LOS ANGELES (DPS, May 12) "The Story of the Episcopal Church," a two-part video narrated by David Morse of the television program "St. Elsewhere", has just been released by Cathedral Films. Four centuries of Episcopal history in America are covered in two 20minute segments, which also include analysis of key issues by leading Episcopal historians and commentators.

"Part 1: From Jamestown to Revolution" (20 min.) traces the turbulent history by which the colonial English church survived crises and challenges to become an independent American church. "Part 2: The Call to Mission" (23 min.) traces the recurring themes of identity and mission through the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Church's history is documented with historical photographs, engravings, cartoons and other still images from archives throughout the United States, and these are blended with contemporary shots of Episcopalians and their places or worship and ministry. Among commentators offering analysis in the narration are Professors John Booty, Robert Prichard, and Fredrica Harris Thompsett, and Bishop Paul Moore of New York.

"The Story of the Episcopal Church" was written and produced by the Rev. James L. Friedrich, president of Cathedral Films, for the Diocese of Los Angeles Program Group on Christian Education as the first in an ongoing teaching series, "A Video Companion to the Catechism."

Parts 1 and 2 are available as two separate video cassettes at $29.95 each (VHS or Beta) from Cathedral Films, Inc., P.O. Box 4029, Westlake Village, CA. 91359. (Inside Calif.: 818-991-3290; outside: 800-338-3456.)

NEW ORLEANS, (DPS, May 12) The Third Biennial Conference on the History of the Episcopal Church will meet here, June 21-24, taking as its overall theme "The Episcopal Church and American Culture". Co-sponsors of the event are the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, National Episcopal Historians' Association, and Episcopal Women's History Project. Among the scheduled events will be an address on "The Episcopal Church in the Deep South" by Bishop Girault M. Jones, workshops on writing parish histories and the relevance of denominational histories, and lectures on "Church and Race in the South since 1950," "The Role of Women in the Episcopal Church in Victorian America," and "The Church Congress Movement."

Registration forms may be obtained from the Rev. James Mock, Box 6079, Bunkie, LA. 67922. There is a $25 registration fee. Please make checks payable to the National Episcopal Historians' Association.

The Historical Society of the Episcopal Church, which is no longer funded by General Convention, is about to begin a greatly expanded and planned program of conferences and publication research.

In order to accomplish this task, they are looking to raise $200,000 in the next few years. Contributions may be made to the "Historical Society -- Endowment Fund," P.O. Box 2247, Austin, TX. 78768.

LONDON (DPS, May 12) The Glastonbury Pilgrimage, always held on the last Saturday in June, this year will honor the 1000th anniversary of St. Dunstan, Abbot of Glastonbury who became Archbishop of Canterbury. The chief celebrant will be the Most Rev. Robert A.K. Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury. Leader of the American contingent to both Glastonbury and Walsingham will be the Rt. Rev. William H. Brady, retired Bishop of Fond du Lac.

Glastonbury is the oldest monastery in England, and the annual pilgrimage attracts about 10,000 people, though it is expected that this millennium year will attract even larger crowds. An obscure tradition dating from at least as early as the twelfth century holds that Joseph of Arimathea brought Christianity to the British Isles at Glastonbury.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham has been an important place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages, and is of particular interest in that it is honored by both Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

American pilgrims will leave New York on June 20, and begin their pilgrimage at the Shrine of St. Alban's Cathedral to honor the proto-martyr of England.

Complete details about the pilgrimage to Glastonbury and Walsingham may be obtained from the Pilgrimage Committee, 2705 South 43rd St., Milwaukee, WI. 53219 or by phoning Fr. Charles Lynch at (414) 541-9372.

NEW YORK (DPS, May 12) The Office of Women in Mission and Ministry (WIMM) has established an information service and prayer support for women who are being considered for bishop in various dioceses. The Office will maintain information about the current status of women in episcopal elections, and it is asking people to hold women candidates and the electing diocese in prayer.

Individuals or groups wishing to join in prayer are invited to call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 447, for the names of current candidates and the dioceses for which they are being considered. The WIMM Office also encourages those who are being interviewed or who become candidates to notify them so that they can be added to the prayer list.

The WIMM Office would like to collect any written information about these historic elections to preserve for the record of the Church and to make such files available to women candidates themselves as they are nominated. Please send information to: the Office of Women in Mission and Ministry, 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017.

SEWANEE. Tenn. (DPS. May 12) Samuel R. Williamson, Jr., was elected the fourteenth vice-chancellor and president of the University of the South on May 5 by the university's Board of Trustees.

Williamson is provost, chief academic officer and professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was selected by the university search committee from 240 candidates to replace the retiring Robert M. Ayers, Jr., who has served as the university's chief executive officer since 1977.

"I am humbled by the responsibilities entrusted to me by the Board of Trustees; I will seek God's continual help in the discharge of these duties," Williamson said following his election.

A native of Louisiana, Williamson is a graduate of Tulane University, and received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard before moving to North Carolina; and he served as dean of the UNC College of Arts and Sciences from 1977 to 1985. He became provost in 1984.

Williamson has written and edited books and numerous articles, principally on the World War I period, and he and his wife, Joan, are active Episcopalians. They have three children.

The University of the South, owned by 28 dioceses of the Episcopal Church, consists of a College of Arts and Sciences with an enrollment of 1,100 and a School of Theology, one of 11 accredited Episcopal seminaries.