The History of MIFA continued The Phoenix Phenomenon The Reverend Frank McRae recalls a speech he made during that time of crisis at the University Interfaith Center on Court, the location to which MIFA had moved. He said that MIFA was out of money and stagnant, and he pronounced it dead. Following his speech he walked out, which, he reports, produced a result opposite to what he expected. The MIFA board moved to again seek the advice of William Jones of ACTS to help in deciding whether MIFA should disband or reorganize. Jones recommended that a new director be hired to begin in March, 1972. It was MIFA's good fortune that among applicants for the job was Gid Smith, Associate Pastor for First United Methodist Church, who began at that time to realize that he wanted “more action orientation and an urban ministry.” McRae, who hired him, refers to him as “a second generation urban person, having grown up in the 60's.” Smith was hired on a part-time basis with the understanding that he had six months to achieve credibility, to convince church leaders to join the organization, and to produce “action, and short-term, clear winners.” There was no clearly defined model of the organization which Smith was now called upon to create. Smith says he felt that both he and the Board were “taking a chance.” The chance was more on Smith's part than that of the Board of Directors, however, since his contract stated: “It is understood and agreed upon that at the time this contract is entered into MIFA does not have on hand funds or commitments to pay the compensation and benefits described above for the full term of your employment, and that it will be the mutual responsibility of you and MIFA to raise sufficient funds to meet the operating needs of MIFA during the term of your employment, including payment to you of said compensation and benefits.” It is the opinion of all sources consulted that the most significant event that caused MIFA to live, when even its most sincere supporters were ready to pronounce it dead, was the fortuitous hiring of Gid Smith. It is his leadership, his unsentimental but uncompromising concern for the needy, and his “genius for organization,” to quote the Reverend James Holmes, all demonstrated from his initial assumption of office, that made the difference between death and life, stagnation and growth, vacillation and positive action for MIFA. As soon as Smith began to work in March, 1972, the MIFA Board of Directors met at the Holy Communion Church in an all-day session to develop priorities and broad objectives. By June, Smith became the full-time director of MIFA. He began to meet the challenge of the six-month trial period by first finding people in the community whose involvement with the frail MIFA would lend it some credibility. He met with lay church leaders to convince them that MIFA could help meet real needs in the community and began to win their approval and support. During the same year, the MIFA office moved from the outgrown room at the University Interfaith Center to the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, where Bishop Carroll T. Dozier donated renovated space, utilities and telephones. Robert Schaedle, a Catholic layman, was treasurer of the MIFA Board, the first ecumenical organization in which he had worked. He found that his associates on the board were “genuine and concerned, and wanted the benefit of all.” He points out that Bishop Dozier was very influential and “saw things from outside of Memphis, and felt things could be done that Memphians could not imagine.” The commitment of Bishop Dozier to MIFA was of great importance in the spurt of growth that now began. Aware of his six month deadline, Smith began to work urgently to establish a strong organizational foundation for MIFA. He found a much-needed basis of support in the well-established clergy. The Reverend F. Ray Riddle, Executive Secretary of Memphis Presbytery, began to meet regularly with Bishop Dozier and Methodist Bishop Ellis Finger to have lunch and compare notes. It was, he says, “a top level meeting, brought together for the benefit of MIFA, and for mutual support, and we were gratified to see results beginning to come.” Another highly regarded clergyman recruited by Smith was Dr. Lloyd Ramer, pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church. Ramer speaks of “rough times in the beginning, when there was a very shaky organization, especially financially. But three or four ministers believed all along it would survive.” Along with Riddle, Ramer hosted lunches, inviting other clergymen to try to influence more churches to join. Ramer felt “MIFA was the most viable organization in the city where churches could work together. It was an outstanding effort.” The only way to get politicians to listen to religious leaders, he believed, was “to work together, to speak to them with one voice. Religion had little place in the leadership structure of Memphis, which differed in this respect from other cities where I had served. In Memphis, people were upset when ministers took a stand in the sanitation strike, feeling this was not the proper place or function of religion. Here, ministers had no influence in what was going on, served on no committees making decisions for the city.” He felt that MIFA offered the best available opportunity to change that situation. In his quest to surround himself with like-minded, concerned people, Smith hired Julia Allen, former MIFA Board member, as administrative assistant. Because of her commitment to service and long-term connections in the religious community, Allen was a vital part of the forward movement of MIFA. In addition to typing and bookkeeping, she published a newsletter, recruiting volunteers from many different churches to help in its distribution. She recalls that “in the beginning, Gid had to work at healing divisions on the board, which he was able to do with great success.” She reveals her own motivation in working so effectively for MIFA when she says: “My hope was for better race relations. I felt a better Memphis rested on working together.” Ecumenism and inter-faith actions were also important to her, and she was confident that “the vision would grow as MIFA stretched it.” Although Jewish representatives had not initially belonged to MIFA because it was instigated by an association of churches, many of them had always supported the MIFA concept, and from the beginning their participation was solicited. Allen says the with the addition of Jewish members, “MIFA became interfaith, not interdenomination. It cleared the way for the discussion of larger issues.” To the Reverend Tudor Jones, “The success of MIFA was due to gifted leaders like Edmund Orgill and Rabbi James Wax.” While Wax disavows any role in MIFA's origins or success, Gid Smith points out that “MIFA stands on the shoulders of men like Rabbi Wax,” and Wax himself admits: “I was always interested in trying to bring the community together.” As the end of the six-month trial period approached, Smith had demonstrated that he had the determination, skill, and vision to make MIFA a positive force in the community. A good beginning had been made. There was credibility and congeniality on the board, some financial resources were in place, and there was a growing feeling of hopefulness. Although MIFA was to undergo many changes before it achieved mature shape and form, it seemed apparent that Smith could provide the leadership to create a viable, ecumenical, interfaith organization that could offer the religious community, as well as other concerned individuals and groups, a way to meet human needs. The decision was made to go forward. Next: The Smith-Dempsey Partnership