Dragons Welcome Here! A Favorite Christmas Tradition: The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College (via BBC)

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is the Christmas Eve choir service held in the beautiful King's College Chapel in Cambridge, England (info here).

First introduced in 1918 as a more creative, celebratory service, the Festival, which features a traditional sequence of choral music and a newly-commissioned carol each year, highlights a panorama of the Scriptures illustrating the Gospel -- using both the Old and New Testaments.

Since its first broadcast in 1928, the Festival has become a tradition which is now broadcast around the world (and over the Internet) by the BBC.

You may listen to it freely on BBC Radio (here).

The Festival is known to be a sure remedy for Dragons ... and what ails them.

No One Home: Twas the Week after Christmas, and All Thru the Church, No Creature Was Stirring ... Well, Except for the Dragons

'Twas the week after Christmas
and all through the church,
Not a Creature was stirring

... Well, except for the Dragons,
who were likely to stamp and thrash
and snarl and breathe
howling imprecations and maledictions,

All of which would be very tedious
... and not much fun at Christmas.

(And, besides, all that stamping and thrashing
is extremely hard on the furniture.)

~~~*~~~

The entire staff of First Baptist Church of Bolivar is on Christmas vacation.
(All of 'em? Yeah, we were stunned, too.)

But, rather than leave these documents and materials in the ah, ... talons of dragons, we will wait until some portion of the staff returns on Friday, January 2, 2009.

However, we will be posting the initial letters and opening the accompanying website on Thursday, January 1, 2009.

~~~*~~~

The Trinity Correspondence:
"The Invitations to Reconciliation"


The first letter, which will be waiting for their return
from Christmas vacation on January 2,
is addressed to:

Current Pastor Billy Russell, Former Pastor Ray Leininger,
and Former Interim Pastor Rodney Reeves and the Staff,
Trustees, Deacons of the First Baptist Church of Bolivar

and
and will, subsequently, be delivered to:
the Southwest Baptist University Trustees
and Administration

and the Missouri Baptist Convention
Executive Board and Administration

This initial letter is be supported by correspondence to:

