Joint Commission Reviews New Directions Program
Diocesan Press Service. October 2, 1974 [74257]
SIERRA SKY RANCH, Calif. -- The full membership of General Convention's Joint Commission on The Church in Small Communities of the Episcopal Church met at Sierra Sky Ranch in the Diocese of San Joaquin, California, September 15-17, 1974.
As a special feature of the meeting and at the invitation of The Rt. Rev. Victor Rivera, the host Bishop, members arrived in time to preach or speak in Churches throughout the Diocese of San Joaquin to acquaint parishioners with the program and interests of the Joint Commission, and to enable Joint Commission members to gain first- hand knowledge of the problems and opportunities of small churches and small communities in the Diocese. Visits were made to Woodlake, Corcoran, Avenal, Lone Pine, Bishop, Oakdale, Lemoore; and in Fresno at the Cathedral and Holy Family Church, while in the Modesto region a gathering of eight congregations called "Body-building in the Body of Christ" was addressed by The Rev. Dr. H. Boone Porter, Jr., Director of Roanridge and consultant to the Joint Commission. At the Sunday evening session of the Joint Commission meeting, members reviewed and evaluated their experiences and expressed satisfaction with the creative approaches to mission being accomplished by the clergy and Churchmen of San Joaquin in its 57,000 square miles of predominately rural and agricultural area.
The Joint Commission meeting devoted itself to a review of its "New Directions" program for small churches in small communities with emphasis on diocesan development to include regional structures, regional supervision, lay ministry, and use of non-stipendiary clergy. Evaluation was made of the Conference of Bishops, involving some forty dioceses held at Roanridge in May, 1974, and plans were developed for further follow-up and the reiteration of the offer to dioceses to provide "New Directions" consultants on a part-time basis to assist in diocesan planning for small church mission development.
The Commission gave considerable attention to the newest aspect of its program, a Training Course for Regional Supervisors to be held at Roanridge the last part of January, 1975, with a follow-up week for participants in October, 1975. Invited to attend the Training Course will be both diocesan staff persons particularly related to regional supervision in the diocese, and clergy who have regional responsibilities in multi-parish, team-ministry situations. Criteria for attendance include endorsement by diocesan bishop and Commissions on Ministry, a reasonable number of years of experience in parish work, and consultation with a "New Directions Consultant" who will make a pre-involvement visit to applicants. Staff of the training school to be announced shortly will include persons with expertise in the art of supervision, community development, Christian theology, analysis of field experience and other subjects -- designed to equip participants for their particular responsibilities without duplicatory subject matter available in other training programs.
Relationships to other Church and secular agencies, and plans for future meetings occupied the balance of the meeting time of the Joint Commission. Reports were made on contacts with APSO (Appalachian People's Service Organization), Great Plains Interreligious Commission, Coalition-14, JSAC Conference on Rural Development, A Christian Ministry in The National Parks, the Non-Metropolitan Issues Group, the Society of RWF, rural concerns in the Anglican Church in Canada, Roanridge, the National Association of Soil Conservation Districts, and others. Plans were discussed to develop advocacy positions relating to the small church -- regardless of location, any church which feels smallness -- and communicate them to Episcopal Church agencies. The Joint Commission expects to meet again at Roanridge, Missouri, April 9-11, 1975.
Membership of the Joint Commission, all present for the meeting, is: The Rt. Rev. William Davidson, Bishop of Western Kansas, Chairman; The Rt. Rev. Victor Rivera, Bishop of San Joaquin; The Rt. Rev. Hanford King, Bishop of Idaho; The Rev. Canon Nelson Pinder, Central Florida; The Rev. Rustin Kimsey, Eastern Oregon; The Rev. Carlson Gerdeau, Northern Michigan: Sister Margaret Hawk, C.A., South Dakota; Mr. C.A. "Scoop" Beardsley, Secretary, Rochester; and Mr. Douglas Fleet, Jr., Southwestern Virginia. Consultants also present were: The Rev. Dr. H. Boone Porter, Jr., Director of Roanridge; The Rev. Herman Page, Western Kansas ; and The Rev. Derek Salter, The Anglican Church in Canada and President of the Society of R.W. F.