People with dementia often decline in plateaus. There will be a period of deterioration followed by a time in which the person's condition seems to stabilize.
Mom has been declining, both mentally and physically, lately and the family has been awaiting the moment when the leveling-off happens.
And, it hasn't happened.
The family has reached the point at which we are convinced that mom has to be moved from the room she absolutely loves into a room in which the nursing staff is always nearby.
It's sad.
The move will be traumatic for her. Moves like this normally create even further decline.
Happily, her social worker and the Director of Nursing agree with us that the move is necessary to assure mom's safety. And, the entire family is in total agreement.
The stress of watching her decline is incredible but it would be worse were all of us not in agreement.
Later on, we may regret this decision but, for now, we're convinced that we're doing the best for her.
Friday, May 24, 2019
The Arrogance and Realism of CGGC "Leaders"
Brandon Kelly is leaving General Conference staff. He's to be replaced, in part, by a new Director of Strategy.
Think about everything those facts signify. Here are only some of those things.
According to the myth of recent years, the Church of God began in 1825, 194 years ago.
In what, honestly, must be understood to be a move that is, at once, hyper-conservative and, yet at the same time, a radical innovation,...
...CGGC leadership is planning to submit to the delegates of General Conference in session...
...a FOR-THE-FIRST-TIME-IN-THOSE-194-YEARS, denominational Strategic Plan.
And, that, in spite of the fact that, in recent years, we have proclaimed ourselves to be on mission to establish churches on "the New Testament plan" and, even more recently, adopted a Statement of Faith containing the bold promise to hold the Bible to be "our only rule of faith and practice."
Considering the 194 years of history and the Mission Statement and the Statement of Faith,...
...the mere creation of a Strategic Plan, in my opinion, has to be acknowledged to be a radical innovation of the highest order.
The title of this post contains the word, "arrogance," and I believe there is arrogance in the creation of the Strategic Plan itself.
Based on the recent proclamations of the General Conference, i.e., the Eldership, about biblical authority, and the fact that there's nothing approaching a Strategic Plan in the Word, I think the term "arrogance" fits perfectly.
However, there's greater...
...world-class arrogance...
...in the fact that General Conference staffers have already created a job description for the Director of Strategy AND that they've published it AND that they are beginning the search for the person who will be "hired" to do the job.
-----------------
What if the Eldership balks?
What if some delegates cite the Mission and the authority of the Word?
What if implementation of the plan is delayed?
What if this particular plan is rejected?
What if there is a challenge to the very notion that a church operating on the New Testament plan with the Bible as its only rule of faith could have a strategic plan...
...and a human being directing the plan?
There is incredible arrogance in the creation of a job description for the Director of Strategy...
...and even greater arrogance in the search for the person who will hold the job...
...even before any of this has been considered by the Eldership.
-------------------
If you ever read this blog, you know my opinions about what the New Testament plan consists of and you know that I see no place for a strategic plan in it.
But, that's not at issue here.
You may remember that there was a sense of humility among the members of General Conference staff, about a decade ago, in preparing for the General Conference votes on the revised We Believe and the Credential Standards document.
General Conference staff traveled to the far reaches of the body to seek face-to-face feedback on what was being proposed.
There was dialog, genuine dialog. I know. I attended one of those gatherings.
General Conference staff made itself accountable to engage the wisdom of the people of the CGGC...
...they behaved as if the CGGC is truly an Eldership: A body in which human authority rests among the people.
The lack of those actions from today's General Conference staff is where an unbelievable degree of arrogance lies.
From what I'm hearing, from multiple sources, the first-in-194 years Strategic Plan will be presented to General Conference delegates with little, if any, opportunity for the people of the CGGC to provide input.
The plan is already completely written. It's on the agenda for General Conference sessions on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
I've used the word "Popish" to describe CGGC staff actions in the past, but to do so in the way the creation of this first-ever Strategic Plan...
...is an unjustifiable insult to the authoritarianism of Roman Catholic Popes.
--------------------
The title of this post refers to the arrogance of CGGC "leaders." And, the writing of the first-ever Strategic Plan, with little to no involvement of the body, is arrogant.
Truthfully, the beginning of the search for a Director of Strategy BEFORE General Conference sessions makes the adjective "arrogant" inadequate.
