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Born May 18, 1953; got saved at Truett Memorial BC in Hayesville, NC 1959. On rigged ballot which I did not rig got Most Intellectual class of 71, Gaffney High School. Furman Grad, Sociology major but it was little tougher than Auburn football players had Had three dates with beautiful women the summer of 1978. Did not marry any of em. Never married anybody cause what was available was undesirable and what was desirable was unaffordable. Unlucky in love as they say and even still it is sometimes heartbreaking. Had a Pakistani Jr. Davis Cupper on the Ropes the summer of 84, City Courts, Rome Georgia I've a baby sitter, watched peoples homes while they were away on Vacation. Freelance writer, local consultant, screenwriter, and the best damn substitute teacher of Floyd County Georgia in mid 80's according to an anonymous kid passed me on main street a few years later when I went back to get a sandwich at Schroeders. Had some good moments in Collinsville as well. Ask Casey Mattox at www.clsnet.org if he will be honest about it. I try my best to make it to Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC at least four times a year.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Matt Morgan's visiting proff posts At Bl.com

Anyone who knows anything about my travails in Collinsville over the last year knows that my wisdom at www.baptistlife.com got smeared with a phone call last June to Mercer; and before that was the subject of a great deal of controversy at the Collinsville Baptist Church.
In that storyline, today is a historic day.
Randall Balmer, a visiting proff for none other than Matthew Morgan in classes at Yale in 2005, posted on the board today on the very subject, abortion, that got me silenced in Sunday School in January of 06.
The chat is in the Mohler Nation thread at Bl.com.
I am hoping Mamie Moore and Vanessa Chambers, Jennifer Wilkins, Sandra Killian and Gloria MOrgan in particular have a chance to read Balmer on Baptists early in the New Year, and others as well.
Out of respect for Matt Morgan's illustrious religious pilgrimage if for no other reason; that should be a goal for 07.
I have no idea what was said in the Pastor's class at Collinsville Baptist this last fall about what it means to be a Baptist in America. I have serious doubts they used Balmer as a text. It is a travesty if they did not, and is ignominious if the likes of David Ryan the aforementioned women don't verse themselves in Balmer soon and work toward a working conversational knowledge of him if they pretend to keep the influence in the community they bask in currently, exiling self proclaimed heretics outside the local faith community.
More later.

http://www.baptistlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3734 ....Just click on the link. Balmer is bottom of online Page One.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Joseph and the Angels and Me/True Religion

Christmas Day, 2006, Dec 25
And here, on this Christmas morn, I found Leadbelly's Lyrics to the True Religion, mused by the notions of Howard and Jim of Ky on the Board trying to figure out the Magi and the Star.
Whatever happenned and however you explain it to yourself, Leadbelly got it right in The True Religion

Leadbelly's Lyrics to The True Religion
(tags: music, capsized smiles, lyrics, leadbelly) related ยป
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death is slow but death is sure,hallelujah hallelujahdeath is slow but death is sure,hallelujah hallelujahdeath is slow but death is sure,when death comes somebody must go
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujahthen you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujahthen you must have that true religion,
pure religion and your soul converted,
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah

sent for the doctor and the doctor comehallelujah hallelujah
sent for the doctor and the doctor comehallelujah hallelujah
sent for the doctor and the doctor come
mother said doctor can you save my son
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah

doctor left here looking mighty sadhallelujah hallelujah
doctor left here looking mighty sadhallelujah hallelujah
doctor left here looking mighty sad
hardest case that i ever had
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah

mother was sitting on a bedside cryinghallelujah hallelujah
mother was sitting on a bedside cryinghallelujah hallelujah
mother was sitting on a bedside crying
speak to my soul my child is dying
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah
then you must have that true religion,

pure religion and your soul converted,
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah
son says mother don't you greive and cryhallelujah hallelujah
son says mother don't you greive and cryhallelujah hallelujah
son says mother don't you greive and cry
know your son was born to die
then you must have that true religion,hallelujah hallelujah


