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The Spiker Gazette |
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Oxford, WV
Volume 2
Issue 2 February
3, 2008 |
| Written by: Paul
A. Miller, Adjunct Professor of Rural Sociology, University of
Missouri, January 2008 |
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| Note
from the Editor: Through e-mails, Paul Miller has
been sharing stories with Melanie Fouse about his involvement in
the Faith and Education Collaborative. Paul wrote, "The F&E
Collaborative has been one of my major projects and interest here;
much of my teaching and writing here has come to center in the
University's Peace Studies Program, my interests have grown
therein ever since I served in Washington in the late 1960s amidst
the trauma of the Vietnam period." Wanting to know more
about this program, she invited Uncle Paul to share his story at
the Spiker Family Gathering Place, which he has graciously
permitted us to print below.
_____________________________
My academic career,
now some 70 years in length, built on a foundation that began in
West Virginia. Surely was it seasoned by marriage and an early
membership in the Spiker family. Memorable indeed are the happy
gatherings on the porch of the family farm house; that venue
remains rather sacred to this day.
As the career
chapters wore on, my professional and personal concerns grew about
the rising use of violence to resolve conflict by individuals,
families, communities and nations. Of special note was the bad
ending of the 20th century after 75 years of hot and
cold wars, and, alas, the 21st century to begin badly
as well.
Following the 1993
move of Francena and me to Columbia, Missouri, the University of
Missouri provided new opportunities to explore such issues.
Accordingly, the idea grew that there can be no peace in the world
if we remain unable to achieve and practice it in our family,
spiritual, community and national lives.
(continued at right) |
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I was asked eventually
to organize such ideas with reference to the local community. I
did so with a paper in October, 2002. Those words proposed a
Columbia
Faith and Education Collaborative for advancing a culture
of peace. After a “consultation” with local leaders in
December, 2002, a community conference was called in early 2003 to
speed the proposal onward.
From these sessions
came a “steering committee” of co-chairpersons and members
representing faith and educations groups, a tentative plan of
work, potential sources of support, and three courses of action.
Second,
invite representatives of all faiths in the community to join
those of Columbia schools and colleges in devising a
community-wide system for learning about each other and working
together.
Third,
develop and operate a “train the trainer” center” for religious
and educational leaders in peace-making values and skills.
Once the Faith
and Education Collaborative was organized and its program
launched, continuing interest and support have grown since 2002.
* A community
wide conference is featured each year, to review progress, urge
further steps for the Collaborative, and learn of special
peace-making efforts by the several religious and education
groups.
* Forums
(e.g., several joint meetings of Jewish and Protestant
congregational representatives), workshops, “listening circles”
and other dialogic methods, have developed and expanded.
* Six major
faith groups thus far (Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism,
Mormonism, and Protestantism) have cooperated with those from
education on projects to advance mutual understanding of each
other and/or work together to address community needs (e.g., to
serve Habitat for Humanity). |
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Announcements
Submitted by Paula Nolan -- Click
here to view photos of the newest addition to our family -- Evan and
Jennifer Thrush's son, Liam.
Submitted by Bobbi Conley -- Mother has spent four of the last five
winters "vacationing" for several months at my home in Florida. This
year, she limited her stay to only two weeks (deciding to spend the rest
of the winter with her girlfriend in North Carolina). Making the
most of her time here, I do believe that she may have set a new record --
combining three months of activities into two short weeks!
Escorted by Cathy and Larry in their motor home (a mode of travel that Mom
now says is "the only way to go"), the trio was "on the run" from the
moment their feet hit the sand at our home. They trotted through Sea
World, cheered at the Arabian Knights Dinner Theater, flew across East
Lake Toho in an airboat, enjoyed the turquoise blue of the Gulf and dined
at some of the best restaurants that Central Florida has to offer.
While Gary introduced Larry to the racing in Daytona and casinos in Tampa,
I took Cathy and Mother on "girls-day-out" trips for manicures,
pedicures, hair styling and souvenir shopping. The few hours
actually spent AT our home consisted of shooting pool, playing darts, and
viewing old home movies and photos.
There is more to this story. Please check your e-mail for the next chapter of Mother's
trip to Florida.
As shared by Paul Miller, Melanie Fouse and Paula Nolan -- We
are sad to report that Forrest, Tom Miller's delightful Sheltie dog, died
about a month ago.
Paul Miller told us, "Francena and I are crestfallen, indeed devastated is
a better word, by the sudden death of our little dog, Forrest, whom you
will recall. He was Tom's beloved pet. He had some sort of
strange ailment that struck him in the Spring, from which he recovered
with medical help, but, even with the same aid this time, he did not make
it. But we go on from here."
Melanie Fouse shared in their grief saying Forrest "truly was a part of
Tom....Wherever you saw Tom, you saw the dogs. Just like
children...They were always at the family reunion...They were family
(too)."
"It was incredibly difficult to lose Forrest," added Paula Nolan, "and we
are still adjusting to that. We still felt that we had a piece of Tom."
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