"TO PRAISE OR ZING...?"

“Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom:
but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.” (Proverbs 15:21)

Back in the days when it aired on Saturday mornings, I used to like to listen to “The Pat Whitley Restaurant Show”. People were encouraged to call in “to praise or zing” mostly Boston area restaurants. Upon glancing at today’s MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, MA) I was surprised to see the front page, top of the fold headline: “Framingham's Suso leadership criticized, integrity praised.”

I guess it was around five years ago that the Town of Framingham (yes, it’s got almost 70,000 people but still has Town government) hired Julian Suso as its new Town Manager. There were three finalists for the position. Two were from other Massachusetts communities, and Suso was from Mentor, Ohio. A “civics geek” I poured over the newspaper articles at the time, closely following the story. Frankly, I believed an Ohio City Manager would likely be a bad fit for Framingham. Back in “Introduction to Political Science” class at Stonehill College, we were taught that there are two regions of the U.S. that are very distinct and unique, and that outsiders have a very difficult time fitting in and being successful in these regions: the Deep South, and New England. My life experience has generally confirmed that premise. It seemed to me that to be a Town Manager in a place like Framingham, you’d have to understand what makes native New Englanders tick and how to earn their respect and lead them. I was skeptical that Julian Suso could do that. He was hired, and he proved me wrong.

The thing about Julian Suso which impressed me from the “get go” was that he was out on the streets of downtown Framingham shaking hands with the people and getting to know them. When pretty much anything was going on in Framingham, he was there. Suso has a personality and temperament which you don’t often see in people: he’s very confident and can definitely lead, but he’s also very pleasant and “down to earth”. He’s definitely a guy you’d want to go to a ball game with and have a beer with. (Well, since I don’t drink, I’d have a Coke with him!) Julian Suso is the only Town Manager who ever came to one of our Framingham Interfaith Clergy Association meetings. His son was studying for the Catholic priesthood, and he had a respect for clergy and churches that you don’t always see today. We offered Suso some suggestions, and not only “religious” ones. One thing we asked for was improved street signs which would not only give the name of side streets but the name of the street you’re traveling on. A number of those were installed as a result of that suggestion.

Framingham’s five Selectmen evaluated Julian Suso on a 1 to 5 scale in seven key areas. Ms. Ginger Esty, the friendly but feisty old Yankee on the Board gave Suso his highest grades, 5 in every category. But current Chairman Dennis Giombetti gave him the lowest scores, averaging out to only a 2.9. Giombetti criticized Suso for not "(taking) command of the organization's direction.”

Framingham’s been through a number of Town Managers over the twenty-three years I’ve lived here. Each has had strengths and weaknesses but in my opinion so far there’s been no one better than Julian Suso. Reading the article immediately brought to my mind the issue of pastors being rated by their church boards. The Rev. Dick Germaine, a very bright and seasoned minister in his early 70s, is the Executive Director of Barnabas Ministries, Inc. which offers a variety of ministry to pastors and churches, including conflict resolution between pastors and boards. Dick often cites a statistic that pastors are expected to be highly proficient in eighteen areas. These areas include managerial skill, business competence, counseling, visitation, teaching, preaching and other public speaking, relationships within the community, church growth, having an exemplary marriage and children, and others. Only about one in a million pastors meet all eighteen. Many church boards are frustrated and disappointed with their pastors who are considered way below par in at least half of these areas. Many pastors change pastorates the way some people trade in cars; always looking for success and appreciation, and seldom finding it.

Last night, Mary Ann and I drove up to Leominster to hear a guest speaker at an Assemblies of God ministers’ meeting. The guest, Gordon Douglas, was billed as a “Christian comedian”. He IS a Christian comedian, but I was surprised to learn he was much more than that. A lanky and slightly physically awkward 52-year-old guy with obviously dyed hair, he WAS a great comedian and an outstanding speaker. In his forty-five minute presentation, Gordon had us laughing and crying. Gordon grew up in the Philadelphia area. When he was a teenager, his father was very seriously ill, and the family went through great difficulties. Gordon wasn’t real popular in high school and couldn’t get a date. He was filled with hate. He told us that when he first went into comedy as a very young man in the 1970s, he was a Don Rickles type comedian. Gordon went out to Hollywood where he met and performed with a number of big name people including Carol Burnett. In those days, he also became a born-again Christian. That meant seriously cleaning up his comedy, and cleaning up his comedy began losing him bookings.

Gordon moved back to Philly, and joined a Baptist church. The pastor encouraged him to begin taking classes at a local Bible college. He hated school, but began, taking a class or two at a time. It took him thirteen years to finally earn a Bachelor’s degree. By then, he’d become the youth pastor at his church; a very good and successful youth pastor. Stepping out and taking a pastorate of his own did not work out well, however. The average age of his congregants was over 70. In three years, the church decreased from 60 to 30 people. The small church struggled and struggled. In the meantime, a series of amazing open doors to do comedy came his way. It’s much too long of a story to write here, but the open doors were obviously ordained of God. Gordon’s church, now down to 25, including his large family, was right on the brink of being closed down. Instead of closing the church, however, a new man was brought in to be the pastor, and Gordon was made the Associate Pastor. He’s able to preach there about once a month, and the rest of the time he’s traveling and doing Christian comedy. Gordon only saw 3 people “get saved” under his pastorate, but he leads souls to Christ in his comedy venues all the time. The exciting thing is, he’s also gotten into secular clubs where he invites those who needs prayer to come and see him after the gig. Scores of people have “come to see him” for prayer and many have given their hearts to the Lord.

After last night’s meeting, I went to Gordon Douglas’ “table” where he was selling DVDs and books and told him how MUCH I related to him. “You read my mail,” I said, as I told him some of my own life story and of the church I’d pastored closing.

“I thought I could build a church on my public speaking...that people would come out to hear me, but I was wrong.” he said.

“I did the exact same thing.” I replied.

I do regret there was not a 2nd chance for the church I pastored, but I rejoice with Gordon Douglas and in what the Lord has done for him.

Back to Julian Suso, he applied to be Brookline’s Town Manager a few months ago. He was a finalist there, but did not get the position. I know John Carroll, now about 80, who served at Norwood’s Town Manager for over twenty-five years but that’s a rarity. Pastors and Town Managers...they just can’t meet impossible situations, and all too often, they don’t stick around. I hope that won’t be the case with Julian Suso!