WOC Director Stepping Aside After 16 Years

Tuesday, June 17, A.D. 2008

Dear Friends,

It will be 16 years ago this summer that I received a call to become the Director of Week of Compassion. After two very rewarding pastorates in Tennessee, I never dreamed God would call me out of the local church, or for that matter, above the Ohio River! But God called, and I came to Week of Compassion, and this past decade and half-plus has been the most fulfilling and expanding period of my life and ministry. WOC sent me to places I would never have dreamed of going – from North Korea to Darfur, Sudan, and more than a score of places in between. While I’ve seen humanity’s sheer inhumanity and Mother Nature at her worst, I’ve also seen the Disciples at our very generous and gracious best. I’ve made hundreds of friends in congregations big and small across the church and discovered I had brothers and sisters in more places than I ever could have imagined.

But to quote one of my favorite authors, Kentuckian Wendell Berry, “there is a day when the road neither comes nor goes, and the way is not a way but a place.” After much reflection and prayer, Deb and I have decided that this day is approaching and we need to return to our place in Mississippi, and thus, I submitted to the WOC Committee my intention to transition out of the position of Director of Week of Compassion by December 31, 2008. This has not been an easy decision, but Deb and I would like to spend more than our usual week or so together each month, and I’ve always wanted to spend time on our farm while I can still ride a horse, plant a garden, build a fence, pitch a bale of hay. My son Matt was 9 years old when I came to WOC and now he’s 25 and talking of starting his own family – where did the years go! The Week of Compassion Committee, indeed the whole church, has given me great latitude to give shape to WOC’s work and witness in the world, but after 16 years of being part of this great ministry in our church, it seems the time is now ripe and ready for new leadership. The New Testament word is kairos. I couldn’t be more pleased or humbled by the place of WOC in the Christian Church or by the esteem with which it is held by our partners, but even more, I am excited about WOC’s future. As for our own future, we aren’t retiring - just stepping aside for awhile and listening for God’s next call.

Over the next six months there is so much work to do. We are responding to disaster appeals at an unprecedented rate. Indeed, weather-related disasters in the U.S. and the world seem to be increasing annually at a disturbing pace. A growing global food crisis is threatening to plunge millions of the world’s most impoverished persons to the very fringe of existence and erase the modest gains made against hunger in recent years. The tragedy in Darfur shows no signs of abating. But in the face of all this, Disciples have truly been at their best – demonstrating a remarkable spirit of caring and an abundant spirit of generosity – and thus, WOC has been given this most precious charge to steward those precious gifts in response to the deepest needs and groans of God’s children.

Also, I’ll be working with our most excellent staff (Amy, who has brought so much passion and energy to WOC; Elaine, our intrepid and faithful Administrative Assistant, who is the voice of WOC to hundreds of our congregations; and Doug, our webguy who has kept us on the cutting edge of all the new technologies) and our many partners to ensure the smoothest transition possible. Our Standing Rules, as well as the policies of the OGMP, Administrative Committee and General Board, lay out a process for calling the Director of Week of Compassion. But most important will be your continued generosity and support - along with your prayers for God’s spirit to continue guiding the vision, mission and work of Week of Compassion.

Grateful for our partnership in the gospel, I remain,

A friend and servant,

Johnny