The first address that I posted was wrong. They decided to put me in a different apartment. So this is my new summer address just outside of Richmond, VA. I just moved in yesterday and got all settled and I'll be here till the middle of August.
2908 Lake Point Dr. #3D
Midlothian VA 23112
Marty
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Please pray for my mom
My mother, Ruth, is going to receive her first chemo-therapy treatment today. The doctors consider this an essential treatment, even though they removed all the cancer surgically. So please pray that she will make it through all right. My mom is taking all of this really well; she is a heroine of the Christian faith to me, but I just pray that the Lord will continue to free her from cancer. She is currently a youthful looking 62 years old.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Chris and Shey
I just recieved some pictures from Chris and Shey's wedding and this is my favorite. Chris Hoops and I spent last summer knocking doors in Washington D.C. He's a great guy and I'm very happy for him and his new bride. A very beautiful wedding indeed Chris!
Friday, April 07, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
Well, I've been in Washington DC for a week now. At first it was really cold, absolutely fridged, with a stiff wind. It's the first time I've ever had to knock doors in a long sleeve shirt and pants, but it's warming right up now.
I've got a new phone number, which I will have until the middle of August: 804-248-2274. It's a Richmond number, because I'll be moving down to Richmond at the biginning of May.
Be in touch,
Marty
Well, I've been in Washington DC for a week now. At first it was really cold, absolutely fridged, with a stiff wind. It's the first time I've ever had to knock doors in a long sleeve shirt and pants, but it's warming right up now.
I've got a new phone number, which I will have until the middle of August: 804-248-2274. It's a Richmond number, because I'll be moving down to Richmond at the biginning of May.
Be in touch,
Marty
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Old Family Photos
Dear Family,
Ever since I was very little, I've loved to look at old family photos. Anything before I was born facinated me, like the pictures my Grandpa Becktell took at the New Tribes Missions training camp or pictures of their trip to Mt St. Helen's with my parents before it blew. Sometimes our own lives seem stagnant; the future is uncertain, we don't always know what we want to do in life. There are so many possibilities. Possiblity overload is a problem of my generation in particular. However, when I look at pictures of my parents and grandparents, they don't seem stagnant, or hesitant at all. That would be impossible. Their story has already been told. There is a comforting solidness and surity in their smiles. There is motion and direction in their lives. All this I percieve even though they probably didn't feel at all like they had things figured out at the time. But if I feel as if I don't know what to do with my life, my job is to look to them and their stories for inspiration, to find continuity with the past.
Anyway, that was all to say that I have uploaded some photos to Flickr.com, which you can see in the right sidebar of this blog if you scroll down. I hope to upload much more in the future, and I would like them to be a resource for all the grandchildren of Herbert W. Butt and also his great grandchildren. If anyone in my family objects to particular photographs being on the web, please let me know.
Love,
Marty B.
Ever since I was very little, I've loved to look at old family photos. Anything before I was born facinated me, like the pictures my Grandpa Becktell took at the New Tribes Missions training camp or pictures of their trip to Mt St. Helen's with my parents before it blew. Sometimes our own lives seem stagnant; the future is uncertain, we don't always know what we want to do in life. There are so many possibilities. Possiblity overload is a problem of my generation in particular. However, when I look at pictures of my parents and grandparents, they don't seem stagnant, or hesitant at all. That would be impossible. Their story has already been told. There is a comforting solidness and surity in their smiles. There is motion and direction in their lives. All this I percieve even though they probably didn't feel at all like they had things figured out at the time. But if I feel as if I don't know what to do with my life, my job is to look to them and their stories for inspiration, to find continuity with the past.
Anyway, that was all to say that I have uploaded some photos to Flickr.com, which you can see in the right sidebar of this blog if you scroll down. I hope to upload much more in the future, and I would like them to be a resource for all the grandchildren of Herbert W. Butt and also his great grandchildren. If anyone in my family objects to particular photographs being on the web, please let me know.
Love,
Marty B.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Intoleristas seek to oust Atlas from downtown
I wrote the following article for Atlas School, where I teach a class on art history and drawing.
In addition to our hardworking students and supportive parents, Atlas School has been discovered by a another special group of people—An especially exasperating group of people that is!—though surely provided in God’s providence to increase our vigilance.
They are the same people, which have been hostile to anyone and anything associated with Christ Church or Trinity Reformed Church for quite some time. We’ve even coined a term for them, “The Intoleristas.”
However, now they have found a new pebble to throw: They are seeking to apply the cities zoning code in a fundamentalist spirit in order to frustrate the ministries of New St. Andrews College (NSA) and now Atlas School.
This may be old news to many readers—the complaint that Atlas occupies its current location downtown in violation of city zoning codes was made in April—However, a recap of the zoning controversy as it pertains to Atlas School is in order.
What’s happened so far:
The complaint against Atlas was made three months after a similar complaint was filed against NSA. It was brought by Saundra Lund, 44, and Rose Huskey, 61, two women, with apparently too much time on their hands, who have left a long paper trail of harassments of members of Christ Church and their undertakings!
Due to the fact that Atlas is closer to a cooperation of homeschoolers than a school and has no formal legal incorporation, Headmaster, Toby Sumpter had not sought to do any paperwork with the city, regarding it’s use of the Nuart Theatre, owned by Campus Christian Ministries.
“Prior to the complaint,” said Sumpter, “The city didn’t even know we were here, so we said ‘Here we are’ and ‘What do we need to do?’”
First on the order of business for the city was to issue Atlas an “occupancy permit,” which is a permit issued by a building inspector, stating that the building is safe to occupy for its intended purpose.
Building inspector Jim Johnson inspected the Nuart and the two, tiny, adjacent rooms, which Atlas occupies. According to Sumpter, he said it looked fine. He did ask Eric Engerbretson, who is responsible for the Nuart theatre, to install a lit exit sign. The sign was duly installed so that Atlas met all the requirements of the building inspector and was slated to receive an occupancy permit.
However, the city also required a zoning permit in addition to the occupancy permit. This was the second part of the complaint: namely, Atlas was operating downtown in the central business district in violation of Moscow’s zoning code.
With regard to this second issue, that of zoning, Joel Plaskon, Moscow’s zoning administrator, wrote a letter to Mr. Sumpter saying, in effect, it looks like you guys are fine. He saw no violation of the spirit of the zoning code by Atlas School, and he said he would not enforce the code against Atlas.
To understand Plaskon’s initial tolerance of Atlas School, you have to understand the larger zoning controversy, because Atlas, at this point in time, was following in the wake of what was happening to NSA. Plaskon’s initial response to the complaint against NSA was also that he would not enforce the code against NSA, because he was reading the law as an “integrated whole.”
Plaskon wrote, “I acknowledge that the current use of New St. Andrews College is not explicitly listed as a permissible use in the CB Zoning District. However, such use has been explicitly permitted as a use by right in the past…. Additionally, I read the law as an integrated whole and considered the intent of the Zoning Code and the Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, it is my determination that such use be allowed to continue while the City more thoroughly reviews the Zoning Code regarding these types of uses and considers amending the Code to clarify or explicitly allow such uses in such Zoning Districts, either by right or by Conditional Use Permit.”
So, due to Plaskon’s reasonableness, the zoning permit, in addition to the occupancy permit, seemed forthcoming by May or early June, according to Sumpter. However, neither permit was yet granted, and in the meantime, the complainers against NSA appealed to the Board of Adjustments, which ruled in their favor.
Plaskon then wrote to Sumpter stating that he could not issue an occupancy permit due to what happened to NSA.
Subsequently, the city council also ruled against NSA and, finally, in the week before school started, Plaskon wrote to Sumpter that he had decided to enforce the zoning code against Atlas, thereby treating Atlas as a separate entity from NSA.
After talking with Greg Dickison, the same attorney representing NSA, Atlas decided to appeal Plaskon’s decision to the board of adjustments, as NSA had done. This appeal occurred near the end of October and was unsuccessful for Atlas. Despite the helpful representation of Dickison and the attendance of Mr. Sumpter and members of five Atlas families, the board ruled against Atlas based on a ridged reading of code.
The complainants were able to convince the board of adjustments and city council of a particular reading of the code, Sumpter said. That is to say, the safety issue was not a real factor at this hearing. (The originators of the complaint, Huskey and Lund, had initially characterized their action as being initiated out of concern for the students safety.)
