight structures * both his eruptive anger at being treated "differently" and his gratitude when people were straight with him * being followed around by giggling school girls * the love of kids who called out "Shropshire, come here" * his infectious laughter especially at the incongruence of situations we were faced with * his zany sense of humour and apt comments when the going was tough * introducing "right on" into the Indigenous vocabulary * his liberating presence as a proud black man * singing along with the elder Wattie Ngerdu's favourite song "Free men live in responsibility" (Wattie could sing but Robert???) - we could go on. People of Mowanjum will mourn his passing - and are sure to retell great Robert Shropshire stories. We also cherish our opportunity to have caught up with him in the nineties in Chicago and have his distinctive chuckle again etched into our memories - and yes, the Great Sheep Drive was told once again! We resonate with Evelyn Philbrook where she says "I somehow feel he is some where laughing with the Mystery expecting great things from us all to carry out God's unfinished work." Goodbye to a true spirit colleague. Jonathan and Janeen Barker On 31/05/2012, at 9:45 AM, George Holcombe wrote: Conna Wilkerson told me that Robert died Tuesday night at his mother's home in Chicago. A service will be held for him on Saturday. Wanda and I will never forget Robert. When he arrived at Mowanjum, he was the star of the show, everyone thought he was the greatest. Years later Robert and I had a great time playing music at the summer programs. I'm sure others of us have memories of Robert, too. George Holcombe 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. Austin, TX 78728 Mobile 512/252-2756 _geowanda1(a)me.com_ (mailto:geowanda1@me.com) Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope—you do not have anything to do with it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien—it just appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope? ~Joseph W. Mathews _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list _Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net_ (mailto:Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net) _http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net_ (http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net) = _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net

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Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire
by marilyncrocker＠juno.com 31 May '12

31 May '12

Shrop was a delightful colleague who could see through to the profound spirit core of issues in our community and the world and was willing to address them insightfully and incisively (what we used to call "delivering the Word.") All of your comments have rekindled his image for me. I had the opportunity to bring him onto my team at McDonald's home office, where he served as Manager of Corporate Contributions back in the early 80s. I particularly remember him as the way-cool percussionist in the beloved OE music combo called "The Blues Brothers." Indeed, we were enriched by the extravagant talents he brought to the adventure of life in mission. Marilyn Crocker On Thu, 31 May 2012 10:37:58 -0500 "Otto, Ken" <ottok(a)crcl.net> writes: I was also in this Academy with Evelyn and remember his anger about asking permission to marry in the Order. Every time I came into his presence after Academy, winter of '74 humor and joy would enter my being. It was so good to see this man's courage and action. I pray he is at peasce with the Mystery now. Ken Otto From: oe-bounces(a)lists.wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Evelyn Philbrook Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 3:20 AM To: oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire Robert Shropshire taught my academy and made me laugh and he made me think about racism, reverse racism, what blocks each of us from being our potential is just a story, which we can change, simple as that. (Then he got angry about getting married and he did a collegium which just blew everyone away.) He was also a facilitator for the Gibson Human Development Project Consult in Gibson, North Carolina. I remember when he said he had never seen a Southern town like Gibson before. He kept singing this song about the company store under his breath. Those of us who were there knew what he meant. And then he turned around and said that as a Black African American man his role was about healing - accountability, absolution and healing. Then he went and did the Contradiction workshop. It was painful. He held everyone accountable, white, black, American Indians, everyone.Then he said it was time for forgiveness. The room was silent. Everyone looked at the white Mayor, who ran the company store. Then it was like a revival. Amen, Amen, Amens were said all around, started first by the Black reverends, and the black school principal, then everyone.... (Or at least that is how I remember it.) Later, he said, may be he would go to hell for this, but that is what he needed to do. Amen to men of courage like Robert Shropshire. Sing the Gibson Town Song under your breath and then Amazing Grace. His mother is named Evelyn and his daughter is named Evelyn...I never met anyone besides Bob who knew another Evelyn. I am so sorry to hear of his death. I somehow feel he is some where laughing with the Mystery expecting great things from us all to carry out God's unfinished work. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and colleagues who lived, and worked with Robert Shropshire, a very courageous man indeed. Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook. On 5/31/2012 10:59 AM, jsloan45(a)gmail.com wrote: I am saddened to hear of Robert's death. I often wondered what ever happened with him. He, Carlos and I enjoyed many long and wrenching conversations in appropriating being black in American and in the Order. I have fond memories of teaching the Urban Academy with him. He was a true treasure, and I pray that his soul is at peace. Joyce Sloan On , E B <marosel2000(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > It is a sad day to hear of Robert's death. He was dean of my first and second Academy. > May God have mercy and welcome him into His Kingdom. > Our deepest condolences to his bereaved family. > Elsa Batica > Minneapolis, MN > > > From: George Holcombe geowanda1(a)me.com> > To: Order Ecumenical Community OE(a)wedgeblade.net>; ICA LIST SERVE dialogue(a)wedgeblade.net> > Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 7:15 PM > Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire > > > > Conna Wilkerson told me that Robert died Tuesday night at his mother's home in Chicago. A service will be held for him on Saturday. > > Wanda and I will never forget Robert. When he arrived at Mowanjum, he was the star of the show, everyone thought he was the greatest. Years later Robert and I had a great time playing music at the summer programs. I'm sure others of us have memories of Robert, too. > > > George Holcombe > 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. > Austin, TX 78728 > Mobile 512/252-2756 > geowanda1(a)me.com > > > Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope�you do not have anything to do with it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien�it just appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope? ~Joseph W. Mathews > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 Dr. Marilyn R. Crocker 123 Sanborn Road West Newfield, ME 04095

