Our Investment in Sister Churches
Diocesan Press Service. June 10, 1963 [XI-1]
In speaking of the growing and strengthening of loyalties and fellowship within the world family of the Anglican Communion, the Rt. Rev. Stephen F. Bayne, Jr., Anglican executive officer, recently told the National Council: "There is coming to be a fuller and more responsible partnership among Anglicans -- an increasing concern and interest on the part of longer established and more mature churches for the more recently founded churches. This is no longer just ecclesiastical concern, but it is taking the form of a worldwide working partnership. We are learning to be better brothers and servants to these younger churches."
One measure of awakening inter-Anglican concern is the number of dollars currently budgeted by the American Church for missionary support of our sister churches. The National Council Overseas Department budget for 1963 shows that more than three-quarters of a million dollars are going into Anglican work outside our own overseas jurisdictions. While this total sum of $769,548 is a substantial start in bringing relief and upbuilding other Anglican provinces, it is little more than a drop in the bucket. Financial assistance to our sister churches of the Anglican Communion is of two kinds. First is support of missionaries. In addition to base pay, the Overseas Department also provides special allowances for outfits, housing, travel, cost of living in the field, children's schools, automobile, medical and dental and Church Pension Fund assessments. The other type of inter-Anglican assistance provided by the American Church takes the form of direct financial grants -- usually for a local emergency or other critical need.
Funds from the American Church are being used to assist with the opening of new work and to support the ongoing program in the life of these overseas churches. Other funds are used to support and advance theological education in many areas. The American Church contributes the services of 28 missionaries whose support totals approximately $215,000, plus a budget appropriation of $72,500 for direct financial assistance to the Nippon Seikokai, or Holy Catholic Church in Japan.
The Diocese of Hong Kong received a grant of $33,000, including the support of two missionaries. The Diocese of Korea also has two missionaries and received a grant of $30,000. An annual grant of $7,500 goes toward the support of the staff officer of the Southeast Asia Council, and a special grant in the amount of $53,000 was made to the Council for the construction of new churches in various member dioceses.
The Diocese of Singapore and Malaya is receiving a $3,000 grant and $11,500 for the support of two missionaries. Another $1,200 grant went to the East Asia Christian Conference for its work. The sum of $20,000 plus the services of four missionaries at a cost of approximately $29,000, are evidences of the American Church's concern for the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon.
The Church in the Province of East Africa receives $12,000 -- the services of one missionary at approximately $8,400, plus $3,000 toward the support of a student chaplain. Five missionaries assigned to the Church of Uganda and Ruanda- Urundi, three of whom are supported entirely by the Virginia Theological Seminary's Henry St. George Tucker Memorial Fund. The other two missionaries are supported by the Overseas Department's budget at approximately $15,000. In addition, an annual grant of $1,500 goes to the province, together with a similar grant made by the Anglican Church of Canada, toward the support of an administrative assistant in the office of the archbishop.
One missionary supported at approximately $7,000, and the payment of $300 in Church Pension Fund assessments, represents the church's contribution to the Diocese of Damaraland of the Church in the Province of South Africa.
Back in our own hemisphere, $5,000 is allotted for the work of the Church in the Province of the West Indies.
Among other sources of Anglican assistance are special offerings and gifts to the Church. The Committee on the Good Friday Offering makes an annual gift toward work carried on under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop in Jerusalem, which amounted to $70,647 in 1962. The Church also maintains a missionary to represent the Presiding Bishop on the staff of the archbishop at a cost of approximately $6,000.
The Committee on World Relief and Interchurch Aid gives substantial assistance to several Anglican projects including: $500 to the Bishop of Nandyal; $30,000 to the Bishop of Nyasaland; $3,000 to the Bishop of Gibraltar; $11,750 to the Anglican executive officer; $11,871 to St. Augustine's College Canterbury; and $7, 000 to the American Committee for St. Augustine's College, Canterbury. Scholarships to 44 Anglican students totaling $43,780 were granted by the Committee on Scholarship Assistance to Overseas Students. The General Division of Women's Work also contributed through its United Thank Offering funds: $5,000 for a research assistant to the Anglican executive officer; $20,000 for the Shoin Girls' School in Japan; $20,000 towards the cost of a South American Survey and Study to be used at the 1963 Anglican Congress.