Category: Co-ops in Capitalism

Posted on

“Climbing Ladders to Nowhere”

A reader sent the following after reading Ed Callahan’s last interview as Chairman of NCUA. In that conversation he focused on the relationships between the agency and credit unions.

Hey Chip – I am just reading this.  My husband and I were camping in the wilds of Utah with very sketchy service.  In the “old days” it truly was a partnership with the Agency. 

Being a CEO my entire career, I was always highly engaged with the Examiners when they were in my credit union.  It was always a very positive relationship where we learned from each other.  Unfortunately, it devolved over the years into an “I GOTCHA” encounter. . .

Losing Our Heart and Soul

Greetings Chip!  I continue to read your blog . . .  After the latest news about more Illinois credit unions merging, I finally felt compelled to write down my thoughts on this issue.

I will publish his thoughts in the future.  These are his opening paragraphs:

Credit union mergers have been happening for decades.  Some are forced by the regulators, some are voluntary, and there are a multitude of legitimate reasons.  But as I celebrate 32 years in this industry, it is still sad to see the number of credit unions that disappear every single year, and to see the pace of mergers pick up every year.  When we lose our small credit unions, we are losing the heart and soul of our movement that makes credit unions special.  

I know that no matter the size, credit unions are still member-owned, not-for-profit financial institutions.  But it is difficult to argue with the fact that as we grow larger, whether organically or through mergers, that members have less of a voice. . .  And I fear that we are becoming just another industry, instead of a movement.

No Longer a Movement?

There is no doubt credit unions are becoming more and more “mainstream.”  They tout their promotions with professional sports franchises, stadium naming rights and multiple business partnerships.

Growth is the dominant success indicator.  Credit union lobbyists argue in tandem with banks against the consumer protection initiatives of the CFP.  NCUA’s Chair cites the FDIC as a financial model for the NCUSIF and positions his supervisory initiatives  because that is how banking regulators act.

In becoming an important component in America’s financial sector, have credit unions also embraced the status quo?  Are they more concerned with protecting their achievements than addressing the economic inequities members face in the economy?

An observer might give examples on both sides of the “movement” issue.  However, I believe credit unions are not alone in their constant temptation to be seen as fully engaged participants in the so-called “free market.”

“The Only Game in Town”

Franciscan scholar Richard Rohr describes the ever-present allure of America’s economic system this way:

Most of us have grown up with a capitalist worldview which makes a virtue and goal out of accumulation, consumption, and collecting. It has taught us to assume, quite falsely, that more is better.

It’s hard for us to recognize this unsustainable and unhappy trap because it’s the only game in town. When parents perform multiple duties all day and into the night, that’s the story line their children surely absorb. “I produce therefore I am” and “I consume therefore I am” might be today’s answers to Descartes’ “I think therefore I am.” . . .

The course we are on assures us of a predictable future of strained individualism, environmental destruction, severe competition as resources dwindle for a growing population, and perpetual war. Our culture ingrains in us the belief that there isn’t enough to go around, which determines most of our politics and spending. . .

F. Schumacher said years ago, “Small is beautiful,” and many other wise people have come to know that less stuff invariably leaves room for more soul. In fact, possessions and soul seem to operate in inverse proportion to one another. Only through simplicity can we find deep contentment instead of perpetually striving and living unsatisfied. . .

St. Francis knew that climbing ladders to nowhere would never make us happy nor create peace and justice on this earth. Too many have to stay at the bottom of the ladder so some can be at the top. . .

 

Posted on

A Reaction to Patelco’s Annual Meeting

One permanent change from Covid’s impact is that organizations now live in a hybrid world.   There is the continuing day to day in person contacts and multiple virtual options for meetings and corporate events.

For example, most churches no matter the size, continue to provide both in-person and simultaneous zoom or YouTube broadcasts.  Restaurants continue to promote takeout options in tandem with full dine in re-openings.

In some instances I have found even local persons reluctant to meet in person, preferring the remoteness of a zoom conversation.

The Digital Hybrid World

The virtual interactions are now a routine part of high school curriculum options.  I recently received a link to the InfoFlow morning news show from Montgomery County’s Blair High School.   This virtual broadcast replaces the morning home room announcement over the PA system.

The episode shows a news desk with two student anchors presenting daily updates.  About two minutes in there is an external report on a local historical project recorded by a school reporter in which I participate.  The full broadcast can be viewed here.