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Address for the Shropshire children and family
by Lynda Cock 31 May '12

31 May '12

Conna sent me this: Lynda, Thank you for your note. His mother is Evelyn Shropshire at 6658 S. Kimbark, Chicago, IL. His children are Evelyn and Gregory Shropshire and both live here in Oklahoma - close to me, so consequently, I have never memorized their addresses. However you can send to them c/o me at 9932 E. Wilshire Blvd, Spencer, OK 73084 and I can make sure they receive anything that comes. -Conna Note that Conna's address is different from the one in the Directory, so thought I'd forward this on. Also add new preferred e-mail: conna.wilkinson(a)gmail.com With care and sympathy for this family, we celebrate the life of one who lived and journeyed with us for many years, Lynda Cock

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5/31/12, Spong: Remembering My Mentors Part III: Janet Robinson, Bible Teacher
by Ellie Stock 31 May '12

31 May '12

HOMEPAGE MY PROFILE ESSAY ARCHIVE MESSAGE BOARDS CALENDAR Remembering My Mentors Part III: Janet Robinson, Bible Teacher Her name was Janet Robinson and I met her shortly after my 12th birthday. She was a member of my church and active as a Sunday school teacher. She was an unmarried lady in her late forties or early fifties. She was a stocky, heavy-set woman, but no one would have referred to her as over weight. She wore very basic clothes, usually suits that were either brown or navy blue. Her shoes had heels, but they were square and low, laced-up oxfords more often than not. Her brown hair was folded into a bun at the back of her head. She never used lipstick or make-up of any sort, believing those things to be something against which the Bible warned. She thought being a muted woman was being a proper woman. She was a very enthusiastic, even an emotional Christian, who was devoted to Jesus whom she called “My Lord” and she referred to him as “precious.” It almost seemed to me that she was in love with Jesus. She would not have used those words, they were too romantic, but he was the focus and the primary love of her life. I do not recall anything other than her presence in Sunday school since she was never my teacher, but from time to time she did speak in church and it was there that she revealed both her devotion and the intensity of her faith. She lived with her sister, Sarah, who was also a single lady, but Sarah did not exhale religious fervor in quite the same way. “Miss Janet,” as we called her, frequently led Bible classes in other churches beside my own. She was highly regarded in evangelical circles and was, in many ways, far more comfortable in the local Baptist, Methodist and Pentecostal churches than she was in her own Episcopal church. She was not as much into classical liturgy as she was into “experiencing Jesus as my personal Savior.” Her face had that kind of radiant glow, the well-scrubbed look of one who possessed an unmade-up freshness. She was a warm person. Her penetrating eyes set off both her high forehead and her tight, swept back hairstyle. In the 1940’s in the South, the public schools were in many ways the parochial schools of evangelical Christian Protestantism. There were few Roman Catholics in those days in the South, still fewer Jews and almost no admitted atheists or agnostics. Generally, everyone was a member of some church and the religious debates in that region were over such internal issues of whether infant baptism or adult baptism was proper, whether wine or grape juice should be used at Holy Communion and whether a personal and sometimes intense conversion experience was essential to the Christian life as opposed to just growing up into a Christian conviction. The sins against which most clergy railed from their pulpits were alcohol, card playing, divorce and profanity. There was not much attention paid to smoking as a sin since North Carolina was in tobacco-growing country and no one wanted to attack the crop that was the basis of the economy. Most of the churches and cultural institutions were by law segregated. This was the time of Jim Crow in the South, of public water fountains marked “white” and “colored” and where the separation of the races was not only the norm, but was believed to have been instituted by God and ordered by the Bible. Abortion was not only illegal, but criminalized, which meant that an underground abortion