[Dialogue] Dialogue MSM

[stan Crow]

Note: I don't know if this will get to the dialogue list, as I am not  
a subscriber, but get much of it forwarded to me by my wife, Carol  
Crow or by Nancy Lanphear.
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In 1957, I went to a regional MSM conference in Glen Rose Texas. L.E.  
"Phil" Philbrook was the featured program. I retain the experience  
more than the content.  I just remember that "Phil's images of "Being  
the Church" drew me into being an active MSM membership at Texas  
Wesleyan.

In 1959, I went to a MSM Convocation in Georgetown Texas.  JWM was the  
event -- as I recall, it was Four days long with JWM delivering a  
different "God" lecture/Seminar each morning ( 3 hours). I think there  
were probably 1,500 students & MSM assigned ministers present.

Joseph began with an invitation to all who were "the Church" to  
stand.  He then preceded to grill a few of the daring to translate  
their "Love of Jesus", "commitment to go to seminary", etc. into  
meaningful language, while the 100 or so who were standing slowly  
wilted into their chairs.

The small groups of students that formed at meals and other events  
were vigorously debating Joseph's sessions.
After the 2nd or 3rd morning lecture, I overheard a conversation  
between 3 ministers lamenting that this Mathews Guy was destroying the  
faith of these innocent students.

I am clear that MSM had a profound influence on my journey.

Stanley Crow
stancrow at igc.org
425-486-5164

The wilderness constantly reminds me that wholeness is not about  
perfection.... I have been astonished to see how nature uses  
devastation to stimulate new growth, slowly but persistently healing  
her own wounds. Wholeness does not mean perfection: it means embracing  
brokenness as an integral part of life. Knowing this gives me hope  
that human wholeness---mine, yours, ours---need not be a utopian  
dream, if we can use devastation as a seedbed for new life.

--     Parker Palmer

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "W. J." <synergi at yahoo.com>
> Date: August 14, 2009 10:06:49 AM PDT
> To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] MSM
> Reply-To: Colleague Dialogue
>
> In the late '50's and '60's the MSM flowered as a radical element of  
> Methodism, influenced by the Christian Faith-and-Life Community, the  
> Ecumenical Institute, and the civil rights movement. Martin Luther  
> King addressed a national convocation of Methodist students in  
> Lincoln in 1965 (I covered it for New World Outlook). Art  
> Brandenburg at Duke and Yale taught EI courses and put students  
> through the same curriculum that was developed in Austin. Sandra  
> Cason ('Casey') Hayden went from CF&LC in Austin to found SDS and  
> work for SNCC. With his usual flair, Al Lingo was all over the civil  
> rights movement. Hillary Rodham took RS-1 and went on to college as  
> an awakened student. EI's Summer programs started with a cadre of  
> college students in 1965. Many of the EI staff came out of campus  
> ministry ... Philbrook and many others. Troxel and many others were  
> college students radicalized by people like Engelman. B.J. Stiles,  
> who's still around, got the axe in Nashville as the final editor of  
> motive magazine after he published the Death issue (containing JWM's  
> 'The Time My Father Died') and went on to head the RFK Foundation.  
> Etc, etc, etc.
> Nowadays the acronym 'MSM' means 'men who have sex with men.' Which  
> leads me to wonder whether that's such a strange leap after all,  
> given the reality of the sexual revolution of the '60's. Nowadays  
> the radical right wing nuts are still trying to shut down the whole  
> culture, just as they took control of Methodism and pretty much shut  
> down the entire movement towards relevance.
> The ultra-radicals (like moi) shook the dust off our feet, packed  
> up, moved to Chicago's West Side, and started a religious order of  
> cultural revolutionaries.
> So . . . whatever happened to that dynamic in history? Who the hell  
> shut us down?
> Marshall
>
> From: Charles or Doris Hahn <cdhahn at flash.net>
> To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 7:56:32 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dialogue] FW: [scmfriends] Renate Howe's History of  
> the ASCM 'A Centure of Influence' is now published [1 Attachment]
>
> Hi All,
> I was involved in the MSM from 1948-1953.  It was a powerful  
> movement as was the Methodist Youth Fellowship.  After leaving the  
> staff of the ei/ica in 1986 and returning to the pastorate, I  
> inquired about the absence of the MSM and radically fewer Wesley  
> Foundations and the weakening of the MYF?  I think it can be traced  
> back to sometine in the 60's when the conserviatives of the church  
> merged the General Board of Education into the General Bard of  
> Evangelism.  All the great dynamism of the youth and student  
> meovements and their publications just withered away.  If any of you  
> were active in local chuches or Annual Conferences at that time,  
> could you confirm or correct this?  I know it is not important for  
> many on the list, but it might be a clue to how great movements  
> wither.
> Grace and Peace to all,
> Charles
>


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