Pastor Gary Ankrom
and the
First Assembly of God of Bolivar

and
the Student Government Association
of Southwest Baptist University

and the Faculty Senate
of Southwest Baptist University


~~~*~~~

A Christmas Message: Dancing with the Dragons of the Royal House of Blunt, the Unholy Baptist Empire ... and their Beasts

~*~UPDATED~*~

Even during Christmas, the Dragons do not sleep . . .

It seems that in our wandering speculations over the last few weeks, we have run afoul of the local Dragons -- those who serve and worship (or so they, at least, apparently believe) the Royal Houses of outgoing Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and Roy Blunt, the current Congressman of Missouri Seventh District and (what some locals refer to as) the Unholy Baptist Empire, which is most ardently represented in Bolivar by Southwest Baptist University.

This is not new: while trudging through in the Political Dark Forest and slogging through its treacherous Miry Morass and Black Swamps, we have previously encountered these fearsome and foul beasts ... and were much the worse for it.

As everyone knows, Dark Dragons are unnatural beasts, who, having no hearts, slaughter and devour the Innocent for sport.

They are best left to their own devious devises ... when possible.

To accommodate your fears, Dark Dragons, we have adjusted our course to avoid the Dragons' Lairs.

Be assured, gentle Dragons, unless you demand it be so, our Journey to the far distant Shining Mountains does not tread upon your Dragons' Domains.

Fear not, dear Dragons, if you are clever, calm and patient, you will not be wakened from your slumber.

~*~For UPDATE see here~*~

Gov. Matt Blunt Heading to Southwest Baptist University?: Does E-Mail Deletion Settlement Pave the Way?

As noted in previous blog entries (here and here), the unsubstantiated rumor has been circulating in local eateries and among Christmas shoppers that Matt Blunt, the outgoing Missouri governor, will soon follow in the footsteps of his father (Congressman Roy Blunt) and assume a position in the administration of Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.

One obstacle remained -- the e-mail deletion litigation -- which, as the Columbia Missourian reported on Tuesday, has now been overcome:

JEFFERSON CITY — The governor’s office will provide free copies of e-mails to investigators to settle a lawsuit that accused Gov. Matt Blunt and other officials of “knowingly and purposely” violating the state’s open-records law by denying access to the documents.

Under the deal announced in Cole County Circuit Court on Tuesday, the Republican governor admitted no wrongdoing, while his office agreed to hand over tens of thousands of pages of e-mails from Aug. 17 through Oct. 31, 2007, and allowed investigators appointed by Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon to inspect the office. The settlement also means that the lawsuit cannot be refiled against Blunt.

In a joint statement released after Tuesday’s hearing, the court-appointed attorneys and a lawyer representing Blunt said the agreement is a “comprehensive settlement of all the issues pertaining to the governor and his office.”

Remainder of article (here).

Updates to follow ...

PROBLEM & SOLUTION: Extreme Weather Delays; "Invitations to Reconciliation" (for SBU, MBC, First Baptist of Bolivar) Posted Online on Christmas Day!

PROBLEM:
Extreme weather is causing mail delivery delays and problems (mail has been taking up to four days to travel thirty miles, in some cases, and ending up damaged in other instances).

This will obviously disrupt distribution of some of the the "Invitations to Reconciliation" (details here), which are being delivered to individuals and officials associated with Southwest Baptist University, Missouri Baptist Convention and the First Baptist Church of Bolivar, Missouri.

SOLUTION:
The "Invitations to Reconciliation" -- with some revisions -- will be posted on a new blog on Christmas Day.

Please take some time this Christmas to review these letters, which will be LINKED TO THIS BLOG on Christmas.

The mailed letters will arrive shortly thereafter.

Updates to follow ...

Extreme Weather Slows Delivery of "Invitations to Reconciliation" to Southwest Baptist University, Missouri Baptist Convention & First Baptist-Bolivar

The extreme weather has slowed the delivery of the "Invitations to Reconciliation" (details here) to Southwest Baptist University, Missouri Baptist Convention and First Baptist Church of Bolivar officials and other individuals.

Nonetheless, the "Invitations" should arrive by Christmas Eve!

(RSVP still expected by Christmas Day.)

Updates to follow ...

The "Invitations to Reconciliation" Are Being Delivered to Southwest Baptist University, Missouri Baptist Convention & First Baptist of Bolivar

The "Invitations to Reconciliation"
are being delivered by mail and fax,
today, tomorrow and (some few) Monday.

(RSVP By Christmas)

The invitations will remain open until Christmas Day.

If there is no response to the invitation,
it will be assumed that other options are necessary.

If accepted, arrangements will be made over
the Twelve Days following Christmas Day
to implement a
Restorative Justice Process.

The revelations of the last few weeks
have brought into clear perspective the reality
that true reconciliation
is likely impossible and, accordingly,
Marie has accepted a far less comprehensive
(and far briefer)
model of "restoration,"
which would be completed before Spring classes
begin at Southwest Baptist University
on January 26, 2009.

Details on this process will be posted throughout the day
.. and this weekend.

An Invitation to Reconciliation (RSVP by Christmas) & Drowning Puppies and Other Christmas Pastimes (Posting Friday after SBU Fall Graduation)

An Invitation to Reconciliation
(RSVP By Christmas)
will be posted later today,
after the Southwest Baptist University Fall Graduation Ceremony.

The Decision: The Worms at the Core of the Apple & Drowning Puppies and Other Christmas Pastimes ...

In speaking of the seemingly endless frustration of communicating with the officials of the Missouri Baptist Convention and Southwest Baptist University, Marie commented, yesterday:

The difficulty in addressing these issues is that the worms are at the core of the apple; it is almost impossible to deal with the worms without destroying the integrity of the apple.

Many of those with whom I am compelled to communicate are apathetic to this fact and do not exercise the most basic care for anything or anyone that does not serve their personal, social, financial, or political interests.

This is why I have repeatedly questioned their Christian commitment: How can they be of Christ, of His Kin and of His Spirit when the love of God for others is not in them?

I do not mean this as an accusation: It is simply a statement of observable fact, yes, but more importantly, of Truth.