The next generation is living and practicing this hybrid reality as a normal part of their activities.

The Credit Union Application

This past Friday I virtually “attended”  Patelco’s Annual Meeting.  The video was primarily the Chairman and CEO talking at desks with senior staff members available.

The format was fully scripted, as are most annual meetings.  The minutes and numerous reports were referred to as being available on the website.  The CEO Erin Mendez gave a short update including graphs showing Patelco’s key trends versus its California peers and the top 30 credit unions nationally.   They showed Patelco’s  10.07% net worth and ROA of .77% for 2023, significantly stronger than the two peer groups.

The directors ”election” was a formality since there were just three candidates and three openings .

The most interesting point was the Q&A at the end of the prepared agenda.   There were perhaps ten questions posted in the chat that were answered by the CEO, staff and even the chair.  These included CEO and board succession planning, priorities for 2024, questions on investments etc.

This was the one chance for members to interact, even though under the control of the virtual operator.

My overall impression of the meeting was a feeling of “formal awkwardness.”  Opening comments were read.  There were motions to move and accept minutes and reports, but no visuals of the members doing so, just head shots of officials leading the meeting.

Patelco now has over 500,000 member-owners.  Several decades ago, the credit union made an attempt to connect with members by holding 50 “town hall” meetings, or one a week, at branch and other locations in their market area.   These conversations with members were led by senior staff. In at least once case the meeting was recorded on video.  The goal was to update members and to listen to their  issues or needs.   But most importantly, to be seen and be available.

Such public interactions take practice.   Once a year formal meetings with Robert’s Rules of Order are not a substitute for ongoing, open conversations with owners.

Such contacts are  the grassroots of democratic governance.   Leaders have a chance to demonstrate their skills and accountability; and most critically to earn members’ confidence for the entire leadership team.

An additional start to develop this competence might be quarterly hybrid town halls with the latest business updates and outlooks.   It is standard operating procedure for public and even private companies.  Just follow any of the quarterly reports being presented daily in this “earnings season.”

Credit unions have an even more compelling reasons for engaging in open member dialogues.  It is not about supporting the stock price or analysts’ ratings; it is a much simpler reality: “They own us.”

 

 

Posted on

Chairman Callahan’s Last Interview at NCUA

“It’s a partnership and it works”

Knowing our shared past helps us to understand the present and envision the future.  History provides our sense of community.

From the May 1985 NCUA News, Vol 2, No. 4:

From the recent interview on NCUA’s Video Network, Chairman Callahan praised the NCUA staff, saying, “It’s all working, the team is in place.   There is a sense of confidence in the Agency, and it has infected the credit union movement with confidence as well.”

The Chairman is quick to credit examiners and other Agency personnel for the successes during his term: “Most people at NCUA have a good sense of where the Agency is going and how they fit into the picture.  People at NCUA get the credit for what we’ve been able to accomplish because they brought us to the point we are now.” 

He believes three years of unprecedented growth in shares, loans, capital and membership attest to the positive effects of deregulation and to the success of credit union managers and directors when given the opportunity to make their own business decisions.

As important as deregulation is to Mr. Callahan, increasing the examiner ranks and getting Agency staff out in the field, closer to credit unions is just as important.  “Deregulation actually increased our supervisory responsibilities,” he said.  “We told credit union officials ‘You run our institutions, and we’ll be there to help.’  It’s a partnership, and it works.”

P.S.  See the reference above to NCUA’s Video Network.  This interview was the final edition, number XXI.  If anyone has this recording in their credit union collection, I would appreciate making a copy.

 

Posted on

One Member at a Time

What does personal service really mean when a credit union has over 63,500 members?

Weokie Credit Union’s Mission Statement is:

Change lives  in our community, one person at a time, by being the best place our employees have ever worked and our members have ever banked.

A Nurturing Voice

The CEO, Jeff Carpenter, gave permission to demonstrate how this is done, one member at a time, in this story from his March 2024 report to his team:

“Marlene is an elderly member who has been the victim of several recent frauds. The team got together to determine what WEOKIE might do to help (and not upset the member or violate privacy concerns). We determined that WEOKIE should try to get Marlene to add one of her children to her account, to help monitor the activity.

“It was also decided  that Rhonda would make the call and Jeff S. would be there to assist in case things went sideways.  Jeff’s take on the call:

“Rhonda reached out to Marlene this morning while Melinda & I listened in the office. She did an EXCELLENT job speaking with Marlene and conveying WEOKIE’s concerns about her account activity and how we can best help her to  keep her accounts safe. 

