[Oe List ...] More memories of Fred

Fri Jul 29 12:47:23 EDT 2011

Dear friends

Thanks to all those sharing memories of Fred.  I only knew Fred by reputation, and by the three weeks of Summer 69 in Australia, at the Nunyara Conference Centre in Belair, a hillside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia: January 1969.  Fred and Sarah, Bill and Barbara Alerding, and Joe and Carol Pierce were the US members of the faculty.  I do remember being so awestruck (maybe intimidated, too) by Fred's talk at a mealtime for the advance party that I did not bother to clean up my spilt cup of tea (into my lap), and put up with it until the mealtime was completely over.  (Yes, there's another story of spilling coffe/tea into a lap.  I think it was on an aeroplane, and the stewardess - as they were then called - mopped up the lap of an embarassed Rob Duffy.)  Many of us remember Sarah calling out "Fred" in a voice similar to Fred Flintstone calling out "Wilma".

Also at that program were Garnet and Lis Banks, John and Robyn Hutchinson, Jonathan and Janeen Barker, Margaret Piper, David and Sue White, Raymond Spencer, Barry and Margaret Oakley, Brian ande Rhonda Robins, John and Gwenda Rees, Ian and Katrin Ogilvy, Ken and Maisie Maher, Bruce and Helen Martin, Dean and Judy Eland, Brian and Helen Philips and many more who were involved with EI/ICA in Australia for various stretches of time over later years.

Some may remember S/69 participants Arthur Jackson, then President of the Methodist Conference in South Australia, and Dean Drayton, later President of the Uniting Church in Australia.  At the time Dean was a student minister at Arthur's assignment, Westbourne Park Methodist (now Uniting) Church.  Arthur and Dean were responsible for a lot of that congregation (including me) doing RS-I in 1968.  In those days almost all the Methodist clergy in South Australia (and lots of others) experienced RS-I and/or PLC.  After S/69 there was a parting of the ways for many people - Jim Bishop can tell the story better, as he did at the Academy in Sydney in Sep-Nov 1972.

During S/69 we attended Westbourne Park Methodist on one of the Sundays.  Fred gave the sermon.  I remember the stir when "prayers for the world" were requested as part of the liturgy, and Dean Eland said "We pray for the National Liberation Front of North Vietnam" - putting into practice the idea of praying for one's military and political enemies!

At Arthur's funeral some years ago, Dean referred to some comments by Fred Buss in his eulogy.  I'll try to track them down and share them.

I'll be thinking of you all on Saturday, and hope to be able to get a copy of the video.  Paul Dolan from Lucindale in the SE of SA send his best wishes.

Frank Bremner

From: jkjmbarker at bigpond.com
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:21:58 +0930
To: oe at wedgeblade.net
CC: jrthomas42 at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] More memories of Fred

Some Memories of Fred from the Barkers
It is one of the greatest privileges of our lives to have known Fred. He combined the roles of guru, jester, bon vivant and loquacious story-teller. Above a man of faith. He was a remarkable combination of wisdom and humour (a rare combination!). Someone was wise enough to include him on the assignment to Australia in 1967-68 for he could win over Australians like no other. Fred along with Sarah (with Elizabeth and infant Lindsey) was assigned with Don Clarke to criss cross the country to spearhead the quarterly teaching program. Fred often came to Perth and stayed with us. Then there was Chicago 1969 and a great catching up in Vail in 2000. The following is only a small sample of our memories of Fred.
* Insisting that he would only stay at one place because that was what Jesus instructed.
* Always eager for the first hand experience e.g. on a trip to Port Hedland insisting that we go inland 250 KMS to Nullagine to meet Aboriginal people who had come in from the desert for the first time. Also on that trip meeting with Don McLeod the Communist leader of the first strike of  Aboriginal stockmen in the 1940’s who was astounded that an American would talk with him.
* Enabling tongue-tied Australians to use their voice. 
* The well remembered PLC at Kalamunda; attended by an Anglican Bishop and his reluctant clergy - Fred gave them hell much to the approval of Bishop Rosier; the longest lecture introduction ever based on Kierkegaard’s defiance vs faith; and then having to endure most of Clavell’s “Taipan” read out loud every night of the course.
* Being unable to cope with the Australian insistence of having fresh air in their homes even in the middle of winter.
* Addressing students of the University of Western Australia on the topic of Freedom without telling anyone that it was based on the Bonhoeffer paper. (John Burbidge organised this!)
* Always critiquing and affirming would-be pedagogues – for us, the best mentor ever.
* Enjoying dining out – including mutual birthday celebrations. While he introduced us to new drinks such as Whiskey Sour we introduced him to the best Australian wines!
* Could greet you with “Still keeping despair at a distance?”
* No one else taught the Individual and Family Course like Fred did. The traditional Marriage service took on entirely new meanings.
We are profoundly thankful for Fred and remember him as a free man, who plumbed the depths, glimpsed his shortcomings, his mortality and the Mystery but decided to laugh at life for it is good. His voice unfailingly echoes in our meditative council!

May all who gather to celebrate know that they are joined with a large host who would love to be there.

Jonathan and Janeen

On 28/07/2011, at 10:55 AM, Joseph Slicker wrote:

Dear Colleagues:One could not help but note the heart-felt responses of gratitude for the life and dying of Fred Buss.  Affirmations glowed in their response.  Oh Yes, some took a punch or two.  Behind it all we begin to see peoples perspective of, or projection on, Fred.  
But that is the purpose of the Memorial Service.  It is the "jazz of life" of the whole Fred that is celebrated.  However,  It does not stop there.  The life of each of us---our 'jazz' ('warts and all)--- is engulfed in celebration.  
And let us not forget that such a celebration also includes the grandeur of the 'aches and pains'---'goods and bads' of the whole of creation. 
May the service be an ecstasy of Hallalujahs (the praise of What Is).
One Love that engulfs us all.  Joe Slicker

Joseph A. Slicker
joseph.slicker at gmail.com
(469) 547-7742 (Home)(972) 754-6740 (Cell)
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