[Dialogue] congregation-based community organizing
John Montgomery
monkeyltd at comcast.net
Thu Aug 16 08:10:09 EDT 2007
Ellen and Roger are both very helpful and more up on current trends than I
am. This movement began to grow mid 80s - under Ed Chambers refocusing
Alinsky IAF methods around congregational organizing. By then, in the areas
where these organizations were emerging, churches were about all that was
left. Like the Alinski organizations, they are mainly organizations of
organizations. Roger is right, lots of Catholic money. Greg built his group
in Chicago (as I read your post, I said to myself - wow is he still around,
but I guess, several of us still are!) There were other centers - DART
(Direct Action and Research) in Florida - a group in Portland and Southern
California. Key is the organizer; method is training folks to do
"one-on-ones" to identify issues and people's willingness to join with
others to do something about their shared concerns. I did lots of research
in those days focusing on the congregational impact - not only did these
organizations address public issues, but the process identified key issues
internal to the congregations and in many cases built strong lay leadership
groups that became a center of congregational renewal as well. Lots of
churches were empowered to cross racial and cultural boundaries and build
helpful relationships that otherwise did not happen during America's most
segregated hour each week. White congregations asking how do we get Black
folks to join our congregations learned that they don't, but when their
congregation joins in partnership with the local African-American church
down the street, good things began to happen. Ellen is right, this is all
about empowerment. Kind of an interesting combination of Obama on the one
hand (he was an organizer on the Southside) - this is not about me, but if
you want to do something, I'll be there with you - and Edwards, these guys
never voluntarily gave up power, we have to take it from them.
Several of us became convinced that the new paradigm for pastoral leadership
might be the pastor as "organizer" - recovering the old notion of pastoral
visitation! Everything else, worship leadership, teaching, pastoral care,
administration, etc. could flow around that center - a different take than
on the emerging model of pastor as CEO!
In the long run, HRN reminded us that institutions are not capable of
believing in sensitive and responsive ways - over time these groups can
become institutions whose purpose is to keep themselves going - HRN's key
insight had to do with how the encounter with innocent suffering illuminated
the need for all institutions to repent over time - once again small groups
of people must reorganize the organizers.
Good luck.
John C. Montgomery
monkeyltd at comcast.net
john.montgomery at acfb.org
678-468-4913 (personal)
Visit My Blog - Notes From the Balcony
www.monkeyltd.blogspot.com
-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Martin Gilbraith
(ICA:UK)
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 7:31 AM
To: Colleague Dialogue
Cc: dMca123 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] congregation-based community organizing
Dear Randy & Ellen, thank you both very much for your responses which I have
forwarded to Derek, so I expect you will hear from him directly,
Martin
Date sent: Thu, 16 Aug 2007 06:13:07 -0400
From: RICHARD HOWIE <rhowie3 at verizon.net>
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Copies to: globaltoptrainers at ica-topnet.org,
ustoptrainers at ica-topnet.org,
DMca123 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] congregation-based community
organizing
Send reply to: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
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> Hi Derek,
> Yes, our congregation has been involved as a member congregation and
> myself as a board member for the first 7 years of ARISE (A REGIONAL
> INITIATIVE SUPPORTING EMPOWERMENT) here in our Capitol District of
> Albany, NY.
> I support it all, and urge you to become involved. Gamaliel
> Foundation is the consultant and I have met Greg Galluzzo who is Saul
> Alinsky trained (and in that statement you have a sense of the ' in-
> your-face ' style of the man, which of couse is highly offensive to
> many people...remember the 'old days'?).
> However, people are being empowered and changes are happening. See
> our Ariseorg.net website/contact rhdana at nycap.rr.com who is our
> current president for further info.
> Grace and Peace, Ellen Howie
> On Aug 16, 2007, at 4:40 AM, Martin Gilbraith (ICA:UK) wrote:
>
> > Dear all,
> >
> > Do any of our colleagues in the US have any experience of
> > "congregation-based
> > community organizing"?
> >
> > My partner Derek is involved with the Faith Network for Manchester
> > where we live here
> > in the UK, and it is exploring new ways to increase the influence
> > of faith communities and
> > others in decision-making processes. The mechanism of
> > "congregation-based
> > community organizing" (CCBO) is being used and Greg Galluzzo,
> > Director of the
> > Gamaliel Foundation in the US, is supporting the initiative.
> >
> > If any of you have any experience of working or supporting such a
> > way of working, Derek
> > would be grateful to hear of it, and any advantages or pitfalls.
> > Have any of the ICA ToP
> > or other tools been used?
> >
> > many thanks,
> > Martin
> >
> >
> > --
> > Martin Gilbraith, Director <martin at ica-uk.org.uk>
> >
> > ICA:UK, registered charity #1090745 & company limited by
> > guarantee #3970365
> > registered in England & Wales, at 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester
> > M15 5RF
> > tel/fax: 0845 450 0305 or 0161 232 8444 - website: www.ica-
> > uk.org.uk
> >
> > a member of the Institute of Cultural Affairs International
> > "concerned with the human factor in world development"
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dialogue at wedgeblade.net
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>
>
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--
Martin Gilbraith, Director <martin at ica-uk.org.uk>
ICA:UK, registered charity #1090745 & company limited by
guarantee #3970365
registered in England & Wales, at 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester
M15 5RF
tel/fax: 0845 450 0305 or 0161 232 8444 - website: www.ica-
uk.org.uk
a member of the Institute of Cultural Affairs International
"concerned with the human factor in world development"
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