Summary of Actions of the Executive Council
Episcopal News Service. November 8, 1984 [84217]
NEW YORK (DPS, Nov. 8) -- The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church met here Oct. 29 - Nov. 1.
The Council -- which sets policy and develops programs for the Church between the triennial meetings of the General Convention -- consists of 40 members: 20 elected by the Convention; 18 elected by the Church's nine internal provinces; the Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. John M. Allin; and the President of the House of Deputies, Dr. Charles R. Lawrence. The Rev. Canon James R. Gundrum is secretary.
Most resolutions for Council action come through six standing committees and occasionally a special committee or sub-committee.
The Council took the following actions:
- Commended the treasurer and the Church Pension Fund for maintaining accounts in minority banks and encouraged church institutions and agencies to follow suit.
- Authorized initiation of a shareholder action with Motorola requesting a company policy that would require the firm to divest itself of its South Africa holdings unless it achieves a higher compliance with the Sullivan principles.
- Authorized initiation of a shareholder action with Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company seeking a policy that the bank would make loan business in South Africa contingent on "meaningful" improvement in black human rights, by the government.
- Authorized a shareholder action with Phibro-Salomon to seek a company policy designed to cut off petroleum products to South Africa.
- Authorized a shareholder action with Hewlett-Packard designed to secure a company policy against sale of computers and related items to South Africa.
- Authorized a shareholder action with Martin-Marietta seeking a company policy of ethical review of contracts related to the MX missile.
- Urged steps be taken to secure the release from "banning" of Mrs. Winnie Mandela.
- Approved distribution of grants of $10,000 to St. Elizabeth's Friary, Brooklyn, N.Y. and $15,000 to the Diocese of Long Island for Urban Planning, to be taken from the Venture in Mission Astor Fund gift.
- Affirmed the designation of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Cleveland; Western Maryland Regional Council; St. David's Parish, San Diego; and Christ Episcopal Church, Fairfield, Ala. as Jubilee Centers.
- Designated the first week of Advent as a Week of Prayer and Concern for Hispanic Vocations.
- Hailed a United Nations condemnation of apartheid while deploring the United States abstention and called on the U.S. to review its policy of constructive engagement with South Africa.
- Requested the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations to undertake an evaluation of the Church's role in the National and World Councils of Churches.
- Offered congratulations to Bishop Desmond Tutu, 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
- Learned that video public service announcements on family violence have reaped wide network acceptance and have produced milions of dollars worth of advertising exposure for the Church.
- Learned that the committee discussed the future role of the family life subcommittee and reviewed affirmative action progress, Jubilee ministries and the work of the task force on access for the handicapped.
- Welcomed Marilyn Adams, Women's Triennial vice-president, and Sylvia Corey, chairman of the Women's Triennial Committee.
- Expressed appreciation for the appointment of the following Volunteers for Mission: Geoffrey P. Barnes; Joshua M. Bewlay; Patricia E. Bowers; Melissa M. Brown; Martha E. Eisenlohr; Robert L. and Beatrice E. Fitzpatrick; John Gibson; The Rev. Carmen Guerrero; Maria R. Hanahan; Arthur B. Hancock; Kevin and Susan Higgins; Richard A. and Kathryn A. Jacobs; Michelle K. Johnson; Stephen Kirk; Michelle Lynch; Kimberly A. McDonald; Ann E. Miller; Susan C. Monahan; The Rev. John J. Morrett; Benjamin P. Pierce, Jr.; Mary Robins; Miriam M. Roland; Catherine C. Slemp; Anne C. Spaulding; Victoria Van Epps; Richard A. Watson and noted changes in assignment for Joseph Sanlei and Paul Rudnik. It was noted that nine of these people were part of the Volunteer Service Community program, and the Rev. Frederick H. Borsch gave an update on that program, saying that it is underway on a small scale and they hope it will be in full swing for 1985-86. It was also noted that the Diocese of Panama has expressed interest in being a part of this.
