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

Sat Jun 23 15:22:26 EDT 2007

Thank you, Margaret and Janice, for standing tall.

John

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From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
Of Janice Ulangca
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 1:57 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] ? More changes or more of the same?

Dear Margaret,

As one working on the Living Legacy event, I find your comments helpful, but
painful because I'm not sure all your concerns can be addressed, at least
not immediately.  And I fervently would want to do that.

We are talking about www.ica-usa.org , right?  You are absolutely right -
there really is no account of ICA history there.  In addition to the ToP
material, the two pages of contextual material deal with the present, and
some possible questions we might relate to, in terms of the future mission.

Re the present:  the team convening work on the Living Legacy - Judy
Lindblad, Ellen Howie, and myself, with board and Chicago office staff
support - early realized that today no person that we know has a handle on
all the many kinds of work going on now across the U.S. that relate in some
way to ICA contexts and methods.  One thing we hope to do at this event is
at least start sharing stories of the work people are doing now.  This isn't
to say that history will be ignored.  But many are saying they do not want
only to "remember when" and look at the past - but they want to raise
questions about the future.

The three categories in the image on the page about the present are meant to
hold current work that our small group knows about.  In some cases we happen
to know just one or two individuals who have gathered colleagues around them
and are working on spirit retreats, or environmental efforts, or churches
effectively serving their communities, for example.  We're pretty sure there
is much more that we do not know.

In terms of ICA history - it could make a powerful book for someone to
write.  In the meantime, it would be great if you would write an account of
the history that seems most critical, and post it on the message board on
the web site.  Your stories are important!  And we want to honor them.  You
might inspire others to add their accounts.  

Within a couple of weeks we should be ready to give more information about
the facilitation team (that is not us, and is part of ICA so they know us
well) and a general outline of what to expect at this Living Legacy event.
There's no intent to be mysterious - we're working pretty flat out to get
things confirmed before making announcements.  

Yours has been the most articulate cry (if I may use that word) in favor of
honoring the breadth of ICA history that I at least have experienced in
working on this.  So thank you.

Janice Ulangca

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Margaret Helen  <mailto:aiseayew at netins.net> Aiseayew 
To: Order Ecumenical Community <mailto:oe at wedgeblade.net>  ; Barbara
<mailto:barkonys at shawneelink.net> and Don Barkony ; Beret Griffith
<mailto:beretgriffith at charter.net>  
Sent: Saturday, June 23, 2007 9:38 AM
Subject: [Oe List ...] ? More changes or more of the same?

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  <mailto:jpc2025 at triad.rr.com> Cock 
To: 'Order Ecumenical Community' <mailto:oe at wedgeblade.net>  
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

  _____  

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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