industry thrived, not always safely. “Florence Crittenden” homes for unwed mothers were well known and great shame was attached to those who went there and to their families. Alcohol was illegal in public, but a thriving bootlegger business provided “spirits” to those who could pay. The Charlotte Council of Churches decided that the Bible ought to be taught in public schools and petitioned the school board to accomplish this. Of course, the Council of Churches assumed that it would be an evangelical Protestant fundamentalist approach to the Bible that was taught since most people knew no other. The school board accepted this request in an interesting compromise between church and state. The Bible teacher was to be hired and paid by the Charlotte Council of Churches. The public school officials, however, would have to approve the choice and to certify that this teacher was properly trained and accredited. Full faculty status with all its privileges was then bestowed on this teacher. Full credit toward graduation was given to these classes on the Bible. All of that was quite legal in the late 1940’s in North Carolina. The person hired to fill this position at Central High School in Charlotte was Janet Robinson and it was in this position that I experienced her as clearly as I did. I was 17 by this time. Two courses on the Bible were offered as electives in my high school. I took both courses from Janet, one in my junior year and the other in my senior year. This meant that for two years in High School I was in Janet’s class for one hour a day, five days a week. This was more time than I spent with any other teacher. I began to absorb from her the content of the Bible in an enormously thorough and systematic, if fundamentalist, way. She captured the drama, the excitement and the attached moral lessons in every story. The first year was mostly on the Old Testament and her style was to teach biographically. I was gripped daily by the narratives of such people as Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Lot, Isaac and Rebekah and Joseph and his brothers. I cringed at such details as the sacrifice of Isaac ordered by God and then miraculously stopped when the voice of God intervened to tell Abraham that God had only ordered this sacrifice to test his faith. I don’t recall it being mentioned that Abraham had an older son named Ishmael by Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden, that is her slave, and that both Hagar and Ishmael were banished from the tribe because of Sarah’s jealousy. “Miss Janet” also had trouble teaching things in the Bible of which she disapproved, like multiple marriages or the incest between Tamar and her father-in-law Judah, to say nothing of the adulterous relationship of David and Bathsheba that produced King Solomon. Some severe whitewashing of these texts took place under her tutelage. I was, however, mesmerized by accounts of Esau selling his birthright, Moses at the burning bush, the plagues on Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, Israel’s adventures in the wilderness; the conquest of Canaan by Joshua, and those marvelous vignettes in the book of Judges about Ehud, Gideon and Deborah. We moved on through Elijah and Elisha, Samuel, Saul and David. Under her powerful story telling ability, these people rose to hero status until I thought of them as personal friends. In that class, we were encouraged to compose psalms, to memorize certain proverbs and certain texts like John 3:16, but books like Leviticus and the Major Prophets (Isaiah through Daniel) received short shrift except for Daniel. Who among us can resist stories like Daniel in the lion’s den or the characters known as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and their adventures in the fiery furnace? I do not recall that we learned about any of the Minor Prophets (Hosea through Malachi) with the exception of Jonah and the whale. A memorable story was never ignored. Year two, under “Miss Janet,” was on the New Testament. Jesus was the star – from his birth, which had literal stars and angels attached, to his crucifixion, which had literal thieves on each side of the savior and where he spoke the seven literal words from the cross. These accounts were related in dramatic and emotional terms. We learned the popular parables, memorized the beatitudes and marveled at the miracle stories, especially the one about Lazarus, who was raised back