But, the title of this post also refers to the "realism" of the guys atop the CGGC mountain.
------------------
One'll get you 50 that CGGC staffers will get their way.
My guess is that there will be virtually no discussion of the motion to approve the Strategic Plan and little or no vocal opposition to it and that the search for a Director of Strategy, initiated even before there is a strategy, will move to its conclusion unimpeded.
CGGC staffers have behaved in this matter as if they are a Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops, not members of a body in which human authority rests among the people.
And, you CGGCers will allow them to do it.
The Lord of all authority and power and blessing isn't blessing us.
Of that there can be no question.
And, the Lord of all authority and power and blessing won't bless us until we repent.
We must repent .
Think about everything those facts signify. Here are only some of those things.
According to the myth of recent years, the Church of God began in 1825, 194 years ago.
In what, honestly, must be understood to be a move that is, at once, hyper-conservative and, yet at the same time, a radical innovation,...
...CGGC leadership is planning to submit to the delegates of General Conference in session...
...a FOR-THE-FIRST-TIME-IN-THOSE-194-YEARS, denominational Strategic Plan.
And, that, in spite of the fact that, in recent years, we have proclaimed ourselves to be on mission to establish churches on "the New Testament plan" and, even more recently, adopted a Statement of Faith containing the bold promise to hold the Bible to be "our only rule of faith and practice."
Considering the 194 years of history and the Mission Statement and the Statement of Faith,...
...the mere creation of a Strategic Plan, in my opinion, has to be acknowledged to be a radical innovation of the highest order.
The title of this post contains the word, "arrogance," and I believe there is arrogance in the creation of the Strategic Plan itself.
Based on the recent proclamations of the General Conference, i.e., the Eldership, about biblical authority, and the fact that there's nothing approaching a Strategic Plan in the Word, I think the term "arrogance" fits perfectly.
However, there's greater...
...world-class arrogance...
...in the fact that General Conference staffers have already created a job description for the Director of Strategy AND that they've published it AND that they are beginning the search for the person who will be "hired" to do the job.
-----------------
What if the Eldership balks?
What if some delegates cite the Mission and the authority of the Word?
What if implementation of the plan is delayed?
What if this particular plan is rejected?
What if there is a challenge to the very notion that a church operating on the New Testament plan with the Bible as its only rule of faith could have a strategic plan...
...and a human being directing the plan?
There is incredible arrogance in the creation of a job description for the Director of Strategy...
...and even greater arrogance in the search for the person who will hold the job...
...even before any of this has been considered by the Eldership.
-------------------
If you ever read this blog, you know my opinions about what the New Testament plan consists of and you know that I see no place for a strategic plan in it.
But, that's not at issue here.
You may remember that there was a sense of humility among the members of General Conference staff, about a decade ago, in preparing for the General Conference votes on the revised We Believe and the Credential Standards document.
General Conference staff traveled to the far reaches of the body to seek face-to-face feedback on what was being proposed.
There was dialog, genuine dialog. I know. I attended one of those gatherings.
General Conference staff made itself accountable to engage the wisdom of the people of the CGGC...
...they behaved as if the CGGC is truly an Eldership: A body in which human authority rests among the people.
The lack of those actions from today's General Conference staff is where an unbelievable degree of arrogance lies.
From what I'm hearing, from multiple sources, the first-in-194 years Strategic Plan will be presented to General Conference delegates with little, if any, opportunity for the people of the CGGC to provide input.
The plan is already completely written. It's on the agenda for General Conference sessions on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
I've used the word "Popish" to describe CGGC staff actions in the past, but to do so in the way the creation of this first-ever Strategic Plan...
...is an unjustifiable insult to the authoritarianism of Roman Catholic Popes.
--------------------
The title of this post refers to the arrogance of CGGC "leaders." And, the writing of the first-ever Strategic Plan, with little to no involvement of the body, is arrogant.
Truthfully, the beginning of the search for a Director of Strategy BEFORE General Conference sessions makes the adjective "arrogant" inadequate.
But, the title of this post also refers to the "realism" of the guys atop the CGGC mountain.
------------------
One'll get you 50 that CGGC staffers will get their way.
