Silence

If my ears are reliable, there appears to have been a shift in the call for answers.

Initially, folks were upset the elders/staff did not say more or provide enough details in the weekend statements. Then, aided by the media stories, folks were chagrined the elders/staff did not respond to media invitations to comment.
I disagree with the coloring of this silence as the elders being "secretive" or "conspiratorial," but I understand the reaction. When you don't say much or anything in response to counter-allegations, the assumption is that you have something to hide.

Now that elder meetings are underway, and information is being distributed in various places, folks are wondering why Dr. Foster seems so silent. (Btw, he could be all over the news right now; I confess to not watching TV all that much.) Like many, I am monitoring the handful of places assumed to be official vehicles for his communication -- Fostering Hope, the Fostering Hope blog, his MySpace, his WordPress blog.
From the TalkBCC Forum, a poster going by the handle Oldschoolmember writes:

David, if you are reading this....

Please use your blog outlets to respond to the points raised. Please
don't have another public gathering and keep this thing on the news
and in the papers.

Please exercise restraint and good judgement. How do you suppose a "10
O'clock high vote" next Sunday plays within the very protocol you
wrote in the beginning ? What good will come from a disorganized vote
against the Elders you appointed ? How is it any better to "fire"
them ?

Please, please, please just use your blog.

As of this posting, nothing has been updated since that initial post a couple of days ago.

My encouragement to folks on both sides is just be patient. Take a deep breath. The parties involved in this conflict are very busy, very overwhelmed. They have lots to do in their day-to-day lives apart from this conflict, and with the added responsibilities, they are doing what they can to honor all the requests and inquiries they can. This is true for the Fosters, I'm sure, who have received an outpouring of support and encouragement. I'm sure they are wanting to interact with people as personally as possible.

And on this topic of Silence, let's at least look at that post of Dr. Foster's itself. Near the conclusion, he writes:

I feel at rest in the fact that whatever happens with BCC in the next few weeks in not in my hands and certainly not about me. The issue is now much, much bigger than me. I am so glad to be out of the fray, resting, and awaiting my next assignment and writing everyday.

Everyone pay attention. Dr. Foster says it's not about him. He says he is out of the fray and resting. If you are still "fraying" for him, please consider contacting him to see if you should be. If he is "done" with this thing, done fighting, ready to see what lay ahead, what sort of steps do you think should be taken on his behalf?

If anything, this "out of the fray"-ness at least explains his recent silence. As Oldschoolmember requested, I do hope Dr. Foster will at least update on his site(s). His friends and supporters deserve to hear from him. If they still consider him their pastor, and if he still considers himself their pastor, there is no doubt some pastoring is sorely needed right now.

(Btw, I hope by tomorrow, or at the latest Thursday, to have an interesting book excerpt posted that directly applies to the issue of The Silence of the Elders. In my estimation it illustrates how well-meaning people acting in the best interests of everyone can frustrate a lot of people without trying to. And I think it basically mirrors our situation -- it involves a minister, an elder board, and a huge church conflict erupting when people felt unjustly kept in the dark.)

Peace.