http://www.umcmission.org/Learn-About-Us/News-and-Stories/2012/August/Congre... 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