My guess is that there will be virtually no discussion of the motion to approve the Strategic Plan and little or no vocal opposition to it and that the search for a Director of Strategy, initiated even before there is a strategy, will move to its conclusion unimpeded.
CGGC staffers have behaved in this matter as if they are a Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops, not members of a body in which human authority rests among the people.
And, you CGGCers will allow them to do it.
The Lord of all authority and power and blessing isn't blessing us.
Of that there can be no question.
And, the Lord of all authority and power and blessing won't bless us until we repent.
We must repent .
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Update on Mom
Evie and I know that many who read this blog pray for us.
This blog serves several purposes for me. One is to let you know how you can pray for us.
As you may recall, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago.
At the time, dad was much further into Vascular Dementia than mom was in her struggles with Alzheimer's. Dad's dementia was already advanced. Mom's condition was moderate.
-----------------
These days, mom is probably on the border of moderate and advanced Alzheimer's. For those who use the seven stages to categorize the disease, she's in Stage 5.
And, as is often the case with Alzheimer's, her temperament is changing and she's becoming hostile and angry.
As the disease progresses, Evie seems to be the object of mom's ire.
I have one brother and, for the moment, mom appears to believe that her sons can do no wrong...and that Evie is the source of every evil in her life.
With this disease, one really doesn't know what tomorrow will bring. But, for now, Evie's got a very tough row to hoe.
It's a difficult journey for all of us but, for the moment, especially for Evie.
This blog serves several purposes for me. One is to let you know how you can pray for us.
As you may recall, my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's several years ago.
At the time, dad was much further into Vascular Dementia than mom was in her struggles with Alzheimer's. Dad's dementia was already advanced. Mom's condition was moderate.
-----------------
These days, mom is probably on the border of moderate and advanced Alzheimer's. For those who use the seven stages to categorize the disease, she's in Stage 5.
And, as is often the case with Alzheimer's, her temperament is changing and she's becoming hostile and angry.
As the disease progresses, Evie seems to be the object of mom's ire.
I have one brother and, for the moment, mom appears to believe that her sons can do no wrong...and that Evie is the source of every evil in her life.
With this disease, one really doesn't know what tomorrow will bring. But, for now, Evie's got a very tough row to hoe.
It's a difficult journey for all of us but, for the moment, especially for Evie.
The CGGC as Organism or Organization!
As readers of the CGGC eNews know, Brandon Kelly is leaving his role as the Director of...what?, his title used to be "of Transformational Ministries," what it is now, I can't say. I've lost track.
The announcement of Brandon's departure was accompanied by the announcement of the search for a:
1. Director of Strategy and a,
2. Director of Developing Leaders.
I don't believe that Brandon holds these jobs at the moment. Though it's not stated in the eNews, I assume these are newly created positions.
Either way, the "hiring"...Lance actually uses that crass, secular, corporate, institutional verb to describe the act of acquiring the new staff member...is monumental to me.
-------------------
To think that followers of Jesus "hire" is, to me, a brazen, bold declaration that a battle for the Kingdom future of the CGGC has been lost to the advocates of Church-as-institutionism.
In which chapter of which Gospel did Jesus "hire" the apostles?!
------------------
In which chapter of which Gospel did Jesus "hire" the apostles?!
------------------
In any case, the "hiring" of a Director of Strategy is a kick to Reggie McNeal's genitalia.
In 2003, Reggie McNeal, who became the resource person for five cycles of the CGGC's MLI, i.e., Missional Leadership Initiative, published the book, The Present Future, which became the focus of what has turned out to be nothing more than yet another CGGC fad...
...though it is, certainly, the most heavily-invested-in fad in CGGC history.
How many tens of thousands of CGGC dollars were invested by the General Conference and regional Conferences and participants in the five cycles of MLI?
McNeal's book was promoted in the CGGC by Wayne Boyer. It got Reggie invited to be the lead speaker of one year's IMPACT and became a central focus of Brian Miller's Emerging CGGC blog in its heyday. And, of course, the five cycles of MLI.
In The Present Future, McNeal lists six "wrong questions" the church had been (and now nearly 20 years later, still is) asking. And, he suggests six "tough questions" it must answer.
