| The name of the Community of Reconciliation has great meaning for many peace activists and interfaith leaders. In Michigan, and in many other states, these activists and leaders began their work because of their strong association with the Community of Reconciliation and its founder, The Rev. Allan W. Frink. Fr. Frink is a visionary, a "fire-starter" an inspirer and a catalyst who has worked closely with hundreds of young people at the cusp of life and challenged them to go forward committed to make a positive difference in the world.
Back in the 1960's and 70's, in that time of war and racial discrimination and religious prejudice, the Rev. Allan W. Frink, was a highly visible presence in the cause of peace and interfaith understanding. As an independent young chaplain at Oakland University in Rochester Michigan, Fr. Frink reached out to a generation of students who were disillusioned by the Vietnam war, and discouraged by the slow progress toward civil rights and equality. He gave them the courage to go on. As vital and energetic "street-preacher" and political activist in Detroit, Fr. Frink reached out to churches and religious leaders who were embittered by riots and torn by racial violence. He gave them reason for a renewed hope for shared racial and cultural understanding. As a deeply committed Christian, Fr. Frink reached out to Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists around much of the nation who were alienated from what they perceived to be Christian arrogance and triumphalism. He gave them the confidence to believe that people of different faiths could find common ground for dialogue, worship and action. In all of his far-flung ministry, Rev. Frink always called for the building of the Community of Reconciliation as a model of peace-making, racial equality and interfaith dialogue. Using Martin Luther King's vision of the Beloved Community, Fr. Frink envisioned the Community of Reconciliation as a multi-religious and multi-racial congregation of believers who lived by the simple universal principle of loving God, by all the many names and attributes we may give, as well as loving our neighbors, in the midst of all the great diversity and variety in which we see them. The Community of Reconciliation became a realized vision in 1970 when a group of dedicated activists and believers established a communal home in Pontiac Michigan. They carried out a ministry of feeding the poor, rescuing runaway youth, supporting draft-resisters, and leading a life of regular religious dialogue and prayer. The members of the Community eventually moved the center of their mission to the campus of Oakland University. Like many campuses at that time, Oakland was teaming with raging arguments over the war, as well as racial and religious conflict. Fr. Frink and the members of the community of Reconciliation established the Oakland University Interfaith Center. This was to be a place for peaceful dialogue and constructive organizing for peace. For one generation of students after another, Fr. Frink taught, preached and encouraged students to develop a strong personal faith and an over-riding commitment to healing the wounds of a broken and war torn world. He made a difference in more lives than we can count. Like many visionaries, The Rev. Allan W. Frink has remained true to his vision and his call. He has traveled the nation, even much of the world continuing to work for racial understanding, equality and peace. In his years of counseling with individuals, churches and community groups, he has continued to raise up the memory and the vision of the Community of Reconciliation as a model of how people can live together in prayerful harmony and concerted action. He continues the ministry that brought healing and renewal to a campus, a city and a state. He continues to live out the ideal of the Community of Reconciliation. As he nears retirement, Fr. Frink can look back happily at the many young people he encouraged to go to seminary, enter the ministry and take up the mission of bringing religious reconciliation to the world. He still looks forward to find those persons, clergy or lay, to whom he can pass the mantel of building a community of peace, a community of justice, a community of reconciliation. Through this new internet-based outreach, he plans to continue to speak to a wider world than he has ever reached before. The Internet has built its own community of leaders. He is excited to be part of it. |