[Dialogue] Mathews Symposium Reflection

[Janice Ulangca]

>From Janice Ulangca.  I'm smiling at the very memory of the event, and putting my name at the beginning, as the source of these very personal observations about both people and presentations.  I know several interested people who could not get to the symposium, and this report is especially for them.  If you were one of the Symposiuneers, what struck you about the event?  (Thanks Marshall for your insightful kickoff to these reflections.)   I'd love to hear favorite quotes/impressions  from workshop tracks I could not be in (you had to choose). 

The Mathews brothers were well-honored, with a balance of interesting history and timely implications for present and future. Bishop Felton May called them "the John and Charles Wesley of the 20th century."  Bishop Jim looked good, and only suggested his 90+ years when he moved at a stately pace.  The presentations to the whole group ranged from very good to over the moon.  If you could not get there, you may want to get the document - when it's available - that will contain the presentations and the list of all who attended. 

Sights you could see most of the way through the event :  A perplexed expression (who IS that vaguely familiar person?), followed by delighted recognition, then by exuberant catching up conversation.  And hugging, lots of hugging.  Each of us must have our own list of people it was terrific to see for the first time in a long time.  Mine includes Jane Stallman,  Joe and Marilyn Crocker,  Margaret Aiseayew, George and Elise Packard,  Jeanette Stanfield, Mary D'Souza, George Ensinger,  Bain Davis,  Randy Williams, Priscilla Wilson,  Marie Sharp, Jack and Judy Gilles, Jan Sanders, Marshall Jones, Jean Watts, Gene Marshall, Donna Ziegenhorn,  Susan and Forrest Craver.  George and Carol Walters look much the same as I remember them from the 1980s. 

Doug Druckenmiller, ICA-USA board president, was smiling,  after what he acknowledged has been "a very tough year", with the board now rebuilt after being down to two people at one point.  Terry Bergdall, the new CEO of ICA-USA, was full of plans, and up for suggestions. Huge relief was generally felt that he is now in that position.  Karen Sims is the one person on staff now fulltime (other functions, such as finances, are being contracted out as needed - a big personnel savings).  After  many conference calls,  I was glad to meet Karen in person.  Nan (don't have the last name), the new Executive Director of ICA Canada was there, and you could observe her with Karen drinking in EI/ICA history and culture. 

Though I had seen these folks more recently,  for me it's always good to be with Nelson Stover,  John and Lynda Cock, Martha Shepp, Bob and Sandra True, John and Ann Epps, Bill and Nan Grow, and Marge Philbrook, who does not seem to change a bit, and just twinkles with wisdom.  I was addressed by, and am now on hugging terms with, three members of the Fifth City delegation, who were in my Urban Mission workshop track.   Verdell Trice,  Lily Fox, and Marie, the Executive Director of the 5th City Corporation,  made sure that the seminary professors and seminary students who reported on their community research,  stayed grounded in  inner city reality.  The seminary folks saw the value of their experience.  George Holcombe guided our workshop group expertly - with folks from the west coast, the east coast, and the heartland.  The workshop guides had an exhilarating time, with constant schedule changes due to the weather - and oh yes - that power outage even before the snowstorm hit.  The power went out, conveniently at the end of the opening plenary when the speaker system was needed.  The workshop groups were due to convene in rooms with window light but up dark stairs and down a dark hallway.  No problem - in a few minutes Dr. Maynard Moore managed to get lots of flashlights for the stairs and hall.  He was a genius at handling, and clearly communicating, all the necessary changes.  The flashlights were only the beginning!  We did, by the way, have electricity and therefore heat, after maybe an hour and a half?, and thankfully the rest of the time.

Then there were the presenters.  The seminary folks were all good - and their insights and context  were encouraging to me,  as I have wondered about what some pastors had been exposed to in seminary.  But I'll mention three particular presentations.   

Bishop Felton May challenged us to know the current realities of inner city poor - a MESS - standing for Misery & Evil Side by Side. "All the poor need is an enabling environment... The poor are forced into the drug business to survive."  

Larry Ward  led us  on a journey, laced with humorous observations,  toward a new understanding of how we create our own identity.  It was an exhilarating mashup of  what I think of as EI theology with his experiences with Buddhism in several parts of the world.  "Kierkegaard:  'The self is a self created by itself.'  This scares established institutions!  Our created identity is important - we're coded to do it.  It becomes harmful when we refuse to recognize that it's created - worship it - die for it - kill for it... We must figure out how to understand the construction of our own identity - and realize that this is a PLAY that we have created.  So we don't need to hurt anyone that threatens our identity (personal, group, national) ... Thich Nhat Hanh: 'The Kingdom of God is always available.  The question is,  are YOU available?' "

I don't recall being in an ICA gathering where the location was the headline story in the national news for several days.  There were rumors that the Foundational Power of the universe had dumped on D.C. to keep the U.S. Senate in session until they acted on health care.  But to me the extra time being snowed in at the hotel had a special power of its own.  I was fortunate to be among folks over Sunday breakfast who had a chance to hear Cyprian D'Souza's talk on Kanbay.  He had given it to the Corporate Social Responsibility workshop track, and this encore was by popular demand.  Kanbay was formed in 1989  with social responsibility built into its DNA - not an afterthought of giving after profits are taken.  It was acquired in 2007 by a much larger company, Capgemini, which was interested in the unique culture of Kanbay, and has kept Kanbay as a distinct unit with their own building in the large company complex in France,  so that they can learn from Kanbay's approaches.  I began spinning with hopeful possibilities for corporations as Cyprian described the practical organizational steps for translating values into behavior in a corporate setting, with cultural dynamics at the center.  I thought of the church at every level when he said, "Culture is what you do - not what you say."   And when he described the company's careful steps in dealing with nations  with difficult human rights situations, I thought, "Some of these insights would be great for Afghanistan."

This Symposium exceeded my hopes,  and I am very grateful to those who dreamed it, and  worked beyond hard to make it happen.  I agree with Doug Druckenmiller's  statement in the closing plenary.  Doug said,  "I think this has been another Great Turn - a turn to the center."   The term "Great Turn" evokes the "turn to the world" when ICA was formed.  As with that major turn, it hardly means the work is finished!  So there are exciting future directions to be pursued.  

A blest and fruitful New Year to all on this list serv, and also to the folks you've built good working relationships with, in your own geography.  Namaste.

Janice

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