Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

    
    Our writing group manager passed away this morning.  He had been in the
    hospital nearly four weeks (after being obviously ill for a good many
    weeks and undergoing various tests).  We knew that even if he survived
    he would not be returning to our group.  Services will not be held till
    next week because there will be an autopsy to try to get a definitive
    diagnosis (i.e., cancer or a complication from a compound fracture).
    
    (Our manager is the *third* person in our group to die in five years!)
    
    In addition, we lost our group secretary, our cost center manager, and our
    cost center administrative assistant to SERP.  We also lost 3 writers
    and 1 editor from our group to SERP.
    
    Furthermore, there is risk of downsizing on two fronts: our funder may
    not want to fully support a group of the same size as this year and/or
    our own organization may undergo downsizing.  (Rumors and speculation
    at this point.)  So group members are feeling anxious for their own
    futures.
    
    Since mid-May I have been acting group manager in this situation.  I
    think that's only 3 weeks, but each week feels like much longer!  I
    have lost many people who represented either administrative support
    (we don't even know how to order office supplies!) or emotional 
    support to me, but am fortunate to be gaining many new very sympathetic 
    people who are providing much emotional support.
    
    I still occasionally read in this conference but obviously do not
    have time to participate actively under these circumstances. (And I
    hate to get involved in a string when I don't know when I'll get back to
    it!)
    
    Please pray not only for me, but also for our group and for our
    manager's family.
    
    Thank you,
    Nancy Smith

    Indeed.  We had a guy here in MK01 drop dead with a heart attack last
    week.  The times are indeed stressful.
    
    Mike

	Well, we're grieving the loss of several long-time and well
respected coworkers due to SERP.

	My spouse has expressed a feeling of deep insecurity about
the future and what a salary interruption might mean.  I'd like to
think my sense of security is not so materially centered.  Yet, I'd
be lying if I said I felt no concern at all.

Peace,
Richard

	The key to not worrying about work is to have too many other things
	to worry about. Half in jest. I'm not that all secure about work
	these days and I suspect that few are. But stress outside of work
	is effecting me and mine much more. It comes from dealing with two
	older women (can I call them that as they are 66 and 86) who are 
	living with us for a time. You don't know stress until your mother in
	law and her mother both interact poorly with each other and with your
	wife. And of course there are serious health (physical and mental)
	issues to deal with both of them. Please pray for my poor wife whose
	own health is suffering greatly from stress.

			Alfred

    Prayers for richard and for Alfred's wife and himself.
    
    Dot doesn't know it yet but I called the high school today where her 
    youngest son of four has been attending to find out when his graduation
    was to be -- it was June 3rd.  Sigh.  I really hoped he would have
    called his mom to invite her to his graduation.  She hasn't seen him 
    in several years - his father says "He's busy".
    
    None of her other three sons contact her either.  This makes for pretty
    low days around Mother's Day, etc..
    
    	Regards,
    
    	Ron
    
    ps: Dot realizies it's up to others to lead their own lives and be
    responsible for their own decisions - you cannot make the decisions
    for others.  It's been 4 it's been 4 1/2 years since she's had a "good"
    relation with her sons.