A discussion concerning some comments made by Jim Nelson on 30 May 1999.
Nan Johnson's letter is in response to a letter that is not in the public domain. Some slight but obvious editing reflects this fact.
Subject: Fwd: Re: Exploiting the Dead -
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 09:20:18 EDT
From: [Marcia Helme]
To: [UUCF chat]
NAN JOHNSON gave me permission to forward this to the chat list.
Marcia Helme
Subject: Re: Exploiting the Dead -
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 1999 18:30:33 -0400
From: Nathan Johnson
To: [X]
CC: [numerous others]
Dear [X],
Jim Nelson never abused me personally, in fact, he helped me with a problem many years ago. However, I reached the point, a year ago, where the church was taking more from me than I could give. Instead of spiritual nurturance, Sunday mornings were beginning to make me feel hollow--like the message from the pulpit. Having been away for a year now, the patriarchal stance that Jim has taken in his role as pastor and administrator, is much clearer than when my vision was obscured by the pain of those around me.
I agree that he needs love and forgiveness to heal, but he has made my church a place where I no longer feel safe to speak my own truth, especially if it does not concur with his truth. If I felt a little unhinged one Sunday, I could get arrested!
I admired Henry and Nan Ware. I first met them at the Reston church, nearly 15 years ago. They had a powerful spiritual energy that they shared freely with newcomers like me. Henry was a kind and gentle person, but rather than complain, his first instinct was to pitch-in and find a solution to issues that troubled him. I think he is a wonderful model of the stricture to: Think globally and act locally. Henry did both. I have to agree with Steve, the quotation from Jim's "sermon" illustrates precisely the reason that church no longer feels like a home to me.
Nan J
> In a message dated 99-06-03 10:20:26 EDT, [Stephen C. Clapp] writes:
>
>Subj: Exploiting the Dead
> Date: 99-06-03 10:20:26 EDT
> From: [Stephen C. Clapp]
> To: [Ed Cacciapaglia]
> CC: [numerous others]
> “Both of them (Howard Sollenberger and Henry Ware) were enormously kind and
> gentle men; I never heard them complain; they were always willing to give;
> they looked for ways to make people’s lives easier, not harder, and for
> ways to bring people together...I don’t understand those people who look
> for what is wrong always, or look for what to criticize, to look for
> injury. I don’t get it. But we all know people like that -- perhaps you
> are like that. There is probably some of that in us all. I don’t
> understand why people carry grudges or can’t forgive all of the little
> hurts and disappointments. I don’t get it.”
>
> -- Jim Nelson, “Washed in the Light,” May 30, 1999
>
>
> Call me a chronic complainer, but I’m troubled by Jim’s penchant for using
> deceased UUCF members to score veiled political points. First it was Bill
> Tinker, and now it’s Howard Sollenberger and Henry Ware. I wonder what
> these men would say if they had a chance to respond. It’s a good thing Jim
> didn’t try this “kind and gentle” stuff with Patricia McCormick. Her ghost
> would have risen from the grave and screamed like a banshee!
>