One of the six sets of questions includes the wrong question:
How do we plan for the future?
along with the tough question:
How do we prepare for the future?
McNeal notes that, "Spiritual preparation has the goal of getting people in partnership with him..." (95)
Preparation is not a formula or a program. Planning, of course, is. (96)
----------------
Sadly, fifteen years after a vigorous conversation began in the CGGC in which many begged for an approach to ministry that is Kingdom focused, rooted in what McNeal calls "radical obedience," the CGGC staffers will present a Strategic Plan for the approval of the delegates to the General Conference in session.
Fifteen years later, the victory in the CGGC of church people over people of the Kingdom, is consummated as the leaders of the institution advertise the administrative position, Director of Strategy.
We are now people with a plan. And, we're hiring a human to administer the plan of the.Church of God.
A historic decision has been made. The victory has been won.
The CGGC is declaring itself to be an organization, not a spiritual organism.
We must repent.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Moving into an Independent Living Apartment
It's been a done deal for about a month.
No doubt, I'll write much more about this in the weeks and months to come.
We have been looking into continuous care communities for about three months. It was a idea I had. (Perhaps I'll tell that story later. It's atypical for me.) When I mentioned it to Evie, she was a bit surprised but embraced the idea and immediately began to do research.
Most of the continuous care communities in this area, at least, are way out of our league financially, or would allow us to live in their smallest unit.
After some searching, we found Fairmount Homes, about a dozens miles from where we're living now and close enough to my current job and in the direction of Evie's job.
They're building new apartments. We applied for one that's about the number of square feet we're currently living in with a reasonable buy in and a fair monthly fee, one we'll be able to afford, even when we're only living off of social security.
They offered us the apartment. We accepted. As things stand now, we move in in November.
In Pennsylvania, at least, continuous care means that we're guaranteed a place in personal care and nursing care when we require those levels of care.
For the moment, though, we'll continue to live the way we do now. I'll continue to be a full-time manager of the Front End at the supermarket and Evie will probably increase her part-time hours on her job.
------------------
My mom and dad lived ten wonderful, carefree years in Independent Living at the place they moved to.
When dad's dementia began to get out of hand, we struggled for about two years, with mom and dad, to get them into personal care. We applied to the home for a place in personal care and worked it out with the home in a reasonable time.
As dad deteriorated, they moved into a higher level of care in personal care and ultimately into nursing care, until he died.
Now, mom's in a nice private room in personal care.
They've been well taken care of through every twist and turn along the way.
My parents are in a community that has a rating by Medicare.gov similar to the community to which we are moving.
-----------------
Over the years, I've seen many ugly stories in which older church people, coworkers or friends have had their health suddenly fail and state and Medicare rules and regulations have overtaken their lives.
So far, we've been through cancer and open heart surgery.
We're told, by the people at Fairmount, that we're very young to be moving into the new building, compared to others who will be joining the community.
But, we see it as the best of both worlds.
We plan to continue to live as we do now, but we'll have a security net...when the inevitable happens.
----------------
There's good and bad in what we're doing.
One thing that's on the downside of the ledger...
...yesterday, we took our dog Laddie back to the rescue we got him from.
Pets will not be permitted in the apartment we're taking.
So, he's gone. And, we're moving on.
The pet-owning phase of our lives is over. And, in that way, we're officially geezers .
No doubt, I'll write much more about this in the weeks and months to come.
We have been looking into continuous care communities for about three months. It was a idea I had. (Perhaps I'll tell that story later. It's atypical for me.) When I mentioned it to Evie, she was a bit surprised but embraced the idea and immediately began to do research.
Most of the continuous care communities in this area, at least, are way out of our league financially, or would allow us to live in their smallest unit.
After some searching, we found Fairmount Homes, about a dozens miles from where we're living now and close enough to my current job and in the direction of Evie's job.
They're building new apartments. We applied for one that's about the number of square feet we're currently living in with a reasonable buy in and a fair monthly fee, one we'll be able to afford, even when we're only living off of social security.
They offered us the apartment. We accepted. As things stand now, we move in in November.
In Pennsylvania, at least, continuous care means that we're guaranteed a place in personal care and nursing care when we require those levels of care.
