'Mobilizing the Future':
Reconciliation leaders
meet in Dallas

By Neil Earle

DALLAS, Texas—"This work of reconciliation is what the Christian church should be doing," declared John Paul Eddy to 46 ministers, chapter leaders and support staff who met at the Omni Parkwest Hotel in Dallas, Aug. 9 to 11.

Dr. Eddy, professor emeritus at the University of North Texas and an advisory council member of the Office of Reconciliation Ministries, added, "We all need to be breaking the circuit of sin in this society."

"We now have 23 chapter leaders around the globe," Curtis May, ORM director, told the gathering.

Participants came from as far away as County Cork, Ireland; Johannesburg, South Africa; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; and from most regions of the United States.

"We take our mandate from 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 pure and simple," which reads in part, "all this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation," said Mr. May. In addition to interactive discussion, delegates heard from Mr. Albrecht by video on the subject "Why Reconciliation?"

Steve Brown, pastor of the Clearwater, Florida, church, and a chapter leader, led a workshop on the subject of privilege. He concluded with moving testimonials from the major ethnic groups of what they needed from each other.

This discussion opened up a spirit of candor among the participants that prevailed throughout the rest of the conference.

"We have been handed the gift of ethnic diversity as a pot of gold," said Mr. May, "and not everyone is aware of it. By healing our own internal hurts we will be much more effective in evangelizing the rest of the world."

On Saturday morning, Aug. 10, Dr. Eddy took reconciliation to a broader context. He reminded the delegates of how Americans were perceived in the rest of the world and how much work there was to do in reconciling that image with the facts.

Barbara Hacker, from the Center for the Healing of Racism, continued that theme, saluting the work of ORM and asking: "What is the spiritual quality needed to solve all the problems of the world? It is forgiveness, above all. Jesus taught this very clearly."

Trish Clauson, wife of Arnold Clauson, pastor of the Dallas North and Sherman, Texas, churches, agreed. "We just can’t tell hurting and abused people to ‘move on, now.’ You can’t bury something like deep hurts unless those hurts are dead."

Cherry Steinwender, of the Center for the Healing of Racism, encouraged the proactive stance of ORM. "We need to look deep into the darkness to finish the work of dismantling racism. ORM is making it safe for people to heal."

In his talk, Carn Catherwood, associate director of ORM, described some of the early history of the WCG and noted that the church has been racially diverse almost from the beginning, but is only now beginning to capitalize on that gift.

Three new chapter leaders were commissioned: Mike Greider, pastor of Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia, and Paintsville, Kentucky, churches; Evelyne O’Callaghan Burkhard from County Cork, Ireland; and Marilyn Fall from the Phoenix, Arizona, church.

The conference ended with the Lord’s Supper conducted by chapter leaders Dan Bierer and Keith Brittain. Murdock "Doc" Gibbs and Angela McDonald provided worship and special music throughout the weekend. The delegates combined for a service with the Dallas Central congregation Sunday, Aug. 11.

"It’s said that time heals," concluded Christina Graham, Renton, Washington, chapter leader, "but that’s not necessarily true. It’s what you do with the time that allows for healing. Organizations such as ORM are effective in their use of time."

NEW CHAPTER LEADERS—From left:
Marilyn Fall, Phoenix, Arizona; Mike Greider,
Huntington, West Virginia; and Evelyne
O’Callaghan Burkhard, County Cork, Ireland.
[Photo by Christina Graham]

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002