For
the last five years, I’ve been part of the editorial staff at The High Calling. We are a part-time, mostly
virtual group, living in Texas, West Virginia, Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Missouri,
Pennsylvania and a few places I’m likely forgetting. We’ve had staff members
from as far away as Ireland, South Carolina and Australia.
Working
with these writers, editors and fellow pilgrims on the journey of faith has
been a remarkable, unforgettable experience. It’s one of those experiences that
you cherish each day, knowing that it can change and perhaps end, but while you
have it, it is a remarkable thing. What started as an idea in the mind of
Howard Butt Jr. created a major presence in the faith and work area.
The
announcement of
change
– that should probably be change in all caps – was made Friday night. A lot of
discussion ensued this weekend, mostly on Facebook but some, too, on the post
itself. The announcement generated some misunderstanding as well, and I’ve
personally received a lot of email messages and private Facebook messages
asking for any clarification possible.
Here’s
what I know:
The
High Calling will cease publishing as it has been at the end of August. Some
form will continue – a couple of reflections each week and the Facebook page.
But the regular posting of stories built around weekly themes will cease. The
site will remain live and accessible.
The
Butt Family Foundation, led now by Howard Butt’s son-in-law David Rogers, has
decided to go in a different direction with other initiatives. It’s that
simple. The High Calling uses the Foundation’s resources and attention, and the
Foundation has every right to choose what initiatives it will pursue. My
personal feelings, and those of the other staff members, are important to us,
but really don’t have any bearing on what strategy the Foundation’s leadership decides.
The
understanding of faith and work – living one’s faith in the context of work,
including and especially in the secular world – is just now beginning to take
hold. It is not a done deal that everyone understands and “gets.” Too many of
us still separate Sunday from the rest of the week when it comes to faith. And
considerable work remains and, I would argue, is going to become more important
as Christians find themselves increasingly at odds with the prevailing culture.
Other
groups are actively working the faith and work concept – LeTourneau
University’s Center for Faith
and Work,
the Theology of Work Project, the Institute
for Faith, Work & Economics, and several more. None of them,
however, has the online presence that The High Calling has. And the reason for
that may well be that The High Calling was envisioned from the beginning as an
online presence, and not only the web and social media properties for an
organization or initiative.
The
reality is that the change at The High Calling will leave a significant gap in
the faith and work area. It’s an exaggeration, but perhaps not much of one, to
say that, for faith and work, it would be analogous to The Wall Street Journal announcing it would no longer cover
business news.
What
I will miss will be the people I work with. We’ll find ways to keep in touch –
we already do a lot outside the official High Calling channels via email,
Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. But losing that regular interaction, that
opportunity to work almost every day with people who have come together to
create something of value, not for themselves, but for the thousands of people
who've participated in what we’re doing via the online world – that’s the part
that’s hard.
So:
Ann Kroeker, Charity Craig, Sam Van Eman, Deidra Riggs, Marcus Goodyear, Bob
Robinson, Cheryl Smith, Dan King (#Fistbump), David Rupert, Dena Dyer, Kris
Camealy, Laura Boggess, Tina Howard, and Katie Cherniss – thank you.
Marcus,
Deidra, Katie and Tina – best of success with new Foundation initiatives.
To
the thousands of members of the High Calling Network – thank you for those blog
posts you created, those posts I read every day and tweeted on behalf of The
High Calling. This was an incredible community of people, who were so open and
caring that virtual always seemed real.
To
all of you: thank you for how much you taught me. Thank you for your patience
with me. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for the opportunity to
work alongside of you and create something wonderful. Thank you for living your
faith through the work we did – and doing it over and over again.
Top photograph by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission. Bottom photograph: one of my favorite photos of The High Calling staff.