Where we stand:
Atlas has now appealed to the City council and we have a hearing date on January 19. Unfortunately, this is after the new city council members will be sworn in on January, 3. According to Christ Church member Dale Courtney, who reports on Moscow politics on his blog, the six-member council will be losing two conservatives and gaining two liberals. The new liberals are Bob Stout and the particularly radical Aaron Ament, who calls himself Citizen Ament, like a French revolutionary! Liberal Nancy Chaney will also be taking over as mayor, having a tie-breaking vote on the council. Needless to say, the new council may not be particularly friendly to Atlas school in the January hearing.
Broadly speaking, progress has been made with regard to the zoning issue. A proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance is being considered now, which would allow “educational institutions,” like NSA, within the Central Business District on a conditional basis; however, not “schools.”
NSA has received much support, not only from people who own or work in businesses downtown, but from editors of both the Moscow-Pullman Daily News and the Lewiston Tribune. Four different editors have supported NSA in no less than seven separate editorials, which are worth quoting in order to show the kind of support that may be available for Atlas School as well.
Jim Fisher of the Lewiston Tribune likes Doug Wilson’s term “Intoleristas:”
“Intoleristas, he calls them, and with good reason,” Fisher said. “They speak for a community that indulges all manner of political and religious thought, as long as it's from the left side of the spectrum, and all manner of small-town businesses, as long as they are not connected to the wrong church.”
Murf Raquet of the Daily News came down on the Intoleristas for their rudeness:
“A handful of opponents of schools,” wrote Raquet, “—in particular the faith-based New Saint Andrews College—in the downtown business district lost their civility in the fervor to speak their mind at Wednesday’s meeting. In the excitement to articulate opinions as to why there shouldn’t be schools downtown all ability to communicate in English was lost. Cat calls, snorts, outbursts and a few boos interrupted the proceedings. That childish behavior was most evident when NSA President Roy Atwood got up to speak.”
Craig Clohessy, writing for the Daily News said, “Neither complaint really has anything to do with the city's zoning regulations. The challenge to NSA is all about personal grudges against Doug Wilson, who sits on the college's board.”
And Steve McClure, writing for the Daily News, also sees what is truly going on: “There will be some who say this is nothing more than spot zoning, or changing the law to avoid enforcement. Some of those people will be the same ones who would have us believe this whole hubbub started over nothing more than zoning issues.”
This is a very strong show of support from the local media—from the editors no less! Therefore its clear that level-headed residents of Moscow, holding no grudges against Christ Church, are ready to support NSA and by the same token, they may support Atlas School as well.
Nevertheless, not many level-headed Moscowans are sitting on the current council. Therefore, Atlas needs a strong and continued show of support. Just because NSA has won it’s fight doesn’t mean that we can let up.
What’s at stake:
What is at stake is not merely Atlas’s convenient location (The downtown location is a central place for all the Atlas parents to drive their sons) and not just the money that we save (Community Christian Ministries has been gracious enough to rent the two rooms that Atlas uses for $250 per month and to allow use of the theatre for some classes. This enables Mr. Sumpter to keep tuition low). What is at stake is the right of Christians to not be bullied by politicians, backed by a handful of activists, for no better reason then that they are annoyed with us! Their complaint is not about our safety or the appropriateness of having a small, half-day school downtown. Their complaint is that we are visible—essentially, that we are invading the town square and potentially upsetting the left-wing, secular uniformity of our small town. Our sixteen student’s blue sweater-vests are too bright for their monochrome vision!
Unlike NSA, Atlas does not have much money invested in its current location.
“We’ve never really thought of this as our permanent home,” Sumpter said, “Every year we’ve revisited the issue, checked with the Nuart to see if we were bugging them too much. If push came to shove, we have a computer and four tables, we could move, but this has been an incredibly convenient location. And it’s cheap: $250 per month!”
A welcome catalyst for moving Atlas from its current location at the Nuart would be an increase in enrolment. Mr. Sumpter would love to have between 25 and 30 students and be able to hire a second full time-teacher. Therefore, while moving would not be excessively harmful, being forced to move would be a mistake for the city of Moscow, and something which all Christians on the Palouse, not just those of Christ Church and Trinity Reformed Church, should resist. After winning support for NSA to be downtown, it would be a shame for concerned Christians acquiesce to the radical council with regard to Atlas.
Atlas’s argument:
Our argument, as Mr. Dickison has laid out, is that the spirit of the zoning code is trying to prohibit a full sized elementary school from moving downtown and Atlas, considering its size and format is not something a responsible city government should be trying to oust from its current convenient and economical location.
In a public relations tactic to demonstrate that the complaint against NSA was not really about zoning, Nathan Wilson, fellow of rhetoric at NSA and, Aaron Wrench, director of admissions, filed complaints against the Moscow Food Co-op and the University of Idaho for their incompliance. Grocery stores, although defined by the code, are not specifically listed as allowable in the Central Business District, and educational institutions are not listed as allowable in the University Zone. Therefore, according to the intoleristas hermeneutic, which they so zealously applied to NSA, these institutions should also move. Wilson’s and Wrench’s complaints with their accompanying humorous and sarcastic press releases, signed “for the love of the code,” were obviously tongue in cheek, (The complaint against the University of Idaho was made against the entire university!) they simply demonstrated that the code was a mess and needed revision. Obviously, neither the Co-op, nor the University of Idaho, nor NSA should be moved.
The reason the Co-op is a good fit for downtown is that it is not like most grocery stores and in the same way, NSA and Atlas School are not like typical colleges and schools. No one wants a Wal-Mart or a Winco Foods to be downtown and yet everyone is happy with the popular Co-op, because the size and character of the Co-op is taken into account. So also should the size and character of Atlas School be taken into account.
At another level, the families of Atlas school are simply arguing that they ought to have the freedom to drop their kids off downtown for classes, provided they are not starting a large school right on Main Street. A school with 100 kids could be a safety issue, depending on how the kids were dropped off and picked up, but a half-day school with less than 1/3rd that number of students, who are not outside playing in the street, ought not to be repressed under the guise of safety, as the following post taken from Dale Courtney’s blog, aptly explains:
The bottom line is that parents have the freedom to drop their kids off downtown, so that they can go into a building and study for four-and-a-half hours. Atlas is not a large elementary school with buses and street guards and hundreds of pedestrian children. The Intoleristas in Moscow are simply unable to comprehend or accept the diverse educational options outside the monolithic public schools.
What its all about:
Again Atlas Families and students need to remember that this controversy is not really about zoning or safety issues, but about a group of people who are bitter about Christ Church. They are trying to use the city code, something designed to be for the benefit of all the citizens of Moscow to strong arm a particular group whose religious and social views or perceived views they find offensive.
These intoleristas begin to squeal with delight when they think they have the law on their side as if the law is their own personal wooden gavel that they can bop people over the heads with. Lest you think that this metaphor is too far off the mark, the anti-NSA/Christ Church website “zonemoscow.com” plays an audio clip of the mayor of Moscow banging his gavel at a city council meeting when the site first loads! Theirs is the rhetoric of the banging gavel.
The Intoleristas tried to pose as merely concerned citizens, wanting to abide by the laws. But they ended up looking like a bunch of zoning Nazis or Pharisees.
As Pastor Doug Wilson has pointed out. When Judas brings back his 35 shekels to the Pharisees, a serious discussion ensues about where it is lawful to use the money, never mind the fact that they just ordered the betrayal of Jesus! In the same way, Moscow has a lot of citizens pretending to have an orderly, rational discussion about the zoning code, when what they are really interested in is persecuting a church which obediently educates its children under the guidance of God-fearing parents and teachers, instead of secular bureaucrats.
In perspective:
We at Atlas School, are thankful to Jim Wilson and Eric Engerbretson of Community Christian Ministries for offering the extra space in the Nuart Theatre. It’s convenience and low-cost have been a real blessing. If we are forced to move because a few radical city council members have a little too much fun with their gavel wielding, then we will be thankful for that demonstration of the Lord’s will as well. Such an outcome may be indication that it is time for Atlas School to grow.
