University of Virginia Library

Acknowledgments

Studies of this nature create indebtedness which can be neither repaid nor adequately acknowledged. Failure to mention those to whom we are obliged, however, would be unpardonable. Without Richard Righter's tireless responses to our requests for lengthy interviews and access to materials in his files, this study could not have been completed. Without Willie Righter's devotion to her husband and the Congregation, there quite probably would have been no story for us to write. The Righters' roles as informants and principals in the study often placed them in a perturbable position of role conflict. They obviously had a vested interest in presenting themselves and the Congregation in a favorable light.

Such a context would tempt most people, on occasion at least, to consciously distort events or withhold information not explicitly requested. We feel confident that the Righters did neither.

We wish also to thank the members of the Congregation for opening their lives to us with unusual candor. Scott Patterson's interviewing was conducted without compensation. For this, as well as for his sharing with us a report on his interviewing experience for an independent studies course at Princeton, we express our sincere thanks. Robert Edwards, Stated Clerk of the Miami Presbytery, gave generously of his time and offered valuable insights about the life of the Congregation and its relationship to the Presbytery. We are especially indebted to Theodore Erickson of the Board of Homeland Missions of the United Church of Christ, both for encouraging us to return to Dayton and for providing critical financial assistance to make this possible. For financial assistance, we are also indebted to the Miami Presbytery, the Ohio Synod of the United Church of Christ, and the University of Virginia Faculty Small Grants Committee.

The editorial skills of Elaine Hadden have unquestionably made this a far more readable manuscript, but our debt to her goes beyond this. From the onset of the study she has served as a skeptical reactor to our interpretations of the data. Anyone who has attempted to do social science knows there are instances when one's perspective is clouded by being too close or too far from the data. On numerous occasions her critical eye and sociological imagination have served as an important corrective of our tendencies toward myopia, hyperopia, and amblyopia.

Also, a special word of thanks to our immediate families, Elaine, Loyce, Donna, Laura, and Chip, for living with broken promises and postponed family activities during the summer of 1973.

Finally, a few concluding comments regarding the Congregation for Reconciliation and its pastor. First, on September 11, 1973, the Miami Presbytery unanimously voted continuance of the Congregation, thus formally ending their temporary experimental status. Second, those interested in exploring details of the Congregation not covered in this manuscript or in following the continuing life of the group may directly contact the Rev. Richard

Righter, Congregation for Reconciliation, Box 123, D.V. Station, Dayton, Ohio 45406. Third, we would like to be explicit in noting what should be apparent in the text: the title of the book is meant to be analogously descriptive of the accomplishments of this small group of Christian social activists and not prophetic. It is our sincere hope that the Congregation's pastor will not experience the hard times which beset the Old Testament warrior whose name we have borrowed for our title.