Dec 23
Here is my post on Mary and Joseph and some questions about Their Marriage contract at the Baptist Discussion Board located in Makin that Bonnie Payne and some of her friends contacted back about June 5 or so of 2006


foxJoined: 12 Aug 2004Posts: 2876Location: South Dekalb County Bama
Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:00 pm Post subject: The thing

about Joseph was, as it registered with me last Sunday at FBC, Ft. Payne Alabama, where Bobby Welch was baptized and where I sat next to Mr. Kuykendall, leader of Landmarks, the Historical Association Umbrella group for Dekalb County, Alabama; the man who was in Montgomery earlier this year to induct Ms. Weatherly into the Alabama Hall of Fame along with Virginia Durr, a Foster, the sister in law of Hugo Black; Durr who one of Al Gore's daughters has written up as one of the ten most Influential Women of the 20th Century; It was in that august setting last Sunday it registered: Joseph talked to Angels. As Randy Owen says, There are angels among us. I spoke to Kelly on Tuesday, right after I had my first sighting of my letter in the print issue of the Dec 18 Nation Magazine, on the NOv 20 Eyal Press issue. But this is about Joseph and Jesus, not about me. Sometime in 2007, Jonathan, I will tell you again about my Dad when he was pastor of the Truett Memorial Baptist Church in Hayesville, North Carolina, and his friend Guy Carter, who would ride with Dad up to revivals on Shooting Creek, in the Qualla Valley, to Shiloh and Downings Chapel Baptist Churches. Stewart Newman, who followed WA Criswell in 56 at FBC Columbia South Carolina pastror's conference came to visit once in Hayesville. And if you don't think it was a big deal what Newman said that day; then I ask you and Timothy George to get a copy of Jumpin Jim Crow and get some context. Newman was a fellow traveler with Jack Flanders, see the obit. Do you get it, Jonathan? The Angels, they just keep on comin if you have ears to hear and eyes to see. Joseph was not the only one to talk to them. Sinner that I am, I have done my talking too._________________INFORMED GADFLY Fox's Blog

And if you want to see it all in context
Just click on this

http://www.baptistlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3786

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Wrapup; 1-2-07/Holiday volleyball and travel notes/Sorry

My nephew came back and took the second round and then with the help of his Mother; took the Winner take all, sudden death final tiebreaker one game finale.
By that time our hearts were with perfecting our chosen lines from the Pink Panther DVD. As it turned out we chose the same lines, about Pierre Douket and Fwance is Fwance, so that turned into a contest as well.
The Next day a Clempsom grad showed up and I had to get the rental back to Bama.
Was in a funk cause civilization is civilization and Bama is Bama but as the fellow with the cousin in Mobile said in Blessings of Liberty in the barbershop that has changed hands since then: "I love it here and never want to move away."
Well not exactly, but here I am.
Got into a serious contest Dec 30, two on two in the shank of the day, just off Little Wills Creek.
Me and an all county guard who graduated about two years ago was playing another fifth year senior and his brother, an 8th grader. I had to guard the 8th grader.
My team won the first game cause I was on it and kept making these great passes. Then Brother #1 planted his big self under the basket and nobody could stop his gimmees, and th kid starts embarrasing me hitting these lone rangers from the ditch across the road.
So we're in game three and I didn't know if I was gonna pass out or not, getting a little winded, since I got em all age wise by 30 years and the 8th grader by about 40.
But I pull my two handed down towner out of my shorts and bank it in to go up 7-6 in the third win by two and I though that was the contest. But my All county revenant misses his J and the brothers win about dark.
I can't say I shoulda gotten all tournament cause I missed the whole damn backboard on a couple shots, but I thought we had it when I put us up 7-6, make it, take it.
Had some pizza with the adversaries and ended the year in community with my fellow citizens, and serious analysis of the DVD version of SEan Penn's All the King's Men and all the feature commentary, including Alan Brinkley of Columbia, University.
Next year I hope to play some Rook during the Holidays, and take more sausage to my Loved Ones in South Carolina.
Had a good lunch Sunday, but the pork roast and chick n dressin woulda been nice.
Didn't have any blackeyes on the First, but had a good chop.
Lost five dollars on the Rose Bowl.
Wore my Kramer shirt for Mark Morgan and his boy Indough to see Sunday. Not excusin nor condonin Kramer, just standing in solidarity cause we all get misunderstood on occasion.
Imagine them Numbers.
And the latest, I thought Susan Ford chose a good text and did a fine job with the James Epistle this morning.
I met four people in the room, saw two others in person, and know three more through surrogates.