However, we are hoping and praying that through our representation before the City Council, and other means, the Lord will thwart the designs of the Intoleristas, as He has done on so many other occasions, for the glory of his name in Moscow, Idaho!
How to help:
Please pray for Atlas School and Greg Dickison, our counsel, as we go before the city council on January 19. Pray that the intoleristas would be exposed once again as the anti-Christ-Church fanatics that they are and that the council would distinguish between Atlas and a full-sized school and thereby recognize the freedom of Atlas Parents and Mr. Sumpter to hold classes where they wish. Mostly, pray that God would be glorified by our actions regardless of the outcome of the hearing.
Atlas school is also accepting gifs in order to cover legal costs. Although Atlas is seeking to avoid being forced to move, obtaining a new facility is nevertheless a foreseeable expense within a couple years, if not sooner, if enrolment increases. And so donations may also be saved for this purpose and other needs.
Please consider sending a gift, to our treasurers Bill and Robin Amos (606 Homestead Place, Moscow ID 83843) in order to support Atlas and its unique mission to train and educate young men in logic and languages, math and science, music and poetry and history, to the end that they may be faithful servants and conscientious worshipers of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sorry, gifts are not currently tax-deductible. Checks may be made to “Atlas School.”
In addition to our hardworking students and supportive parents, Atlas School has been discovered by a another special group of people—An especially exasperating group of people that is!—though surely provided in God’s providence to increase our vigilance.
They are the same people, which have been hostile to anyone and anything associated with Christ Church or Trinity Reformed Church for quite some time. We’ve even coined a term for them, “The Intoleristas.”
However, now they have found a new pebble to throw: They are seeking to apply the cities zoning code in a fundamentalist spirit in order to frustrate the ministries of New St. Andrews College (NSA) and now Atlas School.
This may be old news to many readers—the complaint that Atlas occupies its current location downtown in violation of city zoning codes was made in April—However, a recap of the zoning controversy as it pertains to Atlas School is in order.
What’s happened so far:
The complaint against Atlas was made three months after a similar complaint was filed against NSA. It was brought by Saundra Lund, 44, and Rose Huskey, 61, two women, with apparently too much time on their hands, who have left a long paper trail of harassments of members of Christ Church and their undertakings!
Due to the fact that Atlas is closer to a cooperation of homeschoolers than a school and has no formal legal incorporation, Headmaster, Toby Sumpter had not sought to do any paperwork with the city, regarding it’s use of the Nuart Theatre, owned by Campus Christian Ministries.
“Prior to the complaint,” said Sumpter, “The city didn’t even know we were here, so we said ‘Here we are’ and ‘What do we need to do?’”
First on the order of business for the city was to issue Atlas an “occupancy permit,” which is a permit issued by a building inspector, stating that the building is safe to occupy for its intended purpose.
Building inspector Jim Johnson inspected the Nuart and the two, tiny, adjacent rooms, which Atlas occupies. According to Sumpter, he said it looked fine. He did ask Eric Engerbretson, who is responsible for the Nuart theatre, to install a lit exit sign. The sign was duly installed so that Atlas met all the requirements of the building inspector and was slated to receive an occupancy permit.
However, the city also required a zoning permit in addition to the occupancy permit. This was the second part of the complaint: namely, Atlas was operating downtown in the central business district in violation of Moscow’s zoning code.
With regard to this second issue, that of zoning, Joel Plaskon, Moscow’s zoning administrator, wrote a letter to Mr. Sumpter saying, in effect, it looks like you guys are fine. He saw no violation of the spirit of the zoning code by Atlas School, and he said he would not enforce the code against Atlas.
To understand Plaskon’s initial tolerance of Atlas School, you have to understand the larger zoning controversy, because Atlas, at this point in time, was following in the wake of what was happening to NSA. Plaskon’s initial response to the complaint against NSA was also that he would not enforce the code against NSA, because he was reading the law as an “integrated whole.”
Plaskon wrote, “I acknowledge that the current use of New St. Andrews College is not explicitly listed as a permissible use in the CB Zoning District. However, such use has been explicitly permitted as a use by right in the past…. Additionally, I read the law as an integrated whole and considered the intent of the Zoning Code and the Comprehensive Plan. Therefore, it is my determination that such use be allowed to continue while the City more thoroughly reviews the Zoning Code regarding these types of uses and considers amending the Code to clarify or explicitly allow such uses in such Zoning Districts, either by right or by Conditional Use Permit.”
So, due to Plaskon’s reasonableness, the zoning permit, in addition to the occupancy permit, seemed forthcoming by May or early June, according to Sumpter. However, neither permit was yet granted, and in the meantime, the complainers against NSA appealed to the Board of Adjustments, which ruled in their favor.
Plaskon then wrote to Sumpter stating that he could not issue an occupancy permit due to what happened to NSA.
Subsequently, the city council also ruled against NSA and, finally, in the week before school started, Plaskon wrote to Sumpter that he had decided to enforce the zoning code against Atlas, thereby treating Atlas as a separate entity from NSA.
After talking with Greg Dickison, the same attorney representing NSA, Atlas decided to appeal Plaskon’s decision to the board of adjustments, as NSA had done. This appeal occurred near the end of October and was unsuccessful for Atlas. Despite the helpful representation of Dickison and the attendance of Mr. Sumpter and members of five Atlas families, the board ruled against Atlas based on a ridged reading of code.
The complainants were able to convince the board of adjustments and city council of a particular reading of the code, Sumpter said. That is to say, the safety issue was not a real factor at this hearing. (The originators of the complaint, Huskey and Lund, had initially characterized their action as being initiated out of concern for the students safety.)
Where we stand:
Atlas has now appealed to the City council and we have a hearing date on January 19. Unfortunately, this is after the new city council members will be sworn in on January, 3. According to Christ Church member Dale Courtney, who reports on Moscow politics on his blog, the six-member council will be losing two conservatives and gaining two liberals. The new liberals are Bob Stout and the particularly radical Aaron Ament, who calls himself Citizen Ament, like a French revolutionary! Liberal Nancy Chaney will also be taking over as mayor, having a tie-breaking vote on the council. Needless to say, the new council may not be particularly friendly to Atlas school in the January hearing.
Broadly speaking, progress has been made with regard to the zoning issue. A proposed amendment to the zoning ordinance is being considered now, which would allow “educational institutions,” like NSA, within the Central Business District on a conditional basis; however, not “schools.”
NSA has received much support, not only from people who own or work in businesses downtown, but from editors of both the Moscow-Pullman Daily News and the Lewiston Tribune. Four different editors have supported NSA in no less than seven separate editorials, which are worth quoting in order to show the kind of support that may be available for Atlas School as well.
Jim Fisher of the Lewiston Tribune likes Doug Wilson’s term “Intoleristas:”
“Intoleristas, he calls them, and with good reason,” Fisher said. “They speak for a community that indulges all manner of political and religious thought, as long as it's from the left side of the spectrum, and all manner of small-town businesses, as long as they are not connected to the wrong church.”
Murf Raquet of the Daily News came down on the Intoleristas for their rudeness:
“A handful of opponents of schools,” wrote Raquet, “—in particular the faith-based New Saint Andrews College—in the downtown business district lost their civility in the fervor to speak their mind at Wednesday’s meeting. In the excitement to articulate opinions as to why there shouldn’t be schools downtown all ability to communicate in English was lost. Cat calls, snorts, outbursts and a few boos interrupted the proceedings. That childish behavior was most evident when NSA President Roy Atwood got up to speak.”
Craig Clohessy, writing for the Daily News said, “Neither complaint really has anything to do with the city's zoning regulations. The challenge to NSA is all about personal grudges against Doug Wilson, who sits on the college's board.”
And Steve McClure, writing for the Daily News, also sees what is truly going on: “There will be some who say this is nothing more than spot zoning, or changing the law to avoid enforcement. Some of those people will be the same ones who would have us believe this whole hubbub started over nothing more than zoning issues.”
This is a very strong show of support from the local media—from the editors no less! Therefore its clear that level-headed residents of Moscow, holding no grudges against Christ Church, are ready to support NSA and by the same token, they may support Atlas School as well.
Nevertheless, not many level-headed Moscowans are sitting on the current council. Therefore, Atlas needs a strong and continued show of support. Just because NSA has won it’s fight doesn’t mean that we can let up.
