s7

From

Edgar Massey; Grottorp Svedjan 1; Upphärad; Sweden

Tel: (46) 520 44 19 44; Fax: (46) 520 44 19 45

emassey@massdata.se

2001-04-17

Regarding the expulsion of Marg Magowan from the work in Saskatchewan 2001

I am VERY thankful for the privilege of growing up in a professing home, of knowing Godly workers from my younger years. Since that time I have had an enormous amount of privileges in truth. I had the privilege of 16 years in the work. 8 years in Canada and 8 years in Sweden that have only given me wonderful memories and a wealth of good things to look back on.

Since then in our home here in Sweden, we have had more privileges than most, as far as Godly friends and workers being in our midst most of the time. We (my wife, 6 children and I) have had very much to be thankful for. And this has helped us through experiences that otherwise perhaps would have been negative in our lives. We do not question that these things are of God.

One thing that neither my upbringing as a boy, nor my many privileges since then, has prepared me for is the situation that I have found myself in these last months.

Seeing obvious and complete disregard for the spirit and teaching of Christ amidst us, most evident at the top of the hierarchy itself, but accepted and even encouraged as it filters its way down the ranks.

Some open questions I have placed via email!

Do you remember when the most important question for both friends and workers was what was right and wrong before God, not who it was that said it?

Do you remember when both friends and workers were encouraged to be lead by the spirit of God - and to trust that spirit unto death, if needs be?

Do you remember when the Spirit of love and compassion for all was our goal, and regarded as the spirit of Christ?

Do you remember when love was a virtue to be encouraged and respected?

Do you remember when the ministry was both poor and homeless?

Do you remember when it was an honour to be the least in the kingdom, and the concept of a hierarchy in our fellowship was discouraged?

Do you remember when we all felt that the Gospel was meant to bring 'light' to us all in our struggle to understand our lives and the purpose of God for them? Do you remember when seeking to keep the truth about situations around us in darkness, and requesting blind obedience was regarded as a tool of false religion?

This fellowship has always consisted of imperfect people but I can remember when these things where the goal, and when we were all encouraged to aim at these things.

Dear Edgar,

You have sent me a list of "remember whens" a couple of times now. It is not difficult at all to remember when these things were true because they are still true and they are still are very much a part of the fellowship that we enjoy and value so highly.

Yours, Dale Shultz

On the following 3 pages I have written some comments on these points. (not necessarily in order)

Point #2

Do you remember when both friends and workers were encouraged to be lead by the spirit of God - and to trust that spirit unto death, if needs be?

Beginning of a quote from a letter Dale wrote in 1999.

So, there are two possibilities regarding the decision of the overseers to maintain and support the status quo in Alberta.

One possibility is that the decision is a right decision for the province. That would mean that they are seeing some things in the picture that some of us are missing when we look at it.

Another possibility is that it was not the best decision for the province.

But, whichever is the applicable possibility in this case, it does remain the right thing to respect that decision because of where it has come from and to work with it no matter what our own thoughts might be on the subject.

The phrase "No matter what our own thoughts might be" is an open admonition to disregard what the Lord has laid on our own hearts.

What is said is "Pay no attention to what the spirit of God may have taught you - do what the ‘overseers’ have decided, however right or wrong that may be."

Can we feel the "overseers" are encouraging their staff to shepherd and care for any that need and seek the help of God?

Are they encouraging them to listen to and trust the spirit of love and compassion that the Lord has created within them??

Are they encouraging them to love and to serve no matter what the consequences may be??

Point #4

I have asked the question

Do you remember when love was a virtue to be encouraged and respected?

Dale said it is true today, but just consider the fact that the reason that Marg was rejected as a worker was because of her admiration and respect for people that he and the other ‘overseers’ didn’t think were worthy the kind of love and care she was intent on giving them.

It seems to me that they did everything possible to discourage both her, in her love for these people, and others that may have had similar love for them

Seems to me that Dale also had a love and respect for some of these same people until he was also 'discouraged' from his love and care for them. I will again quote Willis’s letter documenting how he 'discouraged' Dales relationship with these people.

2. Jack and Dale Shultz at our request agreed to disassociate themselves from those they have been linked with in Alberta. This will surely help to get things resolved. They will write to our Staff stating their intention.

Is this encouraging the workers to love and care for ALL, or are there exemptions as to whom they are encouraged to love!