to life after being, not only dead for four days, but also buried in his tomb. When we came to Paul, it was through the book of Acts not the epistles that we engaged him. I do not remember ever reading an epistle. The stories in Acts were filled with such Pauline adventures as shipwreck, being bitten by a snake and preaching so long into the night that a lad named Eutychus, who was sitting in the rafters, went to sleep and fell to the floor. Then there were Paul’s trials before Felix and Festus and his final journey to Rome all of which were filled in with excitement and tension. Much of my love of the Bible and certainly some of my teaching style was born at the feet of this woman. She knew nothing of critical scholarship or of how the Bible was actually formed, but her love for the Bible, her devotion to Jesus, remained to be forever reflected in my life. My habit of daily Bible reading and my love for this book are her gifts to me. I will be forever in her debt. Janet died about ten years ago in Charlotte, but she lives on in every book I have written and I acknowledge her with gratitude. I suspect that she would be surprised to know this because most of her disciples became Baptists or fundamentalist preachers and some of them are quite hesitant to include me among the “The Elect of God!” As I began to think back on my life and to identify those who were my mentors and teachers, I discovered that the great majority of them were white males. That reflects the era in which I was raised. Women and people of color were not frequently in positions to mentor the boy, adolescent and young man that I was. Even my career as a priest and bishop was spent in an overwhelmingly white, male-dominated church. That limited reality that was simply my primary experience. That fact does not diminish those who were my mentors, but it does help me to understand the narrowness of my life’s preparation. Janet Robinson was a major exception to this rule and because of that I am even more appreciative of her. I am also pleased that my children and my grandchildren will not be as limited as I was. The world is changing and doors are opening in ways never known before. I rejoice that among my great mentors was Janet Robinson, and I am especially pleased to acknowledge that the gifts she gave to me were identified with the woman she was. ~John Shelby Spong Read the essay online here. Bishop Spong's Summer Session at the Pacific School of Religion! Re-Claiming the Bible in a Post-Christian World Instructor: John Shelby Spong Dates and Times: One week: July 16-20, 9am - 1pm Description: Can the Bible, written 2000-3000 years ago, speak in any meaningful way to the 21st century? If it cannot, then is Christianity at an end? If it can, will Christianity look anything like what we have known in the past? Since creeds and doctrines are all constructed on the basis of what was believed to be "Biblical Truth," can any of the current formularies stand? Since liturgy is based on biblical definitions of sin, salvation and God, none of which make much sense to 21st century people, can Christianity tolerate the revolution that it faces? This class will be taught by one who has been a priest and bishop for 56 years with one foot in the institutional church and the other in the academic world of new insights. It is specifically designed for clergy and questing lay people. Course Credits & Cost: 1.5 credits - $990; audit - $495; 2.0 CEUs - $350 Course Number: BS-2117 (credit); BS-0003 (CEUs) Required Text: John Shelby Spong, Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, 2011 HarperCollins, San Francisco. Purchase here. Syllabus: Re-Claiming the Bible in a Post-Christian World Register Question & Answer Fran from Rappahannock, Virginia, writes: Question: When did Jesus become a Catholic? Answer: Dear Fran, Jesus never became a Christian much less a Catholic! You have either been listening to too much church propaganda or you fail to embrace the dimensions of history that mark first the life of Jesus, and second the dimensions of history that mark the institution of the church. Some years ago at an airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, a young Palestinian girl, perhaps eight or nine years old, saw my pectoral cross that has the Hebrew letters for the name of God, YHWH, etched into the center of the cross. Recognizing these as Jewish writing, she asked: Why do you have Jewish