Presiding Bishop Leads Council --Where the Action Is
Diocesan Press Service. October 7, 1966 [47-1]
Presiding Bishop Hines stated in his introductory remarks to Executive Council at its Fall meeting, Oct. 4 - 6, at Seabury House, that "The 'ecclesiastical authority' has been under attack for some time now because, generally speaking, we seem reluctant to 'go where the action is.' The Council meeting, itself, showed anything but reluctance to be involved in today's society, however.
Although no major actions were taken at the Fall meeting of Council, the issues of "black power", international affairs and urbanization were analyzed in three reports. This was surely an attempt to remedy what Bishop Hines, again in his opening remarks, called a "lack of head" rather than a "lack of heart".
During the report of the Department of Christian Social Relations, the Rev. Quinland Gordon, member of the staff of that Department, read a statement dealing with the concept of "black power". In an attempt to clarify the term, Mr. Gordon stated that this was in reality a call for the development of a much needed sense of pride and unity among black people. It is a call for the attainment of specific goals: voting power, economic power and the freedom of power. As Mr. Gordon pointed out, this is not a cry for an uprising and ought not to be feared by the white man. In ending his remarks, Mr. Gordon challenged the church to "take the inevitable risk and support and defend the rights of the powerless."
The need of the oppressed and powerless to assert themselves was echoed in a report made to the Council by the Rt, Rev. J. Brooke Mosley, Bishop of Delaware, and M. M. Thomas, director of the Christian Institute for the Study of Religion and Society in Bangalore, India and presently Henry W. Luce Visiting Professor of World Christianity at Union Theological Seminary, New York City, on the Church and Society Conference held in Geneva, Switzerland last summer. Mr. Thomas was chairman and Bishop Mosley vice-chairman of that Conference. As Mr. Thomas said "non-white power was the real question of the conference." The representatives of the developing nations demonstrated a desire to participate in the surrounding society and at the levels where power is exercised. Both the United States and the Soviet Union came in for criticism at the conference because of an apparent unwillingness to allow such participation.
Finally, a large part of the Thursday morning session was devoted to a presentation by the Joint Urban Program of what is happening in pilot dioceses across the country. After a brief history of the Urban Program by the Presiding Bishop and a brief statement by the Rt. Rev. Robert DeWitt, Bishop of Pennsylvania and Home Department Chairman, of the purposes of the Joint Urban Program, reports were presented by the coordinators of three of the 12 pilot dioceses.
The Rev. Anthony Morley of the Diocese of Missouri described how their decision to become a pilot diocese had led to an effective working relationship with the neighboring Diocese of Springfield, and of both with Presbyterian and United Church of Christ bodies, so that the church can more effectively minister to the St. Louis metropolitan area, including the Illinois communities on the eastern side of the Missouri River. The Rev. Charles Wilson, formerly coordinator for the Missionary District of Idaho, explained how the district is experimenting with regional team ministries, working out of urban centers into the satellite communities which are too small to sustain a traditional parish structure. He pointed out that Idaho too has to grapple with the problems of urbanization, though it is a predominately rural state. At present the ministerial teams are composed of full-time, professionals, clerical and lay, but the possibility of the development of non-stipendiary ordained ministries is under serious study. The Rev. Donald Williamson, of the Diocese of Tennessee, described the projected plans of that diocese to build a Southern Regional Training Center and the way in which the Joint Urban Program grant is enabling the diocese to plan for such a center.
None of these reports and statements called for action on the part of Executive Council. They provided information and preparation for anticipated future action, enabling the Council to make informed decisions as it plans the program which it will propose to the General Convention for the coming triennium and beyond.
As to actions:
-----The Council approved a resolution to support the application which will be brought to the annual meeting of the House of Bishops for the creation of a new Missionary District of Ecuador. At present Ecuador is under the jurisdiction of the Bishop in Colombia, S. A.
-----Accepted the invitation of the National Council of Churches to participate in the United States Conference on Church and Society, to be held Oct. 23-26, 1967.
-----Welcomed the request made by the Diocese of Kentucky and the Missionary District of Haiti to enter into a companion relationship and approved the extension of the companion relationship existing between the Diocese of Southern Ohio and the Episcopal Church of Brazil.
-----Approved a policy permitting grants from the Home Department's College and University Division for short term experimental projects.
-----Received a draft statement on stewardship which will be considered in a final form at the December meeting of the Council.
The Council also heard of the appointment of six new officers. Several had not been previously announced. Elias W. Saleeby, formerly treasurer of the Missionary District of Liberia, will be assistant controller of the Council. The Rev, J. Seymour Flynn has been appointed to the Division of Personnel of the Overseas Department. The Rev. Charles R. Wilson will be associate secretary for development in the Urban Group of the Home Department. Mr. Wilson, formerly coordinator of the Pilot Diocese Program of the District of Idaho, will be responsible for communicating developments in the pilot diocese to the rest of the church. The Rev. Alfred W. Rollins will be associate secretary, training areas, in the Department of Christian Education.