Sewanee Consultation Writes 'Historic' World Mission Covenants
Episcopal News Service. August 18, 1989 [89133]
Margaret Larom , Information Officer for World Mission
SEWANEE, (DPS, Aug. 18) -- Fifty Episcopalians representing a wide range of organizations concerned with world mission have called their church to "a new vision of mission and a new time of courage in proclaiming the Gospel to the ends of the earth."
Despite differences in theology, strategy, size and focus, the representatives of nearly 30 organizations agreed, after four intense days of work, on five covenants and an equal number of action plans that require joint and cooperative action.
They were delegates to the July 19-23 World Mission Consultation, a unique and historic gathering of a specially invited representatives of organizations involved in the sending, supporting or education aspects of mission. They drafted a proclamation of purpose that says, in part:
"A new wind is blowing in our Church. Episcopalians and Anglicans are increasingly aware of the bracing wind of God's Spirit calling us beyond the shortsightedness and shackled vision that has kept us from new initiatives in proclaiming Christ and empowering God's people....
"In response to this sense of the working of the Spirit in our time, we have, as agencies, societies, and institutions of the Church concerned with worldwide mission, covenanted to encourage each other to respond creatively to the new possibilities in mission, that we might take our part in the new chapter of Acts being written in our day."
There was strong feeling among the sponsors that the traditional conference had lacked, in its 10 years of annual meetings, an action component. Beginning in Detroit last July, a plan was formed to bring together all the mission-doing bodies in the Episcopal Church. The theme was "Can We Covenant for World Mission? An Invitation," and its goal was "To live out our commitment to God's mission, through a covenant for world mission planning that will implement the mission imperatives of the Episcopal Church."
To set the stage for the discussions, the design team asked the Rev. Ian Douglas, a doctoral candidate in missiology at Boston University, to tell "Our Episcopal Story in World Mission." Research for his thesis on Episcopal mission work, 1920-1985, enabled him to bring a good deal of information and insights to the group.
The consultation was sponsored by the Episcopal Church Center, the South American Missionary Society, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the Episcopal Church Missionary Community and the University of the South. The Executive Council, Standing Commission on World Mission and Standing Commission on Evangelism each sent representatives. The Rt. Rev. Furman Stough, Senior Executive for Mission Planning and Development, D. Barry Menuez, Senior Executive for Mission Operations, and Judith Gillespie, Executive for World Mission, were part of the team from the Episcopal Church Center which included the staff officers for evangelism, overseas personnel, the Volunteers for Mission program, and mission information.
The presence of Anglican partners was considered essential to the discussion, and they participated fully in the event: the Ven. John Kago, Provincial Secretary, Church of the Province of Kenya; the Rev. Jintaro Ueda, General Secretary, Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Japan); the Rev. Victor Scantlebury, Diocese of Panama; and the Rev. David Hamid, Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Anglican Church of Canada.
The design of the consultation was to share information about various types of groups, identify areas of disagreement, and then work toward possible agreements about cooperation. On the fourth day, when it was time to work on potential areas of collaboration, however, it became obvious that differences had not been shared as completely and openly as was necessary. Thus, there was murmuring; as one member put it, the operative words underneath it all were "power, control and fear".
Another delegate then suggested a pause for prayer, and during the deep sharing that occurred, and the exchange of the peace which followed, a new mood swept the room. Someone else suggested having the Holy Eucharist before lunch instead of after dinner. As a result that afternoon's and evening's work was fruitful beyond what anyone had really hoped for.
Indeed, it appeared that what happened was what Kenya's John Kago had declared that morning must happen. During his homily in Morning Prayer, taking as his text the parable of the vine and the branches, he said: "The Lord has called us here to prune us! Who is your Lord? Jesus? Or your organization? He must rule our hearts today!"
The covenants and action plans which emerged from the four days' work were affirmed by all who were present. Some represent historic breakthroughs in the mission history of the Episcopal Church and perhaps even in the Anglican Communion.
The delegates unanimously approved a plan to establish "a council of Episcopal international mission ministries voluntarily committed to meet, communicate and share resources as necessary to promote the unity and effectiveness of the mission of Jesus Christ."
A steering committee was created which within six months must sort out the logistical needs for convening such a council. The 10 members of the committee represent nine different bodies, a happy outcome of an earlier decision to trust the Holy Spirit in pulling the name of volunteers from a hat.
The delegates affirmed in principle the decision of a smaller group to "articulate and to hold up a vision for the church (parish, diocese and national) which sees mission as the essential calling of the church." As part of this, a proclamation will be refined and published at a later date.
The Seminary Consultation on Mission will be asked by its two delegates to co-sponsor a theological consultation in the fall of 1990 or spring of 1991. Invitations and calls for papers will be widely issued.
Finally, a consultation on "Anglicans and New Frontiers" is proposed for sometime next spring. Invitations would be issued to delegates who attended two recent worldwide mission conferences, Lausanne II in Manila and the WCC gathering in San Antonio, as well as to many other people.
The purpose is to identify information that would be useful to groups engaged in Episcopal world mission efforts, to locate this information and recommend ways and means of making this information available.
A survey of the various organizations' needs will be conducted, and a clearinghouse and possible newsletter to circulate helpful information will be explored. Also, organizations will follow and participate in the development of the proposed Episcopal Mission Resource Information Service being set up by the Consortium of Endowed Parishes.
Recognizing that the diocese (and its congregations), is the basic mission sending, educating and supporting unit, the group said there is a need for guidelines and resources for education in mission and a need to utilize those programs that are already in place.
Guidelines are being written and resources are being collected, with initial efforts circulated by Dec. 1.
A number of recommendations emphasized that any follow-up activities resulting from this consultation must include a plan to receive the gifts and experiences that overseas partners bring. For example, if an ongoing council is formed, not only must its membership include overseas partners but anyone responding to an invitation to join must sign the Partnership in Mission Covenant.
The delegates affirmed the principle that "the mission enterprise includes being a voice within our own economic and political system for concerns of our overseas partners."