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John Lange's Study Group Impressions

Tue, 11/17/2009 - 12:39 — tallen
[This was posted to SocAdmin form John Lange on November 17.  It is a lovely reminicence]
 
To Bobby Drier and Friends;
 
I have enjoyed everyone's contribution regarding our study group experiences. After some contemplation, I should like to add a few impressions of my own.
 
I joined the the Oklahoma Society in 1971 when I moved to Oklahoma City and started medical school. There I attended study group twice a week. One meeting was held in the basement of the a Methodist church on Tuesday night. The other was held in the home of Berkeley Elliott on Sunday night. These four years slowly transformed my life. I became more humanistic in my approach to science and its benefit to mankind.
 
I remember the first meeting I attended. Sitting on my left was Clyde Goodman, and independent oil operator, who never quite got all the dirt from under his fingernails working in the oil fields. He was tough, conservative, opinionated, but had a heart of gold. Then on my right was his executive secretry, Berkeley Elliott, who was gentle, liberal, loving; and with a peircing consciousness. She could look straight into and answer the needs of you longing soul. At that point I realized if this movement can appeal to this wade range of personalities who were enthusiastic but also very practical in their daily pursuits; then it may be the real deal.
 
The Oklahoma City study group was successful for many of the reasons previously set forth: i.e. consistency, devotion to the new reader, encouragement of participation, and the inclusive attributes of the group leader. It was characteristic of this era that many successful groups had a larger than life person animating the rest of the group.
 
Our leader was Berkeley Elliott, and I should like to make a few observations of the pearls of wisdom I learned from her. She was the personification of GOD's love, loving everyone as separate and "so special." But in this great measure of devotion was also the art of discernment. She could smell out an impostor miles away. In our new found enthusiam for the Revelation, she would always encourage us to think positive but also to be practical. Her watchword was, "keep your feet firmly planted on the ground." And as we moved into the realm of action she always tempered our committment with the admonition, "you must always be willing to compromise."  Thus, in the ways of "a simple Oklahoma farm girl", Berkeley left a legacy of wisdom serving as a lamp to the sprirtual path for those who followed.
 
The study group time in OKC was my core religious experience. So I have a strong bias toward this experience and its value. I feel that time spent here with study and participation fosters an environment where new leaders emerge. Perhaps the Fellowship should explore ways to encourage the local study group towards greater achievement as a social group. A current example is Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Southern CA. Althought the whole organization has 20,000+ members, but the small group is the functioning unit. He comes from a fundamentalist background, but combines the group dynamics of AA with the psychological approach of Victor Frankl and the management techniques of Peter Drucker. The result is a powerful group of people whose for one another transcends their individual theology. I feel our study groups are the main strength and the backbone of our larger organization. As we look to the future we should imagine ways to make them even better.
 
Take care and may God Bless,
John Lange