The 26th, !2:19
I just beat my 7 year old precocious nephew in the fourth straight game of Sorry. we are having a holiday tournament. It has now become almost mathematically impossible for him to win the tournament now, but he is recalcitrant.
It this latest round, I not only beat him but took his Mother, my sister and Junior by three years. They tagged up on me but THEY CANNOT DEFEAT THE mAGNIFICENT STEVIE.
wE have been watching the pink Panther and have solved the Murder of Pierre Lieukough.
Owen flew to Santa Fe. We called KT on the phoun about the sausage.
There is some chatter at www.thinkingbaptists.com about Freemasonry. I may go public here and there about my incident of Feb 23, whose first anniversary comes up shortly.

Christmas Day about 7:32My nephew was mocking my blog this evening, and Sundance close call at supper and all things Uncle Dee, so here is his chance. He is here with his gorgeous woman. They may go on Oprah or Dr. Phil in 07 for relationship therapy, but tonight is rapprochement. She is a fan of Kevin McConnaughee, and Chad liked his line in Dazed and Confused(it would be a lot cooler if you did); now it is time for the farting ornaments and the book about Walter the farting dog.





Dec 23, a Saturday
Beautiful day in Georgia and the Carolinas, though I didn't quite make it to Spartanburg, just took the Weather Channel's word for North.
Had a good well cushioned ride in a rental. Sun was bright and caught some classic rock.
NWest of Gainesville, east of the community of Matt, had a good lunch at a CFA studying Sat and the early edition of the AJC.com; the printed version. Long story on the Billy Graham family troubles with the differences for Billy and Ruth's final resting place with Franklin holding out for the cow palace in Charlotte and Ned and the Cornwell woman in Ruth's Corner for the Cove. I lean toward the Cove myself.
Large family gathering tabled beside me, looked like a family of fertile daughters with the third generation coming in fulsome and numbers, and a proud raconteur of a youngish grandfather holding court talking to a soninlaw best I could figure while the women were earnest about this and that. The Proud Grandad or Uncle was talking movies and said he'd seen Talladega Nights twice. That started my synapses chiming in the cerebellum region or whichever one it is in charge of creative thought, and I started speculating right away about how to get my own marginal news about Sundance to him. Got a business card with a Bible Verse on it from Mr. Cathy's outfit there in the store and gave him some things to read and a movie to look for in about three years.
All the fertiles and the grandmothers, in fact the entire extended family, was charmed I had graced their gathering with such tantalizing, news. Most I've felt like a celebrity since the days after the Talent Show for Frito Lay Fall of 73.
Hit the road with a pumped version of myself but got three miles up the road before I realized I had forgotten to get a refill in my maxisized Go Cup. Was so full of my self then.
But the day was nice and it early afternoon. Classic rock was coming in out of Atlanta full throttle with a Little ZZ Top, And I'm Stil Alive by PJ. And I was.
About 30 minutes later took a moment of remembrance where Demris lays there on Mt. Zion Church Rd. He's still dead but not a better view for a cemetery anywhere in America.
Took the shortcut through Clarkesville, felt the presence of Barbara Brown Taylor not far away outside Demorest.
Came on in; too early for Schlotzky's.
Went lookin for a Screamin Monkey, but like Rainsville, Alabama they are old sold out. Hoping loved ones in the house don't see this, cause that would ruin my surprise gift that is not to be anyway, given Tiff and Weddy are hoarding in Bama.
Took a walk with the nephew, got beat in a pickup game, had sort chat with some missionaries in on furlough and went to Barnes and Noble to see if they had Barry Hankins new book on Schaefer. They don't. They do have the movie Five Easy Pieces, but no Day of the Locusts; and no Screaming Monkeys.
Went looking for Schlotzky's by the Mall but it shut down three years ago, so headed out to Pelham where one of the last three in the Upstate still stands.
Got a friend in the house now whose son is in Cairo row leaning toward Afghanistan, a world traveler for sure.
More later. Andrew rang the cymbals and wants to play Sorry.
Uncle Dee.

Dec 21: Second section (Loriane)was written by a guest poseur mimicking myself before Viella Fiesta. Here, Sat I remember Loraine's name; it was Sara Edwards.

