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LEE DOMANN NEWSLETTER -- MAY, 2006
Table of Contents:
1. Highway Heroes
2. Introducing Erika Grundmann
3. Itinerary
4. Monthly Quote
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1. HIGHWAY HEROES -- John Profumo (1915 - 2006)
Putting this fellow under the heading of "hero" may be a stretch for some of you who remember him. The Right Honorable John Profumo was Her Majesty's secretary for war in 1961 England. His claim to fame was that he was involved in a sex scandal with another name that will jog some memories, Christine Keeler. The press, of course, milked the highly sensationalized story for months. Profumo resigned in shame in 1963, his personal and professional life destroyed.
So it was with interest I read of his death last week in the current issue of ATLANTIC (June). Much more interesting was the description of his life in the past forty-three years. The article pointed out that Profumo did not re-emerge on a full-scale redemption-by-talk-tour ala Larry King and Oprah. Instead, there was no comeback, nor did he attempt one. Instead, he accepted responsibility for his plight and never sought public sympathy. He offered almost immediately to work at Toynbee Hall, a charitable mission in the East End of London. He washed dishes and helped with the children's playground and stayed there for forty years. The article says, "He disappeared amid the grimy tenements of east London and did good works untill he died. And with one exception of one newspaper article to mark Toynbee Hall's centenary, he never said another word in public again."
Why do I consider this man a hero? Because he took the high road. He didn't have to, but he did. He sought humility, compassion, anonymity, and generosity of spirit. One senses he attained all of these qualities in varying degrees known only to himself and his God. I tremendously admire that in anyone, especially since all of these qualities are ones I need so much more of in my own life. It makes me think of another guy who once had a terrible rep: Paul the Apostle. Here's a character that went around hunting down and killing Christians for a living. But he took a turn from the Road to Damascus onto a higher road, too. He made a choice.
I don't think he would have been a candidate for King or Oprah, either.
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2. INTRODUCING ERIKA GRUNDMANN
A Highway Hero just over a year ago was George Dibbern (see April, 2005 newsletter). As you may recall, he sailed the ocean in a thirty-two-foot boat for thirty years on a mission of personal and worldwide peace. He refused to be trapped in nationalism of any sort, preferring to call himself a "citizen of the world." He flew his own flag and had his own passport made up to reflect his universal status. A fascinating guy, to say the least.
So, it was with amazement and delight when I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from Erika Grundmann. She wrote from near Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada to say she had been "Googling" Dibbern's name and came across the Highway Hero piece. She thought I might like to know that she's the author of the first Dibbern biography, DARK SUN, which was published in 2004. Like to know? Yes! The result has been a wonderful correspondence between Erika and me. I've now read her book and am enchanted by the story and by her and her husband, Walter's, ten-year research project that resulted in the story being told more fully.
Now I want to share her with you. You can find more information about the book, George Dibbern, and Erika at her website: http://www.geocities.com/georgedibbern/index.html
Happy sailing!
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3. ITINERARY THOUGH OCTOBER, 2006
(For more info, contact Lee at leedomann@hotmail.com or 615-292-8357)
UMC = United Methodist Church
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May 28 - First UMC/ Wichita, KS am worship 316-267-6244
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June 1-3 Kansas East Annual Conference Session/ Baldwin City, KS
June 3 - Leawood UMC/ Leawood, KS 7:30 pm concert 913-648-2131
June 4 - Shawnee UMC/ Shawnee, KS am worship/pm concert 913-631-2280
June 11 - First UMC/Smyrna, TN am worship 615-459-2826
June 18 - St. Mark's UMC/ Murfreesboro, TN am worship 615-893-3455
June 25 - Shawnee Heights UMC/ Topeka, KS am worship 785-379-5492
June 25 - Tecumseh UMC/ Tecumseh, KS pm concert
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July 16 - Blackman UMC/ Murfreesboro, TN am worship 615-893-0347
July 23 - Embry Hills UMC/ Atlanta, GA am worship 770-938-0661
July 30 - St. John's UMC/ Albuquerque, NM am worship 505-883-9717
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Aug. 6 - UMC of Yorba Linda/ Yorba Linda, CA am worship 714-777-2885
Aug. 13 - Chapel Hill UMC/ Wichita, KS am worship 316-684-1117
Aug. 20 - University UMC/ Wichita, KS am worship 316-686-6765
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Sept. 9 - Cambridge UMC/ Cambridge, IL pm concert
Sept. 10 - Cambridge UMC/ Cambridge, am worship
Sept. 10 - Reynolds UMC/ Reynolds, IL pm concert
Sept. 17 - Auburn UMC/ Auburn, NE am worship/pm concert 402-274-3329
Sept. 24 - First UMC/ Hutchinson, KS am worship 620-662-2386
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Oct. 1 - College Ave. UMC/ Manhattan, KS am worship 785-539-4191
Oct. 22 - First UMC/ Dickson, TN pm worship
Oct. 29 - Main Street UMC/ Bedford, VA am worship/ pm concert
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4. MONTHLY QUOTE -- "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."
- Katherine Hepburn
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