News Brief
Episcopal News Service. May 31, 1984 [84120]
The National Hispanic Office is sponsoring a conference on the use and practice of the Book of Common Prayer and music in the liturgical context for Hispanics and persons working in Hispanic ministry. The event will be held Nov. 7-10 at the College of Preachers in Washington, D.C. under the leadership of Dr. Marion Hatchett, professor of liturgy at the School of Theology of the University of the South; the Rev. Rex Bateman of Chicago; Skinner Chavez-Melo of New York; Raquel Achon of Los Angeles; and the Rev. Herbert Arrunategui, National Hispanic Officer at the Episcopal Church Center in New York. For information, contact the Hispanic Office, Episcopal Church Center, New York, NY 10017; telephone: (212) 867-8400, ext. 261.
April 30 through May 3, history was made when 25 Hispanic clergy from across the country gathered at the College of Preachers here to participate in the first conference dealing solely with preaching within the context of the Hispanic congregations. The conference was led by the Rev. Chad Minifie, president of the College of Preachers; the Rev. Ivan Ramirez, Hispanic missionary in the Diocese of Virginia; Dr. Cecilio Arrastia, a well-known Hispanic preacher of the Presbyterian Church and officer of its board in New York; and the Rev. Herbert Arrunategui, National Hispanic Officer at the Episcopal Church Center, whose office sponsored the event.
Presiding Bishop John M. Allin has declared Sunday, November 25, 1984 as "APSO Sunday" to honor the work of the Appalachian People's Service Organization. Materials on APSO will be mailed to parishes in the early fall for use on the designated Sunday. Founded 20 years ago, APSO is defines itself as "the cooperative, regional expression of the Episcopal Church's mission and ministry in the Appalachian region and among Appalachians who have left their homes in search of jobs in urban areas." The people of APSO stress that this is the work of the whole Church and not just that of the 13 member dioceses.
The Office of Black Ministries of the Episcopal Church has just inaugerated a newsletter called Linkage. It is edited by the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding and is available from the Black Ministries Office, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017. The premier "Absalom Jones" issue is currently available, and the target date for the second issue is June 1984.
The program and coordinating committee of the Kanuga Conference Center here has announced a series of summer and fall conferences. Among the leaders for these will be Krister and Brita Stendahl, M. Scott Peck, James Fenhagen, John Westerhoff, and John Sanford. Discounts are available on summer conferences for parishes sending more than one person. Also, there are daily programs for children ages 3-15, so that parents are free to attend conference events. As part of a program to increase its emphasis on education, Kanuga has recently become an affiliate member of the Council on the Continuing Education United, and will offer continuing education units (CEU) to participants at most scheduled conferences. For a catalogue and/or further information, contact Kanuga at: P. 0. Drawer 250, Hendersonville, NC 28793, telephone: (704) 692-9136.
A new program for strengthening the church's ministry in urban affairs has been announced by the General Theological Seminary and the Department of Urban Affairs of Hunter College of the City of New York. The joint effort, coordinated by the Rev. Dr. Robert Hood, associate professor of Church and Society at General, will begin in September 1984 and will offer two joint degrees: a four-year M.Div./M.S. and a two-year S.T.M./M.S., both in Urban Affairs. According to Hood, the goal is: "to enable the theological student to deal critically and imaginatively with the urban environment by providing skills and competencies available both in Hunter's program and in New York City." Hunter's graduate program in urban affairs is noted for its deep involvement in on-the-site experiences, as well as the opportunity to reflect on these with experts. This seminar will include "practical experience in urban planning and community organization and integrating them into the theology and practice of urban ministry."
The Washington Cathedral has just opened a new display in its Pilgrim Observation Gallery which is an educational survey of the cathedral's architecture and construction history. There are also sections on its fine arts, carving and stained glass. The gallery is reached by an elevator from the southwest entrance of the cathedral and has a superb view of Washington and the surrounding countryside. It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12:30 to 3:15 p.m. on Sunday.
The Olympia Churchman, newspaper of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, received two awards in the Washington Press Association 1983 Journalism Competition. The paper took first place for page layout among internal publications and second place for an interview with the Rev. Vincent Gowen. In addition, editor Christine Dubois received a second place award for her regular "Hallelujah Breakdown" column. Dubois also received awards for her work with two other publications.
In an effort to reach the estimated 40 percent of Americans for whom religion is unimportant, a campaign has begun to market a repackaged version of the Living Bible alongside tabloids at supermarket checkout counters. David W. Clark, vice president of marketing at the Christian Broadcasting Network, is heading the campaign. His idea is to have the covers of the Bible done like novels, with contemporary typographical layout. He intends to test market this in an advertising campaign in six markets.
