984 24 26018 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/62018d38cc6709ae635f85db4af492e0.jpg 8a3aab26e051c5970bbe4816ea29798b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TinsleyAdrian_Photo06 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Tinsley, Adrian Description An account of the resource Adrian Tinsley, Dean of William James College Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/19bd08e4978950b715f2df751f415649.jpg 37701a7a7d93d3b953f83fab412c6b4f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TinsleyAdrian_Photo07 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Tinsley, Adrian Description An account of the resource Adrian Tinsley, Dean of William James College Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/dd0f97efd2f1fa887c766a2508f59519.jpg 3dd9e07950efafa15e4b77761441d5e5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TinsleyAdrian_Photo08 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Tinsley, Adrian Description An account of the resource Adrian Tinsley, Dean of William James College Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ed2d023df6d87e43ca0087bfe80124b5.jpg 64900a6db139f86ea94a40e32b8608c7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TinsleyAdrian_Photo09 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Tinsley, Adrian Description An account of the resource Adrian Tinsley, Dean of William James College Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0b441da3ecb6a15782441f2f9a5f7e1a.jpg 021220e064e213e2c012b011e0e6413c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TinsleyAdrian_Photo10 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Tinsley, Adrian Description An account of the resource Adrian Tinsley, Dean of William James College Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a360b4c983fa0c1911372595fccd225d.mp4 6a7951a4424cfc185c87591ca8064798 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/957ad7dd46d830fbc3196e9a24d5c71b.pdf 94df28085d5b0a4e704f9473c11949d5 PDF Text Text ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW BERNICE TIPTON Born: January 3rd, 1924 in Springville, Utah Resides: Ionia, Michigan Interviewed by: James Smither PhD, GVSU Veterans History Project Transcribed by: Claire Herhold, January 10, 2013 Interviewer: Mrs. Tipton, can you start by telling us a little bit about your background. To start with, where and when were you born? I was born in Springville, Utah on January 3rd, 1924. Interviewer: Did you grow up in Utah? Yes, I went through school there and part of my college was there, Utah State and Brigham Young. Interviewer: And what did your family do in those days? In the beginning of my life, my father was a blacksmith and then he went to work for road contractors and became a master mechanic. When I was growing up we often spent time in road camps, on dirt floors and in tents and he did some blacksmithing there because they used horses in order to build the roads. 1:06 Later, as trucks and so forth came in, he became a master mechanic. Interviewer: But was he able to keep his job through the thirties? Yes. We didn’t have a lot of money, but he did work all through that time. We had to watch our pennies but we didn’t have hard times like some people did. Interviewer: How many children were in the family? Well, there’s three daughters. One is ten years younger than I am, the other is twenty four years younger than I am, so it was three families. �Interviewer: So, when you started out anyways, it was just you and your parents and then eventually…? Yes, until I was ten years old. Interviewer: And then where did you actually go to school, if you’re moving around or that kind of thing? Well, I went through high school in Springville, Utah. 2:02 Interviewer: How big a town was that? About five thousand. Interviewer: So you could have a decent sized high school and that kind of thing? Oh yes. It was 105 in my graduating class. Interviewer: Alright. And you were still in school then when Pearl Harbor happened? When Pearl Harbor happened, yes, I was a senior in high school. Interviewer: And do you remember when you first heard about that? Yes. I was a student director of a school play, and it was Sunday and we were going to have…we were going to practice for the play, about noon. Someone brought a radio with them and we heard about Pearl Harbor. Interviewer: Now, before that happened, had you been paying much attention to what was going on in the world? There was a war going on in Europe and that kind of thing? Oh yes, we had that in high school classes. 3:00 Interviewer: And did you know people who were already going off and joining the army or being drafted in ’41 before that? You bet. Many, many, many people. �Interviewer: Did it occur to you when the war started that you might actually have an opportunity to get involved in it? Well, since the women were … started becoming part of the military, that was in 1920…that was in 1942 and that’s when I graduated from high school. So that was a new, new situation in the army. Interviewer: Before you joined the WACs, you went to college for a while first? Yes, I had a year and a half of college before I went into the service. We couldn’t go in ‘til we were twenty years old. Interviewer: So were you just waiting until you could join at that point? No, I had no idea I was going in. Two of my friends had set up an interview, and they invited me to join. 4:03 And I did. But this was for the Air WACs that they were interested in. They both had brothers in the service. Of course, I knew those brothers well. So I did join with them to hear the recruiter. Interviewer: So how did the recruiter describe the Air WACs or why was that particularly interesting to you? Well, everything was new in the service at that time. This was 1944. The WACs had only been in existence for two years. I went in shortly after the “auxiliary” was dropped. At first it was the WAAC, and right after they dropped it to WAC, was when I decided to see what they had to offer. 5:00 Interviewer: Now, as far as you could tell, was there a difference between it being an auxiliary corps and just “Women’s Army Corps?” Was it more military now? I think it was about the same. It was just that they didn’t want to be an auxiliary any more. Interviewer: Just a recognition that they were doing something important. �Right. Interviewer: Now, did you have any idea what sort of work you might be doing for them when you signed up? Well, of course we had quite an interview, and they knew what I was capable of doing. No, I did not know exactly…there wasn’t any of us knew exactly what we would be doing. Interviewer: In the interview, what kind of things did they want to know? Just how much schooling you had? Yes, and where we had worked, if we had worked before. I’d had quite a bit of office training, both in college and high school, and I had worked in some offices besides. 6:04 Interviewer: So there was some stuff they would be able to use? Yes. Interviewer: Where did they send you for training? I went to Des Moines, Iowa. To Fort Des Moines, it was, which was a military base there. Interviewer: What did your training consist of? This was in January so when we arrived it was very cold and the snow was very deep. We weren’t very impressed. Fort Des Moines was a very old fort, so most of the buildings were brick. Ours was just a wooden barracks. 7:01 We trained in military history, in military manners, how we should treat officers and so on. All that sort of thing. We marched a lot. We had to know how to fold our clothes in our foot lockers, how to make our beds so that the dime would plop up. And we scrubbed floors and we did windows. You know, it was zero weather outside. We marched and marched and marched. That wasn’t too hard for me because I’d been in marching band for about five years, so that helped. Interviewer: Did they have much other physical training or just the marching? �All the physical training we could do under the conditions of the weather. 8:01 We were supposed to go through training with gas masks, but they had to put that off because it was so cold. They couldn’t continue with that, but it didn’t matter anyways because we weren’t going overseas. That was kind of a joke anyways. Interviewer: What kind of people were training you? Did you have drill sergeants? Oh yes. And there were WACs. This was strictly army. This so far was just the army training. Interviewer: And about how long did that phase last? I think it was six weeks. Interviewer: And then, having completed that, did you get more specialized training or did they just send you to a base? No, from there we got our orders to go to an air field, yes. Interviewer: Now were all the women you were training with, were they all training for the Womens Air Corps or were they going all over the place? 9:06 No, it was mixed. Interviewer: So you all get the same basic training and then they move you out from there? Right. Interviewer: Where did they send you then for your assignment? I was…I think God answered our prayers. I was sent to Barksdale Field in Shreveport, Louisiana. The difference between Barksdale, getting off the train…we always went by train. Getting off at Barksdale and being in Des Moines in February was very different. We saw green grass, flowers blooming, trees, and it was quite a shock. Barksdale is a very old base. I shouldn’t say that. Barksdale was a new base after World War I, they built it. 10:01 I can tell you a little bit more about it here. The government after WWI bought twenty six thousand acres �of cotton plantation and they built this air field. It was dedicated in 1933. And it was named after a WWI pilot. When we arrived it was part of the third air force, and it was used to train B26 crews. Later, they expanded the runways to accommodate 29s. And in 1944 an MP training unit with their dogs moved in. And also a chemical, you know, moved into it. The main buildings, including the headquarters and the housing for officers and enlisted were French colonial, and made of brick and stone. 11:10 The halls and stairways in the headquarters building were marble and this was a permanent base and it’s still used today. I have a grandson in the Air Corps and he has been stationed there on and off, so they’re still using that field today. Interviewer: Did they have the WACs in separate quarters or a separate part of the base? The WAC barracks were built about a mile from the front gate, off in the middle of a bare field. There weren’t any trees, there were no bushes or shrubs. They were just wood buildings which was quite a contrast to the other buildings. They had us located out in this field and there was one road that went around it. 12:04 There was two barracks, a mess hall and an office building. They weren’t used to women being in the service and they didn’t know what to do with us. The rules were very strict. Our day room was used for PT in bad weather, and our mess hall was the favorite place for officers to eat because our food was better. They all got the same food but our cooks knew what to do with it, so they liked to come to dinner. I might say here, that it was later when I realized, and knew the comparison with the way they treated us and the way they treated the blacks at that time. We were isolated. So were they. They couldn’t be in the same place. 13:02 They had their own PX and we had…we could go to the big PX, they couldn’t, but we also had our own PX where we could buy most of the things we needed. They weren’t allowed to go into the movies in the big movie building which was air conditioned. We could do that but �they couldn’t. But …they didn’t know what to do with us I don’t think. Our rules were very strict. We rode a little trolley to work even. It was placed out that far, so it was different. Interviewer: Now what kind of work did you do? I was assigned to the statistical section. I said, “I can’t even say it, let alone work there.” And I became a statistical clerk typist, typing… I was a fairly good typist so that didn’t surprise me any. 14:07 And it was in the headquarters building where we had the marble floors and the marble stairways. One of our jobs was the daily strength report. It was classified material and it showed exactly how many men were on the base, how many was on leave, and how many were in the hospital; how many cooks, drivers, pilots and so forth could be located so that in a very short time they could find whomever they needed. These were long reports, and it was before electric typewriters or computers and so forth. We got stencils and used the old typewriters that you had to throw back. 15:00 We had two civilians working in the office and they wouldn’t work on weekends so we had to. That was fine with us, that’s what we were there for. We were told, and I didn’t say this at the beginning, but we were told that we were to relieve men from their jobs so they could go overseas. Well, it didn’t take us long to find out that most of those men did not want to be relieved from their jobs, and they weren’t too happy with us. Interviewer: Now when you came to that base were you sort of the first group of women to go in there? No, it was…they were established. There were quite a few women there by that time. A lot of them had just been pulled from the WACs into the Air Corps because that was the new designation. Interviewer: But there were still men around who were getting replaced by women or were just afraid of being replaced by women? 16:05 �Oh yes, that continued throughout the war I think. Interviewer: About how many WACs were on the base do you think? Oh my. Interviewer: Well, how big was the barracks, I guess? Well, there were two barracks, two story. Typical. I don’t know how many people they held. I would say, there might have been 75 to 100…not 100…probably about 75. Interviewer: And were the barracks set up like men’s barracks, just a big open dormitory with a bunch of cots? Yes, you bet. Yes, sir. With one bathroom downstairs with showers. Just like the men. We had bunk beds just like the men. A foot locker. And a place to hang our clothes. That was it. 17:01 Interviewer: And the office you were working in, about how many people were working in there with you, do you think? In my office? There were two of us WACs, one civilian girl, two officers, and I think two other enlisted men. Interviewer: And did you work with pretty much the same group of people the whole time you were there? Yes, as long as I was there. I was there thirteen months. Interviewer: And from there, were you paying a lot of attention to what was happening in the war or with the air corps or things like that, or did you just focus? No. We knew what was happening. We were training these men to be, like I said, B26 pilots…or not pilots, these were crews that came in and were trained just before they went overseas. �Interviewer: Was this a place where all of the crews for an aircraft would get together and work together? 18:02 Right, take their training. Interviewer: Did you have much contact at all with the men who were being trained, or did they keep you away from them? Well some of the women did. It depended on your job. My job did not…I did not come into contact with them because it more on the base. But some of the women did. We had women in weather, and photography, and drivers of trucks and…they did just about everything. Interviewer: And what kind of backgrounds did these women have? Were they from all over the place? Oh all over the United States, all ages. I mean…it was interesting, the base commander did not believe in women being in the service, like most of these men did at the time. 19:05 And when he found he was going to have a WAC secretary he was… “no way.” Well, then they told him he had to have a WAC driver, well that was terrible. It ended up that his secretary was wonderful. She’d had a lot of experience. She even made sure that he was dressed correctly, and so on when he went out, and when he had his coffee and the whole works. And he wouldn’t have anyone else. Then he found out that this driver was excellent, and no way was he going to have a man replace her then. We were all very pleased that these gals could turn his ideas around and find out that women could do some of these jobs and do them well. 20:00 Interviewer: And was this something that you thought much about, or talked much about? The idea that you were kind of being pioneers and doing new things that women hadn’t done before? Or were you just doing your job then? �We were aware of the way people felt about it. They saw us in uniform and many of them just wanted to ignore us. We had people who were very kind at times. When we’d go out to dinner they would pay the whole check, be very kind and thank us. But we mostly…the women in uniform…people weren’t too pleased about women being in uniform. We were supposed to be ladies. That was part of our training at basic training, was do not draw attention to yourself. 21:00 Well, this was impossible. The uniform itself drew attention. And so anything you did, it didn’t matter if you dropped a fork on the floor, you were drawing attention because you had on the uniform. But we had to make sure that we were ladies. We didn’t cross our legs like I’m doing now. You crossed them at the ankles when you sat down. Things like that. And most of these women were wonderful. They were there to do a job. Many of them, some of them had husbands, brothers in the service. They were hard workers. You always find a few that, you know, well, ruin the reputation of the rest. But these were wonderful women. I had some very good friends. Interviewer: Did you pay much attention to publicity about women in the armed forces? Or the stuff that would show up in the popular media, like magazines or news reels and stuff? 22:07 Did you see yourself in those things or notice what was being said or written about you? Not a lot. There really wasn’t, I don’t think, a lot. It was just a negative feeling wherever we went. Interviewer: How often did you get to off the base? Would you go into Shreveport or that kind of thing? �We worked on weekends, but we’d have a day off, yes. We didn’t go in a lot. We managed to keep pretty busy and…There was something I was going to tell you and now I can’t remember what it was. Interviewer: If you do go in, how did you get in town? Was there a shuttle or a bus or did you get a Jeep or what did you do? Oh, you’d go in on bus all the time. 23:03 I didn’t tell you too much about our clothing that was issued to us when we first went in, which I think is quite important because a lot of people don’t know. We had to send everything, all of our civilian clothing went back home. They sent it all back home. We had ten cotton underclothes, ok. And cotton stockings for work. We only had one pair of silk stockings and nylons…you couldn’t get nylons. Our underpants were longlegged and we were issued sleeveless vests of cotton to wear over our own bras. They gave us summer and winter clothing which included skirts below the knees. 24:03 Shirts and blouses, blouses were jackets, and ties. There was a winter dress with long sleeves, winter overcoat, and an all-season utility coat. Our shoes were brown, medium-heeled oxfords. We had a pair of KP boots, which, the boots came just above the ankle. For PT we wore striped seersucker shirtwaist dresses with bloomers underneath, and these were the kind of bloomers with elastic around the legs. The summer clothes were khaki tan, and the winter was olive green, olive drab or green. We had pajamas but no robes. Nothing fit us right, and we all looked like something out of World War I. 25:02 We were not to draw too much attention to ourselves, and like I said, but we did because of the uniforms that we had. And we…when I first went in, we wore what we called “hobby hats” and I have a picture there for you later. These were like a pillbox with a brim in front. And they had to fit very tight because when the wind hit that brim they would go flying. And they had to fit so tight, they gave us all headaches. So it wasn’t until about, oh six months �later after I went in they finally gave us hats like the nurses wore so we looked different and felt much better. But we were to have that uniform on, even though we went home for furlough, we weren’t supposed to take it off. 26:01 Of course, some of us cheated just a little bit then, but…. Interviewer: But you’d wear it when you were traveling though? Absolutely. We weren’t supposed to be out of uniform at all, not in civilian clothes at all. Interviewer: Did they have regulations about how long you wore your hair or things like that? Oh yes. Immediately, before I even enlisted, I got my hair cut short. It couldn’t be on your collar. I often, later on…at first I had it cut short with a permanent and then I wore it in braids so that I could have it a little bit longer, but it had to be off the collar. Interviewer: Because I think the WASPs, the Women’s Auxiliary Pilots Corps, they actually were supposed to have their hair longer, that there were regulations about that, that all the different versions of how much do you make them look like girls or something like that. Ok. No, they were very strict about that. 27:02 Interviewer: What other aspects about the experience that you had down in Louisiana kind of stand out for you? Have you got particular incidents or things…? We had to stand retreat every Friday, the WAC company had to stand retreat, which meant that we went out on the parade field at five something, I think it was 5 o’clock, and march, and stand retreat while the band played the “Star Spangled Banner” and the flag came down, and so on. This was hard to do in the summer, because in the summer it gets very hot down there and you had to be in full uniform with tie and blouse and everything on. And there were many people passing out on the parade field at that time. You just let them pass out. 28:03 No one do �anything about it. Just kind of step over them as you marched off. But that was very interesting, but very nice. I came from a very patriotic family and so the patriotism there really showed and I enjoyed that, even though I almost passed out once in a while. Interviewer: Would somebody eventually pick up the people who passed out or help them get up? Eventually, or they’d come to and get up or something. Interviewer: And so you’re there basically for thirteen months, so you’re getting into early 1945 at that point. Now did you get a furlough in there some place or did you get a furlough in between assignments? Yes, get a furlough about every six months, usually unless there was something happening that you couldn’t. Interviewer: Were there ever emergency moments on the base or unusual things happening that interrupted the routine? Or could you pretty much follow the same routine the whole time? 29:11 At that field, it was pretty routine. I can’t remember of anything happening. See, this was before VE-day and so on. Interviewer: And then after the thirteen months in Louisiana, then were do you go next? I was having trouble with sinus down in Louisiana, and there was a military police company on our base with their dogs…incidentally, we used to watch them train dogs…that was going to be transferred to Buckley Field in Denver, Colorado. 