writing on your cross?” I responded that it is to remind myself and others that Jesus was a Jew. “A Jew,” she said, “I thought Jesus was a Catholic.” Let me say first that if one is able to transcend the literalness that surrounds most religious claims, there is a germ of truth in the assertion “that Jesus was a Catholic.” There is only this germ of truth in that assertion. If we ever come to understand Jesus properly I believe that we will discover that to the Jews, Jesus will be a Jew, to the Christians, Jesus will be a Christian, to the Catholics Jesus will be a Catholic and to the Protestants Jesus will a Protestant. Beyond those religious limits I also think that we can say that we can also state that if Jesus is properly understood to the Europeans, Jesus will be a European, to the Asians, Jesus will be an Asian and to the Africans Jesus will be an African. All of those are, however, faith statements, not historical definitions. The Christian Church was formed well after the death of Jesus, indeed some 50 to 60 years afterward. At the beginning of their life and history, the followers of Jesus continued to be what they had always been, members of the synagogues. Christianity began as a movement within the synagogue. They called themselves not “Christians” but “The Followers of the Way.” Jesus certainly did not found the church, despite the ecclesiastical propaganda of the ages. Christianity in its early centuries was not centrally organized, so it is hard to say when the Catholic Church, as we now know it, actually came into being. The Bishop of Rome did not establish his authority over Western Europe until the fourth century and he never really established his authority over Eastern Europe, which was then and is now the home of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Jesus was a Jew. But his followers convinced that they had experienced the presence of God in him, in time created the Christian Church. Whether Jesus ever thought of himself as the founder of a new religion is today, at least in scholarly circles, almost universally denied. Thanks for your question. ~John Shelby Spong Announcements Two Recommendations from Bishop Spong: My good friend and colleague, Gretta Vosper, a United Church of Canada minister in Toronto has just published a book on prayer that I found to be a probing, disturbing, magnificent treatment of this complex subject. The Book is entitled: Amen: What Prayer Can Mean in a World Beyond Belief. It is available from Harper/Collins, Toronto or through any online or local bookstore. I have also just learned that Ian Lawton, another brilliant young pastor and good friend serving a Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan is offering an online course entitled A History of God. Ian is one of the most creative thinkers in the post-Christian world. Anyone interested in this course can get details by going to http://www.entheos.com/academy/courses/a-history-of-God Read what Bishop Spong has to say about A Joyful Path Progressive Christian Spiritual Curriculum for Young Hearts and Minds: "The great need in the Christian church is for a Sunday school curriculum for children that does not equate faith with having a pre-modern mind. The Center for Progressive Christianity has produced just that. Teachers can now teach children in Sunday school without crossing their fingers. I endorse it wholeheartedly." Subscribers, please remember that your subscription is automatically renewed. You can unsubscribe at any time. Simply login to access your profile page and cancel your account. Login to be able to comment directly on the website. Join in the discussion! Interested in staying informed of the latest updates to ProgressiveChristianity.org? Click here to sign up for our free monthly e-Bulletin, which has articles, reviews, books, events, and more. Look for Bishop Spong on Facebook and LIKE the Facebook page for ProgressiveChristianity.org! You can also follow Bishop Spong on Twitter. Thank you for taking this journey with us! Any questions or concerns, please contact us at support(a)johnshelbyspong.com or 503-236-3545. forward to a friend Copyright © 2012 ProgressiveChristianity.org, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have a membership at our website. Our mailing address is: ProgressiveChristianity.org 4916 Pt Fosdick Dr, NW #148 Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Add us to your address book

