National and World Mission Decisions Made
Episcopal News Service. September 18, 1977 [77303]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- Dealing with both national and international matters, the 41-member Executive Council approved a long list of resolutions to further the Episcopal Church's mission in the world.
Resolutions considered dealt with a range of issues as wide as the Panama Canal Treaties, human rights, missionary strategy, volunteers for mission, and companion diocese relationships.
The Council voted to "commend the President of the United States of America for his moral and courageous leadership in bringing.. .to a successful conclusion" the negotiations with the Republic of Panama with regard to the Canal Treaties. The Council also urged the U.S. Senate to ratify the Treaties.
The Council resolution noted that the Rt. Rev. Lemuel B. Shirley, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Panama and the Canal Zone, was an official observer, representing Panama, when the Treaties were signed in Washington, D.C., in September.
"These Treaties mark the initiation of a new era of relationship and cooperation among the nations of the Americas," the resolution stated.
The Council approved a resolution from the National and World Mission Committee which authorized Presiding Bishop John M. Allin to appoint an ad hoc committee to study certain issues raised by the Presiding Bishop's Fund board last May.
In particular, the special committee will be asked to consider the Episcopal Church's policy with regard to its relationship with the National Council of Churches and its Church World Service office, the relief arm of the National Council. It will also consider "the proposal that the Executive Council resume responsibility for our Church's share of the base administrative cost of Church World Service as an agency, beginning in 1980."
The Presiding Bishop's Fund board has undertaken an extensive review of its own processes and procedures over the past four years and is seeking to find ways to do its work better.
For more than a year the Fund board has been discussing with Church World Service ways to work together more effectively. The Fund has asked the National Council agency to consider making some changes in its procedures so that human needs may be met as promptly and effectively as possible.
The Fund is anxious to have its own goals and policies relate to the criteria and proposals of other member-churches in Church World Service.
The board of the Presiding Bishop's Fund has been especially concerned to see that the contributors' dollars go as far as possible for direct humanitarian aid, with as little as possible diverted to necessary administrative costs. The Council's ad hoc committen will have the responsibility of pursuing this matter with Church World Service.
The Executive Council is being asked in the next triennium to take responsibility for the Church's share of the base administrative costs of the office of Church World Service -- which are separate from any administrative costs involved in particular projects.
The Council tabled until the December meeting the consideration of a resolution on human rights which would have commended President Carter for his human rights proposals, pledged the Council's support for certain United Nations covenants, and requested the staff to acquaint the Church with human rights issues.
Some members of the Council said they would like to have time to become acquainted with the United Nations documents before making a decision about supporting them.
After considerable debate, the Council adopted a resolution whereby it endorsed "the principle as expressed in the Sao Paulo Document of 1966" which sets forth the policy of a "missionary in episcopal orders." The resolution was presented by the National and World Mission Committee in connection with the expressed desire of the Diocese of Colombia and the Diocese of Central and South Mexico to elect suffragan bishops whose ministry would be primarily as missionaries with "the absolute minimum of administrative work."
It was pointed out in the discussion that matters relating to the election of suffragan bishops were the responsibility of the House of Bishops, though the Council did approve the principle as expressed in the report of an Anglican consultation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1966.
The Council ratified the Volunteers for Mission program which is designed to provide opportunities for Episcopalians to offer their time and talents to some work of the Church. Volunteers will raise as much of the funding for their projects as possible.
An advisory committee for the Volunteers for Mission program, chaired by Robert Ayres of San Antonio, Tex., will work within the framework approved by the General Convention in 1976 and ratified by the Executive Council.
The Council tentatively approved an appropriation of up to $19,680 for the Anglican Diocese of Costa Rica to meet their estimated deficit in 1977, provided there are sufficient funds in the Council's unspent balance at the end of the year.
Last year the Episcopal Diocese of Costa Rica was established as an autonomous Diocese of the Anglican Communion under the Metropolitical Authority of the House of Bishops of Province IX, of the Episcopal Church.
The Council also re-affirmed its continuing partnership between the two churches.