Business Screen Magazine (1965-1966)

Thcv Stand as Equals Before Cod V Film l{i|><.il> llif Mriiuyh at> Onuilui' Viimi-UiMii I iilln AKaiiai Dispuit. involving the members of a Lutheran church in Omaha has been documcnteil. as it happened, cinema vcrile style, in a new film sponsored by Lutheran Film Associates, of New York. A Time fnr Hiirninii. produced by Ouesi PrinJuctions. New York. was previewed by SOO members of three churches which figured in the film, at a showing in the Omaha Civic Auditorium on Sept. I.S. The 5!<-minute film, which cost SIOO.OOO, portrays the struggle to establish meaningful communication amidst tension — not that wrought by violence and expkxling emotions, but rather the clash of ideas, the anguish between doubt and conviction, inaction and action. The cameras dwell mainly on the group that belongs to Auguslana Lutheran Church, a middleclass, all-white congregation. The locati»)n of the church is only a few blocks from the Negro ghetto. The neighborhood near the church is beginning to change with the start of integration. C,"hallciine to the Congregation '! he Rev. William Youngdahl. a pastor with a zeal for improving human relations, especially among the races, has been the spiritual leader of the church less than a year. As he sets forth his ideas in sermons, talks and counselling sessions with his people, he tries to challenge them to social action. I he inertia among his flock is not the only source of his frustration. He seeks out the leaders of the Negro community, as well. In a confrontation with one of the most articulate Negroes in Omaha he meets, head-on. the spirit of "black nationalism" with its bitterness and rejection of ihe white man. including Ihe white liberal like himself who wants to effect a reconciliation Ihe Negro spokesman, l-rnesi Chambers, is a for Inl«T-Ka«ial Harniony ran ( luircli Faet-s the Ui*"* barber and Pastor Youngdahl is the target for his hostility and pomted accusations in an attempted dialogue in the barber shop. "Your Jesus is contaminated." Chambers says, "you can have Him." Iiitir-Haclal \ isits Pro|>osed As "the man between", the Pastor nevertheless tries to spur the social action committee of his parish into taking a first step in communication and understandjni: — an informal, inter-racial visitation program in homes — which he considered essential lor a subsequent extension of a ministry to all the people in the area. Ted Backstrom, the committee chairman, a young attorney, catches the spirit and drives for a decision. Ray Christenscn, on the other hand, is cautious; he has doubts as to a positive response among the church members, some of whom have warned that "a forced integration could split the church wide open!" Pastor Youngdahl visits the home of a Negro dentist who lives near Augustana Church. Dr. Earlc Persons and his wife are members of Hope Lutheran Church, which is almost all Negro located in the ghetto. The dentist applauds the leadership Youngdahl is trying to give, but warns that other clergy in Omaha with similar programs of inter-racial action have been forced to resign their pulpits. Pastor Tenders a Resignation After sensing that his ecclesiastical superiors and clergy colleagues disapprove of his strategy, although not his program. Pastor Youngdahl meets further resistance in his attempt to broaden the outreach and ministry of his congregation. He concludes thai "people are staying away from chuich because they no longer want to hear what I have to say," and he resigns. this triggers a full-blown con troversy among the members of the church. Ray Christensen. who has recently had his "baptism of fire" in a dialogue-confrontation with Negro leaders including Mr. Chambers, the barber, and Dr. Persons, the dentist, has realized that the posture of his fellow uhurch members, which he previously had tried to defend against attack, was really untenable. He suddenly has caught a new vision of what the church might be, if the faith that its members professed could really be applied to the situation he feels is so urgent. Christensen"s moment to speak comes in a special meeting of the congregation called to discuss Pastor Youngdahl's resignation. He engages the Synod President (equivalent to a bishop) in a debate on the "burning question" for the church: how to extend their ministry to include Negroes without rupturing the fellowship in the process. Christensen insists that the time has come for Christians to take their stand. We see twt) groups of Christians, one white and the other Negro, worshipping at their respective altars but participating separately in the sacrament of "Til's church hus to take its slaiiil!" armies Omaha l.utlwrau Unjman Ray ('hrisliiiscn in the sccur that cliiiiaxis the fiJiit. "A Time fur liiiniiiin." I .istntiiin (in Dr. Hiiihiii Si(7;m.v()ii, \ihraska .Si/mu/ President Dr. Merle Sjnnreu, coutwil member III Ouiahii Lutheran church. tI 1 "communion" in which they supposed to be united. A ^i^ at first plaintive and then be<ro ing more intense, is heard contrapuntal message of hop the midst of this struggle: "1 is a power in me somewhen let me set it free!" It \\ as Filmed by William Jei A I iine for liuming was fi by William C. Jersey, with si by Barbara Connell. It was duced by Mr. Jersey; Robert I Lee of Lutheran Film Assoc was Executive Producer tions in the film showing pei and groups reacting to s change were entirely unscri and unrehearsed. Preview audiences have scribed the film as "shattei "brutally honest", and "cC geous." It is scheduled for na wide TV showing on the nigl October 17 by a 105-station work of National Educati Television. Now Available for Group Rei It will be available to c! schools, churches and discus groups on a rental basis staf in November through librariei Contemporary Films in New Y San Francisco and Evanston, I A Film Documents the Spirit of Miiliiali //( Common Cause, a 22-minute film documenting the spirit of mutuality that has guided America from infancy, has been released for showing to civic, educational and service organizations by the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company. The film explores the concept of self-help through nuilual association, which was the hallmark of the early pioneers, from the building of frontier schools to the modern nuitual life insurance companies of today whose premium dollars are the mainstream of the nation's growth and economy. Filmed in color, the documentary sjians about 100 years to the present-day era and makes extensive use of still photographs to illustrate the challenges that have led to the successful pooling of human talents and resources lor mutual benefit. Includetl in the film are early photographs from the I'nited States Library of Congress documenting the westward movement, as well as unusual photographs of several national disasters including the Boston I'ire and the Cireat I lot id in Denver. The film records the parallel Monlinui school ihiijs: 1S93 evolution of the lite iiisuranct (.lustr>. showing how efforts families to gain security by S ing risks with their fellows gr ally created a giant pool of \estment capital. Ihese fimds, in turn, pumped into the nations econ to finance solid growth thai c cd jobs and increased purcht power, which in turn trigg new investment opportuniiic^ further growth — an evolutu' process that is the backboni this nation's strength and wc In Common Cause was duced for John Hancock by ( genheim Productions, Inc., o Louis. It is a\ailable for ing to interested groups thrt local John Hancock offices BUSINESS SCREEN 1