Great volleyball in Collinsville, alabama last night. The only minus was the shooger booger was a no show.
We had a college coach there, several aging scholarship players, a male who used to warm up the Duke Girls Team, and an adept from Centre Alabama; also Billy and Brandon
I was on team three.
After the Morgan's lost their first game, my team got to play the best team there, Billy and Brandon's with Centre adept, DeeWayne.
We went up 9-7, to the surprise of the whole gymnasium, recently honored by the Collinsville Class of 41, I thank it was, and plaqued to that notion. I think, shoot, can't call the woman's name at the moment was on the committee that year for the dedication.
I played my role exquisitely in the first game; was about to blow Morgan team off the court in our second game, but showed mercy when Whitney started serving.

Loraine. Maybe that was it. Eggs this morning were right there and then I sat in the car a while. Whitney serves a underhanded deal there like the Pooh used to do when he was over for the play and shorts. Booger high tails it sometime, but she is married to the Prince now and nobody sees the Pooh come out the house that ain't on 55 Spring anymore for durn near weeks at a time.
I don't think it was Loraine, come to think of it.
Think Whit appurciated my mercy as I'm wont to take out the festering frustrations of a thousand lost or stolen days on mine enemies when the old fight or flight kicks in on the courts, be they tennis or another...like volleyball for instance....as was the instance last night, like I say.

Val and her navel ring did not show last night.
Hoping Larve can come down from Clempsom and make some line calls. The corner Morgans overruled a revenant on the Billy Brandon Team last night and stole a point from the Magnificent Stevies' onslaught.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Francis Schaefer, Mohler, and Dr. John Morgan

Don't want to get into this too thick before Christmas but it just came to my attention yesterday.
But maybe if the Yalie and the Dukey and the UVA sons of Morgan have some free time over the holidays they can query ole Dad about this, and we can take it up in the new year.
To my knowledge, Morgan the Dad, adamantly refuses to read Hankins Uneasy in Babylon, so it is doubtful he will read the Schaefer book either.
But you never know.

Here are some links; maybe Mark Cosby will read also, and DAvid Ryan and Jennifer Wilkins and Vanessa Chambers, Sandra Killian and Mamie Moore and we may get to the heart of the matter yet

http://www.abpnews.com/1515.article

http://www.baptistlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3734

Here is what I said about Mohler in the Jon Meacham site promoted by the Dec 13 Washington Post online edition.

Mohler's betters on this topic, Tom Edsall formerly of the Post, and Randall Balmer of Columbia University and author of the chapter Where Have All the Baptists Gone, in his Thy Kingdom Come; have weighed Mohler and his associates in the takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention on this matter and found Mohler a counterfeit to the tradition he now champions in this blog.The consensus on Mohler and his history in the SBC is not a pretty thing. He is kind of a brother to Karl Rove, if the worst perceptions of Rove are true; duplicitious, shameless, expedient, dark, dank and a prevaricator to boot.By willful intent, Mohler has forsaken the great Baptist legacy of Carlyle Marney and George Truett. He is a bastard child of the slimiest of the Baptist experience in America, rising professionally on the crest of a smarmy populism created and mastered by demagogues that would make George Wallace and Huey Long wince.It is a travesty that Meacham would give him voice in this forum.
Posted December 13, 2006 2:55 PM

Merry Christmas, and I did enjoy the third game, volleyball last night. I think had Val been on my side we woulda won the first two of three series instead of the solo win as it played out.
But hey, thanks for letting me play; I am so undeserving.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Bham Sthrn's Pollick; Sessions and Aderholt: "Advancing the Dignity of Every Person?"