“After several minutes and a lot of small talk to  gain Marlene’s trust, Rhonda was able to get her to agree to add her daughter added to the account to help with her finances.  When I say small talk, it was over 50 minutes of conversation!  It was like having a long discssion  with a grandparent. You just let the conversation take its own flow and slowly steer it back to the intended purpose. Rhonda did awesome in this aspect.  Her Nurturing Voice truly shined in this interaction. 

“Rhonda maintained ownership all the way through by following up with Jessica at Main to:  provide the details, including Marlene’s vulnerabilities to fraud; the estimated time when the two members might come in; a commitment to follow up when the meeting is set; a request to be notified to facilitate a warm hand-off; an explanation about the Risk department’s approval of the exceptions with a clear understanding of expectations of the member; and how our role impacts the member’s well being.

“This effort involved six employees and shows the role of teamwork, several of our monitoring tools, and our commitment to making this credit union the best place Marlene has ever banked!  

“Special thanks to Joseph for sharing this member story and how Rhonda, Diane, Jeff S, Melinda, and Victoria worked together to take great care of Marlene.”

The Takeaway

That’s every credit union’s potential secret power:  serving every member, one at a time.

 

Posted on

Credit Union Mergers and the Myth of Free Markets

Two conclusions excerpted from a long article by Jared Brock Mega-Landlords Busted for Using AI Algorithms to Price-Fix the Rental Market, on April 10, 2024.

I believe his observations apply to aspects of the cooperative system especially mergers of sound credit unions* now being presented to member-owners.

“First: The free market is a myth.  

“The idea that the world would somehow be better off if there were zero rules protecting the masses from predatory investors is not only deluded and insane, but it’s unfathomably dangerous. A rules-free-market is a black market where the worst actors win.

“Capitalism is all about incentives, and investors have twisted the economy to incentivize extraction and exploitation.

“Second: The modern rules-free-market isn’t what the father of capitalism Adam Smith meant when he said “the free market.”

“He meant a market free from parasites.”

*  See Credit Union Times article of April 15, 2024, Five Illinois Credit Unions Announce Proposed Plans to Merge

 

Posted on

Sharing Purpose & Meaning With Effect

Communication transforms when it touches a person’s emotions.  It transcends the moment.  It becomes art.  It helps us see beyond what we knew before.

The most difficult challenge for any organization is telling anyone why they should be interested in joining with you.

Messaging is more than competing for our attention with a product commercial or a clever brand.   Ultimately, it must appeal to something inside.   It should make us care.

He Gets Us is a video campaign that attempts to represent the “greatest love story ever told.”   It suggests the relevance of christen belief in today’s context of religious decline or misuse.

This creative group states its purpose as follows:

We’ve done a lot of homework on our culture. We researched how people feel about each other and what they think about Jesus and Christianity. We’ve connected with thousands of people of various faith traditions and those who claim no religion. We spoke to all kinds of people — different backgrounds, beliefs, and, yes, political affiliations.

And this is what we’ve learned: From politics to sexuality and religion, so many of us feel like our values, beliefs, and identities are under attack by the ideological “others” around us. Many perceive those who differ with them on issues of justice, dignity, and humanity as not just wrong or misguided but also as evil. As enemies. We often see these “others” as close-minded, selfish, hypocritical — and if we’re honest, many of us respond in kind. 

This week I will share several of the group’s “presentations” which look and are sometimes presented as commercials.  But they are much more.  They help us see, to understand more than we did before watching them.

The Credit Union Parallel

What do these “messages” have to do with credit unions?   To be seen as relevant in today’s crowded social media is the same challenge credit unions confront.  There are a number of organizational parallels.

The participation trend lines in most religious denominations are trending down.   Smaller churches are closing.  Larger ones are greying.   Sunday or Saturday “sabbath”  is a time  for  family errands, fun outings and preparation for the week ahead-not participating in a community of shared purpose.  Society’s divisions are mirrored in our religious practice as presented in the group’s purpose:

The more ideologically defensive we become, the more we are willing to sacrifice things like kindness, patience, and the respect and dignity of others for the sake of victory — the righteous ends justifying the dehumanizing means. And it’s tearing us apart. We experience it in politics, in the workplace, in schools, and even in churches. And at the heart of the conflicts is a fundamental disagreement about what it means to be good. 

