Friday, July 11, 2014

Fellowship Church, Transformation Class, and My Book


On my way to worship at the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples on Sunday, July 6, Rev. Dr. Kathryn L. Benton, Co-Minister and Rev. Dr. Dorsey O. Blake greeted me.

To see photos and read a full report on the service, click here.

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The first of four Tuesday night classes conducted by Rev. Liza J. Rankow, MHS, PhD on July 8 was very beneficial, for me anyway. With a diverse group of about twenty individuals, about half of whom were persons of color, a wealth of resources was abundant in the room. I was encouraged to be with such an impressive group of like-minded individuals.

To read a report on the class, click here

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On July 6, nine months after beginning to write it, I submitted the final manuscript for My Search for Deep Community: An Autobiography, to the formatter. I feel good about it. It’s close to as good as I could have done by myself. I look forward to getting feedback about how to improve it and what to do with it.

The only person to have read the entire book, Bob Anschuetz, a retired English professor who provided line editing services for the book, has written the following for the back cover:
In this extraordinary autobiography, lifelong community organizer and social activist Wade Hudson traces his adventurous journey in search of an authentic life rooted in “deep community”—an association with others that combines activities aimed at fostering mutual support for personal growth with active efforts to create a more compassionate society dedicated to the common good. In detailing an amazing array of personal experiences, from community organizing…to involvement in the human-potential experiments of the 1960s counter-culture…to leadership roles in some of the most meaningful social movements of our times…to driving taxi for a living, Hudson shows that the capacities for compassion, caring and authenticity do not come easily. He portrays his own development with rigorous honesty, revealing the many sides of his personality, admitting his mistakes, and acknowledging the ways in which his experiences have changed him. These testimonies from the heart, and the personal struggles they reflect, produce a fascinating life story. They will also encourage readers to develop their own capacity to love themselves and others, and to live their lives more fully by working with others to help build a better world.

Tracy Atkins, who helped with the formatting, commented, “We have enjoyed working with you, and really like your book and what it stands for.  Great job and extraordinary life.”

Though those comments are encouraging, I have no idea what to expect with the book. All I know is that writing it was a great learning experience for me.

To read more, including a report on the cover feedback and the decision, click here

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