For the moment, though, we'll continue to live the way we do now. I'll continue to be a full-time manager of the Front End at the supermarket and Evie will probably increase her part-time hours on her job.
------------------
My mom and dad lived ten wonderful, carefree years in Independent Living at the place they moved to.
When dad's dementia began to get out of hand, we struggled for about two years, with mom and dad, to get them into personal care. We applied to the home for a place in personal care and worked it out with the home in a reasonable time.
As dad deteriorated, they moved into a higher level of care in personal care and ultimately into nursing care, until he died.
Now, mom's in a nice private room in personal care.
They've been well taken care of through every twist and turn along the way.
My parents are in a community that has a rating by Medicare.gov similar to the community to which we are moving.
-----------------
Over the years, I've seen many ugly stories in which older church people, coworkers or friends have had their health suddenly fail and state and Medicare rules and regulations have overtaken their lives.
So far, we've been through cancer and open heart surgery.
We're told, by the people at Fairmount, that we're very young to be moving into the new building, compared to others who will be joining the community.
But, we see it as the best of both worlds.
We plan to continue to live as we do now, but we'll have a security net...when the inevitable happens.
----------------
There's good and bad in what we're doing.
One thing that's on the downside of the ledger...
...yesterday, we took our dog Laddie back to the rescue we got him from.
Pets will not be permitted in the apartment we're taking.
So, he's gone. And, we're moving on.
The pet-owning phase of our lives is over. And, in that way, we're officially geezers .
Sunday, May 12, 2019
CGGC Leaders Address the Cause of 30 Years of Decline
Religious Newz Service, 5-10-19:
Leaders of the Churches of God, General Conference revealed recently that they now know the cause of nearly three decades of numerical decline and spiritual decay that has plagued the once thriving denomination.
"A group of us were praying over our upcoming triennial General Conference sessions and, during a time of group meditation, each of us had exactly the same vision. It was of our denominational logo with one of those circles with a diagonal slash through it, you know, like on the poster for the classic 1984 Bill Murray flick, GHOSTBUSTERS," said winsome CGGC Executive Director, Lance Finley.
"You don't have to be Joseph, the one in Genesis, to interpret that vision," added the General Conference chief staffer.
While still reeling from the initial vision, a week later, the meditaters gathered again and each received a second vision.
"Someone actually joked as we began meditating, 'Maybe we'll have another one.' And I said, "Right! That's a real knee-slapper. And, we all busted a gut," said the Rev. Finley.
"As that second time of meditation ended, someone said, 'I saw an image of what seemed to a rectangle with plain brass buttons on it, some buttons seemed to have burn marks on them and the burn marks made the image of the cross.'"
"You should have been there," Finley said. "Jaws dropped. And, each of us muttered, "Me too."
Then one of the group said, "And, mine didn't have that Bill Murray circle thing through it," E. D. Finley said, and we all agreed, "Mine, neither."
"It was at that moment, we all understood. We've done some great things in the past 30 years. 35,000 by 2000. Historically profound Core Values. MLI. A world-class Mission Statement and a perfect Vision Statement. A Madison Avenue quality slogan. A perfectly orthodox Statement of Faith. For 30 years we've absolutely nailed it. Except for one thing. We had the wrong logo."
The CGGC will reveal the new logo at its 2019 General Conference session as a recent video states, "to better express our identity."
"Count on it," the CGGC CEO said, " We did one thing in the past thirty years that we need to repent of. The Lord has spoken. We see the error of our ways. We repent. We are moving forward. We have our new brass button logo. A new day is breaking.
We ain't afraid of no logos."
Leaders of the Churches of God, General Conference revealed recently that they now know the cause of nearly three decades of numerical decline and spiritual decay that has plagued the once thriving denomination.
"A group of us were praying over our upcoming triennial General Conference sessions and, during a time of group meditation, each of us had exactly the same vision. It was of our denominational logo with one of those circles with a diagonal slash through it, you know, like on the poster for the classic 1984 Bill Murray flick, GHOSTBUSTERS," said winsome CGGC Executive Director, Lance Finley.
"You don't have to be Joseph, the one in Genesis, to interpret that vision," added the General Conference chief staffer.
While still reeling from the initial vision, a week later, the meditaters gathered again and each received a second vision.