This year's observance of Episcopal College Sunday was on April 29, and to mark this, the Association of Episcopal Colleges and presidents of the nine colleges affiliated with the Episcopal Church held their annual meeting on the 28-29. They met in Cleveland as guests of Bishop James R. Moodey of the Diocese of Ohio. During the course of the meeting, the annual Charles Flint Kellog award was presented to Robert D. Storey, a Cleveland attorney and civic leader, for his distinguished service to higher education. The award was conceived of the late Dr. Kellog, an educator who chaired the Association Board for seven years, as a way to recognize lay leaders in education.
Ruth Manier, 91 years old, was one of nine members of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Anniston, Ala., who recently graduated from the four-year Education for Ministry program of the Bairnwick Center at the University of the South. She is believed to be the oldest person to graduate from a program at Sewanee. "Commencement" was held during an Evensong Service in April. The graduates -- laypersons whose average age was 65 -- had followed a theological education course based on the core curriculum of Sewanee's School of Theology, a program in which over 11,000 people in the United States, Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand have participated.
Church World Service, which is the relief and development arm of the National Council of Churches and to which the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief contributes, has just begun publication of a bi-monthly magazine. Called CWS Connections, it is intended to keep participants and contributors to Church World Service informed about development issues and current projects. The first issue deals with Africa and the second with Central America. Free subscriptions are available from Church World Service, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115.
The Church of the Province of New Zealand, meeting here in May at its 46th General Synod, has become the first New Zealand Church to officially endorse the view that the system of Apartheid is a heresy. The motion as passed endorsed the 1983 World Council of Churches resolution that "Apartheid stands condemned by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Life of the world" and that any theology which supports or condones it is heretical. The Synod also endorsed a similar resolution passed unanimously by the Province of South Africa in 1982. Contents of the Synod's resolution will be made known to both the New Zealand Council of Churches and the Church of the Province of South Africa. Dean-elect of Christchurch, the Very Rev. Dr. D. J. Coles, called the resolution a theological rather than political issue and added, "It is a matter of basic Christian doctrine."
In his first address as Primate to the Ugandan Provincial Assembly, which met May 5-10, Archbishop Yona Okoth asked: "Is the Church of Uganda playing its expected role in contributing, by way of service" to solve the country's many problems. He challenged the Church to "have a common Christian mind and understanding of the causes of whatever is afflicting our nation today" and called on all Ugandan Anglicans "to engage in deep prayer and study". He emphasized the need to strengthen relations with the Roman Catholic Church as a step towards the refounding of the Uganda Christian Council and expressed his thanks for the presence of other Anglican leaders at his enthronement earlier this year, adding that this and the presence of the secretary general of the Anglican Consultative Council, Canon Samuel Van Culin, who led the Assembly's daily Bible study, quiet time and prayers, "clearly demonstrated that as members of the Anglican Communion we are part of the broad world-wide community of the followers of Christ."
The Namirembe Diocese, Church of Uganda, which is centered here in the capital and serves an area with a population of three million people, is holding an Evangelistic and Teaching Mission during the months of June, July, and August. The mission's theme is "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:6), and it will involve meetings in all parishes and congregations within a ten-mile radius of Kampala, as well as, during June and July, all schools and diocesan institutions. Chief missioner will be Bishop Maurice Wood from the Diocese of Norwich, England. Also taking part from the United Kingdom will be the Rev. Ken Barham of the Ruanda Mission, and from West Germany, 25 young people from an Evangelistic Fellowship will be arriving for six weeks, starting in mid-July. The organizing committee for this is headed by Bishop Misaeri Kauma, assistant bishop of Namirembe Diocese.
The Rev. Dr. John Karl Meissner Baiz died May 19 of cancer. He was 66 years old and had been, for the last 22 years, rector of Calvary Church here, second largest in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. Noted for the quality of his sermons, he was also known as a strong force for the liberal movement in the Episcopal Church, and, under his leadership, Calvary had been the first church in the diocese to hire a woman priest. He is survived by his wife, three children, two grandchildren, and four siblings.
"This is an historic year at the St. Francis Homes." With these words, executive director Canon N. Kenneth Yates began his report to the annual membership meeting held here May 6th, adding: "Not only are we dedicating new additions and renovations here at Ellsworth, but we are beginning our 40th year of service to troubled youth." The meeting and dedication at Ellsworth, which was the first St. Francis Boys' Home, were attended by some 250 people. The Homes' founder, the Rt. Rev. Robert H. Mize, traveled from California for the events. It was also the occasion of the organizational meeting for an Association of Former Residents of the St. Francis Homes. This Association will serve as a support system for the agency and also for the residents -- before, during, and after their stay. The St. Francis Boys' Homes is an Episcopal Church-related child care agency operating residential homes for "conduct disordered teenage boys". Homes are located here and in Salina, Kan. and Lake Placid, N.Y.