30:03 And of course, that’s high altitude and I knew that the sinus wouldn’t be so bad so I asked if I might be transferred with them. And I got the ok, but I couldn’t work in statistics because their statistical section was filled up, so they assigned me to their classification unit, and I transferred with them to Buckley Field, Colorado. �And what a difference that was. This was really a shock. Buckley was located about fifteen miles east of Denver, in the middle of wheat fields and sagebrush and here I came from a permanent base in Louisiana. No trees, no landscaping. The buildings were all frame with tar paper on the outside. 31:01 It was a temporary base. We ate at the hospital. We lived in the barracks close by. We were on temporary duty from there. We were assigned to Lowry Field which was in a little closer to Denver. There wasn’t any officers, we didn’t have officers over us. There were only about five WACs on the base and they worked in the hospital. They were giving us a barracks close by the hospital. So different. We weren’t isolated. It was just a different way of life. Well, while I was there, VE-Day, Victory in Europe, was May 7, 1945, but we didn’t do any celebrating. We just kind of made a sigh of relief and went on working. That was the way we celebrated that. 32:04 Our job in classification was mostly record-keeping and testing, we did testing. We used a card called the Form 20 that had the history of each military person on it. We could tell what he or she did as a civilian, how much schooling they had, what their health was, and every job they had while they were in the military, so in seconds the entire army and civilian background of any military person on base could be checked, and they could be placed where they could do the most good for the war effort. Interviewer: So then, were you processing new recruits who were training on the base so they could go somewhere else? Or you were just collecting the information, just working with the information they already had? 33:02 Well, this card went with them wherever they went, ok? We didn’t have new military on there. It ended up after the war came to an end that we were getting people from overseas. We kept them until they could go to a place to be discharged. So ours was mostly just record-keeping, but we did do some testing, IQ-testing and so on. While I was there I was offered the opportunity to �go to Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama for special training, which I did. It was a month’s training, in classification. I came back then as a classification specialist, so I had a different MOS and at that time I was also promoted to buck sergeant. 34:06 So, I was back in the South again when I went to Alabama, but it didn’t last very long. Interviewer: When you were in Colorado, you said you changed bases, you went from Buckley into Lowry at the end, or did you just stay in Buckley the whole time? No, we stayed in Buckley. Interviewer: Now, with only a small number of WACs on the base, did you have a lot more contact with male personnel or were you still isolated pretty well from everybody? Well, we…for a while, we still worked in base headquarters, so we had contact with personnel coming in and we were the ones that told them where they could go. When the war was over and they started bringing all these men in from overseas, that was quite a deal because these men came in and we’d ask them what they’d prefer to do… 35:13 Well, they all either wanted to drive trucks or go home. We couldn’t send them home. They were there to wait until they could be sent to a discharge place. And there wasn’t that many trucks, so many of them were assigned to very odd jobs around the base. Some of them weren’t very happy, but you could only do so much. Interviewer: I’ve interviewed quite a few men who talk about coming back from overseas and having to sit around for a while on a base or sometimes they’d have a lot left on their enlistments and didn’t have anything really that they were supposed to do, so it was your job to help figure what to do with them. We assigned so many to our office that we didn’t have desks for them, so we had to double up on desks. 36:08 My husband happened to be assigned to my desk. That’s where I met him, and he �had an awful attitude, but we won’t go into that. But these men, they couldn’t understand why we couldn’t give them decent jobs but you’ve only got so many things you can do, so they just blamed classification. And my MOS was frozen and so when a lot of the women went back home and were discharged, I couldn’t get out of the service for a while until we got through this group of people coming back from overseas. Interviewer: One of the things that happened at the end of the war was that there was sort of a general push to make room for the men returning. 37:01 Were some of them coming in and replacing women in some of the jobs with the air forces or … I guess, there wasn’t anyone to replace you for a while, but were some of the other women being replaced by men or…? Well, I’ll tell you, they even brought women recruiters in for a while, but they went out fairly fast too because they didn’t have MOSs that were frozen. No, actually, the army was trying to downgrade and get rid of a lot of people at that time. Interviewer: Men and women, so everybody could get smaller at that point. Tried to get them out as fast as we could. Interviewer: Did you ever go off the base much when you were in Colorado or did you just stay where you were? Some, but it was quite a ways into Denver so we didn’t go off and we had to ride a bus in. 38:04 Didn’t go off…and we were worked…Men and I worked until 12 o’clock at night. We didn’t get paid overtime or anything like that. Interviewer: What did you get paid anyways? What would a buck sergeant make? I can’t remember what it was at the end, but at the beginning I did put that down here. My pay at the beginning was $21 a month for four months, and then it would go up to $30 and it stayed �there. I don’t think I ever made over one hundred, it seems like it was around ninety. So we were paid low, I mean, we had low pay but… Interviewer: Now were there many things you had to buy for yourselves that maybe men wouldn’t have to buy? How far did thirty dollars a months go if you’re in the army? You didn’t save a lot. 39:00 It went quite a ways because we didn’t have to buy clothing. Well, we did some. The shoes didn’t fit right, but they still had to be brown oxfords and so on. And you didn’t have to buy food. Some of the recreation you had, so … I never went in debt, we’ll put it that way. But I didn’t save a lot either. Interviewer: But I guess, in a way for you, because of the job you had, ending the war actually made you maybe busier because you had all those men to process who were coming through? Yes it did in that particular job, yes. But we were always busy because there was always men, people that had to be placed into jobs and so on, and testing. 40:04 There was a lot of testing going on. Interviewer: What had your husband done in the military? What had he done before he showed up in Lowry? My husband was a gunner on a B17, served 35 missions off Italy. They bombed into Germany, and northern Italy and so on and so forth. Interviewer: But he was fortunate enough to make it through 35 missions and come home. He made it through. It’s very interesting, we went to some…oh what do I want to say?…reunion type deals and I learned a lot and every year these stories that came back got bigger and bigger, but he was able to get together with his crew, so I got to know his crew and so on. He was also �recalled for the Korean War, and my training in service, of course we were married then, helped very much being a military wife in the Korean War. 41:15 That worked out good. Interviewer: So then, you’re discharged then early in ’46, so you spend about two years there. Yes, February ’46. Interviewer: Now had you gotten married yet, or did you get married after you’d both been discharged? No, we got married afterwards. He was from Nebraska. So, we married and then we both went back to college and graduated from the University of Nebraska. Interviewer: And what did you get your degree in? Education. Interviewer: And then did you work as a teacher then after that, or...? We moved around a good deal. Part of that was in the service, and he went to work for Exxon in marketing and when I moved here was my thirty third move. 42:05 Marketing kept us busy. I think we lived in about fifteen different states. That’s when I said to you that I wasn’t from this area, although one of those moves was to Battle Creek. I said I’d never move back to Michigan. Here I am. Never say never. Interviewer: So how did you wind up in Michigan? My son is here. And at this age, I needed to be close to someone in the family. I came here from Tennessee. Interviewer: Alright, if you look back on the time that you spent in the service, how do you think that affected you, or what did you learn from that? �I’ve never regretted my time in the service. Like I said at the beginning…am I going too far?... Like I said in the beginning, we couldn’t go in ‘til we were twenty. 43:07 We couldn’t go in unless…at twenty, you had to have your parents consent. My dad said that if he ever had a son, he would send him into the army because he thought that the discipline was so good. Well, he didn’t have a son, so I kind of figured I guess it’s up to me. So he was perfectly willing. My mother said if she was younger, she’d go with me, and like I said before my father had been in World War I. This was a patriotic family. I was raised that way. I never regretted my time in the service. I learned a lot. It was a different way of living. 44:01 It was the first time I’d been away from my family…well, I won’t say that because I’d gone to college for a little bit, but, you know, you could get home then if you had to. I met a lot of wonderful friends, some of whom I’m still in contact with, and it has been great. And I really appreciate…I appreciate people now starting to recognize the fact that the women did have a part in it, because we went a long time without any recognition. Interviewer: But it’s pretty much standard in the histories these days to recognize how many women went in and how many different kinds of things they were going and doing. In the meantime, now we’ve got your story and this is one where people will be able to see you telling about where you went and what you did, and that’s on a permanent record. 45:04 Well, I appreciate … about two years ago was the first I time I felt like I got a real recognition, and I got a nice thank you letter from the young Marines in Tennessee, so that made me feel good, and then not long ago, and I’ll show you my things here, I had a lady who’d been a lieutenant colonel in the service, a young lady who had retired, they retire young nowadays, who asked me if I was in the women’s memorial for military women in Washington, D.C. I told her �no, so she said she’d like to sponsor me, so I am now there too. 46:00 My family was there in Washington, D.C. about two months ago and they looked my record up there and said it’s there, so… Interviewer: Well, I’d just to thank you for taking the time to talk to me today and tell your story. Well, it’s been a pleasure. Thank you. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TiptonB Title A name given to the resource Tipton, Bernice (Interview transcript and video), 2010 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tipton, Bernice Description An account of the resource Bernice Tipton was born in Utah in 1924, and enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in 1943. She trained in Des Moines, Iowa, and served on army air bases in Mississippi and Colorado, working primarily in personnel classification, assigning servicemen on the base to specific duties. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American United States. Army United States. Army. Women’s Army Corps Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2010-11-18 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f66fdec7ceef5e28e81bf4bb7eb7eac0.mp4 021d728e6946bf037ef9bf0ab8364ab3 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/78b136fa1f7eada85b146f6484b1b68d.pdf 43405181d362f57c0a34a1330af1d9a6 PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans’ History Project Charles Tipton Vietnam War 41 minutes 28 seconds (00:00:23) Early Life -Born in Baskin, Florida on March 10, 1947 -Parents were farmers -Grew corn, peanuts, tobacco -Engaged in sharecropping -Raised horses, cows, goats, and mules -Had twelve brothers and sisters -Youngest boy -First year of school was in Baskin -Moved to Morriston, Florida -Father worked for other farmers -Lived there from 1952-winter of 1961 -Moved to Arcadia, Florida (00:02:45) Awareness of Vietnam War -Watched the news every night in high school -Knew the casualty count for each week -Had no desire to serve or to fight in Vietnam (00:03:13) Getting Drafted -Received draft notice after he turned eighteen in 1965 -Granted a delay because he was recently married -Also had two daughters -Had to report in 1969 when he was twenty two years old (00:04:55) Basic Training & Advanced Infantry Training (AIT) -Reported to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on June 16, 1969 -Twenty three weeks for both basic and AIT -Trained to be an infantryman and part of a mortar team (00:05:19) Deployment to Vietnam -Granted two weeks of leave before deploying to Vietnam -Deployed in October 1969 -Didn’t know his unit or location (00:05:40) Arriving in Vietnam -Left U.S. out of Fort Lewis, Washington -Arrived in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam -Three days of processing and waiting for assignment -Got assigned to the 101st Airborne Division -Sent to Bien Hoa Air Base for preparatory training (protocol and basic information) -Sent to Phu Bai and then to Camp Evans by helicopter -Remembers smelling Vietnam before he left the plane in Cam Ranh Bay -He was taken to a mess hall, but the smell destroyed his appetite �(00:07:30) Camp Evans and Field Duty -Assigned to 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division -From Camp Evans was taken to Firebase Bastogne via helicopter -Taken to Firebase Birmingham, three days later, and carried out infantry duties -Guarding the firebase -Patrolling the surrounding area -Defending engineers building roads in the area -He wasn’t assigned to be a part of a mortar team despite his training -Made a standard infantryman -Accepted it -After Firebase Birmingham he returned to Camp Evans -Time frame was October 1969 – December 1969 (00:09:49) Details on Being in the Field -Only knew when Mondays came while in the field -Medic gave out weekly dose of anti-malarial medicine on Mondays -Never knew the actual date -Usually stayed in the field for forty to sixty days -After being in the field returned to Camp Evans for a stand down (rest) -Lasted two days -Rest -Socialize with each other -Drink beer -Eat better food (00:10:44) Firebase O’Reilly -Sent to Firebase O’Reilly after the monsoon season was over -Patrolled the area of operations surrounding O’Reilly -Area of operations was five to six kilometers in diameter -Stayed in that area for a decent amount of time looking for the enemy -Got ambushed -Set up ambushes -Found enemy bunkers and destroyed them -At night established perimeters in the field and guarded them (00:12:42) Firebase Ripcord -Prior to being sent to Firebase Ripcord he and his unit were stuck at Rakkasan Ridge -Weather and fog made resupply and transportation impossible -He was aware of how bad things had gotten for Alpha & Bravo Company at Ripcord -Went into Ripcord three (or four) days from Rakkasan Ridge -Stayed at the base of the hill until March 12, 1970 [April 11] -Saw destroyed helicopters while they moved up the hill to Ripcord -North Vietnamese mortars were hitting in front of them as they moved up the hill -Secured and guarded Ripcord once they were to the top of the hill -Once the area was secure they started building the firebase -Captured a North Vietnamese soldier that had broken through the barbed wire defense -Every bunker at Firebase Ripcord was rigged with explosives in case of retreat �-Stayed on Firebase Ripcord March 1970 – April 1970 [April-May?] -Built fortifications -Guarded the perimeter -Patrolled the surrounding area (00:19:23) Mortar Unit Transfer -Moved into a mortar unit after he was at Ripcord -Sent back to Camp Evans -Stayed there for two weeks -Got orders to be transferred to Charlie Company of the 1st/327th -Sent to Camp Eagle -While at Camp Eagle ran into a high school friend who was a helicopter pilot -He enjoyed riding in the Hueys -Friend told him that he could re-enlist and go into helicopter aviation (00:21:34) Re-Enlisting to Change Occupation -Re-enlisted while in Vietnam -Changed occupation from infantry to aviation -Temporarily assigned to A Company 5th Transportation Battalion -Stayed at Camp Eagle from July 1970 – December 2, 1970 (00:23:02) Fort Rucker, Alabama -Transferred to Fort Rucker, Alabama for aviation training -Had no prior experience with aviation -Flight chief trained him -Trained by the book -Became a door gunner instructor -Mostly classroom training -Taught recruits about the .50 caliber and M60 machine guns -How to disassemble and clean them -Basic facts -Had been promoted to Spec. 4 rank -At Fort Rucker met his second wife -First wife had wanted a divorce when he was deployed to Vietnam -Stayed at Fort Rucker from January to September 1971 (00:26:43) Returning to Vietnam and Camp Holloway -Returned to Vietnam in October 1972 -In July there had been a manpower inspection at Fort Rucker -He was going to be designated as a truck driver in Fort Rucker area -Opted for Vietnam instead -Stationed at Tuy Hoa from October to Christmas 1971 -Assigned to be in the 361st Aeroweapons Company at Pleiku -Attached to the 52nd Aviation Battalion -Maintained Cobra helicopter gunships and Huey helicopter transports -First time he had hands on experience with a Cobra was in Vietnam -Very similar to the Huey -He was no longer considered to be infantry, his new designation was mechanic/crew chief -Friend taught him about Cobra flight systems -Supported II Corps region of Vietnam �-Worked out of Camp Holloway (near Pleiku) -Supported the Central Highlands -Company was being shut down and moved out of the area -He was in charge of moving the Cobras to the trains -Had to clean, turn in weapons, and inspect the helicopters (00:32:11) Saigon, Vietnam -Sent to Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) compound in Saigon -Stationed in Saigon for the last six weeks of his tour -Guarded civilians while they worked at night -Moved to Camp Alpha, Saigon -Had a good relationship with the Vietnamese civilians (00:32:55) Drug Use -Knew that people were using heroin in the rear areas -Prevalent issue -Never saw drug use in the field -Never saw drug use first hand -Found the remnants of drug use (empty heroin bottles) -He just drank beer while on base (00:34:19) Military Career: Post-Vietnam -Sent home and attained the rank of Spec. 5 -Sent to Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia -Took a month of leave in October 1972 -Began service there in November 1972 -Married his second wife on December 1st 1973 -Served there until July 1973 -Hunter Army Airfield is closed down -Sent to Fort Bragg, North Carolina -Signed into the 82nd Airborne Division on September 19, 1973 -Signed out on March 17, 1987 -Sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky -Assigned to put together a unit of helicopters bound for Korea -Deployed to Korea from September 1987 to March 1988 -Only stayed six months because of rotation schedule (00:38:13) Military Career: Retirement -Returned to Fort Bragg after Korea deployment -Assigned to B Company 159th Aviation Battalion of the 18th Airborne Corps -Attained the rank of first sergeant -Stayed at Fort Bragg until he retired on October 31, 1990 (00:39:03) Reflection on Service -Accounts his mechanical expertise to the quality of training he received -Paid attention to detail and protocol because his trainers did -Becoming a tech inspector at Fort Bragg made him appreciate the training he received � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context TiptonC1539V Title A name given to the resource Tipton, Charles (Interview outline and video), 2013 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tipton, Charles Description An account of the resource Charles Tipton was born in Baskin, Florida in 1947. He received a draft notice in 1965, but received a deferment until 1969. After training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he deployed to Vietnam in October 1969. He was assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was sent to Camp Evans and then to Firebase Bastogne where he met up with his unit upon which they traveled to Firebase Birmingham. In December 1969 he and his unit moved to Firebase O'Reilly where he saw action in the field and from there went to Firebase Ripcord where he helped establish the base there. After Ripcord he was assigned to a mortar unit then he re-enlisted to be an aviation mechanic. He trained at Fort Rucker, Alabama and returned to Vietnam to serve with the 361st Aeroweapons Company at Camp Holloway outside of Pleiku. After Vietnam he served at Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, and in South Korea until he retired on October 31, 1990. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource McGregor, Michael (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Michigan--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American United States. Army Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2013-10-11 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project Collection, (RHC-27)</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf video/mp4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/45fadecf557b8453f345f1505ac6b470.pdf 5281040f9566e3c009c3440deb888835 PDF Text Text srae o execu oners Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -The world is weary. Vernon Walters says so. Walters is not merely U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He presumed to speak in Geneva for the entire "international community." That grand assemblage was the "we" in this Walters' sentence: "We must tell them (Israel and her enemies) that we are tired of this conflict ... " Such fine impartiality between our ally and those bent on her destruction. U.S. policy is indeed that Israel should cooperate with the U.S.-PLO peace charade because the world is weary. U.S. officials scripted the rhetorical sanitization of Yasser Arafat. They did so on the assumption that a murderer will not lie. By reading the script, Arafat presumably (the State Department's presumption) repealed the PLO charter. It says Palestine is "indivisible" and vows "the elimination of Zionism in Palestine." The snowball of appeasement gathers momentum. The United Nations will henceforth refer to the PLO as "Palestine," and why .not? U.S. policy has been reversed. It now de facto accepts the PLO as "the sole legitimate representative" of Palestinians, thereby shredding the U.S. "commitment" to direct negotiations between Israel and Jordan. The administration says negotiation with the PLO does not involve recognition of a Palestinian state. But last week, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy was asked: If the PLO really has recognized Israel's right to exist, does he now expect so-called "moderate" Arab states to do likewise? His answer was that most of them "accepted explicitly Resolution 242 years ago. What happened this past wee :was tha e O acceoted 242 and thereby (sic) Israel's right to exist." ''Thereby"? The U.S. pretense has been that the PLO must meet three distinct tests - renunciation of terrorism, acceptance of Israel's right to exist and acceptance of 242. Now Murphy says the third requirement incorporates the second. Regarding terrorism, Arafat has renounced it before, has consistently lied about it, and now has been given preemptive immunity from blame for future acts of it. That is the consequence of U.S. officials saying in chorus that Arafat cannot control the "extremists" and is himself a potential victim because of his moderation. In 1980 Ronald Reagan said, with uncontestable accuracy: "Israel and Jordan are the two Palestinian states envisioned and authorized by the United Nations." Reminded of that last week, Murphy said: "We do not consider Jordan the (sic) Palestinian state." "We"? The Foreign Service? Has anyone told the president that he has changed his mind? The inescapable logic of Murphy's language is U.S. support for a PLO state. So Rita Hauser, the Jews' Jesse Jackson said to have converted Arafat to peace in our time, had better catch up with Arafat's deputy, Abu Iyyad. He has not got the message. Recently he said in an Arabic language publication: "The establishment of a Palestinian state on part of the land of Pal·oe · a stage to a d the final goal -:-- the establishment of a state on all of Palestine." For months before the unveiling in Algiers of the latest PLO peace tactic, PLO spokesmen assured Arabic-speaking audiences that it would be only a tactic of war only a means of implementing the "Phased Policy" adopted in 1974. That "incremental" policy calls for shrinking Israel to indefensible borders as a precondition of ridding "indivisible" Palestine of "the Zionist entity." Abadallah alKhouran, a member of the PLO executive committee, told an Arabiclanguage publisher, "The proclamation of the Palestinian state is the first step toward obliterating the new Zionist-Fascist state." Ah, but the assumption of Western appeasers is that PLO officials are impeccably sincere when reading U.S. scripts and are insincere when contradicting them. The "appearance" of extremism is "really" the prudence of the moderates. So last week's New York Times Magazine contained this gem: "Nowadays, PLO officials will tell you privately, (Arafat's) uniform and gun are something of an affectation, a bit of symbolism meant to reassure the PLO hard-liners ... " The quantity of such private insights from unnamed "moderates" equals the quantity of Western gullibility. The lame-duck Reagan administration, which is not lame enough, is limping out of town, sending a dangerous signal to our watching enemies: The United States gets tired. You can wait us out. The whole wide world is tired Walters, the international scold, says so - so Israel is supposed to jeopardize her survival to satisfy the "international community." But as Golda Meir said, Jews are used to collective eulogies, but Israel will not die so that the world ·n ~eak ell of it. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Termaat, Adriana B. (Schuurman) Termaat, Peter N. Description An account of the resource Collection contains genealogical, personal, and family papers and photographs documenting the lives and interests of Adriana and Peter Termaat. The bulk of the materials are related to family history and genealogical research carried out by the Termaats, including research notes and materials about places in the Netherlands that were significant to the Termaat and Schuurman families, such as the city of Alkmaar. Other materials in the collection are related to the Termaats' experiences on the eve of and during the Second World War, especially the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Termaats' participation in organized resistance to the Nazis. Also included are materials that document the family's post-war life in the United States, including their public efforts to recognize, commemorate, and honor people and events significant to World War II. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1869 - 2012 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection, RHC-144</a> Subject The topic of the resource Netherlands Netherlands--History--German occupation, 1940-1945 World War, 1939-1945 World War, 1939-1945 -- Underground movements -- Netherlands Dutch Dutch Americans Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Text Image Type The nature or genre of the resource application/pdf image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng nl Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-144_Termaat_NWS_Tired-US Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Will, George Title A name given to the resource Tired U.S. hands Israel to executioners Description An account of the resource Op Ed clipping about U.S. foreign policy relating to Israel. Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Foreign relations -- 20th century Arafat, Yasir, 1929-2004 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/719">Adriana B. and Peter N. Termaat collection (RHC-144)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0ab4676fafb1518a51e60d8ad51dab96.jpg 07bef13ba3899f427ecb284f7d329cca Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Honors Institute for Young Scientists (HIFYS) Scrapbook Subject The topic of the resource Science--Study and teaching East Grand Rapids (Mich.) Grand Rapids (Mich.) University of Michigan Description An account of the resource The Honors Institute for Young Scientists provided a competitive scholarship to an advanced summer educational program in science and math for high school juniors and seniors in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. It expanded to include approximately 12 states by 1962. In 1966, Grand Valley State College took over the program, changing its name to the Honors Institute for Young Scholars. The scrapbook includes articles and photographs of the Honors Institute for Young Scientists (HIFYS) in Grand Rapids. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Honors Institute for Young Scientists Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/465">Honors Institute for Young Scientists (RHC-38)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-03-28 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-NC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-38 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1958-1966 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/465">Honors Institute for Young Scientists (HIFYS) scrapbook, RHC-38</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-38_HIFYS02 Title A name given to the resource Title page of Honors Institute for Young Scientists scrapbook Subject The topic of the resource Honors Institute for Young Scholars Honors Institute for Young Scientists East Grand Rapids (Mich.) Grand Rapids (Mich.) Grand Valley State College Science--Study and teaching University of Michigan Science Description An account of the resource Title page of Honors Institute for Young Scientists scrapbook. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Honors Institute for Young Scientists Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-NC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Permitted</a> Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1966 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/f54474e5ddcc119742e2efe3bfc17cf3.jpg b3b3cabf0e6ae3ba0b87f669d525e506 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Decorated Publishers' Bindings Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Description An account of the resource From the early 1870s to roughly 1930, many publishers issued their commercial book covers with a remarkable variety of graphic designs and illustrations. This sixty-year period saw many artists and designers contributing to this art form. While some can be identified from their style or initials, others remain unknown. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Seidman Rare Books Collection Michigan Novels Collection Regional Historical Collection Lincoln and the Civil War Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-08-30 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>, <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpg Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Source Seidman Rare Books. PR6003.A52477 T6 1898 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-01_Bindings0342 Title A name given to the resource To Arms! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sacker, Amy M. (Designer) Description An account of the resource Binding of To Arms!, by Andrew Balfour, published by L.C. Page & Company, 1898. Subject The topic of the resource Book covers Covers (Illustration) Graphic arts Publishers and publishing Pictorial bindings Language A language of the resource eng Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?language=en">No Copyright - United States</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1898 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/2d517783f8073837eef9e7af3ee9b3a5.mp3 3d658ddca3d506628d6093f692a224a6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Pentecost IX Series Spiritual Life - Religion Re-imagined Scripture Text Ezekiel 1:1, 26 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20020721 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2002-07-21 Title A name given to the resource To Be Human Is Enough Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on July 21, 2002 entitled "To Be Human Is Enough", as part of the series "Spiritual Life - Religion Re-imagined", on the occasion of Pentecost IX, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Ezekiel 1:1, 26. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d0cbc4c2f0b9f7e6e1b19de7c6956fb8.pdf 6385cb79fef014fcf82e08e237e04668 PDF Text Text To Bring Joy From the series: Waiting For Messiah To Come – Text: Isaiah 65:18; Luke 2:10 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Advent, December 22, 1996 Transcription of the spoken sermon It is appropriate that twice a year the sanctuary is resplendent in beauty and we take a moment to remember those we've loved and lost a while, and to honor others whom we would value and affirm. It is appropriate that we do it on the two high feast days of the Christian Church. We do it, obviously, on Easter, because we celebrate the Resurrection and our confident affirmation that this is not all there is, that there is something more, and that those we've loved and lost a while are home in Eternal Light. But, it's appropriate that we do it also on Christmas, the Festival of the Incarnation, for if Easter declares that there is something more, the Incarnation declares that what is now is really good. It is the story of God's identification with the world; it is God's affirmation of creation; it is God's affirmation of the body, of material, of this life, of the human drama being played out in time and space - this present life, this present moment. Thus, the Christian faith makes two great affirmations. It says on Easter that this is not all there is, but there is something more; and it says on Christmas, what is now is very good. It is appropriate that we celebrate the Resurrection remembering those we've loved and lost, and that we celebrate Christmas as an affirmation of God with us, here and now. As we do that, we understand that this world is God's world and this life is a gift of God. What I've been trying to say in this Advent season is that there are some things that cannot be put off. I want to be very clear about my affirmation of that which lies beyond, but this morning I want to say that we ought not to wait for Messiah to come for the gift of joy, for joy is for now; it is for this present experience. To enter deeply into the experience of joy is the invitation of God and is that which enriches and deepens this present human experience. I've been suggesting during Advent that there is a tendency in the Christian Church to project into the future that which God intends for the here and now, that there has been a tendency in the Christian Church to miss this moment, throwing up our hands as though what is, is and cannot be altered and we simply endure this life, waiting for it to pass until we enter into that perfection, that © Grand Valley State University   �To Bring Joy Richard A. Rhem Page 2   bliss, that perfect state of righteousness and peace. I believe that if we are waiting for Messiah to come to do justice or to make peace, or to live with joy, we are missing God's intention for this moment, for this world, for this life. And so, at the risk of being misunderstood, let me be clear again - what I say detracts not at all from our Christian affirmation that this life is not all that there is. But, let me suggest to you that the way to live life fully with joy is to live as though this is the only life and this is the only day we'll ever have. Joy is not for the future. Joy is for now. I realize that to say that is simple enough, but I don't have some magic wand I can wave over you and send you on your way rejoicing. I also know that we're all programmed differently, our genetic makeup, the environment in which we've been raised - all of those things constitute the person that we are, and there are some of you that are sunny personalities. I can tell by looking at your face. And there are some of you that are grumps. I can tell that from your face, too. (No fair poking one another, now.) Well, it goes without saying that we do have a certain personality. And there are some of us that just live life in a happier mood than others. But, I'm not talking about happiness. Happiness is a surface thing. Happiness is having your Christmas list all fulfilled on Christmas morning; happiness is having the Detroit Lions win their final game on Monday Night Football; happiness is having Wayne Fontes back for another season or whatever it may be. Happiness is up and down; there are moments when things go well and we're happy and then everything falls apart and we're sad. I'm not talking about happiness. I'm talking about joy, which is something deeper. I'm talking about joy, which is a consistent perspective, a posture over against the whole of life and the whole of reality. I'm talking about a joy that sees through the surface, deep down in things, and has come to a kind of lightness of heart quite independent of the immediate circumstances of one's life. It is that posture of heart that keeps us steady, in sunshine and rain, in light and in darkness. Joy is a present possibility for those who get their thinking straight. And I do believe it is a matter of thinking correctly. We are shaped, finally, by our thinking and that's true of us as individuals, and it's true of us as a community of people. The Christian faith, the Christian Church was born out of the womb of Judaism, and somehow or other, Jewish people with that rich Hebrew scripture tradition, have been able to enter, I believe, more wholesomely into the celebration of this life than is often the case with Christian people. I believe that, in the Christian Church we have tended to project into another world God's intention for this world, and we have failed to celebrate Creation as God's creation, and we have often failed to enter fully into this present life with zest because we have tended to see it under a cloud. Oftentimes the impression I get from Christian preaching that I hear on occasion, or the expressions of Christian piety, is that this life and this world are something to be gotten through and endured in order that we © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Joy Richard A. Rhem Page 3   might enter into that final blessed state beyond. That is a denigration of this human existence in time and space, and quite illegitimately so, for this life, this creation, this human existence, these days have been affirmed by the Eternal God Who called it into being and in the Incarnation fully identified with it. We did not bring along with us out of our Hebrew past that celebration of this world, this life, this day. Now, it was not that the Hebrew Prophet did not know of the darkness and the pain of human existence. The 65th chapter of Isaiah indicates that the writer had experienced the darkness that is all too true. He says there's a day coming when they'll build houses and dwell in them, they'll plant gardens and eat the fruit thereof. No longer will they build houses and another dwell in them, or plant gardens and another eat. He says the day is coming when there will no infant die in infancy and everyone will live to a ripe old age. He's looking to those, to that future day when those things that are so painful in the present will be overcome. There was a future orientation in these prophets, to be sure, but it was a future within this world, it was a future within history. It was not projected into another world; it was not something about heaven out there. It was about here and now, this world, and it would come, the prophet said, because God would send a shoot out of the stump of Jesse. This one would judge according to righteousness and truth. There would be that day when one would come and they would beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and they would not learn war anymore. They would not hurt. There was a day, this prophet says, when they'll not hurt in all my holy mountain, when the lion and the lamb and the wolf, the whole of creation will live at peace. There will be Shalom. But, it was a this-worldly reality. So, they knew the darkness, but they knew something else, and this is where joy comes in. They knew that God was about something deep down in things. They knew that what was, the darkness they were experiencing, was not the intention of the Creator, because the intention of the Creator was for this life to be a sacrament, for this life to be a joy. God intended it as such, says the prophet. Listen to what he says: I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people. I am about to create Jerusalem as the joy and its people as a delight. And God caused the people, in turn, to rejoice. The creator says, according to the Hebrew prophet, "I delight in you. I delight in my people." Creation's end is delight. I have a friend who threatens to write a theology book, "The Theology of Delight." He was a student of A. A. Van Ruler at Utrecht in The Netherlands. Van Ruler used to chide the Church for putting so much stress on salvation, redemption, sin, guilt and that stuff. He said that's almost an appendix to what God is about. God is about creation. God is about new creation; God is about this whole drama and the bringing to fullness the human experience before God's face. God says "I delight in my people. I create Jerusalem with joy, so rejoice, my people." © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Joy Richard A. Rhem Page 4   That was the vision that shaped the thinking of the Jewish people, to be able to celebrate this world rather than seeing this world as a vale of tears to be traversed, endured and delivered from in order that we might finally arrive home in heaven. No, that is to fail to live fully into the gift of now which is marked through the Incarnation with the presence of God, Immanuel, God with us, here and now. So, I want to suggest this morning that if we wait for Messiah to come for joy, we will have sadly missed God's intention for our present, which is to revel in creation, to live fully, to actualize our potential, to live lovingly, embracing one another, to savor this world. I was driving down Lakeshore in the middle of the week, and all the snow had just fallen freshly. It was cold and crisp and snowballs tufted the pine trees and laid the dunes with a coat of ermine. For a moment the sun broke through. It was a transforming magnificence, and I thought to myself, "Dear God, what a world! What a splendid garden in which to dwell. What a home in which to be at home and celebrate God, the Creator of it all, who would have the creature live with joy on tiptoe, celebrating this present gift." I cannot speak of joy this morning without acknowledging that that joy must transcend the darkness. We've had too much death around here in this community of faith. I have buried too many recently whose lives were too brief. I know the agony; I cannot preach on joy this morning, having walked through the week that I have just walked through, without having to face up to the fact that there is a full complement of pain and sadness. But, again, if I cannot this morning speak of joy now, then our gospel is hollow. Then we're just kidding ourselves; then it is true what we need is a rescue operation to release us from this present wicked world. Ah, but the Church has majored in bad news, casting aspersions on Creation and this present existence. Joy is something that sees down more deeply and is able, even in the present circumstance, to say neither sword, nor hunger, nor famine, nor peril - none of these things will separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus, who is Emmanuel, who is God with us here and now in this present moment. There is nothing in life or death or principality or power, or things in the heights or the depths or anything in all of creation that shall ever separate us from that God who at Christmas has come to identify with us, and who, through the Easter miracle, promises that this is not all there is. But, if we could only live as if this were the only day we had, if we could only live as if this were the only life we had, the only world we had, the only possibility we had if we could so live so fully, then we could throw ourselves with abandon into today - then, whatever else there is, is pure bonus. But already, this is pure gift, and so not when Messiah comes, but today. You see, today is the only day you'll ever have. If the gift of tomorrow comes, it will be today. So, if there are words of love to speak, speak them today. If there are those to embrace, embrace them today. If there are dreams brewing in your © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Joy Richard A. Rhem Page 5   heart, make work of them today. God delights in you and God calls you to delight in this present moment, in this present world, for it is a God-drenched world and it is made for your joy. So, enjoy and the rest will take care of itself. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c01dbe14d761e17da905328d9338ce97.mp3 246a81a530cc7d0e317bfefb5cc16979 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Advent IV Series Waiting for the Messiah to Come Scripture Text Isaiah 65:17-25, Luke 2:1-20 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19961222 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1996-12-22 Title A name given to the resource To Bring Joy Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on December 22, 1996 entitled "To Bring Joy", as part of the series "Waiting for the Messiah to Come", on the occasion of Advent IV, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 65:17-25, Luke 2:1-20. Advent Divine Intention God of Love Incarnation Joy https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0dc2e2851a8bae9990018f78c1d4d5da.pdf 2b3370796315a085a7496679855e9837 PDF Text Text To Bring Justice From the series: Waiting For Messiah To Come – Text: Isaiah 11:4; Luke 1:52 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan Advent, December 8, 1996 Transcription of the spoken sermon The lesson from the Hebrew scripture is Isaiah, chapter 11. Let me be clear this morning. I'm going to be asking you to engage with me in some thought about the meaning of Advent. I am not so much making claims as inviting you to think with me about the traditional ideas that are associated with this season and what we ought to be doing about it. The bold print in your bulletin says "Waiting For Messiah To Come," the smaller print, "To Bring Justice." Waiting for Messiah to Come - that is the posture of Advent. Waiting for Messiah to Come. And then, when he comes, to bring justice. It's going to take us all of Advent and Christmas, and you're going to have to stay with me because I probably can do no more than raise some consciousness this morning, but what I want to try to do in this season is to take a fresh look at this Advent expectation. In a word, I'm going to suggest to you that it's time we stopped waiting and started doing something about it. I'm going to suggest to you that for us to wait for Messiah to come to bring justice is to miss that which has been revealed to us so clearly - justice is not something that will come at the end of the line that Messiah will bring. The Call to Confession this morning was from Micah 6:8, "The Lord has shown you what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God." We have that embodied in Jesus. So, it is not as though we don't know, and it is not as though we do not have the resources. It is that we lack the will. I simply want us to think about that in this Advent season. Advent is a season of preparation for the coming of the Lord. Now, we are not preparing to go to Bethlehem. We are preparing for the End, the end of history, the consummation, the Kingdom of God - that's what we are preparing for. Advent is a sober season in which we are reminded that we will all be called to give account of our lives before the Judge of all the earth. Advent in the Christian Church is not anticipation of the miracle of Bethlehem; it is anticipation of the End when the one who was born in Bethlehem comes in power and glory to judge © Grand Valley State University   �To Bring Justice Richard A. Rhem Page 2   the nations. That is the Advent theme. It's awfully hard to squeeze it in, to get a word in edgewise for Advent in the Church. This is not the Christmas season, in spite of appearances. The Advent theme of the final consummation of all things is to be considered in these four weeks prior to Christmas, and then, on December 24 in the evening, we can begin to celebrate Christmas. I take my life in my hands and I live with some peril. We haven't sung a Christmas carol yet. Some of you get downright testy about it. You really wanted "Jingle Bells" this morning, didn't you? But, you see, the Church has its own calendar and I think the Jewish people are a distinct people after all of these thousands of years because they live by their own calendar. What is it - the year 5757 or something like that on the Jewish calendar? They live according to their festivals and their seasons quite apart from the rest of the world. We have a calendar, too. There's nothing divine or inspired about it, but it's a calendar that sets out for us seasons, the rhythms of life, moods, foci of concentration, and to live by that calendar is to be shaped by those ideas. In the shaping, we are also able to distinguish ourselves from the culture at large. The culture at large has co-opted our day, eh? The commercial interests have backed Christmas way up on the other side of Thanksgiving. It was the 16th of November when Nancy and I went to Bethlehem at Radio City Music Hall. We've already been to Bethlehem! Fantastic, spectacular program, Rockettes and all. But, a Christmas show on November 16! How in the world do we ever get a word in edgewise for Advent and for the serious contemplation of that which lies before us at the end? We're waiting for Messiah to come. The Jewish people are waiting for the messiah, too, except they're waiting for Messiah to come the first time. They say to us, "Messiah has not come." We say, "Jesus was the Messiah." They say, "No, you've got to be wrong." They may be right, because Jesus did not claim to be Messiah. It was his followers who said, "That was the Messiah." But the Jewish people - after all, you know, we get the idea of Messiah from their book - they tell us quite rightly that the idea of Messiah coming was to issue in the peaceable kingdom. They say Messiah hasn't come. Look at the world - it's full of war and violence and destitution and poverty and all that's wrong. When Messiah comes, all that's wrong will be made right. There will be a total transformation of everything. Messiah, obviously, hasn't come. We say, "Well,... yes he has." But, we have to be honest. The whole New Testament, which is not a Christian book, folks; it's a Jewish book, you know. It's about Jesus, a Jew, written by Jews who had been nurtured in Jewish expectations. They encountered Jesus and they said, "That's the one!" And the only problem was he was crucified, and the world wasn't transformed, but they expected it to be transformed. They knew the vision; © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Justice Richard A. Rhem Page 3   they knew what Isaiah had spoken, that he wouldn't judge by what his eyes see or what his ears hear, but he would judge according to truth. They knew that he would decide with equity for the meek of the earth, and the consequence of that would be that the wolf and the lamb would lie down together and they would not hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain, that beautiful Messianic dream. Those who encountered Jesus and who experienced Jesus said he's the one. They knew that dream. We read in the Gospel lessons and The Magnificat was also sung: He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud and the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones. He has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich empty away. They said Jesus was the one. But, Jesus was crucified. "Ah," they said, "but he lives. We experience his living presence; he's with God, enthroned in glory, but he's coming, he's coming soon. Just wait; just watch; hold on." Acts 3:19: "Repent therefore and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through the holy prophets." They were living on the edge. They shared a general cultural expectation of the end of the age, and they believed that Jesus was the Messiah; they had not expected that detour of crucifixion and resurrection and ascension, but that Early Church, this whole New Testament document written about a Jew by Jews was posited on the supposition that the one who had come would come back very soon. That's clear. Now, 2000 years later, we still read the beautiful Messianic dream of the prophet, we still hear The Magnificat sung, and we get into Advent and we get into our prayers and our rituals and our hymns and our liturgical formulae and we sort of go through it, never, I think, stopping to think that, when we wait for Messiah to come, we are really copping out of what should be obvious to us and incumbent upon us - that Messianic dream that we read and love and that The Magnificat that we hear, that speaks the language of the underdog who is praying to God to reverse things, turn the tables, change things around. I think our problem in the Christian Church is that we have an underdog religion and we've become top dog. Just think about it for a moment. Listen to The Magnificat again - "He has thrown the mighty off their thrones. He has raised up the lowly. He has fed the hungry and he has sent the rich empty away." Who are they talking about? They're talking about us, folks! We have taken over the religious yearning and expression of an underdog people and now we who are the dominant, powerful, affluent people of the world are still waiting for Messiah to come to do justice! We're waiting for God, and I think God is waiting for us! © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Justice Richard A. Rhem Page 4   "For have I not showed you what is good and what does the Lord require but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" You see, that Messianic dream was Israel's dream, little Israel, that little piece of real estate at the end of the Mediterranean Sea, buffeted about by all the world's empires - they had chutzpa! They thought that God had chosen them; they considered themselves the navel of the earth; they were battered about by Assyria and Babylon and Persia and Greece and Rome, and the prophets of Israel, living in an occupied nation, in a conquered nation, being the pawn of the power brokers of the earth; yet they had a dream. They had a dream one day our God Who has called us will exalt Mt. Zion and all nations will flow to Mt. Zion and we will teach the world Torah. We will lead the world to God. We have been called by God to be a beacon to the nations. Is that chutzpa, or not? You bet it is! Here they were, this little people, and they had a dream. They said "One day it's going to be different than it is. One day Messiah's going to come, and the whole earth will be wrapped in beautiful peace, and we'll teach the whole earth to walk in the ways of our God." Then into that little community into which Jesus was born, poverty-stricken, occupied, down-in-the-mouth, poor, poor society, comes The Magnificat! It is a song of an underdog people. It is a song of a people who are oppressed, who are poor, who are hungry, who are saying, "God, when are you going to make it right?" And they saw Jesus and they said, "Aha. That's the one." But, then he died. They said, "Ah, but he lives. He'll come back; he'll come back. Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus. Do it! Do it, do it, because if you don't do it, it is so awful. This human condition is so terrible, the darkness, the darkness. Do something!" And here we are, affluent, well-fed, well-dressed, comfortable, Christian people 2000 years later, and we say, "Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus." We don't even understand what we're praying. For us to pray the Magnificat is to take the oppressed and the underdog's song and to say, "Lord, throw us down. Lord, throw us empty away." I suspect that if it would ever get through to us, we'd have to say, "Ah, I guess we shouldn't be waiting for Messiah to come. I guess we should be about the transformation of the world. I guess we who have so much power and so much resource and so much knowledge and insight and Wow! We ought to be about changing the world, because the dream, the dream is there." Rabbi David Hartman says that Messianic dream - that's not the end of history. That is the critique of history in every moment. That's the plumb line of God that measures every historical period. You reach that dream and you measure your own day by that dream and you will see how out of sync it is, how crooked it is, how full of injustice and oppression and inequality. You measure your society, 1996, Christ Community - measure your world against that dream. How does it measure up? It doesn't measure up, does it? © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Justice Richard A. Rhem Page 5   That dream is God's dream, God's intention. That dream has been embodied, for God's sake. The world has become flesh; it has dwelled among us. Jesus, the mirror of God's intention. The way of Jesus, the way that God calls us to go. We say, "We're waiting for Messiah." God says, "What are you waiting for? I've showed you throughout all of the prophecy; I've showed you in the face of Jesus. Why do you keep praying for Messiah to come? Why aren't you about turning your world upside down?" Well, you know, one could really get going on this thing, and I could probably tell you stories about your world and you'd just say, "Oh, I give up." Last month in Rome there was a huge international conference on food. There was one in '74 because they were afraid then we weren't going to be able to feed the multitudes, and there was another one just last month. In the report of that conference on whether or not the earth is going to produce enough for the people in light of the population growth, etc, it said there are in our world today 800 million malnourished human beings. Eight hundred million, and so you could say, "Ah, ..." I mean, at the time of Jesus, there was this apocalyptic strain where, for example, John the Baptist was saying things are so bad, God come down. You know, rend the heavens and come down. Damn the wicked! Stamp out the darkness; establish the righteous. Bring in Your kingdom!" I can understand that apocalyptic urge. We human beings can get so overburdened with it, so baffled by it that we sort of throw up our hands and say, "What can I do? Who am I? Who am I? What can I do? I'm only one person and the problems are global!" And I probably could ruin your Christmas by putting a little guilt on you. Probably get a pretty good response to the Alternative Christmas Market by reminding you how much you're spending on one another and maybe, you know, a few bucks for the Third World would be good. We have an oversubscription for our Thanksgiving Offering. That's beautiful. That's wonderful. You're a generous people. We feed 350 people - that's great. I think it's wonderful! We adopt needy kids for Christmas - that's beautiful. But it's just tokenism. Those are just tokens of a world that is wrenched with human anguish. And you know what I think? I think Christ Community is the kind of community that has intelligence and commitment and generous hearts, the kind of leaders of society. And wouldn't it be something if out of Christ Community there would come a catalyst group of God's gadflies who would harangue the Ottawa County Commissioners and that would go to Lansing, that would sit on Engler's steps, that would go to Washington, that would bother the Congress, that would petition the President. Now, there are always in this world those kinds of people that go into the ministry, do-gooders. They're kind of soft, they're kind of flabby; they don't think critically; they don't understand how the world works. They just think if you'd just be nice, everything'd be nice. There are a lot of people like me. But, you know what we need? We need some of you hard-headed, hard-hitting corporate © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Justice Richard A. Rhem Page 6   professional people who would get together and would say, "For God's sake, this world is in trouble. How in the world could we do something about it?" You see, we've got an underdog religion; we sing The Magnificat, but down deep in our hearts, friends, let's be honest, when you're on top, the biggest preoccupation of your life is to maintain that top position, and the hungry masses of the world, the poor, the suffering - they are our threat. They tell us that the gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger. And a world where the gap between the rich and the poor gets big enough is a dangerous world. If we didn't want to do it because Jesus calls us to do it, if we didn't want to do it for God's sake, we ought to be thinking about how this world can be transformed because it's not such a mystery. Has he not shown you, O mortal, what to do? Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God. There is enough brain power; there is enough resource. There may be somebody here who could start a movement. After all, little Israel thought that God called it to be a light to the nations. There might be somebody here that would say, "You know, that's really true. We ought to be about something big, something big." The tokens - they're wonderful. Don't stop the tokens. But, there's a world out there, and at Advent I just can't let you hear The Magnificat four weeks in a row without feeling uneasy. "The mighty he has put down and the lowly he has raised up. He has fed the hungry and set the rich empty away." I don't have an answer. The human situation is so complex, but wherever there is injustice, wherever there is a human person given a less than humane existence, there's where we ought to be, in the name of God Who has given us that magnificent dream. You see, it's not that we can do it through human ingenuity alone. Obviously not. But, neither can God do it alone. The dream is God's dream and to be caught up in that dream - that would make Advent something really special. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/470ca6c1bf1785eeec87b529c09c03c8.mp3 7a48cce9ebc19f65049903fb8ee78e80 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Advent II Series Waiting for the Messiah to Come Scripture Text Isaiah 11:1-0, Luke 1:46-56 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19961208 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1996-12-08 Title A name given to the resource To Bring Justice Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on December 8, 1996 entitled "To Bring Justice", as part of the series "Waiting for the Messiah to Come", on the occasion of Advent II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Isaiah 11:1-0, Luke 1:46-56. Advent Eschatology Justice Way of Jesus Divine Intention https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/b3b3fbf1988509bd1da148057f29f385.pdf 58739c9a133b622aeea85a9814951714 PDF Text Text To Bring Peace… From the series: Waiting For Messiah To Come – Text: Micah 4:3, Luke 1:79 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan December 15, 1996 Transcription of the spoken sermon It's not easy to understand the prophets. One needs a lot of help. Of course, there was the old Scottish lady who was asked what she thought about a commentary and she said, "Well, the Bible throws a lot of light on it." Sometimes the help isn't very helpful, but the prophets are not easy to understand because you get things juxtaposed and it seems like you're moving from one world to another and that's certainly the case in Micah. The fourth chapter that we're going to read is a marvelous vision of world peace, international peace, but just prior to that is this statement of the decimation of Jerusalem. At the end of chapter three, Jerusalem is laid flat and then at the beginning of chapter four, it's raised up high. Now, there weren't any chapters, of course, in the original, no chapters or verses, but that juxtaposition is so interesting, and the reason Jerusalem is to be laid low is because people like me are most often unfaithful. For example, the heads of Jerusalem, the leadership, give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for hire; the prophets divine for money. Yet they lean upon the Lord and say, "Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No evil shall come upon us." That's the temptation of a preacher, of course. Say, "Peace, peace," where there is no peace. At least it keeps the salary coming, you see? Keeps the people happy until disaster really happens. Therefore, because of you, that is, the leadership of God's people, "Zion shall be ploughed as a field, Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets." That, set now in contrast to the vision of chapter four: It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be raised up above the hills. And peoples shall flow to it and many nations shall come and say, 'Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples and shall decide for strong nations afar off, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up © Grand Valley State University   �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 2   sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. But they shall sit everyone under his vine and under his fig tree and none shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its God, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever. The word of the Lord. The question that I'm inviting you to think about with me this Advent season is whether or not in observing the Advent theme, Waiting for Messiah to Come, we might be abdicating our responsibility and our engagement with our own time and our own moment of history. In waiting for Messiah to come we are projecting to the end of history that Messianic vision that appears so eloquently in the Hebrew prophets, that vision of Shalom, the Kingdom of God, the rule of God, the peaceable kingdom, that picture of the situation of lion and lamb lying down together, of not hurting in all God's holy mountain, and today in Micah's vision, that total peace enveloping the whole human family and all nations. That vision or that dream comes to beautiful expression here and there in the Hebrew prophets. It is a dream that lies deep in the human heart, and it came to expression particularly in Israel as it believed that God's intention for the world was that kind of peaceable kingdom where God would be acknowledged and worshiped, and God's Torah, the way of life, would be observed by all people. And there would be this marvelous, peaceful harmony between God and humankind, between humankind and nature. In the totality of things there would be peace. Now, my question is this Have we taken that picture, that vision, and have we projected it to the end and thus absolved ourselves of real engagement, passionate engagement with seeking to bring about the reality of that vision in our own time? It's understandable that we would do that because the world is always reeling from one crisis to another and when one thinks of the global community, when one thinks of the problems that are rife around the world, one can very easily throw up one's hands, perhaps just out of weariness or dismay, just simply being overwhelmed with it all. I hear it all the time. I think I hear myself saying it what can I do? What can one individual do? Or, sometimes one will hear it with a bite of cynicism which says, in effect, promises, promises. I find that also in the Church. It's a good thing we all don't know what everyone else believes or doesn't believe in the pew behind us and before us and to our right and to our left. I'm amazed sometimes when I say to somebody, "You really believe that?" "No. Never did." "Oh, really? It's in the Bible." "Ah, don't believe that." This Messianic vision - we've projected it to the end and maybe become rather cynical about its realization within history. Or, this has also been a trick of © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 3   religious people - withdrawal from the world, founding a little religious ghetto and signing the world off, saying, "Oh well, it's under the Devil's sway anyway. And so we just try to get our own little soul saved, survive, get through life until finally we can breathe on the other side. You see, in doing all of that, which is rather understandable, nonetheless, we are abdicating our responsibility for passionate engagement with our world in order to affect the realization of the dream which is not just a passing dream of an incidental Hebrew prophet, but I do believe is reflective of the intention of God for the world. I don't think the dream was ever intended to be some far point beyond history. I believe the prophets. I believe Luke when he told the story of Jesus and prefaced it with the birth of John the Baptist and the Song of Zachariah, speaking about the light dawning upon us and leading our feet into the way of peace. I believe that it was their intention to say to us, these biblical writers, that this peace is meant for history, it is meant for our history. It is not some heavenly vision; it is the way things ought to be in the world, here and now. And I think in waiting for Messiah to come, we too easily absolve ourselves from the kind of active engagement that the people of God are called to in order to be the agents of reconciliation and that beacon of light to the world. So, this Advent, that's the question. Have we copped out? Have we pushed to the end what ought to be our present obsession? Think about it with me. This vision as Micah portrays it is a marvelous vision. It is a vision of the exaltation of Mt. Zion, of the raising of Jerusalem as the center of the world, not in order to give great glory to Jerusalem, but Jerusalem as that place from which the law of God, the Torah, the way of life, will go. There is a beautiful image here; it is of all the nations flowing to the Mount of the Lord, flowing there in order to receive instructions, saying let us go to the God of Jacob in order that we might learn his ways and learn to walk in his paths. There the image is of all the people flowing to Jerusalem for instruction in the ways of God. And then there is the reverse - from Jerusalem flows out in mighty stream this instruction that illumines and enlightens the world and the consequence of that instruction in the Word of God, the Torah, the way of life, is that there is judgment, justice among the nations. It's almost as though God holds court in Jerusalem as a kind of divine Supreme Court, so that there is justice and equity among all. And then the consequence of that justice is a world at peace. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore. But they shall sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree and no one shall make them afraid." Now, isn't that a dream? There would be no more defense budgets, no more armaments, all of the human resources could go for human well-being. There'd have to be no more West Point or Annapolis. The world would be at peace and all of our efforts could be used for human betterment and the building of human © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 4   community. And a person could sit under his vine and under his fig tree and he could contemplate his farm; he could have pride of possession; he could take pride in the accomplishment of his honest toil and no one would make him afraid. It's a great vision, isn't it? It's a dream. And what is usually done, I think, in the preaching of the Church with a vision like this is to say, "Well, but you know we'll never realize it in history because the human heart is so sinful and human society is so in the grip of human perversity. And so, we just have to live with wars and rumors of war and conflict and violence and all of the hell on earth and, in the meantime, we pray, 'Even so, come Lord Jesus. O God, do something. O Lord, how long? How long?'" And my question is whether or not God might be saying to us, "O Church, how long, how long?" You see, to simply cop out of an active pursuit of the realization of this vision on the basis of our human perversity is to fail to hear this word of God, which calls the people of God to be about creating this kind of reality in the midst of their own history. "For all the people walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever." There is a vision, not of Israel or of Jerusalem being the center of an empire that is posited on power. No, not at all. This is not the consequence of the end of a power struggle. This is the end of power struggle! That's the vision. It is not as though Israel is now the center of a world empire, all other nations having been humiliated and put down. It is not even that Israel will convert all of the nations to Yahweh. All of the people will walk each in the name of its god - there's no abandonment of national gods, but there is a kind of loose federation, which is living under the word of God in justice and in peace, the consequence of which is human well-being. So, I'm just not satisfied one more Advent to paint this beautiful portrait and then to call you to pray for the Lord to come and end the drama. I think that's a cop out. Micah was talking about his own day, addressing his own day, talking about a future unfolding but not a future 2700 years away and then some. And Zachariah, in the birth of John, the forerunner of Jesus, was not talking about some far off, distant future. He was talking about the implications for his own day. And so, I want to suggest that we have to think about what is incumbent upon us to become the active agents for the implementation of a dream. Sounds like fool's talk, doesn't it? But, you see, the human situation will never be transformed by the powerful intervention of God. All you would get then is what we had for nearly half a century when the Soviet Union was dominating the Eastern Bloc. And there was an impasse between East and West. It was an impasse which was created by our nuclear arsenals and there was a mutual standoff of terror. Do you remember it? And then it seemed like there were convolutions within the human family and the Eastern people rose up and the human spirit revived and prayers were offered and the Berlin Wall fell. I remember, I think it was in 1989 in Advent, speaking about the falling of the Berlin Wall as perhaps the Spirit of God moving across the face of the earth, © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 5   actually doing something, enlivening the human spirit to rise up for peace. But, you see what happened when the umbrella, the domination of the Soviet power was taken away? Yugoslavia falls apart. Ethnic feuds develop. Ethnic cleansing in its wake. Today is, what, the 27th day in Belgrade where hundreds of thousands will be gathering protesting Milosevic, the tyrant who has usurped the results of a free election? Well, that's a positive sign, isn't it? People are no longer just taking it; they are coming together, they are rising up, they're protesting. There is some ferment in the air. Last week South Africa – a constitution was signed in Sharpville. Do you remember Sharpville? Famous for the Sharpville massacres and the place where the white dominant government imposed Apartheid in the first place. Symbolically they signed a new constitution. South Africa, headed by Nelson Mandela, a black man - we didn't know if we would see it in our day, but we've seen it. In other words, history is so ambiguous, isn't it? Here there's a sign, there a sign, and there an "Oh, no." A step forward, two steps backward. In studying this text, I came across a statement by a commentator in 1932 who talked about world disarmament and pointed to the League of Nations as a sign of eventual world disarmament. 1932! Prior to Hitler, which shows the danger of saying that historical event is that particular text of scripture. Another commentator in 1942 said the problem with the League of Nations is that obviously there was not a resolution in the human heart to change an old way for a new way. And so we had World War II and all of its tragedy. And then the United Nations was born. Well, the United Nations comes into terrible criticism. This country is not very happy with the United Nations. Going down the highway this week, I saw a big sign, "Get us out of the U.N.!" Sure, get us out of the U.N. Let us be independent; we are strong; let's build Fortress America! At least if we are powerful, we can perpetuate the peace - and I want to say, "THAT'S NOT PEACE!" That's not biblical peace. Biblical peace is not the consequence of the enforcement by power. It is the permeation of human society by quite another spirit and we simply let ourselves off the hook if we say, "Well, that will come down the line way over there. God, You do it, and in the meantime, let's keep our powder dry." History is so ambiguous and, as David Hartman said in a piece which is printed in your insert today, a piece I referred to last week, this Messianic dream, this vision - it's not some fact at the end of history. It is the norm by which every moment of history is judged. It is that intention of God reflected in that dream and it is that intention and that dream to which we must be committed as God's people in order to bring about its realization in the midst of history. You see, I think what we do is we get drugged and we get complacent and we just take business as usual as the only thing that could ever be. We grow cynical and we grow weary; we don't believe anymore! We don't believe what God can do. I said last week I wish some of the powerful of the earth would own this problem of justice. And then I was chastised myself as I reflected on the fact that, when God © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 6   made a major move 2000 years ago, it didn't happen in Jerusalem, it didn't happen in Herod's court. It happened in Bethlehem and in a manger and with a child. And so, who says God needs high-fliers like us? But, God knows God needs someone to stand up and to say, "Enough of this war, raging conflict, power struggle," and to believe that there is another way that is possible. When I say that, I almost don't believe it. When I say that, I almost say to myself, "Why do you say that?" Why do I harangue you with that? Well, at least I can spoil your Christmas. At least let us be disabused of any self-righteousness or any illusion that we are passionately engaged with the things that engaged the heart of God. You see, it is such a massive thing and it seems so unreal, even to talk like this. But, you say to me, "What can we do?" Well, I admit we cannot do things in a very broad swath, but at least we can do here what we have begun to do - we can live by our Mission Statement. We can live before the Presence of the Mystery of God Whose inclusive grace moves us to embrace all with unconditional love and gracious acceptance, irrespective of race, gender, of economic status, of age, or sexual orientation. We can love the world as God loves it, following the way of Jesus. And then we can find our window to God in the face of Jesus and yet affirm the quest and insight of other faiths, opening ourselves to dialogue and mutual enrichment in our pluralistic world. We can at least, here, honestly seek to build a human community that will value each and shun none, that will create the human oasis where we treat one another with dignity, having laid down our arms so that our arms are available to embrace one another. Power structures are not only government structures, not only political structures. The Church itself has been into the triumphalistic business seeking power and glory. I mentioned the falling of the Berlin Wall. Prior to that, Poland shook off the shackles of Communist domination because of a Polish Pope, and those were moving episodes when Pope John Paul II went to Warsaw and had a mass in that Communist country, when the country was ignited with hope, when because of the power of the Vatican supporting Solidarity, they threw off that ironclad oppression. But, the Chicago Tribune presently is running a series of articles on the Roman Catholic Church, the last one on this whole Polish situation: remembered all of that and the strategic role the Pope played, but then said the Church has overplayed its hand with its heavy-handed tactics, with its conservative social agenda, and just recently the Polish people voted against their bishops, defeated Lech Walesa and put in another man, to vote for whom the bishops said was a vote for the Devil. And the Polish Parliament just undid the anti-abortion legislation. Poland! Why? Because the Church, the people of God are at their best when they are weak and crippled, when they can depend only on God. When they become powerful they are as mad and hungry as any politician you want to name. © Grand Valley State University �To Bring Peace… Richard A. Rhem Page 7   The Church does not have to dominate. God never said Israel would be a majority. God never said the Church would cover the earth. God called Israel and called the Church simply to be that minority, that salt and that light in order that there might be some place in the human wilderness where there was the recognition of the kind of spirit that would bring peace and allow the human spirit to flower and to blossom. Oh, we can't do everything. We can't do very much. But, will we pledge one to another that in this place, at least, there will be unconditional love, there will be the arms of total acceptance, there will be the shunning of none, there will be no lust for power or domination, but simply by living in the light and embodying the spirit of Jesus, we might be just a sign of hope of the possibility of peace, if ever humankind would allow their deepest longings to find expression. "They shall learn war no more." When? When? When will we say, "Enough"? When will we quit waiting for Messiah to come and somehow or other stand up and say, "Enough! Enough!" Peace be with you. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/747cd192c8b45e5e645c303ff1d2399a.mp3 eecf4c060858a146f7c538b6c8d3cc99 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Advent III Series Waiting for the Messiah to Come Scripture Text Micah 4:1-5, Luke 1:67-80 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19961215 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1996-12-15 Title A name given to the resource To Bring Peace Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Sound Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on December 15, 1996 entitled "To Bring Peace", as part of the series "Waiting for the Messiah to Come", on the occasion of Advent III, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Micah 4:1-5, Luke 1:67-80. Advent Divine Intention Global Community Inclusive Peace Shalom https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/4e160bc402a601ad9289ff0f71a275d5.pdf 482aa4bcc501230ca1cd0017ee582715 PDF Text Text To the Wonder, Glory, Miracle, and Joy of Life! A Littlefair Legacy, 1 Ecclesiastes 3; Philippians 4 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan February 8, 2004 Transcription of the spoken sermon It is good to be back home. Not to say that Nancy and I were sorry to miss this wonderful January winter you had, and not to say that we were unable to make do with this extended period away with nothing to do, but it is so good to be back. In all honesty, it is so good to be back because of the place to which we come. Yesterday morning the sun caught the ice floes on the lake and it was so beautiful. Ordinarily I would have called Duncan Littlefair to say, “Dunc, you should see what I see,” and he would have said, “Ahh, it’s beautiful.” I thought to myself it may be cold, but it is pretty. And then to be able to come home to my wonderful family - we’re going to gather in a little bit. It’s so wonderful to have such a great family and such a wonderful community, to come back to you. Nancy tells me that I was more relaxed this time away than ever before, and I did take as many books, but I didn’t get them all read, and I think I was relaxed because of how I feel about this community. I feel so good about the fact that we are in such positive territory, feeling so good about the excellent leadership we have, a wonderful pastoral/program team in place that keeps things going and even getting better when I’m gone, Ian and Meg Lawton on their way, feeling so positive about that. I am eagerly anticipating this time of transition and then the next stage of the journey. So, blessed, indeed, I am delighted to be back here in your midst. As you know, while I was gone, I received word of the death of my dear friend Duncan Littlefair. I think the first week or ten days of our vacation we sort of crashed and didn’t do much of anything, but then we got the call that Saturday night that Duncan had died. You know what he meant to me and so many of you have given expression to that, and I do appreciate that. The request was that I should do his memorial service. It was his request that I do that for family and a circle of friends, but we all know that the whole community had, somehow or other, to find some closure with this one who had been larger than life in our midst, and so on Friday I did lead that service at Fountain Street, and I suppose you can imagine that after getting that call and knowing that that was my assignment, my mind could not register on much else. I think I preached about a hundred funeral sermons from 3:30 to 5:00 in the morning every night, it © Grand Valley State University   �To the Wonder…Joy of Life! Richard A. Rhem Page 2   seemed. I had not submitted my preaching for my return. We had left somewhat early and I thought I would have time down there to worry about that, as often I do. But, I just couldn’t determine what to do. I was so filled with thinking about Duncan and the whole impact of his life on my life and the larger community. Finally, I said to Nancy, “I think I’m simply going to do three sermons on Sunday mornings, ‘A Littlefair Legacy,’ and then on Ash Wednesday night concluding that series,” because it’s really all I could be thinking about. Thinking about last Friday, I couldn’t possibly somehow or other turn around the furniture in my mind and come up with something new this morning. Some of you were there for that service on Friday and I have to apologize to you because you will hear some of the same things, but not entirely so, because there was a special relationship that Duncan had to this community. He loved this community very much. He loved to worship here. I would bring him a tape every Tuesday of the service and the next Tuesday I would pay for it. He could really get after me when he saw me slipping back into the slough of orthodoxy. But, he cared a great deal for this community and he saw here hope for his religious vision to be perpetuated. So, I thought, not only will it be good for me, but I hope it will be good for you as a community, as well, to reflect for these weeks on A Littlefair Legacy, to reflect on the impact of this most remarkable human being whom it was my rare pleasure to come to know intimately and to love and respect very deeply. I want to begin this morning where I began on Friday and that is simply to share with you what he taught me, and the heart of what he taught me was to live fully and richly, to enjoy life and to enter it with zest, to live with wonder and awe, with awareness and appreciation, with reverence and thanksgiving. I have to say to you honestly, it was that which impacted me and has changed my life over this past decade. You know because of my frequent references that Tuesday was “Tuesday’s at Duba’s” and you know that those were sacred times and we kept that religiously and as we gathered, we spoke often of the fact that when we would awaken on Tuesday morning, those few individuals that were so blessed to be there, we would say, “Ah! It’s Tuesday,” and with every passing hour our anticipation grew until, all of us at our places, Duncan would lift his glass and say, “To the Wonder, Glory, Miracle and Joy of Life!” The glasses would clink and it was a holy moment. It was good, it was just very good. And then that serious conversation would begin, and it was serious conversation. But, the thing that happened in the clinking of the glasses was that the radical diversity of that table became a community, and a community in all of our diversity in which we came to love one another and care for one another in a most remarkable way. As I came to know Duncan, I came to realize that that toast was the theme of his life. It was the very essence of his being. That man lived with a constant sense of wonder every day and throughout the whole day, in all of the varied circumstances and situations into which I ever saw him, he was one who lived with wonder, with awareness, with appreciation, with a sense of reverence and of © Grand Valley State University �To the Wonder…Joy of Life! Richard A. Rhem Page 3   deep gratitude. Duncan never had a bad day. He was the most unusual person I have ever met. The fact of the constancy, the consistency of that sense of living as a miracle, was contagious. You couldn’t be around him without feeling your own spirit rise and your own sensitivity heightened. And I began to see things that were always there but had never seen before. I began to live with a kind of awareness and appreciation that I’d simply never experienced before. It was because, in being with him often enough, long enough, in so many different situations, I saw him notice everything - a rosebud on a table set, the chorus of birds on his feeder outside his kitchen window which he delighted to watch, a sunset, a starry heaven, the lawn laid with newly fallen snow, a rainy day when he could pull up his rocker to his fireplace and to the crackling of the fire have a good book on his lap, enjoying and savoring the grayness of the clouds. If you would ever have called him in January to complain of a Michigan winter, he would have said, “It’s Wonderful! I love it!” Every day, he had no bad days; he had no desolate seasons. He was totally unimpacted by the external situation of his life because he lived out of an internal miracle that was always going on, of which he was always aware, and which he continued to bring to expression. One of his favorite poems, by poet Grace Crowell, has these lines: This day will bring some lovely thing, I say it over each new morn Some gay adventurous thing to hold Against my heart when it is gone. And so I rise and go to meet The day with wings upon my feet. I come upon it unaware, Some hidden beauty without name, A snatch of song, a breath of pine, A poem lit with golden flame, High tangled bird notes keenly thinned Like flying color on the wind. No day has ever failed me quite. Before the grayest day is done I come upon some misty bloom Or a late line of crimson sun. Each night I pause remembering some gay adventurous lovely thing. That is exactly how he lived more consistently than anyone I’ve ever known. As I came to know him and to experience him more and more, I found my own awareness and appreciation of life growing. He changed my life. © Grand Valley State University �To the Wonder…Joy of Life! Richard A. Rhem Page 4   In Florida I did take down Gary Dorrien’s second volume of The Making of American Theology, and I went back over some things I had read before about the Chicago School. Duncan graduated from the University of Chicago, did his doctoral work there, getting out around 1939-1940, somewhere in there. The Chicago School was a famous school of theology at the time. It was really the center of theological ferment in the country, a pioneer in the movement they called Theological Modernism, and I was re-reading again the story of that. There was a theologian-scholar there named George Burman Foster, and I identify with Foster, because Foster, coming out of a very pious and orthodox Baptist experience, moved across the whole spectrum of religious experience to a naturalist-humanist kind of understanding, and yet he wrestled through it all. As I was reading Gary Dorrien’s account, I read of Foster, who said the content of revelation is in holy personalities. When I read that, I thought, “Dear God, that’s true.” He went on to say ideas are important, but we are not saved by ideas. We are saved by persons, by personalities who embody the ideas. He said as fire kindles fire, and not some theory about the flame, so people save people. I thought, “It’s true.” And then I thought of my own life. While I was in Florida a week after Duncan died, another great friend of mine, Dr. Eugene Osterhaven, died at age 88. Dr. Osterhaven was a professor at Western Seminary for many, many years, he was a great friend of this congregation, he was a dear friend of mine, he married Nancy and me in 1972, and we have been in contact ever since. He prayed for me every day. In the opening years he prayed thanking God for me, in latter years he prayed petitioning God to save me. But, he was one of my dear, old friends who never forsook me, even though he couldn’t believe that I was really as bad as rumor had it. So, I thought of Gene Osterhaven. He was teaching an adult class here in 1960 and was the one that engineered my call here in 1960. And then he was teaching again in 1970 when you were without a pastor, and once again he was an instrument to bring me back here. So, Gene Osterhaven played a big part in my life, and I loved him. He was a beautiful, beautiful human being. He was an orthodox Reformed theologian. I learned my Reformed theology from Gene Osterhaven. I put my mind on his desk and asked him to shape it and to form it. I was totally brainwashed, at my request. That’s where I came from. Then, after about seven years of pastoral work, there began to be some cracks in the armor and I began to have more questions than I had answers, which was a relief to my people, because when I came out of seminary I had all the answers and didn’t even know what the questions were. It was my privilege then to go to the Netherlands and there I had this good fortune of another Professor, Hendrikus Berkhof, whom I have quoted here again and again, again what a beautiful human being he was. He also was a Reformed theologian, but a Reformed theologian who had brought a critical view to the faith and fresh insights and new formulations, and he led me into the place where I could do my own theological thinking. © Grand Valley State University �To the Wonder…Joy of Life! Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Maybe you remember that just a few years ago before he died, he was 80 years old and the University of Leiden celebrated him. They had a big day arranged with a panel of scholars, and I was the only foreign student to be invited back, and I got to say a few words. I didn’t talk about him in terms of his theology, I talked about him in terms of his personhood. I talked about the fact that in the crisis of my own life, Henk Berkhof was a pastor and was full of care and compassion, and I concluded my remarks with “Thank God for the man!” And the Dutch paper the next day, in telling the story of that event, used that phrase in the headline - “Thank God for the Man!” He was brought to the occasion from a nursing home where he was at that time, and I knew as I was with him, it would be the last time I was with him. I spent two hours with him and I wrung every bit of wisdom and insight I could out of him. Then I said to him, “You know, Henk, when I was studying here in the 60s, you were looking in this direction, and now as we talk, I sense that you are looking in that direction.” He said, “Say that again.” I said, “Well, you were talking much more about Karl Barth now than you are about Kuitert and I just sense that there has been some shift as you have come to the end - have you moved?” “Ah,” he said. I said, “You know, I feel so close to you it’s like if you drew a circle, we would be in the circle, but I feel like you’re looking in one direction and I’m looking in another.” He said, “Yah, and that’s the way it should be, for a student must go beyond his teacher.” Now, there’s a teacher for you. There’s grace for you. He gave me permission to go on and I did go on, and this last decade, having encountered Duncan Littlefair, it was a transformation, the next step, moving from orthodoxy to critical Reformed reflection to religion that is natural and human, for I saw in Duncan that his life was the fruit of his theological religious understanding. He was deeply rooted theologically, philosophically. He never talked about it. He didn’t preach about it. He didn’t burden his people like I have burdened you. He celebrated life with them, but when I probed because that’s who I am, I kept probing to say, “Okay, tell me. How does this blossom form?” And I realized it was because he wasn’t looking for God outside of the world, some kind of supernatural being in control, now and then intervening. He saw the mystery of the holy and the sacred as the unfolding of this cosmic drama of which we are a part. Religion for him was totally natural and wholly human, and it was the appreciation and the awareness and the wonder of this cosmic miracle into which our lives are woven and we, as that emerging consciousness of this whole drama. © Grand Valley State University �To the Wonder…Joy of Life! Richard A. Rhem Page 6   And so, little by little, I began to see that that beautiful life was the consequence of a consistent vision. Sometimes on Tuesdays all hell had broken loose somewhere in the world, evil had been perpetrated on other human beings, and we would raise our glass in the somberness of whatever event might have been, and then Dunc would say, “Even in the darkness ...” because he accepted life, not as he wanted it to be, but as it is, and even in the darkness it could not cloud the joy or remove the miracle. So, I read Ecclesiastes 3. He could have written it, all of the diversity of human experience. I owe to Don Hoekstra that translation. If you read it in your scriptures, it says there is a time to do this and a time to do that. I always winced a bit when it came to “There is a time to kill and a time to make war.” Don’s translation helps me to see that what that poet was saying is not there’s a time to do this, as though it ought to be done, but as a matter of fact, that’s what we do. This is the way life is. This is the human condition, and it is this that Duncan was able to embrace. His religious vision enabled him to transcend that darkness and to live in the constant light of the unfolding miracle. The Apostle Paul wasn’t too bad, either. He said, “Rejoice. Again, I say rejoice. And don’t worry about anything, but by everything with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passes human understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ.” And then he went on to thank them for the gift they had given them, the Philippian congregation, and he said to them, “But, don’t think I need your gift.” (That reminds me of Duncan. He lived with such detachment.) “But, thanks for the gift. It was good of you. I didn’t really need it. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. I know how to be full and I know how to be empty.” Some think they get a hint of stoicism in Paul. I think Duncan was even better than Paul, because I never got the sense of stoicism, not like “I’ll grit my teeth and get through this day.” Rather, “So, this is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it and be very glad. So, it’s raining or snowing or hailing, so it is winter or summer or spring or fall. I will live in the wonder, the miracle, and the glory and joy of life.” Wow! That’s a life. References: Grace Crowel (1877-1969), “The Day,” 1926. Gary Dorrien. The Making of American Liberal Theology: Idealism, Realism, and Modernity, 1900-1950. Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. © Grand Valley State University � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Epiphany V Series A Littlefair Legacy Scripture Text Ecclesiastes 3, Philippians 4 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI References Gary Dorrien. Making of American Liberal Theology, Vol. 2: Idealism, Realism, and Modernity, 1900-1950. Westminister John Knox Press, 2003. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-20040208 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2004-02-08 Title A name given to the resource To the Wonder, Glory, Miracle and Joy of Life! Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 8, 2004 entitled "To the Wonder, Glory, Miracle and Joy of Life!", as part of the series "A Littlefair Legacy", on the occasion of Epiphany V, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Ecclesiastes 3, Philippians 4. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Littlefair miracle of life Natural religion Wonder https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/47a58715a08f633b79773c3b150cc616.pdf 11d0ea06e649523f6a1d04d1cf28152d PDF Text Text ������ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Summers in Saugatuck-Douglas Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. Kutsche Office of Local History Description An account of the resource Collection contains images and documents digitized and collected through the project "Stories of Summer," supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage Grant. The collection aims to document the twin lakeshore communities of Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan, as they transformed through the state's bustling tourism industry and acceptance of minorities. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1910s-2010s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Douglas (Mich.) Michigan, Lake Allegan County (Mich.) Beaches Sand dunes Outdoor recreation Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Saugatuck-Douglas History Center Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Stories of Summer (Common Heritage project) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Text Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-07_SD-Misc_Toad-ville-USA Title A name given to the resource Toad-Ville U.S.A House of Music Description An account of the resource Proposal from the Chamber of Commerce to establish a music hall. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Allegan County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Digital file collected by the Kutsche Office of History as part of the Stories of Summer Project. Relation A related resource Stories of Summer (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3b1a0c30855a71b49f1ad83da6b5a188.jpg f76417985ea2dfd9311cf4738a67e743 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c969f25ad43655e1154c4f875b2c4f35.jpg 5838621fc0f02108e17bb9b687e12482 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Summers in Saugatuck-Douglas Collection Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. Kutsche Office of Local History Description An account of the resource Collection contains images and documents digitized and collected through the project "Stories of Summer," supported by a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage Grant. The collection aims to document the twin lakeshore communities of Saugatuck and Douglas, Michigan, as they transformed through the state's bustling tourism industry and acceptance of minorities. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1910s-2010s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Douglas (Mich.) Michigan, Lake Allegan County (Mich.) Beaches Sand dunes Outdoor recreation Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Saugatuck-Douglas History Center Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Stories of Summer (Common Heritage project) Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg application/pdf Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Text Language A language of the resource English Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-07_SD-July-1962-16 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1962-07 Title A name given to the resource Toadville 1963 Description An account of the resource A color photo of a group of three men and two women seated around two tables. Beer bottles and glasses sit on the table, and two of the men hold cigarettes. The back side of "Toadville 1963." It reads: "Noel, Mary, Leo, Joan & Vince" in the top, and along the bottom right corner 2017.13.04a is written. Subject The topic of the resource Michigan Saugatuck (Mich.) Allegan County (Mich.) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Digital file collected by the Kutsche Office of History as part of the Stories of Summer Project. Relation A related resource Stories of Summer (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/">Copyright Undetermined</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/23dcc63edbe14fbd107cd1d82c8a07a9.pdf f320422886daa94b204248ed5bdc9b0a PDF Text Text Grand Valley State University Veterans' History Project Bryan Tobias Peacetime 22 minutes 42 seconds (00:00:26) Enlisting in the Air Force Pt. 1 -Graduated from high school -Enlisted six months after graduating from high school on the delayed enlistment program -Graduated in May, and started training the following the following May -Enlisted in the Air Force (00:01:53) Basic Training -Almost missed the bus to get transported to basic training -Didn't know where to pick up the bus in Grand Rapids, Michigan -Flew from Detroit to San Antonio, Texas for basic training -Note: Most likely Lackland Air Force Base -Basic training was a rude awakening -Got screamed at by drill instructors as soon as he and the other recruits got off the bus -He would do basic training again -Remembers his drill instructors scaring all of the recruits -Purpose of basic training was breaking down the recruits and rebuilding them as a unit -Remembers doing physical training and learning military time (24 hour clock) and jargon -Went to the firing range -Learned how to break down and fire the M16 rifle (00:04:10) Advanced Training -Received advanced training in the area of mechanics and materials handling equipment -Worked with forklifts and aircraft loaders -Aircraft loaders were the size of a school bus without the shell -Had a deck that could be elevated to load supplies onto aircraft -Spent 16 weeks training in Illinois -Note: Most likely at Chanute Air Force Base (00:05:06) Adjusting to the Air Force -Adjusted well to the Air Force and enjoyed it -Liked the lack of ambiguity -Believes that Air Force food is the best food in the military -Least demanding physical training in the military -Only had run a mile and a half in 16 to 18 miutes -Made friends easily and quickly in the Air Force (00:06:35) Assignments in the Air Force -After completing training in Rantoul, Illinois he spent eight years in Anchorage, Alaska -Note: Most likely received advanced training at Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois -Note: Most likely stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska -After Anchorage he was reassigned to Fort Walton Beach, Florida in northern Florida -Note: Most likely Eglin Air Force Base -Never stationed outside of the United States -Alaska counted as overseas duty despite being in the United States (00:07:37) Friendships in the Air Force Pt. 1 -Had a brotherly relationship with the other airmen �-Looked out for each other both during duty and off duty -Friendships continued after he got out of the Air Force (00:08:51) Contact with Home -Only allowed to write letters during basic training -When he was two-thirds done with basic training he was allowed to call home -Allowed five minutes of phone time once a week -During advanced training he was allowed unlimited phone time during his downtime (00:09:43) Downtime -Spent his downtime fishing and working on cars with friends -Helped friends with various projects -Helped install a septic system -Helped set up mailboxes (00:10:30) End of Service & Life after Service Pt. 1 -Discharged when he was in Florida -Packed up his belongings -Allowed to fly home, or drive home -Chose to drive home with his precious possessions -Challenging to readjust to civilian life -Lots of ambiguity in civilian life -Civilians could question orders without repercussions (00:12:18) Friendships in the Air Force Pt. 2 -Maintained contact with a friend from Tennessee -Best man at Bryan's friend's wedding -Stood as best man at another Air Force friend's wedding -Still keeps in touch with him via phone calls and spending time with him -Meets with a friend who lives in Ohio (00:13:34) Reflections on Service Pt. 1 -It was both a positive and negative experience serving in the Air Force -Hard to understand ambiguity after leaving the service -Taught him how to follow orders without question -Still has a “military personality” without thinking about it -Taught him to be decisive -Do what you mean and say what you mean -Has positive feelings about the military as a whole -Questions the political and military leadership in some instances -Questions America's position as the world police -Understands America's strength and why it's called to do that role -Doesn't always agree with America's actions, but understands the reasoning (00:16:39) Enlisting in the Air Force Pt. 2 -Chose the Air Force because it had the best eduction opportunities and best food in the military -Air Force is the most “civilian” branch of all of the branches of the military -Most civilian atmosphere -Learned how to work with computers, trucks, and infrastructure -Most practical skills to have as a civilian -More beneficial training experience than combat training -Air Force introduced him to computer work -Foreign experience, but good experience (00:19:12) Reflections on Service Pt. 2 -Only enlist in the military if you're committed �-Knew men that enlisted without being committed and wound up in correctional custody -There were a lot of men that refused to conform to military life -Worked in correctional custody for six months and saw a lot of men like that -Have to be physically and emotionally prepared for military service (00:20:54) Life after Service Pt. 2 -Received well by family and his community -By the 1980s, the social perspective about the military had changed since the Vietnam War -Civilians understood troops fought the wars that outside actors started -Treatment of veterans has improved since the Vietnam War -He is comfortable being a veteran � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Veterans History Project Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. History Department Description An account of the resource The Library of Congress established the Veterans History Project in 2001 to collect memories, accounts, and documents of U.S. war veterans from World War II and the Korean War, Vietnam War, and conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, and to preserve these stories for future generations. The GVSU History Department interviews are part of this work-in-progress, and may contain videos and audio recordings, transcripts and interview outlines, and related documents and photographs. Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1914- Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Afghan War, 2001--Personal narratives, American Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981--Personal narratives, American Korean War, 1950-1953--Personal narratives, American Michigan--History, Military Oral history Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States--History, Military United States. Air Force United States. Army United States. Navy Veterans Video recordings Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, American Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smither, James Boring, Frank Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27 Language A language of the resource eng Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project interviews (RHC-27)</a> Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context RHC-27_TobiasB1847V Title A name given to the resource Tobias, Bryan L (Interview outline), 2015 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-04-20 Description An account of the resource Bryan Tobias enlisted in the Air Force six months after he graduated from high school. He received basic training in San Antonio, Texas and received mechanical and material training in Rantoul, Illinois (most likely at Chanute Air Force Base). After training he spent eight years in Anchorage, Alaska (most likely at Elmendorf Air Force Base) and completed his service at Fort Walton Beach, Florida (most likely at Eglin Air Force Base). Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tobias, Bryan L. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Tobias, Timothy (Interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Veterans History Project (U.S.) United States--History, Military Veterans Video recordings Iran-Iraq War, 1980-1988--Personal narratives, American Persian Gulf War, 1991--Personal narratives, American United States. Air Force Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/455">Veterans History Project collection, (RHC-27)</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University Libraries, Allendale, Michigan Relation A related resource Veterans History Project (U.S.) Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource application/pdf https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3afbe3e6ef419f2e226b5beceb23aafc.mp4 2361093f928533ec2fbb112295e11053 https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/785983ef6c5962665f9d7ab4455dc1ad.pdf 8788fcee1f211068e8afbd693fd9604b PDF Text Text Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 DD: I am Dani DeVasto, and today June 16th I have the pleasure of chatting with Tobyn Mcnaughton, hi Tobyn. TM: Hi. DD: Tobyn, can you tell me about where you’re from and where you currently live? TM: Yeah, I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And currently I reside in Belmont, which is kind of part of Grand Rapids, just a little smaller like sub-town part of Plainfield township. So, I actually grew up in Plainfield township also, and then just moved about 10 min away to Belmont after having some adventures in teaching down in Kansas. I lived there for a year but now I’m here in Belmont, and I’ve been since 2012. DD: You anticipated my next question, which is how long have you been there so thanks for that. Can you tell me a story about your experience with PFAS, or with PFAS in your community? TM: Yeah, so I, like I said, I lived in Kansas for a year, and I had been dating my boyfriend, and he lived up here in Michigan, and I said if I’m moving back to Kansas or from Kansas back to Michigan we need to get married and get a house and do all that, you know, living the dream stuff. And he said “okay, you know, let’s do that.” And like okay. So, when we came back up after we started looking at houses, maybe like 3 or 4, and we found the house that we live in now and just fell in love with the space. We have about 3 acres, have plenty of room for the potential of children, and it butts right up to the highway, and were like, oh we can get used to that like the highway noise eventually it’ll turn into white noise. And so, we decided this was our dream house and we were super stoked about it. And then we got married and 2 years after we got married, we had our first son, and his name is Jack, and everything was awesome, and we were just having the good life, like you know things were working out for us really well. Then one day I stayed home sick from work and my son and I both were not feeling so well and I got a knock on the door. And I was like okay what’s going on here and a man had handed me an envelope and said this is from a law office, it’s about your water and we’re having this meeting the next day, a meeting tomorrow if you can attend it would be great for you to come and listen to what we have to say. And I was like, this sounds very bizarre, I feel like he is trying to scam me or something. I was just very untrusting of this I was like this is just strange, and so my husband got home from work, and I was like this guy came earlier today and he gave me this envelope and said it was about our water but he is from a law office so that doesn’t make any sense he is not from the health department or from any other agency like that. So, Seth took a look at it and he’s like this actually sounds legit like this could be an issue for us, I was like okay and so he went to the meeting, and they filled us in on the potential of our well-being contaminated from a dump that is about 1.5 miles south of us across the highway behind us. And I was like this doesn’t make any sense because why would a law office be telling us this and not anybody else. And so he started, he is just the personality where he is like I am going to investigate I need to know more information, so he started calling as many people as he could figure out who to call, the health department at the township, different places, and finally got ahold of someone and she 1 �Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 said “ Yeah, you probably shouldn’t be drinking your well water right now.”, and that was a big shock because no one up to that point nobody had said yeah you probably shouldn’t drink your water until we started calling and asking. And that’s where everything kind of began and then after that is just kind of phone call after phone call after making appointments to have people come and check out our well. So, that all started in August of August 2017, and then by October we knew that we had 1,961 parts per trillion of PFAS in our well. And also learned that 70 was kind of the number that they had decided in the EPA was the safe, the safer number. So, that and then our life has been the same ever since then. [laughs] DD: And, and what has that meant for your life moving forward at this point, if you want to expand on that TM: Yeah, so of course your first question. You know, after the initial shock of your well-being that contaminated that you’ve been drinking since you’ve moved here in 2012 and being pregnant, I was like I’m going to do everything right: I’m going to drink 8 glasses of water a day, I’m going to breastfeed, I’m going to do all the things, and then you stop and you’re like what if that was the worst thing I could’ve done. Like what does that mean for our bodies, so the second question was of course, well this is in our drinking water so what’s in our bodies. And so, you know, starting to try to figure out, what do we do? Like will we be getting sick? Who knows like how- who do we talk to? So, it was a lot of our own- like we had to be our own advocates and say we want to be tested, we want to be looked at, we need to know more information, and just hitting a lot of walls. Well, we don’t have a lot of information so, you know, a lot of the time I felt like people were like just, “Oh well you know, we don’t know so just don’t worry about it.”. Well, I’m going to worry about it because that’s a lot, and at the time we ended up we did get our blood tested because a law firm paid for us to do that. They felt concerned enough themselves about our situation that they said we should have this looked into for you which I am eternally grateful for because no one else wanted to. The people that I thought should care didn’t seem to and I ended up going to the health department and kind of doing my, you know, I’m angry, like I want to know- I didn’t put this in my body someone else did. Whether it was 50 years ago they dumped it till, 30 years later till, you know, longer than that, like it doesn’t matter to me, the time frame. It’s just I am ingesting something that I didn’t put in my body and I deserve to know what is in there. And it took about a year for them to kind of do a 180 on whether to blood test or not. So, I guess basically for myself what it meant was- jumping into advocacy when I didn’t want to, or know what that meant, or what that looked like, but just something like you had just-- to me I just had to do it because I needed to know this information, knowledge is power kind of you know the more information we have the better off were going to be. And I had some neighbors that agreed with that too and jumped in on that with me. So, and then for my son at the time it meant a lot of pokes, a lot of blood draws, a lot of measuring trying to see what was going on with him and monitoring what was going on with him, and being worried like every day if, you know, how this is going to affect him in the future. [deep breath] So, it really stresses me out like I can tell I’m just like, [deep breath], you know it just stresses me out all the time, and now that we have more information than we did before, like there is still a lot of unknowns and it's really scary. 2 �Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 DD: Yeah, I can imagine. It sounds like you’ve had to do a lot of this work on your own, or kind of self-advocating. TM: Mhm, yeah, I guess one positive thing that’s come out of it is there’s five of us ladies, that are neighbors, we started getting together and like just ground floor like where do we start, who do we talk to first, and just making phone calls reaching out to people and the government mostly because of you know the kind of where we had to direct our attention to, you know, get these laws put into place of like this chemical shouldn’t be dumped, anywhere, and it shouldn’t be these high of amounts that people are, you know, shouldn’t be okay with, we have to figure out a real number not something that is arbitrary like something that will really say how this can affect you and why it’s not good for you. So, yeah, we just kind of started from nothing and just talked to as many people as we could and attended as many meetings and conferences as we could. And we went to DC. Two of my neighbors and I got meetings with our senators, our state senators, and one of our representatives, and we went to DC and we said please listen to us because, and I brought a picture of my son with me and I wrote his PFAS levels on it, and I said if any legislation, like if you’ve been thinking about making a bill about this, or something slides across your desk, I want you to look at this picture of Jack and know that you have to do something because there’s going to be a lot more kids than him and we have to you know try to get ahead of it and stop it from contaminating other communities. And that- we’ve helped other communities too that have, you know, newly contaminated areas just finding out that they’re contaminated now they can look us up and be like “Oh well they’ve dealt with this for a couple of years now so let’s ask them where did they start what did they do.”. So, met lots of people. Unfortunately, like a lot of, you know people, that are also highly contaminated, you know at the time of Jack's blood results he was, as far as we knew, had the highest level of PFAS in his body of any child in the whole United States. I haven’t heard any number higher than him since then, but we need to do more testing and you know more investigating and-- but it was, I was able to reach out to people in New York that had issues, and ask them too like “What is- what is your community doing?” “They’re doing biomonitoring.” “Okay how do we get biomonitoring?”, and then kind of working on it from there and now we're finally starting to get into that space where we’re part of a health study. So, and I might’ve like went off on a tangent a little, sorry [laugh]. But, yeah, that’s kind of- and it’s just we have another son now, and I went through two miscarriages in a row, and it was- that’s very difficult anyway for any woman to go through. It was very hard. We wanted to have a second child; we’ve put our family planning on hold when we heard about everything going on. But then with a lot of the people that we talked to that were like “Well you probably don’t need to be concerned, like we’re- we don’t know.”. So, I was like okay so we kind of started back up again, then to have the two losses, you know, makes you like very concerned and then I found out that if I I was suggested to take progesterone to help with the third pregnancy, I ended up with if I’ve started progesterone right away that maybe it would bring the pregnancy to be viable. And then in my own research online there was a study done over in Europe about the link between PFAS and progesterone. And how the levels are much lower in woman that have PFAS contamination, so of course I bring that information to the people that I had been talking to and to my lawyers and things like that and someone had said, “Well that was done in Europe, that doesn’t matter here.”, and when you hear something like 3 �Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 that, I’m like are you nuts? Like why would you even say that to anybody, but especially me going through all this hard time. Like well that was a study in Europe, like that doesn’t, and like how does that not- I don’t -it still boggles my mind. They were like, “Well we have to do our own study here if we want to really find like the links.”. And like, this is insane because yeah, there’s so much more information like Australia’s done, you know they’ve had a lot of issues with it, Italy, other places in Europe have done lots of other studies and things- I’ve actually, I can’t see it, but I have my shirt on that I got from a lady in Italy, she gave this to me when we went to Boston to the national PFAS conference which was really the international conference because there were so many other countries represented there. She has been fighting and stuff over there and they have a lot of information, and it’s like why aren’t we talking, you know, like why can’t we all figure this out and have some kind of, you know, like come to consensus of why this forever chemical is really bad, because we know- we know you shouldn’t eat it or drink it, we know you shouldn’t have it in your body, but if you do get it in your body we should all be figuring out what to do. So, yeah, I took that progesterone, and I can’t prove it, but I now have a 16-month-old boy that’s pretty healthy. Haven’t had any blood draws done on him just yet, but he’s had a lot less issues than my first son so hopefully that’s because we’ve stopped exposure and have been slowly losing some. Because right now really time is our only thing that we can do to get it out of our bodies at this point, so yeah. DD: Well congratulations on baby two. TM: Yeah, Bruce, yeah, he is a spunky little guy. [laugh] DD: He must be. [laughs] TM: Yeah. [Laughs] DD: Well, speaking of time, can you tell me about any concerns that you have about PFAS contamination moving forward? I think you’ve hinted at maybe a few but. TM: Yeah, concerns going forward- thankfully there has been legislation now that’s made its appearance in the US government too. He's upstairs with the babysitter, [laughs], sorry. DD: Being spunky. TM: Yeah, you know, so we do have some you know legislation that’s been coming through in Michigan. We’ve had some things come through, and the state legislator- legislature to get MCLs [maximum contaminant levels] lowered or you know things like that so in the future- I’m hoping that I can start to jump back into more of advocating and attending more meetings and doing more now that I’m over a year postpartum and like covid’s been so crazy. So, I’m hoping that I can get back into more meetings and advocacy stuff. So, yeah, my concern right now is testing our blood, figuring out what it could mean finding those- the links, you know, between health issues that people are experiencing and what their PFAS levels are. Getting the health departments in different areas more on board on- the same page of how important it is to do a health study when you have a highly contaminated group of people. Use that to your advantage of getting that data and, you know, it could help people in the future, and then it has been 4 �Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 encouraging to hear in the news like fast food places are phasing out their PFAS wrappers and different places are starting to become more PFAS free, and then the next concern is like whatever they’re replacing the PFAS with, whatever chemical they’ve invented or whatever they are trying to replace it with, how safe is that, and what are really the appropriate ways to use it and dispose of it. So, lots of things like that and it’s just something that I know that we're just going to- it’s a forever chemical and it's going to be a forever thing for me to be thinking about it, talking about it, working on it with other agencies and stuff like that so. DD: How do you feel about that? That it’s going to be a forever thing for you, to be thinking, you know, like it’s never not going to be a part of your world anymore, and it probably was never on your radar I’m assuming before. TM: Nope, yeah, it’s really frustrating, you know, especially when you’re talking to people about it and they’re like “You’re still dealing with that?”. Yeah, it’s going to be like- this is our life now like PFAS life we’re never not going to be dealing with it, so yeah it's not like something that we can just wash out of our bodies and just be done with it and move on, especially just my personality is I feel compelled to warn other people and try to help other people, so as more communities find out that this is their problem too, you know, it’s- but it’s really frustrating and we worry about it a lot. DD: Before we wrap up today, is there anything else that you would like to add that we haven’t touched on or anything that you want to go back to and say more about? TM: [Sighs] I guess- I just- I hope that by me talking about it more people hear about it, because there’s even some people that live like kind of in the Belmont Rockford area that still are like “What are you? What's PFAS? What are you talking about?”, and I’m like you’ve really- like we’ve been dealing with this for almost 4 years now and you're still are not quite sure about it. So, I guess I’m hoping that more people will hear it and be concerned, and not just kind of like shrug it off, you know, realize that it’s in the rivers ,and lakes ,and different water sources and just because we’re in the United States doesn’t mean our water is 100 percent safe, like we really take it for granted that we have clean water sources, but they’re not as clean as we hope. So, we all need to be concerned about it, not just the people that are super contaminated by it, like I’m hoping that other people can be concerned about it too, and that’s why I appreciate you looking into this and deciding to do an archive of it. Because that just gives more people the access to the information. DD: Which seems like that’s been a real challenge for you and your stories. Either finding access to information or helping others get access to that information. TM: Yes, yeah. DD: Well, thank you so much Tobyn for taking the time to share your story today. TM: Yes, you’re welcome. [laughs] DD: Okay, I’m going to stop5 �Living with PFAS Interviewee: Tobyn McNaughton Interviewer: Dani DeVasto Date: June 16, 2021 6 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Living with PFAS Interviews Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Devasto, Danielle Description An account of the resource Beginning in 2021, the Living with PFAS interviews were recorded to gather the personal stories of individuals impacted by PFAS contamination. PFAS, or per- and polyflourinated substances, are a large group of human-made chemicals used widely since the 1940s to make coatings and products resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. They can be found in countless household items, including food packaging, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant furniture, and water-resistant clothing. These chemicals are often called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily, can move through soils and contaminate drinking water sources, and build up in animals, plants, and people. PFAS have been linked to increased incidences of various cancers, increased cholesterol, decreased fertility, birth defects, kidney and liver disease, and immune system suppression, and thyroid dysfunction. It is estimated that PFAS are in the drinking water of more than 200 million Americans (Andrews & Naidenko, 2020). In Michigan alone, over 280 sites have PFAS contamination exceeding maximum contamination levels for groundwater (MPART, 2024). Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Living with PFAS (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In copyright Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Personal narrative PFAs (Perfluorinated chemicals) Groundwater--Pollution Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DC-11 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf audio/mp3 Type The nature or genre of the resource Motion Picture Text Sound Language A language of the resource eng Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PFAS0011 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource McNaughton, Tobyn Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021-06-16 Title A name given to the resource Tobyn McNaughton, 2021 (Interview video and transcript) Description An account of the resource Tobyn McNaughton was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan and now lives in Belmont, Michigan. In this interview, Tobyn discusses how the McNaughton family learned about the PFAS present in their home's well water in 2017 and the impact it has had on their daily lives and health. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource DeVasto, Danielle (interviewer) Subject The topic of the resource Oral history Personal narrative PFAs (Perfluorinated chemicals) Groundwater--Pollution Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Living with PFAS (project) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In copyright</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Moving Image Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video/mp4 application/pdf Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c0816778f9d21ff725ac66f3b03db380.pdf c90b780f62da8ad157c5cbb7fefbd3d1 PDF Text Text Today…Paradise… From the series: The Seven Last Words of Christ Text: Luke 23:32-43 Richard A. Rhem Christ Community Church Spring Lake, Michigan February 27, 1994 Transcription of the spoken sermon In the four Gospels there are seven utterances recorded from the cross. We call them the “Seven words from the cross.” They are not words that were taken down by a court reporter, as it were. They are, rather, windows through which we can see how the respective evangelists understood the meaning of the death of Jesus, how they interpreted the cross. Those words give us insight into their understanding in those decades following the death of Jesus when they tried to tell the story and make some sense of that crucifixion of the one whom they had called Lord and Messiah. Luke records three words. The second we take up this morning. It has to do with the dialogue between Jesus and the criminal who was crucified with him. Luke tells us that there were two criminals crucified with Jesus: one on his right hand and one on his left. The two criminals were colleagues together in their revolutionary activity, but they are contrasted by Luke in the manner of their death in relationship to Jesus who hung between them. The one, angry, railing on Jesus, dying with a curse on his lips. The other, broken, overwhelmed by the grace of Jesus, asking for Jesus to remember him. The one dying in belligerence, the other dying in grace. Who were they, and what was going on in this drama on the cross? Well, as a matter of fact, we don’t know. Nothing is told of these two men, not even a name. Although, wherever there’s a vacuum, pious imagination will fill in the blanks. So, one has been named, and legends by the legion have been told of these two, and how it happened that the one turned to Jesus in his dying hour. But all of that we know nothing of, really. What we do know, however, is that the time of Jesus was a time when there was a great revolutionary ferment in the air. That we know. The more they study and understand the historical situation, the social, the political, economic context in which Jesus lived and died, the more we understand that this was a time in which there was a ferment in the air. There was a widespread Messianic expectation, and there was an apocalyptic spirit abroad. © Grand Valley State University   �Today…Paradise… Richard A. Rhem Page 2   Apocalyptic is a word that means unveiling. And what people were looking for was that moment when God would unveil God’s self and reveal his rule of righteousness, throwing down the evil and establishing the right. Apocalyptic is what people turn to when they get desperate in their human situation. A person who is caught up with apocalypticism is a person who has given up on history, has given up on human government, who has given up on human structures and systems, sees absolutely no hope, totally despairs, sees the human scene as futile and, therefore, cries to heaven that the heavens might be rent and God would come down and make things right. There were all kinds of forms of this, but we do know that this was operative because, in all of the four Gospels, the name Barabbas appears. Barabbas was that insurrectionist, we are told, who was imprisoned and Pilate, in order to get Jesus off his back, having a sense that he really was a ploy and guilty of nothing, offered to the Jewish leaders the release of Barabbas or Jesus, hoping they would choose Jesus and he could be done with this Jesus affair. That story is in all four Gospels in various degrees, the idea that, at the festival of the Passover, this time of great ferment in the city of Jerusalem, a political prisoner would be released to the crowd. Matthew even calls Barabbas, Jesus Barabbas. Luke, not so, just Barabbas. Matthew makes it so pointed as to have Pilate say, “Will you have me release for you Jesus Barabbas or Jesus of Nazareth?” Of course, they cried, “Barabbas. Crucify Jesus.” And so it goes. Those who were crucified with Jesus were most likely insurrectionists, revolutionaries, perhaps a part of a guerilla band, dedicated to the overthrow of the occupying power. Now, they certainly knew the odds. But whenever a people are desperate enough, and this apocalyptic vision stirs them, and messianism is in the air, they take radical measures in order to change their situation, which is hopeless anyway. Whenever you see this happening in the human story you know that the massive peasant class is being pressed down below subsistence level. The world is a dangerous place whenever there are any people who have nothing to lose. And the peasant masses of Palestine under the occupying Roman power, with which the leadership of that people also collaborated and accommodated, were a seedbed of violent revolution. Jesus did not take that way. But Barabbas did. And very likely the two who hung, the one on his right hand and one on his left, were a part of some guerilla band. We know from the historical sources of the time that there were any number of messianic pretenders at the time of Jesus. Jesus himself did not claim to be Messiah. He was acclaimed to be Messiah after his death by the Jesus movement. But there were any number of those at that time who did claim to be the Messiah, and they came to nothing. And there were those who led a band across the Jordan into the wilderness in order to duplicate the movement of ancient Israel when Joshua led them into the Promised Land, and in their duplicating that event, hoped that somehow or other God would move and some miraculous deliverance would come. This was what was in the air, and those who hung with © Grand Valley State University �Today…Paradise… Richard A. Rhem Page 3   Jesus were probably caught up in that kind of revolutionary activity. And the one continued to his dying breath, full of anger, full of hate, full of curses, joining in with the soldiers and the leaders mocking Jesus, saying, “If you are king of the Jews. If you are the Messiah, save yourself and us.” There’s something rather heroic about that. This was a “rebel with a cause,” and he died. He went down in flames — for the cause to which he had committed his life. No whiner, no wimp. This one died! With his fist clenched! Throughout the human story we can see this kind of thing. Remember the 60s? Some of you are too young. There was Martin Luther King with his nonaggression, his passive resistance. There was Malcolm X whose life has been brought to the screen a year ago and reminded us of one who looked at Martin Luther King and thought he was a wimp, who could bring a few folks to a lunch counter and maybe from the back of the bus, but wouldn’t really change the situation because the situation needed radical surgery — transformation — revolution! Malcolm X himself went through a transformation. But he would have been one before that, who would have been the railing criminal on the cross, deriding Jesus to his closing breath. Time Magazine this week has Louis Farrakhan on its cover because one of his deputies recently at Keene College in New Jersey made a speech full of venom and hate over against the Jews, and because of this there is now a discussion in our own society about the Nation of Islam that Farrakhan heads, and the antiSemitism which is becoming so obvious and belligerent in that group. That kind of rhetoric in our world is so terribly dangerous. It is the kind of rhetoric that puts fear in the hearts of people and causes people to do terrible things. A young man is on trial for his life down South because, shaped and formed by that kind of scare tactic and high decibel rhetoric, he pulls out a gun and shoots a doctor as he approaches an abortion clinic, claiming now that it was the literature and the rhetoric that brainwashed him, as it were, making him not responsible. Religious fundamentalism, such as we see in those settlers in the West Bank in Israel, living with that kind of righteous anger, causing a doctor to go into a mosque with a machine gun and massacre those worshiping there. And so we cannot speak strongly enough against that kind of hate-filled rhetoric, that venom and bile that spews from a heart symbolized by the clenched fist. But as Michael Lehrner, editor of Tickon, a Jewish magazine, says, “It is one thing for us with all of our righteous indignation to look at the Nation of Islam and a Farrakhan and to decry the venom and the hate, but it is another thing for us to ask the question, ‘What is it in the human story, what is it in the human situation that causes one to become so venomous, so hateful, so angry? What is it in the social fabric of the United States of America that causes Louis Farrakhan to be able to fill any hall, gathering thousands and thousands and thousands at any appearance? Is it not because he touches a raw nerve and speaks truth to them? Truth that © Grand Valley State University �Today…Paradise… Richard A. Rhem Page 4   they have lived and experienced. It is not enough for us to decry the terrorist and to speak against violence. It is for us to say, ‘Why?’ and in that we are all in complicity.” The one, at his crucifixion, went to his death with clenched fist, cursing. And the other one? The other one rebukes his brother, acknowledges the justice of his own situation, and then unclenches his fist and with open hand reaches out to Jesus. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Broken. Suddenly, in a moment like that with not much time to live, changed, transformed. Was it the prayer of Jesus? Certainly, Luke would point us to that. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” The grace of Jesus with which he lived and with which he was dying. Was it that grace? We are really only ever changed by a concrete encounter with grace, only when we experience grace in another. And then that grace washing over us — in a moment can transform us. “Jesus, remember me.” And Jesus responded far beyond that humble request for he said, “Today you’ll be with me in paradise.” What is it that makes one person go to his death full of anger and hate, cursing, with fist clenched all the way while another opens the hand and seeks grace? Frederick Beuchner has said, “With a clenched fist you can prevail, you can grow, you can bend, you can survive, but you cannot become human. For to become human it is only the outstretched hand, acknowledging one’s dependency on grace that transforms.” Why one this way and one that way? I don’t know. I don’t know. That word from the cross today, “You will be with me in paradise.” Paradise , a word borrowed from the Persian language meaning a walled garden. The Persian king would sometimes bestow the highest honor on his subject. He would make him or her the companion of the garden. This person could be the companion of the king in walking in the walled garden, reminding us, of course, of the creation story in the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Delight where the Lord God walked with those he had created in the cool of the day. Jesus said, “The walled garden, the Eden of Delight, in the presence of God will be yours. Not because somehow or other I am dying here for you but, as I die with you, you will come with me into the presence of Eternal Life, the God who dwells in light inaccessible.” And not later, but today, here and now. For you see, when grace washes over one, then one does not wait until one’s last breath in order to experience the embrace of the Light, but rather one begins to know heaven on earth, for this is life eternal to know God, to be embraced by that Light, to be a companion in the garden here and now so that as one moves toward death, whether that be eminent, as in the case of the criminal, or whether it be afar off it matters little. For death becomes simply that portal through which one moves from Light to Light, from Light to Life with Jesus into the presence of God. © Grand Valley State University �Today…Paradise… Richard A. Rhem Page 5   Luke loves to set contrasts. He painted that portrait on Palm Sunday of Jesus weeping over the city saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if only you knew the things that make for peace, but now they are hid from your eyes. You’ve missed God’s moment.” Now Luke gives us two ways to live and two ways to die. And he says, “God simply waits to grace and forgive, both the one and the other.” And the choice we have is whether we will meet that grace now and extend the hand and make the plea and know heaven on earth as did the one criminal, or whether we will go raging into the night. Martin Luther used this text as a wonderful statement against the use of the doctrine of purgatory. That was the burning issue, of course, in the 16th century. The Pope was raising St. Peter’s and all of its glory on the basis of all the indulgences that were being sold, and if you had an extra hundred or two and you had a relative who had died and was, according to Catholic teaching, “in purgatorial fires,” going through the process of purgation, then in that abusive system of the 16th century, a little money shortened the sentence. Why, Tetzel the traveling monk would say, “when you hear the coin fall in the coffer, the soul springs out of purgatory to God.” And Martin Luther wanted none of it. He could see what a manipulative, coercive thing this was. Unfortunately, in the Reformation the Church jettisoned that insight and wisdom of the ancient Church that, even at our death we have soul work to do. Think of it for a moment. One died with clenched fist, cursing and the other with opened hand, full of grace. But their histories were very much the same. Do you suppose that the moments that the one had yet to live would have been so transformative that their destinies would have been light and darkness? Or might it be that the Light that began to dawn on the one with open hand was a Light that the other met also, with a curse only half spoken, as his breath ran out? I suspect that, in the wisdom of the ancient Church, the whole idea of purgatory was the recognition that, for all of us as we move through our life and toward its terminus point, there is yet soul work to be done. And I would like to think that there is no darkness for anyone except perhaps the one who has been embraced by the Light but who persists in saying, “Not thy will be done;” the Lord of Light might say then, “Thy will be done.” But other than that here are two ways to die. They really also represent two ways to live. The one is with clenched fist, a certain amount of strength . . . survival. But you can’t be human that way. To be human is to open the hand and simply to say, “Jesus, remember me, for God’s sake.” Then you begin to live before you die. Thank God. © Grand Valley State University � https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/22edfa4dd084ee082da70054a564e07f.mp3 d0addfcc4a9ee8346c9d8b11f6e7c61e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richard A. Rhem Collection Description An account of the resource Text and sound recordings of the sermons, prayers, services, and articles of Richard Rhem, pastor emeritus of Christ Community Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, where he served for 37 years. Starting in the mid 1980's, Rhem began to question some of the traditional Christian dogma that he had been espousing from the pulpit. That questioning was a first step in a long and interesting spiritual journey, one that he openly shared with his congregation. His journey is important, in part because it is reflective of the questioning, the yearnings, and the gradual revision of beliefs that many persons in this part of the century have experienced and continue to experience. It is important also because of the affirming and inclusive way his questioning was done and his thinking evolved. His sermons and other written and spoken materials together document the steps in his journey as it took a turn in 1985, yet continued to revolve around the framework and liturgies of the Christian calendar. Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Religion Interfaith worship Sermons Sound Recordings Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Rhem, Richard A. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/514">Richard A. Rhem papers (KII-01)</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kaufman Interfaith Institute Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1981-2014 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 text/pdf Sound A resource primarily intended to be heard. Examples include a music playback file format, an audio compact disc, and recorded speech or sounds. Event Lent II Series The Seven Last Words of Christ Scripture Text Luke 23:32-43 Location The location of the interview Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context KII-01_RA-0-19940227 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1994-02-27 Title A name given to the resource Today...Paradise Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Richard A. Rhem Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a> Subject The topic of the resource Clergy--Michigan Reformed Church in America Christ Community Church (Spring Lake, Mich.) Sermons Relation A related resource Richard A. Rhem - An Archive of Sermons, Prayers, Talks and Stories: http://richardrhem.org/ Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Sound Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio/mp3 application/pdf Description An account of the resource A sermon given by Richard A. Rhem (Dick) on February 27, 1994 entitled "Today...Paradise", as part of the series "The Seven Last Words of Christ", on the occasion of Lent II, at Christ Community Church, Spring Lake, MI. Scripture references: Luke 23:32-43. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives Apocalyptic Forgiveness Transforming Love https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a1f2949a65b88481df67e785733a60c2.jpg 985e3c7af3d8f21e69c550ef295369d4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ToftRobert_Photo01 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Toft, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Toft, Dean of College IV Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3fc94da9b44dca3610c67933d27e54f8.jpg f6e65ac44886a590af19f568b7bbf51d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ToftRobert_Photo02 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Toft, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Toft, Dean of College IV Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7faf8b27a2626b436754d93a3fd1c84c.jpg ef2014cfda6c33653f5c1e0ee2302f82 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ToftRobert_Photo03 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Toft, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Toft, Dean of College IV Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/8f663fbeeffa7b59b08571ecbe80f1a8.jpg 6b2bf17032ce8b59b5e9a34698153260 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faces of Grand Valley Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource University Communications Description An account of the resource A non-comprehensive collection of photographs of Grand Valley faculty, staff, administrators, board members, friends, and alumni. Photos collected by University Communications for use in promotion and information sharing about Grand Valley with the wider community. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1960s - 1990s Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived GV012-03. University Communications. Vita Files Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copryight Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University College administrators College teachers Colleges and universities -- Faculty Michigan Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context GV012-03 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Language A language of the resource eng Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ToftRobert_Photo04 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grand Valley State University. University Communications Title A name given to the resource Toft, Robert Description An account of the resource Robert Toft, Dean of College IV Subject The topic of the resource Grand Valley State University – History College administrators Colleges and universities – Faculty Michigan Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived University Communications. Vita Files, 1968-2016 (GV012-03) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Grand Valley State University. Special Collections and University Archives Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource In Copyright Type The nature or genre of the resource Image Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource image/jpeg Language A language of the resource eng