Credit unions and churches no longer seem central to many persons’ lives. Our basic needs and core values, “to be good,” are fulfilled in other ways and commitments.

The He Gets Us videos try to show the relevance of lessons from generations ago for real people today.

My hope is to inspire rethinking for today’s coop messages.   We need to move beyond the headlines and priorities of our current moment and rediscover the energy that made the industry a movement, an alternative to the status quo and  rediscover who we can aspire to become.

The Immigrants

A hot button topic when people are polled about public issues for political campaigns is the flow of migrates to America.

The one-minute video, Refugee, presents this ongoing human circumstance with a specific context.

(https://hegetsus.com/en/featured-videos/refugee)

What I found equally compelling is the producer’s five-minute  story  telling how this video was assembled.  The making of the Refugee video:

(https://hegetsus.com/en/featured-videos/the-making-of-refugee)

Does this message open one to a different way of seeing this issue?  Does it stay with you after viewing?  Does this human-centered perspective suggest a parallel in your credit union’s role?

Posted on

Fraud Alert-A Learning Shared for Everyone

I recently received a copy of a CEO’s description of a fraud/robbery event at the credit union.

The CEO’s summary was sent to all employees for two reasons:

  1. To fully serve and assure any members whose accounts might have been affected by the event.
  2. To convert the incident to a learning experience for  the entire staff.

Here’s why the CEO believes full transparency matters:

“Whenever we take a loss I consider it a tuition payment.  The least we can do is become smarter as a result of making that payment.  We’ve already taken all actions to mitigate/manage the risk. Hopefully others can become smarter as well.” 

In that spirit, here is his summary description of this very well-planned theft used with permission.

ITM Defalcation

Everyone should be up to date on the robbery that occurred in early March . Perpetrators placed skimmers on two of our ITMs in mid-February and removed them just over a week later. They captured the magnetic stripe data of all cards used during that timeframe, re-encoded vanilla gift cards and drained our ITM’s on a  Sunday morning in mid March.

All affected member accounts were immediately made whole, and all cards were blocked and re-issued. We identified all member cards that were compromised and are almost through the process of blocking and re-issuing all of them.

The Secret Service and FBI joined local law enforcement and we are assisting their efforts as much as we can. A bond claim is being filed so we remain uncertain as to what net loss we’ll incur. 

What’s Important

Several configuration and procedural changes were implemented immediately, a few more in the days that followed, with still other changes under consideration. What’s important is that no credit union system was compromised at all, we know exactly how the perpetrators did what they did, and are actively taking steps to mitigate any future loss exposure. The perpetrators did not obtain any personal identifiable information (PII) such as name, address, account number, social security number, driver’s license number, etc.

Rapid action was taken to both replace any funds taken from member accounts and to prevent a repeat of this in the future. Everyone in the financial centers and contact center did a great job interacting with impacting members.

Everyone a Risk Manager

The incident was not a “local” gang. This theft was perpetrated by professional thieves who move quickly from state to state. Collaboration is a credit union advantage especially when a CEO is shares his “learning experiences” with his peers.   Thank you.

Posted on

State Regulators and Credit Union Oversight

Who do members turn to when they believe their credit union is not responsive to requests for greater transparency or accountability?  These situations can arise around bylaw interpretation, board oversight, and election conduct.

Following are two examples of members’ interacting with their state regulator when they believe accountability is lacking in credit union conduct.

A Live Hearing-NOW

The first is a hearing of the North Carolina Credit Union Commission at 10:00 AM EDT today.  Several members have sought clarification of the regulator’s approval for bylaw changes, especially those that affect the board election process.  The toll free call in number is 1 (984)-204-1487.  The access code757767261#.

There are thirteen items on the agenda, but the primary one is an update by the state administrator, Kristina Ray, on all areas of her responsibility.   The ability to listen to a live state update is an important opportunity not just for North Carolina charters, but for all credit unions who are interested in the state and federal oversight process.

A Member Complains- the Regulator Responds

A reader sent me a March 18, 2024 article form the Lost Coast Outpost titled:

Coast Central Credit Union Releases Vote Counts From Recent Board Elections Following Complaint to State Regulators

The story is a press release from one of the candidates for Coast Central’s board.  She filed a complaint with the California Department of Financial protection over the credit union’s failure to release vote tallies for the 2024 board elections.