What’s at stake:
What is at stake is not merely Atlas’s convenient location (The downtown location is a central place for all the Atlas parents to drive their sons) and not just the money that we save (Community Christian Ministries has been gracious enough to rent the two rooms that Atlas uses for $250 per month and to allow use of the theatre for some classes. This enables Mr. Sumpter to keep tuition low). What is at stake is the right of Christians to not be bullied by politicians, backed by a handful of activists, for no better reason then that they are annoyed with us! Their complaint is not about our safety or the appropriateness of having a small, half-day school downtown. Their complaint is that we are visible—essentially, that we are invading the town square and potentially upsetting the left-wing, secular uniformity of our small town. Our sixteen student’s blue sweater-vests are too bright for their monochrome vision!
Unlike NSA, Atlas does not have much money invested in its current location.
“We’ve never really thought of this as our permanent home,” Sumpter said, “Every year we’ve revisited the issue, checked with the Nuart to see if we were bugging them too much. If push came to shove, we have a computer and four tables, we could move, but this has been an incredibly convenient location. And it’s cheap: $250 per month!”
A welcome catalyst for moving Atlas from its current location at the Nuart would be an increase in enrolment. Mr. Sumpter would love to have between 25 and 30 students and be able to hire a second full time-teacher. Therefore, while moving would not be excessively harmful, being forced to move would be a mistake for the city of Moscow, and something which all Christians on the Palouse, not just those of Christ Church and Trinity Reformed Church, should resist. After winning support for NSA to be downtown, it would be a shame for concerned Christians acquiesce to the radical council with regard to Atlas.
Atlas’s argument:
Our argument, as Mr. Dickison has laid out, is that the spirit of the zoning code is trying to prohibit a full sized elementary school from moving downtown and Atlas, considering its size and format is not something a responsible city government should be trying to oust from its current convenient and economical location.
In a public relations tactic to demonstrate that the complaint against NSA was not really about zoning, Nathan Wilson, fellow of rhetoric at NSA and, Aaron Wrench, director of admissions, filed complaints against the Moscow Food Co-op and the University of Idaho for their incompliance. Grocery stores, although defined by the code, are not specifically listed as allowable in the Central Business District, and educational institutions are not listed as allowable in the University Zone. Therefore, according to the intoleristas hermeneutic, which they so zealously applied to NSA, these institutions should also move. Wilson’s and Wrench’s complaints with their accompanying humorous and sarcastic press releases, signed “for the love of the code,” were obviously tongue in cheek, (The complaint against the University of Idaho was made against the entire university!) they simply demonstrated that the code was a mess and needed revision. Obviously, neither the Co-op, nor the University of Idaho, nor NSA should be moved.
The reason the Co-op is a good fit for downtown is that it is not like most grocery stores and in the same way, NSA and Atlas School are not like typical colleges and schools. No one wants a Wal-Mart or a Winco Foods to be downtown and yet everyone is happy with the popular Co-op, because the size and character of the Co-op is taken into account. So also should the size and character of Atlas School be taken into account.
At another level, the families of Atlas school are simply arguing that they ought to have the freedom to drop their kids off downtown for classes, provided they are not starting a large school right on Main Street. A school with 100 kids could be a safety issue, depending on how the kids were dropped off and picked up, but a half-day school with less than 1/3rd that number of students, who are not outside playing in the street, ought not to be repressed under the guise of safety, as the following post taken from Dale Courtney’s blog, aptly explains:
"We were so concerned about the kids' safety," Lund said. ?????
"Unsafe for kids" does not appear to be a very defensible position for this Nanny or the city to hang its hat on...it is simply a "red herring", an appeal to "emotion" or "motherhood"; i.e., how can anyone argue against "motherhood" ("safety")?
Imagine, fifteen kids show up five days a week and go into a building between 7:45am (before stores are open), and leave at lunchtime.
What they are doing in that building is irrelevant to the argument. They could be taking dance lessons, learning martial arts, playing Dungeon and Dragons like they do at the Palouse Mall. Parents paying for their kids to learn Latin, Greek, and Hebrew somehow makes them unique for zoning? If that is "unsafe" what about the "kids" going to the theater itself? Lots more bodies I suspect. Or what about the dance school across the street? How many kids come and go from there? Or how many kids come and go from Hodgin’s? (a lot I bet because it's a really neat store).
The logical conclusion is for the P&Z to declare a "kids free zone" on Main Street. The City can place a kiosk at both ends of the street. Parents would have to register their kids at the kiosk before entering the "kids free zone", and obtain an official "Moscow Kids Safety Token", which would allow them to enter the "Zone". The number of Tokens would be determined by an appointed number of "concerned" citizens of Moscow. Fines could be issued. Think of the revenue that could be raised! And OH! the safety that would result!!!
The bottom line is that parents have the freedom to drop their kids off downtown, so that they can go into a building and study for four-and-a-half hours. Atlas is not a large elementary school with buses and street guards and hundreds of pedestrian children. The Intoleristas in Moscow are simply unable to comprehend or accept the diverse educational options outside the monolithic public schools.
What its all about:
Again Atlas Families and students need to remember that this controversy is not really about zoning or safety issues, but about a group of people who are bitter about Christ Church. They are trying to use the city code, something designed to be for the benefit of all the citizens of Moscow to strong arm a particular group whose religious and social views or perceived views they find offensive.
These intoleristas begin to squeal with delight when they think they have the law on their side as if the law is their own personal wooden gavel that they can bop people over the heads with. Lest you think that this metaphor is too far off the mark, the anti-NSA/Christ Church website “zonemoscow.com” plays an audio clip of the mayor of Moscow banging his gavel at a city council meeting when the site first loads! Theirs is the rhetoric of the banging gavel.
The Intoleristas tried to pose as merely concerned citizens, wanting to abide by the laws. But they ended up looking like a bunch of zoning Nazis or Pharisees.
As Pastor Doug Wilson has pointed out. When Judas brings back his 35 shekels to the Pharisees, a serious discussion ensues about where it is lawful to use the money, never mind the fact that they just ordered the betrayal of Jesus! In the same way, Moscow has a lot of citizens pretending to have an orderly, rational discussion about the zoning code, when what they are really interested in is persecuting a church which obediently educates its children under the guidance of God-fearing parents and teachers, instead of secular bureaucrats.
In perspective:
We at Atlas School, are thankful to Jim Wilson and Eric Engerbretson of Community Christian Ministries for offering the extra space in the Nuart Theatre. It’s convenience and low-cost have been a real blessing. If we are forced to move because a few radical city council members have a little too much fun with their gavel wielding, then we will be thankful for that demonstration of the Lord’s will as well. Such an outcome may be indication that it is time for Atlas School to grow.
However, we are hoping and praying that through our representation before the City Council, and other means, the Lord will thwart the designs of the Intoleristas, as He has done on so many other occasions, for the glory of his name in Moscow, Idaho!
How to help:
Please pray for Atlas School and Greg Dickison, our counsel, as we go before the city council on January 19. Pray that the intoleristas would be exposed once again as the anti-Christ-Church fanatics that they are and that the council would distinguish between Atlas and a full-sized school and thereby recognize the freedom of Atlas Parents and Mr. Sumpter to hold classes where they wish. Mostly, pray that God would be glorified by our actions regardless of the outcome of the hearing.
Atlas school is also accepting gifs in order to cover legal costs. Although Atlas is seeking to avoid being forced to move, obtaining a new facility is nevertheless a foreseeable expense within a couple years, if not sooner, if enrolment increases. And so donations may also be saved for this purpose and other needs.
Please consider sending a gift, to our treasurers Bill and Robin Amos (606 Homestead Place, Moscow ID 83843) in order to support Atlas and its unique mission to train and educate young men in logic and languages, math and science, music and poetry and history, to the end that they may be faithful servants and conscientious worshipers of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Sorry, gifts are not currently tax-deductible. Checks may be made to “Atlas School.”