- Expressed thanks to the following Volunteers for Mission who have completed their terms of service: Bea W. W. Avant; Carol Barton; Charles Bradshaw; Wallace Braud; the Rev. Enrique Brown; Kelley Charles; Deanna Dickerson; Ian T. Douglas; Bonnie Fisher; the Rev. Canon Oliver Garver; Stephen Holton; the Rev. John Houston; Dixie Hutchinson; Dr. Irene Jackson-Brown; Ann Lovejoy Johnson; Kirsten Laursen; Eric Linder; Barbara Lyles; Christopher Lyons; Robert Meyer, M.D. and Dorothy Mayer; Suzanne Pohto; Michelle Rougeau, R.N.; Andrea (Morris) Rudnik; the Rev. Lewis Shaw; Ana Soto; Katherine Fort Warner; Jennifer Wilson.
- Affirmed the recommendations of the Commission on Theological Education for Latin America and the Caribbean and approved requests in the total of $106,503 from the income of Trust Fund #809.
- Authorized establishment of Companion relationships between the Diocese of El Camino Real and the Diocese of Madras in the Church of South India, the Diocese of Florida and the Diocese of Cuba, and the Diocese of Kentucky and the Diocese of Sunyani and Tamale in the Church of the Province of West Africa, and renewed the relationships existing between the Diocese of Central New York and the Diocese of Egypt in the Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East and between the Diocese of Southern Virginia and the Diocese of Bukavu in the Church of the Province of Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire.
- Expressed appreciation for the appointment as missionaries of: the Rev. John L. Kater, Jr., Ph.D., to the Diocese of Panama as education officer; the Rev. Randall R. Lyle to the Diocese of Argentina and Eastern South America, Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America, as director of the Allen Gardiner Center and rector of Los Cocos; and the Rev. Georg R. J. Retzlaff, Ph.D., to the chair of the theology department, Cuttington University College, Diocese of Liberia, Church of the Province of West Africa.
- Expressed thanks to the following missionaries upon completion of 12 their tours: the Rev. John T. Chewning, Jr., from Tanzania; the Rev. Thomas E. Dobson, from the Church in Micronesia; the Rev. James H. Douglass, from Honduras; the Rt. Rev. Hugo L. Pina-Lopez, from Honduras; the Rev. Roger E. and Patricia Pittis Sonnesyn, from the Diocese of Butare, Church of the Province of Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire.
- Confirmed as representatives of the Episcopal Church to the Feb. 6-19, 1985 Partners in Mission Consultation of the Church of Uganda: the Rt. Rev. Shannon Mallory, Bishop of the Diocese of El Camino Real; and the Rev. Clifford Waller and the Rev. Canon Samir J. Habiby of the Episcopal Church Center staff.
- Expressed opposition to the movement of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem except within the context of a broad resolution of Middle East problems, with the status of Jerusalem having been determined by negotiation and not be unilaterial action by any one community, religion, race or nation.
- Sent affectionate greetings and congratulations to the Rt. Rev. Desmond Tutu of South Africa on the occasion of the worldwide recognition he has received as Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and sent copies of this resolution to Bishop Tutu, the Archbishop and Provincial Council of South Africa, the South African government, and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
- Noted the availability of the new World Mission Handbook at a cost of $5.
- Heard a report on the United Thank Offering on its grants, which this year are emphasizing Central American and U.S. Hispanic work, and sampled a U.T.O. donation can label in Spanish.
- Heard a report on the Presiding Bishop's Fund which emphasized the abundance of hunger relief projects being aided.
- Heard a report from the Rt. Rev. Edmond Browning and the Rev. Frederick P. Borsch on their participation in the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Nigeria this summer. Photocopies of the opening of a book on the meeting were passed out, and information given on the depletion of the capital reserve fund of the A.C.C. and efforts to raise $150 thousand towards the 1984 overrun and forced moving expenses.
- Heard a report from Ruth Schmidt on Province VIII's Synod meeting.
