Changing Courses in Dallas

For the past month, I've not had time to blog. Been too busy trying to put together a conference in big D.  My entire focus has been on seeking and nurturing contacts there, where I have felt an urgency to hold a multi-disciplinary, inter-faith conference on the very topic that has consumed much of my life for over thirty years:  Collusion with Abuse in the Faith Community.

Instantly, I made a decision this morning to put all of that on hold. It happened when I went on Twitter to find the very first message for the #churchtoo movement to be this about a conference in Dallas, you might know.

For those who are not familiar with the Dallas area, Denton is just north of Dallas. For those unfamiliar with United Methodists in the state of Texas, I can assure you that they are what my husband would refer to as "a mixed bag." As divided in many ways, and as inter-mingled with Southern Baptists, yet generally with a more moderate to liberal message.

From all indications, after having taken a few minutes to check out Denton Wesley Foundation, I am convinced this group is as solid to carry forth much of the message that the loosely-connected professionals, all with connections to Big D share in my work.

While I am not abandoning my own dream, I am shifting courses, to devote more time to connecting and blogging on issues related specifically to the more conservative, evangelical groups, where many are struggling desperately these days to either recover or to understand how collusion works, specific to their own theology and culture.  Stand by. Please sign up for this blog and look for me @writer_dee on Twitter.

Meanwhile, I just sent a message to several @snapnetwork leaders:

Dear SNAP friends and co-hearts,

Here's what did it. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/churchtoo-conference-recognizing-preventing-and-addressing-sexual-abuse-tickets-43851228204?aff=ebdsorderfblightbox

This is the closest thing to what I was envisioning, and by a church that has the staff to make it happen in a big way.  I have sent 3 replies to them today on Twitter to see how I may be able to connect, but I'm hanging up my hat on Dallas for now. 

Have concluded I am getting too old to do more than rejoice and help promote younger folks in all your efforts.  I weep that it didn't happen when so many of us were struggling so hard to be heard 25 yrs ago. So many, many mixed feelings, and my passion is as strong as it's ever been. Yet my inbox is as full of survivor notes now as the notes that came by snail mail, back in the mid-90s. It's all about staying the course. 

I love taking scripture out of context, for the fun of it, playing the old fundamentalist game as a counter tactic. So to these folks in Denton, I would simply say, same as to all my friends in SNAP: 

"Go forth and multiply!"

Comments

  1. SusanMarch 28, 2018 at 11:33 AM

    I, for one do not think you should give up on your ideas of an event in Dallas. I feel you have a lot to offer and you would cover from a different angle with vastly different resources. With the current culture as ripe as it is seeking more information and resources and the population of the Dallas/Ft Worth area many conferences are needed for best coverage and education.

    ReplyDelete

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