Friday, December 30, 2005
Update on my mom
We found out while I was home for Christmas that my mother, Ruth Becktell, does indeed have breast cancer. If I had a recent photo of her on my computer, I would include one, but she is pictured below with her older sister, Elaine. Thank you for your prayers.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Old, but interesting news
I was reading the City of Moscow press releases on the internet and I found this one regarding an act of vandalism against NSA:
"At the Moscow Human Rights Commission meeting of August 17th, 2005 commissioners were made aware via letter and personal presentation by Dr. Roy Atwood, President of New Saint Andrews College of an act of vandalism which occurred earlier in the day. This act took place to greet students, faculty and staff on their first day of classes at New Saint Andrews College. On the morning of August 17th the words “Hitler Youth” were written in chalk at an entrance to the college.
The Human Rights Commission of the city of Moscow would like to express our unequivocal condemnation of this act of vandalism. This act does not reflect the aspirations of the Moscow Human Rights commission and is absolutely contradictory to an environment of constructive civil discourse."
"At the Moscow Human Rights Commission meeting of August 17th, 2005 commissioners were made aware via letter and personal presentation by Dr. Roy Atwood, President of New Saint Andrews College of an act of vandalism which occurred earlier in the day. This act took place to greet students, faculty and staff on their first day of classes at New Saint Andrews College. On the morning of August 17th the words “Hitler Youth” were written in chalk at an entrance to the college.
The Human Rights Commission of the city of Moscow would like to express our unequivocal condemnation of this act of vandalism. This act does not reflect the aspirations of the Moscow Human Rights commission and is absolutely contradictory to an environment of constructive civil discourse."
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Please pray for my mom
My mother, Ruth, has just found out that she most likely has breast cancer again. That's her on the left. Please Pray.
The Art History Class of Atlas School
I altered this photo with a Photoshop filter called "painted edges." It helped cover up the fact that I had to move some of the kids around to make them all fit in! Anyway, these are my students. Don't they look smart?
The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Wide
I would love to get some criticism of the following poem I've been writing. I don't think I'm done with it, but I'm to a good stopping place and I'm tired of working on it now anyway! So, tell me what you think if you get a chance. It's based on an actual hike that I took about a month ago with some friends.
We left on a hike in the month of November,
Not knowing exactly the ending thereof.
Though of course we were seeking a sight to remember,
A mountain with scope of the lands that we love.
For the map of the national forest provided
The general idea for where we would go,
A location where noble and free men resided
Of old, upon Washington’s inland plateau.
But as for details, we had known not a one,
Such as whether some danger would send us back home,
Or whether our way would be fearing or fun,
We only had said that, “to some end we roam.”
And so thus we set out in the fog in our cars,
Which conveyed us like wombs to the start of the trek,
Where we burst from their warmth and collected snack bars,
And attempted evasion of snow down the neck.
But our first inclination, to play on the blanket
Of snowfall, which softened the path where we stood,
Was followed by chatter of how we would make it,
By this road or that, to the edge of the wood.
There was one way which drifted so slight to the right
And which skirted a canyon of certain intrigue,
But the other we took, for it promised more height,
And the prospect of views, though perhaps more fatigue.
So forward we went, till we reached a small clearing,
And wondered aloud if we further should see,
For it seemed that by now our keen vision was nearing
The depth of our forebears so noble and free.
The soothing bright light from the whiteness reflected,
So loosened our muscles we almost there stopped
For to ponder enjoying the meadow, protected
From winds, and not tiring as others may opt.
But at length there was one of our party who said
That he longed for some fitting conclusion to reach,
As a peak where we thought that our map had first led,
Where the beauty would wholly deprive us of speech.
For we want, we then thought, to attain a perspective
Of actual things which alight on our path:
Of arachnids which zip on their fibers reflective,
And chipmunks which scold us, indignant in wrath.
For which of these joys, understood on its own,
Can provide what we seek in the sum of their memory,
When, having ascended a snow-covered throne,
We examine their careful and conscious assembly?
So again we went onward, resigned to our pace,
But with hope in our hearts and each countenance calm.
Now imploring the Lord ever more for His grace,
And restoring our rhythm by singing a psalm.
“We’re as yet going up” was our watchword repeated,
Now frequently, climbing the moderate grade,
Though the trees of the wood ever stood undepleted
And running their gauntlet our hoping was staid.
But then rounding a corner we looked down the way
Just as far as we could to the place where we guessed
It would bend yet again, yet again to delay,
But it didn’t for once, for this once it went west!
It continued straight forward to meet the blue sky
And the edge of a valley with green gullies etched,
Where the honey-gold needles of tamaracks lie,
And the jagged Blue Mountains beyond them are stretched.
We beheld there in silence the beauty before us,
The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness wide,
It’s unceasing variety blended in chorus,
So vast and transcendent with brightness supplied.
How enchanting, we pondered, to paint every feature,
In feeble, but right, imitation of God,
And with brushstrokes on canvas, to Christen each creature,
As Adam our forebear in gardens he trod.
For above on the ridgeline a cabin commanded
The spectacular view from its tempting retreat,
Where with paints and some brushes, though snowbound and stranded,
One could primp his own garden till tidy and neat.
But in truth we foreknew that this scheme wouldn’t do:
To consume many seasons as hermits secluded,
While Christ was as yet making everything new,
All the cities and sinners, the whole world included.
Whatever He spoke to us here of His glory,
We knew we must bring to His church, which now forms
His garden and temple, sustained by His story,
And proud as this mountain, though circled with storms.
We left on a hike in the month of November,
Not knowing exactly the ending thereof.
Though of course we were seeking a sight to remember,
A mountain with scope of the lands that we love.
For the map of the national forest provided
The general idea for where we would go,
A location where noble and free men resided
Of old, upon Washington’s inland plateau.
But as for details, we had known not a one,
Such as whether some danger would send us back home,
Or whether our way would be fearing or fun,
We only had said that, “to some end we roam.”
And so thus we set out in the fog in our cars,
Which conveyed us like wombs to the start of the trek,
Where we burst from their warmth and collected snack bars,
And attempted evasion of snow down the neck.
But our first inclination, to play on the blanket
Of snowfall, which softened the path where we stood,
Was followed by chatter of how we would make it,
By this road or that, to the edge of the wood.
There was one way which drifted so slight to the right
And which skirted a canyon of certain intrigue,
But the other we took, for it promised more height,
And the prospect of views, though perhaps more fatigue.
So forward we went, till we reached a small clearing,
And wondered aloud if we further should see,
For it seemed that by now our keen vision was nearing
The depth of our forebears so noble and free.
The soothing bright light from the whiteness reflected,
So loosened our muscles we almost there stopped
For to ponder enjoying the meadow, protected
From winds, and not tiring as others may opt.
But at length there was one of our party who said
That he longed for some fitting conclusion to reach,
As a peak where we thought that our map had first led,
Where the beauty would wholly deprive us of speech.
For we want, we then thought, to attain a perspective
Of actual things which alight on our path:
Of arachnids which zip on their fibers reflective,
And chipmunks which scold us, indignant in wrath.
For which of these joys, understood on its own,
Can provide what we seek in the sum of their memory,
When, having ascended a snow-covered throne,
We examine their careful and conscious assembly?
So again we went onward, resigned to our pace,
But with hope in our hearts and each countenance calm.
Now imploring the Lord ever more for His grace,
And restoring our rhythm by singing a psalm.
“We’re as yet going up” was our watchword repeated,
Now frequently, climbing the moderate grade,
Though the trees of the wood ever stood undepleted
And running their gauntlet our hoping was staid.
But then rounding a corner we looked down the way
Just as far as we could to the place where we guessed
It would bend yet again, yet again to delay,
But it didn’t for once, for this once it went west!
It continued straight forward to meet the blue sky
And the edge of a valley with green gullies etched,
Where the honey-gold needles of tamaracks lie,
And the jagged Blue Mountains beyond them are stretched.
We beheld there in silence the beauty before us,
The Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness wide,
It’s unceasing variety blended in chorus,
So vast and transcendent with brightness supplied.
How enchanting, we pondered, to paint every feature,
In feeble, but right, imitation of God,
And with brushstrokes on canvas, to Christen each creature,
As Adam our forebear in gardens he trod.
For above on the ridgeline a cabin commanded
The spectacular view from its tempting retreat,
Where with paints and some brushes, though snowbound and stranded,
One could primp his own garden till tidy and neat.
But in truth we foreknew that this scheme wouldn’t do:
To consume many seasons as hermits secluded,
While Christ was as yet making everything new,
All the cities and sinners, the whole world included.
