[Oe List ...] ? More changes or more of the same?

Sat Jun 23 09:38:11 EDT 2007

The new sameness seems to be:  ELIMINATE IT.  And in my opinion it is with extreme prejudice.  Truth, whatever it may be, is much more often inconvenient that even Al Gore might think.

I am astounded by the web site and the selectivity of memory it represents.  I went back to try and find the reference to JWM and no matter what spelling is used, the ERROR seems to have been eliminated from the website by eliminating the reference.  At least the search system won't bring it up.

I was signed up for the previously scheduled "Living Legacy" event that was to have been at the Aragon Ballroom in Uptown.  I'm sorry I can't bring myself to sign up for this one.  I can't imagine a history that discusses only our international conferences and ToP programs and eliminates all references to ongoing community development work, the entire community revitalization network across the country, eliminated.  All of our periodical publications, eliminated.  All of our work with the poorest of the poor right here (the homeless, the drug addicted, the immigrants, the refugees, the abused and neglected), eliminated.  All of our work with churches (even as the ICA), eliminated.  All of our work with building sustainable urban environments, eliminated.

We would appear to be an organization very good at sponsoring international conferences.  Whose passion is that going to arouse?

I seem to remember in some lecture we used to give, talking about trying to patch over the intrusions of reality into our lives with bandaids.  I find myself ashamed of and then sorry for those who could no longer tolerate the continuous intrusion and the uncertainty it always represents and felt compelled to eliminate it.  I find the actions of colleagues who have related to this as just one more intrusion (some strange attempt to prevent them, stop them, deter them from declaring the word with all they do in their lives) courageous.

Personally, I find it offensive and desperately sad that some few people are putting so much effort into denigrating, denying, prevaricating and even eliminating so much of my personal history of care.  It happens.  I also worked as a permeator enough to have been resigned, reassigned, downsized, outsourced, redundanted (I know it's not a word), merged, bought out, closed down and even outwitted in the workplace.  My engagement with the ICA was never just a workplace.  I am ashamed to have to try and explain how what shows up on the website seems to have nothing to do with the stories I tell of what I gave my life to for 32 years.  Not to worry, I'll keep telling my stories.  They have to do with faith and persistence and care and are worthy of being told because they inspire.

I have no spell-check, just a passion for the word.

Margaret

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Cock 
  To: 'Order Ecumenical Community' 
  Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 2:26 PM
  Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] More changes at ICA-USA!

  Thanks, Judie, Ellen, and Janice. 

  Also, in the brief history of ICA, please exclude "ICA" from pre-1973 entries. I noticed one in quick r3ead.

  John

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  From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Norm and Judy Lindblad
  Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 1:44 PM
  To: Order Ecumenical Community; Colleague Dialogue
  Subject: [Oe List ...] More changes at ICA-USA!

  Dear Friends and Colleagues,

  It's great to know you are logging in to the ICA-USA website...it is embarrassing to know we made some errors.  We are changing those misspellings ASAP.  If you find more in the Living Legacy information, let us know and we will treat you to a glass of cider at the LL Event in October! 

  Under the rubric of confession being good for the soul,  it was 40 year veterans who somehow let this slip, not our new staff who have been wonderfully diligent in putting together an interactive webpage.  

  We ask your forgiveness and hope to see some of you in October at the 2007 Living Legacy Event.

  Judy Lindblad, Ellen Howie and Janice Ulangca, the Planning Conveners Team

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