As a result the credit union posted the vote totals for all candidates for the most recen two years with the Chairman’s reply:

“In response to members requests at the annual meeting and in the spirit of enhanced transparency and goodwill, we have taken the additional step of posting the vote totals from the previous year on our website. We hope this action demonstrates our commitment to transparency and our dedication to addressing the concerns of our members.”

Prior requests to the CEO for details of the vote had been turned down.

The complaint was filed by Carrie Peyton-Dahlberg who wrote the press release for the local paper.   The posted results showed she had come in fifth place just 172 votes behind the fourth place elected candidate in the 2024 election:

  • Matt Wakefield: 1,641 votes (73.1%), elected to a 3-year term
  • Terry Anne Meierding: 1,600 votes (71.3%), elected to a 3-year term
  • Ron Rudebock: 1,520 votes (67.7%), elected to a 3-year term
  • Dane Valadao: 1,346 votes (60.0%), elected to a 1-year term for the remainder of a 2023 retiree’s term
  • Carrie Peyton-Dahlberg: 1,174 votes (52.3%), not elected

In her commentary “she urged Coast Central member-owners to use their comment cards to ask for further progress, such as publicly announcing board vacancies, revising board election rules so they don’t hinder election outreach, and changing the board appointment process so that future vacancies can be filled in a way that is more representative of community demographics.”

“Coast Central is moving in a good direction, including releasing these numbers, putting 2024 election reminders in each branch and making sure that its ballots were sent in clearly labeled envelopes. All of these are big improvements over the January 2023 election, and I hope this is starting a new trend.”

 “Bit by bit, if member-owners stay involved, we can encourage Coast Central to move further down this path of listening to the people who own it.” 

Democracy Takes Work

Releasing the actual votes in a member election would seem to be a fundamental requirement, a no-brainer.   The California regulator seems to agree that members are entitled to know the actual votes cast in an election.  That may seem like a small step,  but is still not followed in all credit union merger and board elections-whether for state or federal charters.

This California precedent matters.   Democracy can be a contagious activity.   It is also a participant activity, not a spectator sport.  Carrie Peyton-Dahlberg has done every member-owner a service by raising this issue of election transparency in her credit union.  Hopefully, all regulators will soon see this fundamental accountability for a democratic process the same way.

Posted on

The Revolution Credit Unions Are Missing

During my college days five decades ago, the primary work-study jobs were dorm crew, dining hall or checking out library books.  Students receiving financial aid were expected to work at least 10 hours per week.

As the decade of the 1960’s progressed, the college campus atmosphere inspired by the Camelot years of President Kennedy gave way to the increasingly anti-Vietnam war and civil rights movements.

New protest groups were spawned across campuses.  These included SNCC, Black Panthers, SDS and multiple other efforts to support social and political change.

In a partial final year on campus waiting for my date with Uncle Sam, I  saw a three-day occupation of University Hall and attended a student meeting where one of the participants placed a gun on the table to demonstrate his radical intentions.

Part of this campus mood was anti-business—all kinds, not just the protests against Dow Chemical or other business seen as supporters of war. Capitalist society was deemed responsible for the multiple wrongs protestors wanted to change in US public policy and social inequity.  No one saw business, or entrepreneurship worthy of academic attention or support.

Still, students would occasionally use their university setting to develop start up ideas.  One that became very popular in the ’60’s was Operation Match, a paper based computer analysis of questionnaires to provide participants names of potential dating partners. It was noteworthy, because it was an innovation that filled an ever- present social need.

Today’s Campus Environment

For the past decade there has been a revolution in both attitude and support for students in higher education who wish to create new business startups.

All of the top universities now have on-campus organized support, including courses for students and faculty who want to start new businesses.

A February 24, 2024 article lists the 14 Best University Accelerators and Incubators for 2024.

Every listing is a top academic institution including Harvard, Duke, UT Austin to USC and UC Berkley.

Here is a description of MIT’s multi-option effort which is headlined with its $100k Pitch:

  • MIT delta v: An accelerator program that runs from June-Sept for MIT students with the ability to receive up to $20,000 in equity-free milestone funding.
  • MIT NYC Startup Studio: A startup studio in NYC for MIT students and alums with the ability to receive up to $20,000 in grant funding.
  • MIT Fuse: A 3-week micro accelerator for teams with at least one MIT student as a founder.
  • The MIT Entrepreneurship Club: A community that wants to help MIT students start companies and connect them with startup jobs. Watch my interview with them.