Whatever He spoke to us here of His glory,
We knew we must bring to His church, which now forms
His garden and temple, sustained by His story,
And proud as this mountain, though circled with storms.
Guess what's on the National Register of Historic Places
The Nuart Theatre!
"Milburn Kenworthy built the Nuart in 1935, three doors away from his 1926 Kenworthy Theatre. The restored Kenworthy now serves as Moscow's performing arts center and the Nuart, which was operated by Carmike Cinemas for many years, was closed in March of 1999 for first-run movies but remains in excellent condition.
"The Nuart was purchased by Community Christian Ministries In January of 2004, and they have renovated the original 500-seat theatre to include the Redhawk Crossing Bookstore, wireless Internet ports, an espresso bar and couches to read books on spirituality. A small stage has been built in the lobby for their open-mic nights and on Fridays the Nuart returns to its roots with free movies.
"The Nuart, along with its neighbor, the Kenworthy, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in November of 2001."
I found the above quotation on a site about historic theatres.
"Milburn Kenworthy built the Nuart in 1935, three doors away from his 1926 Kenworthy Theatre. The restored Kenworthy now serves as Moscow's performing arts center and the Nuart, which was operated by Carmike Cinemas for many years, was closed in March of 1999 for first-run movies but remains in excellent condition.
"The Nuart was purchased by Community Christian Ministries In January of 2004, and they have renovated the original 500-seat theatre to include the Redhawk Crossing Bookstore, wireless Internet ports, an espresso bar and couches to read books on spirituality. A small stage has been built in the lobby for their open-mic nights and on Fridays the Nuart returns to its roots with free movies.
"The Nuart, along with its neighbor, the Kenworthy, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in November of 2001."
I found the above quotation on a site about historic theatres.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
The Purpose of Sunday Morning Worship
I was recently talking with Pastor Ralph Smith about the purpose of worship. He said that one of the best statements of the purpose of worship he has heard is prinited in the Trinity Reformed Church service music book, written by Dr. Leithart:
"With the Church throughout the centuries, we at Trinity view worship as the chief work of God's people. In the first instance, though, worship is not our service to God buy the Lord's service to us. We assemble here because we believe he will do what He has promised.
What has He promised to do in worship? He calls us together promising to cleans us from our sins, speak to us in His word, hear our prayers and praises, feed us at His table, and send us out into the world under His blessing.
The Bible describes worship as a "covenant renewal." The Triune God is a communion of Father, Son, and Spirit and through Jesus, God has graceiously made the Church a member of that divine "society." As the devine husband, He renews communion with His bride each week. Covenant renewal is the work of the Triune God. Through the Spirit, we are joined to the Son, Jesus Christ, to offer ourselves in Him to the Father.
As God renews covant with us, we follow the same liturgical pattern as anient Israel. As Yahweh cleansed Israel through the sin offering, so we are cleanesed through our confession; as Israel offered herself to Yahweh in the ascension offering, so We consecrate ourselves wholly in a sacrifice of praise; as Yahweh fed Israel in the peace offering, so He feeds us at the Lord's table. Our worship at Trinity follows that biblical sequence.
We trust that God is in fact renewing coveant with us so that we may live each day in comunion with Him and with one another. Because we trust His promises, we come together expectantly looking to our Triune God to work on and in us so that we might work for Him."
This understanding of worship is totally different than what I grew up with and it's very exciting. Something actually takes place between God and man each Sunday. Sunday mornings aren't merely for social or educational purposes.
"With the Church throughout the centuries, we at Trinity view worship as the chief work of God's people. In the first instance, though, worship is not our service to God buy the Lord's service to us. We assemble here because we believe he will do what He has promised.
What has He promised to do in worship? He calls us together promising to cleans us from our sins, speak to us in His word, hear our prayers and praises, feed us at His table, and send us out into the world under His blessing.
The Bible describes worship as a "covenant renewal." The Triune God is a communion of Father, Son, and Spirit and through Jesus, God has graceiously made the Church a member of that divine "society." As the devine husband, He renews communion with His bride each week. Covenant renewal is the work of the Triune God. Through the Spirit, we are joined to the Son, Jesus Christ, to offer ourselves in Him to the Father.
As God renews covant with us, we follow the same liturgical pattern as anient Israel. As Yahweh cleansed Israel through the sin offering, so we are cleanesed through our confession; as Israel offered herself to Yahweh in the ascension offering, so We consecrate ourselves wholly in a sacrifice of praise; as Yahweh fed Israel in the peace offering, so He feeds us at the Lord's table. Our worship at Trinity follows that biblical sequence.
We trust that God is in fact renewing coveant with us so that we may live each day in comunion with Him and with one another. Because we trust His promises, we come together expectantly looking to our Triune God to work on and in us so that we might work for Him."
This understanding of worship is totally different than what I grew up with and it's very exciting. Something actually takes place between God and man each Sunday. Sunday mornings aren't merely for social or educational purposes.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Update
I went to the Christ Church / Trinity Reformed Church picnic the other day and a couple people mentioned out of the blue that they had read my blog, so I guess I had better update it more than once or twice every millennium! I'm not in the mood to wax eloquent, but I can at least let my friends and relatives know what’s keeping me busy these days.
I’m working for a guy named Jim Miller here in Moscow, doing construction. He’s a great guy to work for. I couldn’t ask for a better boss. So if there are any employers out there who want to know how to make their employees enjoy working for them, call Jim Miller. I mean it.
I’m also teaching one class at Atlas School, a one-day-a-week art and art history class. People always ask me if I’ve had experience in art when I mention that I’m teaching this class. Perhaps they’re worried that I’m teaching the boys the art of nail pounding or lumber sawing—which is, I dare say, an important art in its own right. (The work of our hands and our lives is always art in one sense.) But no, I’m doing my best to work through all the important historical art periods and have the boys do hands-on things, mostly drawing assignments, which reinforce the historical lesson.
It is a real privilege to teach the Atlas boys. They are a REALLY fun bunch to teach. This is of course what everyone says about them, but that is because it’s true! They speak up in class and I enjoy answering their questions.
The other thing I’m doing is taking piano lessons from a lady named Jung Spooner, who is also a choral conductor and voice instructor at U of I. Wow, she really knows her stuff! I told her that I wanted to learn the basics and for her to be a bit strict and, well, let’s just say I’m getting my money’s worth. I’m progressing slowly, but surely, working on scales mostly and some basic sight reading.
I thank the Lord that he has given me these pursuits in Moscow right now. Please pray that I will perform them joyfully.
Another thing that’s been on my mind is the founding of a CREC Church in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. There are now over 50 CREC churches! Amazing! And there are about 12 families interested in starting a CREC church in Coeur d’Alene, my home town. Please pray that it will be founded soon and with the abundant blessings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I’m working for a guy named Jim Miller here in Moscow, doing construction. He’s a great guy to work for. I couldn’t ask for a better boss. So if there are any employers out there who want to know how to make their employees enjoy working for them, call Jim Miller. I mean it.
I’m also teaching one class at Atlas School, a one-day-a-week art and art history class. People always ask me if I’ve had experience in art when I mention that I’m teaching this class. Perhaps they’re worried that I’m teaching the boys the art of nail pounding or lumber sawing—which is, I dare say, an important art in its own right. (The work of our hands and our lives is always art in one sense.) But no, I’m doing my best to work through all the important historical art periods and have the boys do hands-on things, mostly drawing assignments, which reinforce the historical lesson.
It is a real privilege to teach the Atlas boys. They are a REALLY fun bunch to teach. This is of course what everyone says about them, but that is because it’s true! They speak up in class and I enjoy answering their questions.
The other thing I’m doing is taking piano lessons from a lady named Jung Spooner, who is also a choral conductor and voice instructor at U of I. Wow, she really knows her stuff! I told her that I wanted to learn the basics and for her to be a bit strict and, well, let’s just say I’m getting my money’s worth. I’m progressing slowly, but surely, working on scales mostly and some basic sight reading.
I thank the Lord that he has given me these pursuits in Moscow right now. Please pray that I will perform them joyfully.