These officials operate under a different code of ethics than I do.

Whereas, I don't have the "luxury" of calloused indifference to the harm that my actions or inaction may potentially cause others, these officials manifestly have no such qualms of conscience.

After some prayer and discussion, the decision was made: With some modification, we will continue with the presentation of the Trinity Contract.

The Decision: Drowning Puppies and Other Christmas Pastimes is to be posted Thursday (Dec. 17).

Sorry, for the delay(s). The reasons will become evident when you see the posts.

Good luck with finals,
Southwest Baptist University students
(and others)!

The Problem Hides the Solution: Stunning New Information on Malfeasance by Missouri Baptist Convention and Southwest Baptist University Officials

So much has been brought to light over the last few hours and days.

In all honesty, we are at a loss as to what information should be made public. However, we are preparing new posts for this evening and tomorrow.

Posting MAJOR NEWS before Christmas!

Disappointing Failure: Communications with the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board Unsuccessful; Fresh Misconduct Uncovered

In spite of hopeful signs, the planned attempts at less public and more civil communications (here) with the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board during their Dec. 8 and 9 meeting were unsuccessful.

In fact, before our efforts could be fully implemented, more discouraging evidence of misconduct by various individuals associated with Southwest Baptist University and the Missouri Baptist Convention was uncovered.

"Frankly," Marie sighed, holding back tears of disappointment, again:

I don't WANT to know and to have to be burdened with any more information about how these individuals violate the trust of students, townspeople, and church members; I do my best to interact with them as little as possible.

Although Marie had hoped that a more direct confrontation would provide a more private forum, it is not to be.

We were already prepared, though -- and the more public communications are already underway.

Stay tuned: it's time to move on. ...

Clean Christmas?: Missouri Baptist Convention To Turn Over Evidence of Unethical/Criminal Conduct of SBU Legal Team, Admin, Faculty to Missouri Bar

Will the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board
Come Clean for Christmas?

Marie O'Hara has filed a request with the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board (who are meeting today and tomorrow) that "the Missouri Baptist Convention and its affiliated agencies" turn over to the Missouri Bar Association evidence and testimony concerning the "strongly suspected, known and openly acknowledged" unethical and criminal conduct of the Southwest Baptist University legal team, administration, and faculty.

Although Marie offers an alternative option for an In-House Investigation and Restorative Justice process, she expresses concern for herself and other witnesses and asks that the situation be substantially resolved by no later than January 7, 2009, thereby lessening future peril to herself and other witnesses.

The majority of text of this letter will be posted shortly.

The letter -- with additional details -- has also been sent to the Southwest Baptist University Student Government Association, the Southwest Baptist University Faculty Senate and The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), which is Southwest Baptist University's accreditation agency.

Developing ... More details to follow.

Filed with Southwest Baptist Univ Accreditation Agency: Long-Delayed Complaint Detailing "Abusive, Fraudulent, Slanderous, Discriminatory" Conduct

Yes, it's going to be a busy week.

Your prayers for Marie's safety (and that of all witnesses) are sincerely appreciated.

Southwest Baptist Univ Student Gov Assoc (SGA) & Faculty Senate Asked to Act Against Unethical/Illegal Admin Conduct Before Spring Semester Begins

Additional information to follow later this week.

Matt Blunt Still Seeking Helm of Southwest Baptist University -- Even After Taking Board Position in ...Vehicle Salvage?

Yes, you read that right: "vehicle salvage" ... as in used cars, very used cars.

However, please note the highlighted portion of the following St. Louis Dispatch coverage, From the Governor's Mansion to Vehicle Salvage:

Copart announced the appointment today. Blunt also joins the company's nominating and governance committee. The appointments are effective Jan. 13.

"Gov. Blunt will add tremendous value to Copart's board with his experience in public policy and fiscal management," Copart's president, Jay Adair, said in a statement. "We are looking forward to the unique perspective he will bring to the board with his public service background."

The company's annual revenue was reportedly $785 million.

No word on what Blunt will be paid.

According to the company's proxy statement, board directors at Copart get $50,000 plus stock options. When two new directors joined the board in September 2007, they each got options to buy 20,000 shares. For this, the company recorded compensation expenses of $88,849, bringing their total compensation in 2007 to $138,849 each.

Blunt's salary as governor was $133,800.

Blunt spokesman Rich Chrismer this morning confirmed Blunt's appointment to Copart but indicated that Blunt isn't stopping there.

"It is my understanding this is not the only position he will hold and he is exploring a number of options with different employers and this board position is one of them," Chrismer said.

Copart, based in Fairfield, Calif., was founded in 1982. It provides vehicle sellers -- primarily insurance companies -- with what the company calls "remarketing services." Copart sells vehicles through Internet sales on behalf of insurance companies, banks, finance companies, fleet operators and others. ...

(Read rest of article here.)

In addition, Governor Matt Blunt has other worries at the moment as chronicled in the Columbia Missourian this week:
Special prosecutors file lawsuit against Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt.

This lawsuit concerns the alleged abuse of e-mail correspondence and the Sunshine Laws during Matt Blunt's administration, as detailed here.

Does any of this preclude Matt Blunt's seeking an administrative position at Southwest Baptist University?

Not. At. All.

As events unfold at the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board meeting this coming Monday and Tuesday (Dec. 8 and 9), the rest of the story will become apparent.

SEE UPDATE HERE!

Soon-to-be Ex-Governor Matt Blunt To Helm Southwest Baptist University, following in His Father's (Congressman Roy Blunt) Footsteps?

Though, at the moment, this is an unconfirmed, small-town rumor, there are substantial reasons to speculate that a deal is in the works.

Developing ...

EXTENSIVE UPDATED INFORMATION THIS FRIDAY (Dec. 5).

**SEE UPDATE HERE**