"Someone actually joked as we began meditating, 'Maybe we'll have another one.' And I said, "Right! That's a real knee-slapper. And, we all busted a gut," said the Rev. Finley.
"As that second time of meditation ended, someone said, 'I saw an image of what seemed to a rectangle with plain brass buttons on it, some buttons seemed to have burn marks on them and the burn marks made the image of the cross.'"
"You should have been there," Finley said. "Jaws dropped. And, each of us muttered, "Me too."
Then one of the group said, "And, mine didn't have that Bill Murray circle thing through it," E. D. Finley said, and we all agreed, "Mine, neither."
"It was at that moment, we all understood. We've done some great things in the past 30 years. 35,000 by 2000. Historically profound Core Values. MLI. A world-class Mission Statement and a perfect Vision Statement. A Madison Avenue quality slogan. A perfectly orthodox Statement of Faith. For 30 years we've absolutely nailed it. Except for one thing. We had the wrong logo."
The CGGC will reveal the new logo at its 2019 General Conference session as a recent video states, "to better express our identity."
"Count on it," the CGGC CEO said, " We did one thing in the past thirty years that we need to repent of. The Lord has spoken. We see the error of our ways. We repent. We are moving forward. We have our new brass button logo. A new day is breaking.
We ain't afraid of no logos."
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Discussion on the CONTAGIOUS Blog...Lance's Part 8
So far, there have been 11 comments on Lance's eNews article, Part 8, comments by Dan Masshardt, Lew Button, Lance himself and me.
It's very good stuff, in my opinion, and the guys discussing on the blog are saying so, too.
I know many of you who read this blog hesitate to read CONTAGIOUS but I encourage you to check this out.
If God is willing, I will make at least one more comment on the thread. And, so far, all my comments have been accepted by the moderator.
It's very good stuff, in my opinion, and the guys discussing on the blog are saying so, too.
I know many of you who read this blog hesitate to read CONTAGIOUS but I encourage you to check this out.
If God is willing, I will make at least one more comment on the thread. And, so far, all my comments have been accepted by the moderator.
Debriefing Easter
It's been two weeks and I've been watching and listening. Here's what I've picked up about Easter in the real world.
As I've noted, many of my coworkers are churchgoers and some of those people are very sincere about living as followers of Jesus.
Being Easter, many of the people I live with in the world "went to church." And, they also did the sort of family things people do on holidays.
The absolutely overwhelming majority of stories I heard in the days following Easter were about how the meat cooked for Easter turned out, what the desserts were and who brought them and what the kids/grandkids did and the candy and Easter egg hunts and whose house hosted the family Easter gathering.
Easter in America, these days, is about family, not church, most certainly not about Jesus.
One person I've talked to actually did mention church but only to say that the preacher told the laity what the Hebrew is for, "He is risen," but she couldn't remember how to say it.
From where I hover, here at 40,000 feet, as far as advancing the cause of the Kingdom is concerned, Easter 2019 was a bust.
Normally, when I was a pastor, I'd be upbeat after church on Easter because of the bigger than average crowd, but the truth I see today is that for most people, going to church is part of the daily routine, but with less importance than how the meat tasted...
...that is, if going to church happens at all.
As I've noted, many of my coworkers are churchgoers and some of those people are very sincere about living as followers of Jesus.
Being Easter, many of the people I live with in the world "went to church." And, they also did the sort of family things people do on holidays.
The absolutely overwhelming majority of stories I heard in the days following Easter were about how the meat cooked for Easter turned out, what the desserts were and who brought them and what the kids/grandkids did and the candy and Easter egg hunts and whose house hosted the family Easter gathering.
Easter in America, these days, is about family, not church, most certainly not about Jesus.
One person I've talked to actually did mention church but only to say that the preacher told the laity what the Hebrew is for, "He is risen," but she couldn't remember how to say it.
From where I hover, here at 40,000 feet, as far as advancing the cause of the Kingdom is concerned, Easter 2019 was a bust.
Normally, when I was a pastor, I'd be upbeat after church on Easter because of the bigger than average crowd, but the truth I see today is that for most people, going to church is part of the daily routine, but with less importance than how the meat tasted...
...that is, if going to church happens at all.
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