Another thing that’s been on my mind is the founding of a CREC Church in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. There are now over 50 CREC churches! Amazing! And there are about 12 families interested in starting a CREC church in Coeur d’Alene, my home town. Please pray that it will be founded soon and with the abundant blessings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
I just got a PowerBook G4!
For those of you who don't know, that means a MacIntosh computer. I found that Macs are kind of like cars; they lose quite a bit of their value after you first purchase it, so I bought a one-year-old model on Ebay for $1200, which contains software and hardware that would cost about $3,200 new according to my friend, who knows about such things. Anyway, I'm very excited to start using the new "Tiger" operating system and everything.
Sunday, June 26, 2005
A Pest Control Summer
Ah summer! Barbecues at the park, jumping off the rocks at Tubbs Hill and watching the fireworks on Coeur d'Alene Lake; sipping a cold beer on my parent's deck overlooking Cougar Gulch, that walnut and cabbage salad my mom makes, corn on the cob and apple pie a la mode. That is summer. But pest control! Selling pest control door to door--who would have thunk it. For the past three years my summers have been radically altered. The current poet laureate, Ted Kooser, said that all the years he was an insurance salesman, he didn't even have a summer. I can certainly sympathize with him; however, I can't really say that I haven't had a summer, because there's a certain thrill to selling pest control, even if it's not like going camping and swimming. And our Sundays are always fantastic. We live for Sunday. The pastor and folks at Christ Reformed Evangelical Church in Annapolis Maryland have been very hospitable. We've enjoyed their warm fellowship immensely.
So, yes, I'm back at it and quite thankful, despite my and my companion's convictions that this job sucks! I'm ahead of where I was last summer in sales. My goal for the summer was 170 accounts and I'm at 100 now, even though I'm only half way through my time here. I'm leaving August third, and the proximity of that date is what keeps me going. I'm leaving then to make it to the Trinity Festival. And then I'll be working in Moscow until I can figure out where to teach or where to go to graduate school. That's the plan anyway. Everyone enjoy your summer and I hope to see everybody soon!
So, yes, I'm back at it and quite thankful, despite my and my companion's convictions that this job sucks! I'm ahead of where I was last summer in sales. My goal for the summer was 170 accounts and I'm at 100 now, even though I'm only half way through my time here. I'm leaving August third, and the proximity of that date is what keeps me going. I'm leaving then to make it to the Trinity Festival. And then I'll be working in Moscow until I can figure out where to teach or where to go to graduate school. That's the plan anyway. Everyone enjoy your summer and I hope to see everybody soon!
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Clean up crew
New St. Andrews College just participated in a clean up of downtown Moscow. Here's a silly poem about it:
Down the dusty sidewalk, carry we the
Bags, the black unsated bags with gaping
Lips, free, flapping in the wind that gather
Trash and every item out of station:
Cigarettes and wrappers, drinking straws and
Plastic sacks that cling to muddy corners,
All yield, to human tentacles, zealous
Fleshy fingers feeding laughing caverns.
Trowels fall and scrape the cracks where Dandy
Lions creep, a sword against unwieldy
Stems, wielded not in vain, for wilderness
Flees before us down beneath the pavement.
"What's the group you guys are with?" "St. Andrews
College...Your welcome!" That's our building there."
Down the dusty sidewalk, carry we the
Bags, the black unsated bags with gaping
Lips, free, flapping in the wind that gather
Trash and every item out of station:
Cigarettes and wrappers, drinking straws and
Plastic sacks that cling to muddy corners,
All yield, to human tentacles, zealous
Fleshy fingers feeding laughing caverns.
Trowels fall and scrape the cracks where Dandy
Lions creep, a sword against unwieldy
Stems, wielded not in vain, for wilderness
Flees before us down beneath the pavement.
"What's the group you guys are with?" "St. Andrews
College...Your welcome!" That's our building there."
Thursday, April 21, 2005
On Church Culture
This Sunday I will get to participate in "student hospitality lunches" here at Christ Church. Trinity Reformed Church is also involved, of course. And Collegiate Reformed Fellowship (CRF) plans the whole thing.
It struck me, why don't all churches do this, even if they are not in college towns. The connection between the youth and the adults of most churches is a little odd at best. Youth are delt with as a gaggle, rather than as individuals. They are hurded to Christian rock concerts or rallies where they are given pep talks. But why not have them meet a wide variety of adults in the church that are not their parents? What else could open up a young persons mind than to meet adults all serving the Lord in a variety of different lay occupations? What else could build a warmness of feeling between the generations?
Of course, if a town is not a college town, young people will likely be living at home, in which case whole families can simply invite over whole families. I guess the point is that parents need to be youth pastors, reaching out to the youth of other families in the church. That's the lesson I've learned from generous people in Moscow.
I wonder, what are the other distinctive aspects of our church's culture here in Moscow that you've thought of that you would like to export?
It struck me, why don't all churches do this, even if they are not in college towns. The connection between the youth and the adults of most churches is a little odd at best. Youth are delt with as a gaggle, rather than as individuals. They are hurded to Christian rock concerts or rallies where they are given pep talks. But why not have them meet a wide variety of adults in the church that are not their parents? What else could open up a young persons mind than to meet adults all serving the Lord in a variety of different lay occupations? What else could build a warmness of feeling between the generations?
Of course, if a town is not a college town, young people will likely be living at home, in which case whole families can simply invite over whole families. I guess the point is that parents need to be youth pastors, reaching out to the youth of other families in the church. That's the lesson I've learned from generous people in Moscow.
I wonder, what are the other distinctive aspects of our church's culture here in Moscow that you've thought of that you would like to export?
Being the Bug Guy - Part II
As Joe pointed out, my last post didn't have much about the actual art of selling pest control, because I was trying to start from the beginning and beginnings don't always seem much related to the point. They are, nevertheless, intimately related. The beginning of our discussion was the assertion that a pest control salesman, should not first ask, “How may I be successful,” but “what is my role as a pest control salesman.” In other words, there are any number of shameless and dishonest ways to make sales, but the salesman’s goal should be more than making sales. The salesman should be conscious of the role that they play in society and how their work is beneficial in God’s great scheme of human relationships. (Perhaps that seems rather impractical, but there is a practical reason to be thinking about such “great schemes.” Salesmen need confidence and the best way to be confident is to know that you are doing something right and good.)
But before we get to all that we shall consider the related question of “Why pest control is particularly suited to personal selling door-to-door?” The main reason for this and the reason which you keep in the back of your mind as you talk to customers is that it’s convenient for the company and therefore it saves money for both the company and the customer. I always say something like this:
“We’ll we’re going to be here tomorrow treating some of the neighbors homes and we can do you home at the same time.”
Notice that I don’t even need to say, at first, that they will save money; just the fact that it’s convenient for the company is a good enough excuse at first. Moreover, this is a true statement. It really is much more convenient for the company to sign up as many people as possible in the same area and the same time. And the only way to do this is with door-to-door salesmen. The unique marketing strategy is suited to the uniqueness of the pest control service.
A pest control company that wants to expand is confronted with a unique set of obstacles. Firstly, pest control companies have to employ technicians to do the actual work of spraying houses and brushing down spider webs. Pest control is a service and so what you actually sell is the time of your technicians divided up into chunks. Therefore in order to be profitable you need a steady stream of customers available at multiple times of the day to purchase these time slots. A second problem is transportation. Customers are spread out all over the place, but pest control guys do not get paid for traveling. If a pest control company was to advertise, not only would requests come at an unpredictable rate, but they would come in from all over the city, spreading their technicians out too far. Lastly, not all customers are actually profitable to have. Some don’t have very much money and default on their bills and yet they have lots of bug problems and are liable to take a lot of the technician’s time and materials. Hence the advantages of the door-to-door pest control salesman:
· We produce a steady stream of customers to fill time slots. It’s as simple as hiring about 2.5 salesmen for every technician.
· We produce customers within the limited area of wherever we are working, to minimize the technician’s drive time.
· Finally, we are able to target consumers in the right income bracket. People who have nice homes that they are trying to protect from bugs, rather than people who already have ant infested walls.
Now, do the customers need to know all this? No. But the salesman does need to know it, because, as we saw above, it becomes the basis for your pitch. It is the excuse for why you are in the neighborhood: “We’re just trying to treat as many of the neighborhood homes as we can while we’re here.” People understand that. In other words, not only does this selling strategy make sense to the company, it makes sense to the consumer. And that enables you to get a lot further with the intelligent, affluent customers, whom you are targeting.