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Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire
by PSchrijnen＠aol.com 31 May '12

31 May '12

I have strong memories of Conna and Robert at the Academy in the autumn of 1974. Musicians they were. I remember Robert as this spirit giant. A great smile on his face. Leading singing on sunday evenings as if we were in a black church. Stirring stuff... I celebrate this great life and say Amen. Paul In a message dated 31/05/2012 04:00:05 GMT Daylight Time, jsloan45(a)gmail.com writes: I am saddened to hear of Robert's death. I often wondered what ever happened with him. He, Carlos and I enjoyed many long and wrenching conversations in appropriating being black in American and in the Order. I have fond memories of teaching the Urban Academy with him. He was a true treasure, and I pray that his soul is at peace. Joyce Sloan On , E B <marosel2000(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > It is a sad day to hear of Robert's death. He was dean of my first and second Academy. > May God have mercy and welcome him into His Kingdom. > Our deepest condolences to his bereaved family. > Elsa Batica > Minneapolis, MN > > > From: George Holcombe geowanda1(a)me.com> > To: Order Ecumenical Community OE(a)wedgeblade.net>; ICA LIST SERVE dialogue(a)wedgeblade.net> > Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 7:15 PM > Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire > > > > Conna Wilkerson told me that Robert died Tuesday night at his mother's home in Chicago. A service will be held for him on Saturday. > > Wanda and I will never forget Robert. When he arrived at Mowanjum, he was the star of the show, everyone thought he was the greatest. Years later Robert and I had a great time playing music at the summer programs. I'm sure others of us have memories of Robert, too. > > > George Holcombe > 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. > Austin, TX 78728 > Mobile 512/252-2756 > geowanda1(a)me.com > > > Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope—you do not have anything to do with it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien—it just appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope? ~Joseph W. Mathews > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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Re: [Oe List ...] Robert Shropshire
by jrvergarajr2031＠aol.com 30 May '12

30 May '12

Presence. Shropshire was just sheer presence. I got to calling him "Robert" with the accent on the second syllable, (to his chagrin), just so he would be distinctive in my ear. And not take his genius too seriously! With the continuing parade of beloved colleagues marking their dots on finitude, the Titanic song takes on an existential meaning. "My heart will go on" somehow keeps a connection in place. Jaime R Vergara All of yesterday, thanks; all of tomorrow, yes; all of today, let it be! -----Original Message----- From: oe-request <oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> To: oe <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Thu, May 31, 2012 10:17 am Subject: OE Digest, Vol 2, Issue 40 Send OE mailing list submissions to oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net You can reach the person managing the list at oe-owner(a)lists.wedgeblade.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of OE digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (George Holcombe) 2. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (Dharmalingam Vinasithamby) 3. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (E B) 4. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (E B) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 19:15:57 -0500 From: George Holcombe <geowanda1(a)me.com> To: Order Ecumenical Community <OE(a)wedgeblade.net>, ICA LIST SERVE <dialogue(a)wedgeblade.net> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire Message-ID: <727D17E3-707C-4FA8-9501-96A53DACECA1(a)me.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Conna Wilkerson told me that Robert died Tuesday night at his mother's home in Chicago. A service will be held for him on Saturday. Wanda and I will never forget Robert. When he arrived at Mowanjum, he was the star of the show, everyone thought he was the greatest. Years later Robert and I had a great time playing music at the summer programs. I'm sure others of us have memories of Robert, too. George Holcombe 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. Austin, TX 78728 Mobile 512/252-2756 geowanda1(a)me.com Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope?you do not have anything to do with it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien?it just appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope? ~Joseph W. Mathews

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Re: [Oe List ...] Robert Shropshire
by jrvergarajr2031＠aol.com 30 May '12