Is unconditional love impossible in our day and age?

"Do you remember when the Spirit of love and compassion for all was our goal, and regarded as the spirit of Christ?"

How can we say this statement is true today, considering Willis has written the following in a general letter to ‘staff’, and Dale has obviously accepted it.

Dale agreed to a ‘request’ from Willis to abandon the people in Alberta that had trusted him, and come to him for help. He was asked to promise this, in writing, to the Alberta workers.

Is this saying that the Spirit of love and compassion for all is our goal?

I have a transcript of the meeting where Dale expelled Marg from the work - and the ONLY issue taken up was her conviction to show the spirit of love and compassion to the expelled friends in Alberta. (Dale claims there were other issues but this was enough on its own) She was forced out of the work she had given her life for, and since then has had her character defamed amongst as many of the friends as possible. (I also have records of some of those conversations)

Where is the Spirit of Christ in all this??

Here is the first point I mentioned in that email and I cannot understand how anyone can feel that the message proclaimed by responsible workers is the same today.

"Do you remember when the most important question for both friends and workers was what was right and wrong before God, not who it was that said it?"

Here is a direct quote from a letter Dale wrote in 1999 about the same issues we are concerned about now. (The decisions of expulsion and excommunication in Alberta)

Whether the decision is right or wrong, the right thing for all of us is to respect it because of those who have made the judgment.

This does not say "The most important question for both friends and workers is what is right and wrong before God, not who it is that says it?" This says that ‘our respect for the ‘overseers’ is more important than our respect for God.’

Or has this policy been changed since this letter was written?

Are the workers willing today to encourage people to do the right thing, whoever may be encouraging them to do otherwise?

Dale feels the following statement is true today in the fellowship that he is ‘overseer’ over!!

"Do you remember when it was an honour to be the least in the kingdom, and the concept of a hierarchy in our fellowship was discouraged?"

The system of system-designated ‘overseers’ is in itself a hierarchy of the most refined sort.

The sole purpose of creating this self appointed group of ‘the greatest’ is for ease of maintaining influence, and easy administration. (Including expulsions and excommunications)

Look honestly at the system of seniority planned workers lists - designated seating plans at convention (special ‘workers tables’ and ‘workers seats’ - very seniority conscious speakers lists - A very carefully seniority conscious reward system with convention tours, special meetings plans and so on- etc. etc. etc, etc.

Can we honestly say that this is discouraging the concept of a hierarchy? The word we have been taught to use as disguise for this 'hierarchy' is 'responsibility' - but we all know it has become only a play with wording! The word ‘responsibility’ is used to describe status in the hierarchy!

Here is a quote from a letter I have received from one of our friends

With regards to the hierarchy, just over two years ago I was in a local elders meeting with two workers and one of the elders described "the order".

He gestured high in the air and said, "this is the worker's place", lowered his next gesture, and said "this is our place" and then lowered his hand beneath him and said "this is the friend's place".

At first I could hardly believe my ears, and expect someone to challenge on this. However, he was met with head nodding by the other elders and no response from the workers attending. I would have thought that at least someone would have offered where Christ fits into it all. At first I thought, or hoped, that this was just a local problem of power hungry men. But as I researched it, I found that not only was this fairly common thinking in Western Canada, but apparently this was specifically being taught to elders in Alberta by WP. Teachings as early as 1992 are reported in AB as "this way works because of the descending order of submission". This is so obviously contrary to the teachings of Christ that I hardly need quote His words on it.

If we wish, we can argue the merits of the system, but we cannot honestly say this is discouraging the concept of a hierarchy.

PS. I haven't forgotten Point number 5 about the poor and homeless ministry. I am still waiting for some numbers, but with what people have written me about different funds and estates, accounts, etc, the assets that have been proven to me to exist, add up to numbers that make the claim of poverty ridiculous. (6 and 7 figure numbers in several different accounts)

Of course we could use the same argument the Catholic priests use - 'It isn't ours, we are poor, it belongs to the holy organization of our church'

The honesty problem we have with that explanation is that we have been taught to believe our fellowship didn't have a worldly organization!

Jesus said something about giving to the poor, whatever he meant by that. Maybe it was a suggestion of a way to keep the poverty of his ministry - even when there were funds available! Perhaps he was afraid these funds would otherwise be used as a power tool!

INDEX CORRESPONDENCE THROUGH APRIL 2001