Last night, Monday, Dec 11, Birmingham Southern President Dr. David Pollick was on statewide television for a live call in program.
http://www.aptv.org/ftr/ftrdetails.asp?FTRID=1803
I was in the hopper to pose a comment, in fact, my town got posted on the screen but the station had lost my call.
I wanted to explore with Dr. Pollick the mission statement of the UMC school, "To advance the dignity of every person", and get his notion of how he thinks BSC alum Robert Aderholt, and leading UMC layman in the state, US Senator Jeff Sessions stack up when it comes to the politics of immigration reform.
I was going to mention on air that I had read the UMC Social Justice mag www.gcorr.org fall of 2005 issue on Immigration reform, and in that light find a great chasm between the politics of Aderholt and Sessions and the justice ideals of the UMC.
In fact I was privy to an ugly incident between Senator Sessions and UMC pastor Gene Lankford and his colleague when they went to DC April 06 to bear witness to the US congress on behalf of the Hispanic immigrant population flooding our country. At the time, Lankford, was the UMC minister here in Collinsville, Alabama where my Mother was baptized into the Baptist faith.
I take Dr. Pollick at his word. In the spirit self analysis Bham Southern undergoing in the wake of the black church burnings by three of its students, I have another prospect for its school, one I am bringing to Furman's attention as well; a straight A promising girl's basketball guard, #4, at GAston HS (1A) in Etowah County.
If the great fictional character Pearl, of EL Doctorow's The March, has fifth generation offspring, surely this young woman is one of them.
Maybe for this post here is a way to get at it.
It looks like Artur Davis with the blessing of David Potts among many others, will contest the Senate SEat of Sessions in 08. Newt Gingrich has suggested it is way passed time for the complicated issues of the day to be driven by sound bytes and 30 second commercials. The last Supreme Court Justice RAce here in Alabama, and the ATlantic MOnthly article about Karl Rove and Alabama a few years back is testimony to that.
Bring SEssions and ARtur Davis to Bham Southern, then trot them over to Samford for a strong two day unflinching discussion about race and immigration, justice and Alabama history on such matters. Have Samford Jonathan Bass, and Duke's visiting proff Tim Tyson flesh out the panel. Have breakout sessions.
Have the 34 or so of the starting players for the University of Alabama and Auburn be free to say who they will support for US Senator and why; and have Alfa early explain differences with these men they champion in the fall if they would like.
Bring Samford and BSC students up to speed, not to mention parishioners across Central Alabama; bring them up to speed with considered readings of Tyson's Blood Done Sign My Name; and Bass's Blessed are the Peacemakers. Even have the minister's ready not only the latest tribute book to Wayne Flynt "History and Hope in the Heart of Dixie"; but the Dailey and Simon editted Jumpin' Jim Crow with it's troubling chapter on my hometown, Gaffney, South Carolina.
That for starters and early on in the campaign to center the discussion.
I'll go so far as to upstage the religious right, and say it is God's will Alabama correct Tennesee's missed opportunity. It is right the stage for much of Martin Luther King's drama be ther first to elect a person of color since Reconstruction, and Artur Davis is qualified to be that man.
I have sent an email to the Administration of BSC notifying them of this blog, Bishop Willimon as well. Would be delighted to have responses from them
Stephen Fox
Collinsville, Alabama

Two great references, maybe three
http://www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=8267

www.gcorr.org/monitor/Monitor_Fall05.pdf

And the Eric Olsen March 2006 article in www.sojo.net on mano dura.



Friday, December 08, 2006

Cousin in Law's Mission trip to Bosnia

Proud of my 1st cousin on Momma's side, the Jordan's, Anne Jordan Bearden's son in law Scott Ford and his call to ministry. He is a CBF staffer in Conyers, Georgia; a graduate of Mcaffee Seminary in Atlanta, and has been active with www.passportcamps.org .
His wife, my blood cousin, Dixie, homeschooled, JSU grad is Divinity School student as well and in line to follow her husband to Ordination to preach the gospel. She plays the piano almost as good as My Momma did--insert smilie emoticon here.
Great people. My Momma and those gone before are smiling in Heaven with Pride.