‍Amazon web services (AWS) now sponsors a nationwide competition for university based startups:   “It’s no secret that some of the most successful startups were founded by members of the university community: from Ava Labs to Anyscale and InsightFinder, to name a few. At Amazon Web Services (AWS), we believe this is because students and faculty are often creative thinkers who are willing to take risks and collaborate with their peers—all essential qualities in a founder.”

“For current Harvard students, the Venture Incubation Program (VIP) within Harvard’s Innovation Lab fund is a 12-week program with mentoring and resources. Harvard’s Innovation Lab also hosts the President’s Innovation Challenge, where students can win funding money of up to $75,000 for a great idea. Judging criteria includes viability, empathy, rigor, ingenuity, traction, economics, and impact.”

The George Washington New Venture Competition (NVC)

Here in D.C. George Washington University sponsors an annual competition inviting students, faculty and their supporters to present business proposals and collect cash prizes and other forms of startup support and counsel.

Three finalists compete in one of four startup categories:

Consumer Goods & Services

Business Goods & Services

Social Innovation

Health Care & Life Sciences

Each finalist prepares a one-minute video of their business proposal.  There are immediate cash prizes plus additional consulting and funding support:

  • First place winners selected from these tracks will each win $10,000
  • 2nd place cash prize $7,500/track
  • 3rd place cash prize $5,000/track

Companies have one year to register as an LLC to claim the money.

To see these young entrepreneurs’ ingenuity, passion, and commitment I would encourage you to sample one or all of the 12 finalists’ sixty second  pitches which you can find here.   Several that were intriguing were Siyeh Tech’s entry to accelerate the “Speed of Peace” after conflict, In-Locater, and Goal Plus.

All of these business ideas are either conceptually complete, if not already in beta.   George Washington’s New Venture Competition is one of many in the higher education community.   This is not only an “educational” institution responding to students’ interests; in some the university benefits from partnering as startups go to scale backed with venture capital.

These competitions are not standalone events such as a campus springtime arts festival.   These programs are supported by courses, different “labs,” seminars and lectures on the art of pitch preparation and visits by university alumni speaking on their business success.

These educational innovations are helping to spark an ever-renewing stream of new business ideas with support systems intended to foster success. Students are encouraged to jump into the capitalist world and perhaps reap fame and fortune.

Simultaneously a parallel change for venturing has developed for college athletes. They can now receive income from their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsements by private businesses.  Caitlin Clark is not only Iowa’s leading basketball player, but she also appears in commercials while her games are being broadcast.  She may be the first million dollar undergrad student-athlete.

And Credit Unions?

Unlike my era in college, higher education is an active participant in American enterprise.   What does this have to do with credit unions?

Cooperatives are missing in action.  Students are not learning about personal finance from credit unions.   Credit unions which have students in their FOM’s often see them as a secondary market opportunity.

Every company, professional sport franchise, consumer product, auto manufacturer etc. must resell its brand to the next generation of users.  Or face the prospect of going out of business. Product loyalty, like religious observance,  is not easily passed down in a family in today’s society of instant access and social media.

If credit unions miss this generation of college students, will they ever catch up as they move on in their careers and families?

In the 1980’s, NCUA played a very active role supporting new student led credit unions as described in this post.  That effort is missing today.

Credit union’s absence from college and university campuses feels like a missed opportunity for attracting this generation of self-help innovators and strivers.  How do coops become part of  this new enterprise engagement by student entrepreneurs?

Posted on

Two Biblical Stories and Human Nature

Today is Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. The day of the Last Supper and Jesus’ arrest in the Garden  of Gethsemane.

Events on this and subsequent days include two intense examples of human motivation not limited to strictly spiritual contexts.  Rather the story shows how any individual might react to events in their own life.

Prophets and Honor

Every social system has ways of recognizing the successful and the benefactors of their profession. In credit unions a major event is the Herb Wegner dinner, the occasion for presenting lifetime achievement awards to honor selected leaders.

These traditions salute individual’s values and/or performance that fulfill the goals of the industry: profit, service, innovation,  growth or even longevity.   Some goals are very tangible, others more qualitative.

Those Without Honors

But whose contribution does not get honored?   The topic is raised at least twice in the New Testament:

In Mark 6:4 Jesus said to the crowd, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”

And, in Luke 4:24 (English Standard Version 2016): “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.”