Now to take a closer look at the sales pitch, in light of the above explanation for door-to-door sales in the pest control industry: The first thing out of your mouth, when someone opens the door to you and stares blank-faced in your direction, is a sort of excuse:
"Hi, I'm the bug guy."
There is an ingenious subtlety in that statement. Firstly, it’s an introduction and a modest one. You wouldn’t want to say, for example, “Hello, my name is Marty Becktell, I’m trying to pay for college and so I’m working for Safeguard pest control.” People do not care about your name when they first see you on their doorstep and they do not want to here first off that you’re basically looking for a handout. “Hi, I’m the bug guy,” tells them exactly who you are, and—this is the subtlety—it places you in a social class that’s lower than the person in the doorway, which makes them feel important, and yet it’s a confident assertion, like saying, “Hi, I’m superman.” You’re there to serve them and solve their problems. Most importantly, it offers an excuse as to why you’re knocking on their door; bug guys work in neighborhoods. (Admittedly, you, the salesman, are not a technitian, and most people know that from the start, but I still think its honest to say that you are “the bug guy” for these reasons: You work for and represent the pest control company; and, if you’re like me, you’ve tried your hand at the technitians job for a couple of days, so you know how to perform the service. You are a bug guy who sells.)
Typically, after you say, “Hi, I’m the bug guy,” you follow with, “Are you the homeowner?” To which they will either say “Yes” or they will go get the homeowner for you. It’s not very common for people to turn you down at this point.
After those introductions, I always begin my pitch with a question:
“Have you seen our trucks working in the neighborhood?”
This let’s them know that you are not just interested in spouting off, you’re going to carry on a conversation and they will have to be active in this conversation. But interestingly, this is also a sort of excuse: “I’m here because my trucks have been working in the neighborhood” is essentially what you’re saying. (Now, of course trucks don’t work themselves, the pest technician in the truck works, but I am being economical with my words and people usually notice trucks. Often they will turn their eyes to one side and try to think if they’ve seen our trucks.)
After they tell me whether they’ve seen our trucks or not, I tell them:
“We’ll we’re going to be here tomorrow treating some of the neighbors homes and we can do you home at the same time.”
Again, this sentence, is another subtle excuse for why I’m on their doorstep. I’m trying to save time. I’m efficient. I already do some of their neighbors homes. It’s really a very straightforward and simple pitch. That’s why it works for me!
Well, that’s enough for now. I’ve made the point that pest control service is a particularly logical product to sell door-to-door. Door-to-door is simply the quickest and surest way to build a customer base of qualified customers. Secondly understanding the corporate strategy behind this sales method helps you to be confident on the doors. There’s a good reason why you are in the neighborhood and you must subtly suggest this to your listeners. The whole first part of the sales pitch (in addition to being an honest straightforward explanation of what you are doing) is essentially offering the customer an excuse for why you’re knocking on their door.
But before we get to all that we shall consider the related question of “Why pest control is particularly suited to personal selling door-to-door?” The main reason for this and the reason which you keep in the back of your mind as you talk to customers is that it’s convenient for the company and therefore it saves money for both the company and the customer. I always say something like this:
“We’ll we’re going to be here tomorrow treating some of the neighbors homes and we can do you home at the same time.”
Notice that I don’t even need to say, at first, that they will save money; just the fact that it’s convenient for the company is a good enough excuse at first. Moreover, this is a true statement. It really is much more convenient for the company to sign up as many people as possible in the same area and the same time. And the only way to do this is with door-to-door salesmen. The unique marketing strategy is suited to the uniqueness of the pest control service.
A pest control company that wants to expand is confronted with a unique set of obstacles. Firstly, pest control companies have to employ technicians to do the actual work of spraying houses and brushing down spider webs. Pest control is a service and so what you actually sell is the time of your technicians divided up into chunks. Therefore in order to be profitable you need a steady stream of customers available at multiple times of the day to purchase these time slots. A second problem is transportation. Customers are spread out all over the place, but pest control guys do not get paid for traveling. If a pest control company was to advertise, not only would requests come at an unpredictable rate, but they would come in from all over the city, spreading their technicians out too far. Lastly, not all customers are actually profitable to have. Some don’t have very much money and default on their bills and yet they have lots of bug problems and are liable to take a lot of the technician’s time and materials. Hence the advantages of the door-to-door pest control salesman:
· We produce a steady stream of customers to fill time slots. It’s as simple as hiring about 2.5 salesmen for every technician.
· We produce customers within the limited area of wherever we are working, to minimize the technician’s drive time.
· Finally, we are able to target consumers in the right income bracket. People who have nice homes that they are trying to protect from bugs, rather than people who already have ant infested walls.
Now, do the customers need to know all this? No. But the salesman does need to know it, because, as we saw above, it becomes the basis for your pitch. It is the excuse for why you are in the neighborhood: “We’re just trying to treat as many of the neighborhood homes as we can while we’re here.” People understand that. In other words, not only does this selling strategy make sense to the company, it makes sense to the consumer. And that enables you to get a lot further with the intelligent, affluent customers, whom you are targeting.
Now to take a closer look at the sales pitch, in light of the above explanation for door-to-door sales in the pest control industry: The first thing out of your mouth, when someone opens the door to you and stares blank-faced in your direction, is a sort of excuse:
"Hi, I'm the bug guy."
There is an ingenious subtlety in that statement. Firstly, it’s an introduction and a modest one. You wouldn’t want to say, for example, “Hello, my name is Marty Becktell, I’m trying to pay for college and so I’m working for Safeguard pest control.” People do not care about your name when they first see you on their doorstep and they do not want to here first off that you’re basically looking for a handout. “Hi, I’m the bug guy,” tells them exactly who you are, and—this is the subtlety—it places you in a social class that’s lower than the person in the doorway, which makes them feel important, and yet it’s a confident assertion, like saying, “Hi, I’m superman.” You’re there to serve them and solve their problems. Most importantly, it offers an excuse as to why you’re knocking on their door; bug guys work in neighborhoods. (Admittedly, you, the salesman, are not a technitian, and most people know that from the start, but I still think its honest to say that you are “the bug guy” for these reasons: You work for and represent the pest control company; and, if you’re like me, you’ve tried your hand at the technitians job for a couple of days, so you know how to perform the service. You are a bug guy who sells.)
Typically, after you say, “Hi, I’m the bug guy,” you follow with, “Are you the homeowner?” To which they will either say “Yes” or they will go get the homeowner for you. It’s not very common for people to turn you down at this point.
After those introductions, I always begin my pitch with a question:
“Have you seen our trucks working in the neighborhood?”
This let’s them know that you are not just interested in spouting off, you’re going to carry on a conversation and they will have to be active in this conversation. But interestingly, this is also a sort of excuse: “I’m here because my trucks have been working in the neighborhood” is essentially what you’re saying. (Now, of course trucks don’t work themselves, the pest technician in the truck works, but I am being economical with my words and people usually notice trucks. Often they will turn their eyes to one side and try to think if they’ve seen our trucks.)
After they tell me whether they’ve seen our trucks or not, I tell them:
“We’ll we’re going to be here tomorrow treating some of the neighbors homes and we can do you home at the same time.”
Again, this sentence, is another subtle excuse for why I’m on their doorstep. I’m trying to save time. I’m efficient. I already do some of their neighbors homes. It’s really a very straightforward and simple pitch. That’s why it works for me!
Well, that’s enough for now. I’ve made the point that pest control service is a particularly logical product to sell door-to-door. Door-to-door is simply the quickest and surest way to build a customer base of qualified customers. Secondly understanding the corporate strategy behind this sales method helps you to be confident on the doors. There’s a good reason why you are in the neighborhood and you must subtly suggest this to your listeners. The whole first part of the sales pitch (in addition to being an honest straightforward explanation of what you are doing) is essentially offering the customer an excuse for why you’re knocking on their door.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Hey Cousins!
I just sent out the link to my Herbert W. Butt paper to your parents and hopefully they sent it on to you guys, so I'm courious to know what your reactions are. Anyway, if you have any, feel free to put them here in the comments or write to me, my email address is in the side bar. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