Dear Friends,
I traveled to Bosnia-Herzegovina on November 30 - today, December 7, no 8 now, actually. I preached once and taught a three-day Christian Education course for Bosnian ministry students. Here are some recounts of my trip.
RETURNING HOMEWell... it's 12:12 a.m. late on Friday night (e.s.t.), and I'm still flying! I started out this morning a little before 5 a.m. in Sarajevo (when it was 11 p.m. yesterday in Atlanta), and the trip from my first to my last airport looks like it's going to be 25 hours?! It was supposed to be closer to 15 hours, but this morning's fog in Sarajevo delayed all flights for quite some time. So instead of flying from Sarajevo to Milan and Milan to Atlanta, I flew from Sarajevo to Munich, Munich to JFK, caught a cab from JFK to LaGuardia airport (both in New York), and now I'm flying from LaGuardia to Atlanta. I had hoped to be at ATL by 3:30 p.m., which would have allowed me to go home and see my girls! But it I will have to wait until the morning. Such a sad story, eh?
TEACHING
The students of the ministry school in Sarajevo were great! Zoran is a young man, 33, full of enthusiasm, a teacher of dance, and a person very interested in worship and worship music; he is involved with a Vineyard Church in central Bosnia. Goran is already serving as pastor of a Roma (or Gypsy) church in Sarajevo, and he's considering how God will use him in a new phase of ministry. Dejan is a student at the ministry school who is also working on a degree in Sociology at the local university, and he works with the youth group of the Kairos Center church in Sarajevo. Mario is a 27 year old elder in his church in central Bosnia, and he's involved with his church in many ways. Rugitsa, church member of the Kairos Center church, attended some of our seminars, as she is auditing the class; she actually participated in some classes three years ago when I taught, so I was glad to offer some new material since last time! Four of us guys stayed at the Kairos Center, as others lived nearby, and we played table tennis for two nights so much that my legs were sore! The entire class ate lunch together each day, which was a wonderful time of fellowship, and those of us at the Kairos Center shared other meals together.
FYODOR
Fyodor Raychynets was my host, good friend, and translator throughout my time in Sarajevo. He is in charge of the school, setting the curricula, teaching, grading, and inviting outside guest teachers. Before teaching in Sarajevo, I traveled to Tuzla and stayed with Fyodor's family for a couple of days while I adjusted to the time change. I was delighted to see Fyodor's wife, Oksana, and children, Arthur and Lisa. I also preached at the Baptist Church in Tuzla, where Fyodor pastors and Oksana leads worship with a guitar. Fyodor is Ukranian and Oksana is Croatian. They are and their children are a wonderful family!
OTHER FRIENDS
There were several other people who I got to see during my stay. Tamara is a Serbian who felt called by God to serve at the Kairos Center where she lives in Sarajevo and ministers with the church and Kairos ministries. She took good care of me and the other guys who stayed at the center during the seminars. Interestingly, I met several missionaries at the Sarajevo airport on my last day there. Jennifer, a college student from Colorado, was ending her month long stay with Suzie, a veteran missionary of 4-years from Germany. After first running into Suzie and Jennifer, their friend Rienhold came to the airport to visit; he is also from Germany and he and Suzie serve with the Roma people of Sarajevo, which led me to realize that all of these folks knew Goran and Zoran who were in my classes. A while later, Rob and Paul, pastor and associate pastor of a Vineyard Church in England, visited with the four others of us stranded in the airport for 7.5 hours. So the extreme delay this morning passed by much quicker with new acquaintances to pass the time. It was an interesting group! I am also thankful for seeing an old friend, Tomislav, who pastors in Sarajevo. Tomislav, Fyodor, and I enjoyed one night of fellowship this week at the National Restaurant, a local Bosnian favorite.
HOME
I am home now! As I now type, it's 2:08 a.m. on Friday, December 8. Many thanks to Michael Bryan for giving me a ride home in the wee hours. I was supposed to land around 11:20 but didn't arrive until 1 a.m. or a little later. Michael was very kind to wait on me and save me from a huge cab fare. I had planned to catch Marta all the way to Stonecrest Mall, but nothing really went as planned today... except I am very glad to home safely!
PROOFREADING
Could it be overrated?! I could "save draft" and send this later, but I will trust that you all will forgive any errors or omissions above. I need to get some sleep! And I want to spend tomorrow with my three girls. But first, thank you all who prayed for my safety and well-being this past week. It was a memorable and educational time for me on several levels. The more I get to know people of other cultures and life situations, the larger this world feels, and God seems all the more mysterious and powerful and bigger than I am able to comprehend, which is in an odd way comforting. Rather than being overwhelmed or frustrated, there are moments when I find comfort and much hope in this reality.
Peace be with you,
Scott
R. Scott Ford
Minister of Education & Youth
Haven Fellowship Church
2240 Smyrna Road SW
Conyers, GA 30094

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Collinsville and Green Pond Libraries

Sweet article today in the Bham News about the promise of small town libraries, and how they can become the "Hub of the Community."


http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/116540261312930.xml&coll=2