Why this disbelief?  Does familiarity breed contempt?  Are we skeptical of any special insight let alone prophetic wisdom from persons we know well, have worked with over years. and who seemingly share the same experiences as everyone else?  Why should one peer’s views be trusted over another’s?

There is an inherent caution to see those among us, whom we know well, as having special insight versus merely expressing a different opinion.   Persons, often outsider who focus more on the message, are often more inclined to listen to these singular views.

Ordinary people can have extraordinary wisdom.  Sometimes their outspokenness make them unpopular with those in authority or leadership.   The “prophetic voice” is uncomfortable.  It challenges current shortcomings often with a passionate hope for a different future.  For those who are being challenged, this passion feels like anger.

I am not referring to the purveyors (often consultants) of innovation who promote operating improvements. The prophet’s concern is more deeply rooted in fundamental meaning and purpose.

The question for credit unions is, are there any prophetic voices challenging local or national priorities today?  Who might they be?  What is basis for their critique?

And if we can name none, what does that say about the state of our “movement”?  Has consensus trumped wisdom?

The Thirty Pieces of Silver

A second example routinely pulled from Maundy Thursday is Judas’ betrayal of Jesus in the Garden for 30 pieces of silver.

Think of how often this metaphor is used to accuse someone taking an action for monetary or other rewards seemingly to betray their personal beliefs.

Rev. Megan Brown takes a more nuanced view of Judas’ motivation:

“Judas was not a peripheral bystander, but one of the twelve, the inner circle of disciples who had accompanied Jesus in his ministry and in a shared, communal life together.

Surely Judas knew the implications of his actions. Surely, he knew that the chief priests and the elders were growing weary of this rabble rouser, Jesus, and that they wanted him gone. This exchange, and the kiss that follows later are ominous moments in the life of Jesus and his followers. They leave one wondering about Judas’ motivations. “

Judas was a believer. Some have interpreted his action as driven by deep disappoint that Jesus was not radical or bold enough in his Jerusalem journey.  The march from the Mount of Olives to the Temple should signal a rebellion against Roman rule, not a pacificist call to turn the other cheek.

Or, maybe he sensed that the multiple political forces mobilizing against this upstart rabbi from Nazareth were becoming too strong; so he decided to go to the other, more likely “winning” side.

Perhaps he was emotionally confused by the historical intensity of the Passover remembrance, the increasing crowd appeal of Jesus and the growing immanence  of a life-making choice.

What we know is that Judas deeply regrets his actions, attempts to return the silver coins and commits suicide.

Judas shows us the very human side of intense hope and belief. Is this a movement that will go in the directions I believe it should? Is there another option to this leader’s course of action? How does one express dissent if convinced current directions are not the best?

How many initial “reformers” give up their quest from exhaustion,  just to get on with life, and be comfortable with their peers?

Whether Prophetic Voice or Judas?

All movements have both personalities in their adherents.   We all might cite leaders who took courageous stands or whom we believe compromised their duty to their followers.

That is what makes leadership so critical, and often controversial.   It is also what makes public dialogue so vital.

We live in an era where there is continuing reinterpretation and debate after millennia about faith, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or just a value-centered life.   While many believe that truth, when proclaimed, is universal; even some would challenge that assumption.

The one common approach that all faith and other “movements” followers have ultimately taken to succeed, is to pursue these issues in community. People aligned with one another agree to listen and learn together how their differing perspectives can arrive at common purpose or priority.

The Necessity of Community

Scott Galloway has put the power of relationships in a much broader context in his precent post Mammal.ai.

“Within and across species, relationships are essential to surviving and thriving. . .

“Humans have speedballed the power of relationships. Physically we are weak, slow, and fragile, with mediocre senses and absurdly long infancies. Yet, thanks to our superpower of cooperation, we’ve dominated our environment and become the apex of apex predators. There are more birds in captivity than birds in the wild. . .

“We are wired to seek and sustain relationships and cannot survive without them. The future of the human race won’t turn on space travel or climate tech, but on our ability to attach to others. A sense that we matter, that we can call on and be called upon by others to ease burdens and celebrate joy.”

It is not coincidence that the last moments of Maundy Thursday’s Biblical events were spent in community.   Christians call it The Last Supper.

Music for Holy Week

Stabat Mater, by Antonio Vivaldi (1712). There have been many beautiful settings depicting the scene of the Mother of God standing in sorrow at the foot of the cross.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQpWwMkGtj4&t=228s)