30 May '12

Presence. Shropshire was just sheer presence. I got to calling him "Robert" with the accent on the second syllable, (to his chagrin), just so he would be distinctive in my ear. And not take his genius too seriously! With the continuing parade of beloved colleagues marking their dots on finitude, the Titanic song takes on an existential meaning. "My heart will go on" somehow keeps a connection in place. Jaime R Vergara All of yesterday, thanks; all of tomorrow, yes; all of today, let it be! -----Original Message----- From: oe-request <oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> To: oe <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Thu, May 31, 2012 10:17 am Subject: OE Digest, Vol 2, Issue 40 Send OE mailing list submissions to oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to oe-request(a)lists.wedgeblade.net You can reach the person managing the list at oe-owner(a)lists.wedgeblade.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of OE digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (George Holcombe) 2. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (Dharmalingam Vinasithamby) 3. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (E B) 4. Re: Death of Robert Shropshire (E B) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 19:15:57 -0500 From: George Holcombe <geowanda1(a)me.com> To: Order Ecumenical Community <OE(a)wedgeblade.net>, ICA LIST SERVE <dialogue(a)wedgeblade.net> Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Death of Robert Shropshire Message-ID: <727D17E3-707C-4FA8-9501-96A53DACECA1(a)me.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Conna Wilkerson told me that Robert died Tuesday night at his mother's home in Chicago. A service will be held for him on Saturday. Wanda and I will never forget Robert. When he arrived at Mowanjum, he was the star of the show, everyone thought he was the greatest. Years later Robert and I had a great time playing music at the summer programs. I'm sure others of us have memories of Robert, too. George Holcombe 14900 Yellowleaf Tr. Austin, TX 78728 Mobile 512/252-2756 geowanda1(a)me.com Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope?you do not have anything to do with it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien?it just appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope? ~Joseph W. Mathews

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participationworks shared an album with you.
by participationworks 29 May '12

29 May '12

Here are the photos of the Southern California ICA 50 50 event, the highlite of which was building the Wall of Wonder. We were a small but hearty group and thoroughly ready to hand over the mantle to new and young leadership! https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=participationworks&target=ALBU…

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Judith Update May 27th
by Jayandem2＠aol.com 28 May '12

28 May '12

Dear friends and colleagues: First off, let me thank you for all the wonderful emails and cards you have sent since hearing of Judith's fall and subsequent hospitalization. I can't stress more strongly how much they have meant to her and to me. to hear from so many folks from all eras of our life. I wish I could have a more encouraging note to send, but Judith is back in the hospital as of last Wednesday. She had been in Surrey Place Rehab Center since April 17th. they attempted to do as much occupational and physical therapy as possible, but she continued to have severe pains in the left leg that was broken just below the top of the femur. That really limited what they could accomplish, and she didn't make much progress. A bunch of other complications set in, particularly a urine infection, bad dehydration and undernourishment due to her total lack of appetite. Anyway, she was readmitted to the hospital for more medical care than was possible at the rehab facility. She is quite disabled, and certainly needs all the good vibes and prayers that can come her way. Meg and I are doing well, and we have wonderful caregivers that take good care of both of us, (even though we hire them to only take care of Meg.) As I have mentioned previously, our wonderful church community also cares so well for us. I will keep you updated. Grace, Peace, and Love, Mike

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(no subject)
by Milan Hamilton 27 May '12

27 May '12

Sorry for the mixup on viewing the Picasa album. Try clicking on the address below to see the album of Southern California ICA 50 50 celebration. Or if clicking on it doesn't work, try copying and pasting the link into your browser. Milan H. https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=participationworks <https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=participationworks&target=ALBU M&id=5744759113956746913&authkey=Gv1sRgCMC2ltjJ3_v6GA&feat=email> &target=ALBUM&id=5744759113956746913&authkey=Gv1sRgCMC2ltjJ3_v6GA&feat=email Milan L. Hamilton aka MellowMilan 80 North Center Street Redlands, CA 92373 Phone/Fax: (909) 793-4482 E-mail: mellowmilan(a)verizon.net Blog: MellowMilan's Musings at www.mellowmilan.blogspot.com

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