I have emailed Tom Gordon, the author of the piece, seeing if in the new year he may become interested in the politics and what is looking like now in its 6th year, the false hope of the once promising library renovation project in Collinsville.
No secret in Collinsville; for me the question is can a librarian who coopts the deacons of a Baptist church to oust a member, runs a whitewashing to oust a member from the library; is this the woman who through failed fits and starts can lead the town to complete this renovation project, fulfilling its initial promise; or does the project need a new librarian and library board with some innovative fundraising ideas that have a bigger vision than a handout to the federal government to complete this task.
Collinsville matches Green Pond's twelve computers.
But I have to ask, what is wrong with having Oxford American Magazine, BAptists Today, a progressive periodical for the major denominational inclincation in the region, and a daily newspaper as part of the plan to uplift the berg?
Several questions and discussions to follow.
One more, If trying to beat a deadline to get a friend into Yale Div School, becomes a building block to permanently ban a patron, they What Kind of Librarian is That?
Again with Fannie Lou Hamer I have to ask?
"Is This America?"

Merry Christmas, Enjoy Green Pond and We'll take it up later.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Update, Dec.7; "Congregational Crazies" and Church Conflict

https://beta.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=31682396&postID=161260124157454380
Above is a Christmas chat going with a more conservative woman in Arkansas who shares the Olive Branch with me here in the Yuletide.
I promised this link for her and give it to you and will pick up Deweese's nuances later.
www.ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=8247


David Burton of the Conflict Resolution Network in Jesse Helms hometown of MOnroe, North Carolina--see Tim Tyson's Radio Free Dixie for a chilling description of Helms Dad pistol whipping a black man downtown Monroe in the 19 teens--who moonlights as the DOM for Union Baptist Association, has a provocative two page piece in the December issue of Baptists Today.
Collinsville Baptist Pastor Dr. John Morgan has secretly subscribed to the magazine in the past and I think continues to be a reader.
I am hoping Dr. Morgan will make good use of the well trafficked copy machine of Collinsville Baptist and make copies of this article available to the deacons of the church and even more specifically to the three key women who set in motion the series of events that got me voted off the church property where my Mother was baptized.
I called Burton yesterday afternoon after a cursory read of his article. I have looked at it closer since then. In short order he quickly assessed my situation in Collinsville to be a class 5/ Impact or Intractable dilemma. I guess it will remain that way as long as the deacons persists in covering for these women who have the church and town by the throat, in my opinion.
I am sure locals will key on the section of Burton's report: "Congregational Crazies."
To absolve themselves they will see me in every phrase, even read things in the kabbalah of the analysis. However, from the things posted on my windshield, and in the post office over this last year, I have stronger nominees for the award for our local situation.
To expedite the conversation here is a good bit of that portion of Burton in current Baps Today:
Identifying and constructively dealing with what Burton calls "crazy makers" is vital to managing congregational conflict said Burton. For pastors he noted, the challenge is to provide appropiate pastoral care to these persons while avoiding their skillful manipulation.
...."Crazy makers don't usually respect boundaries, demand constant attention, make increasing demands without ever being satisfied, and tend to act wounded or misunderstood. Such persons often use highly spiritual language and create established networks to achieve their destructive goals."


Fascinating observation by Burton. Burton hints however, earlier in the piece, differing ideas about a vision for the church, operational policies, and the like often spark a thicket.
Crazies coming out of the woodwork cause they feel like their power is being challenged in small town where kinship ties override everything when push comes to shove, adds a curve ball to Burton, or anybody's attempt at conflict resolution.
When you add convictions from one member who is convinced the pastor is disingenuous in discussing the last 25 years in Baptist life in a congregation at one time might have been open to pilgrimming out of the Baptist morass, all the while glowing in the education of his children at Duke, UVA and Yale Divinity School, while kissing up locally to the status quo and fans of James Dobson and Roy Moore; then maybe you do have "Stage Five."

Even so would be nice to be allowed to attend ever so often to see who comes back for Thanksgivng and Christmas and sing some congregational hymns of the Christian faith where your extended family owns about five or six keys of the new piano, and hand chimes were given to the church in honor of one's Mother.
Here is a link
www.baptistlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2275

And or search out pages 18 and 19 in at www.baptistife.com/forums faith and practice for an intense discussion of my churchin at Collinsville from Feb through the spring of this year, topics ranging from mendacity to cornerstones, kangaroo courts and library projects, Rabbi Miller and Samford, the whole kit n kaboodle, not to mention Mercer University and prevaricators who dial em up June 3, 4, 5 or so.

And Merry Christmas to All