- Noted change in status of the Office of Women's Ministries.
- Heard a report from the Rev. Wallace A. Frey on the Board for Theological Education in which he noted the increase in the numbers of people now attending seminaries in preparation for lay ministry.
- Welcomed the Rev. Ronald Reed, new staff officer for Stewardship at the Episcopal Church Center.
- Heard that 80 domestic and eight overseas dioceses are participating in Venture in Mission and have pledged $135,846,723 so far.
- Approved appropriation of Venture in Mission undesignated funds to two projects: the American Indian project, $50,000 to explore the possibility of forming three American Indian urban congregations; and Cuttington University College, $100,000 as matching funds for the construction of the 4 million dollar Science and Technology Center also being funded by the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad Program, to supplment $650,000 to be awarded during this fiscal year; and to re-establish a third, called the Venture in Mission Opportunities Project Expansion of the General Loan Fund, with $250,000, to give aid where changing foreign economic conditions have caused difficulties.
- Approved that monies received for the Charitable Service Scholarship Fund, and subsequent funds as received together with interest earned by these, be released upon request of the Association of Episcopal Colleges.
- Sent greetings and a message of thanks and appreciation to K. Wade Bennett, former national diocesan campaign chairman of the Venture in Mission campaign, who is now ill.
- Welcomed the Chairman of the Standing Commission on Stewardship and Development, the Rt. Rev. Gerald McAllister, who presented a Proposal for Long Range Strategic Planning and for Raising Extra-Budgetary Support for the Mission of the Episcopal Church Through a Development Office.
- Learned from treasurer Matthew Costigan of a "very favorable outlook" for income projections through 1985.
- Received from the treasurer a report of ways in which the financial office copes with the complexities of international currency fluctuations, inflation and increasing involvement with government funding.
- Passed, after considerable discussion and some revision, a balanced budget for 1985 of approximately $25.8 million.
- Agreed, at the request of the Presiding Bishop and the adivce of the Location Committee, "not to accept" an offer from Trinidad and Tobago to purchase the Episcopal Church Center building in New York.
- Established the Frances E. Bartter trust fund, income to be used by Holy Trinity Church, Zamboanga, the Philippines, for work among Moro women.
- Established the Missionary Diocese of the Southern Philippines Endowment Trust Fund, with a $50,000 Venture in Mission gift from the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, income for the use of the diocese.
- Established a second trust fund for the same purpose with $50,000 in undesignated Venture gifts.
- Established the Missionary Diocese of the Southern Philippines Theological Education Fund with a $25,000 Venture in Mission gift from the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania.
- Established a Missionary Diocese of Haiti Trust Fund from appproximately $250,000 in designated Venture in Mission gifts.
- Established a Diocese of Costa Rica Endowment Fund for the Episcopate with approximately $2,000 at the request of the Diocese.
- Established the Rev. Alden Besse Trust, income to be divided equally between domestic and overseas work.
- Rescinded, at his request, a $2,000 annual supplement provided in 1964 for Bishop John B. Bentley.
- Accepted unaudited 1983 statements from Seabury Press as the basis for determining its assets.
- Retained the firm of John Deviny Carrico, P.A. as 1984 auditors.
- Allocated $18,000 from the income of the Constable Fund for production of a film to help the Central America Task Force educate the Church on the findings of the 1984 pastoral visit.
- Learned that feasibility studies are under way on the Church's use of satellite communication technology.
- Received from Iowa Bishop Walter Righter a followup report on a communication/evangelism project in that diocese.
- Welcomed Owanah Anderson as staff officer for Indian Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center and the Rev. Virgil Foote as field officer for Indian Ministries.
- Received reports of meetings of interim bodies of General Convention.
- Admitted the new Diocese of East Tennessee into communion with the General Convention.
- Received a clarification on the rules of order, stating that these do not allow provinces to present resolutions to General Convention, but that these must come from bishops, delegates, interim bodies, or diocesan conventions.