Miscellaneous Actions of Executive Council
Diocesan Press Service. December 12, 1974 [74355]
The Council adopted a proposal from its three committees on education, evangelism, and lay ministry, which sets in motion a plan to "explore the production and funding of a new Church's Teaching Series. " The committees reported that "the intent is not a revision" of the series but an effort to enhance its "credibility and authority for exploring Christian faith, life and action today. " The plan calls for a two-day conference before the end of February, 1975, by eight to twelve "persons of recognized competence in education and theology" along with staff "to focus and sharpen a description of resources needed at this time in the Church's life. " This description will then be tested with more than 200 persons across the church. A report will be made to the Executive Council in May, 1975. This process is under the supervision of Mrs. Ruth Cheney, executive for program.
The Council adopted a resolution from its communication committee as follows:
"RESOLVED, that the Executive Council directs its Communication Committee and staff to assist the Standing Liturgical Commission in promoting greater understanding of the Draft Proposal Book of Common Prayer by the Church in such a manner as shall be requested by the Commission from time to time prior to the 65th General Convention. "
The Council referred back to the Committee on Social Ministry and Concern for re-wording a resolution concerning the extent of confidentiality of communications made to or observed by ministers of the Church.
The following resolution from the National Committee on Indian Work was adopted by the Council: "RESOLVED, That the Executive Council support the following action of the National Committee on Indian Work. In order to improve the social and economic conditions of the Havasupai Tribe of Arizona and to protect the integrity of its cultural and spiritual life and so that justice will be done, now therefore be it RESOLVED that the National Committee on Indian Work of the Episcopal Church supports legislation to authorize the United States to hold in trust for the said tribe 185, 000 acres of its aboriginal lands which it presently uses and occupies; and it urges Senator Henry M. Jackson, Chairman of the Senate Interior Committee, and the members of the Committee to agree to the House amendment to S. 1296, which accomplishes these purposes." The suggestion that Presiding Bishop John M. Allin send a telegram to Senator Jackson was approved. Philip Masquelette of Houston, Tex., asked that his negative vote be recorded.
The Council adopted the following resolution from its Committee on Management of Records and Documents: "The Committee on Management of Records and Documents recommends to Management the implementation of a limited up-to-date and consistent Records Management Program in conjunction with the Archives and Historical Collections of the Episcopal Church (presently administered by the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church) in which Archives the permanent records will ultimately be deposited. The cost of the Program will be drawn from the funds already granted for a records management study. It is further recommended that the Program begin in the Spring of 1975."
The Council sent back to the nominating committee of the board of trustees of the Seabury Press a list of 14 nominees to the board for a revised report in February, 1975. The action came on a substitute resolution by Philip Masquelette of Houston, Tex., who said the nominees were "mostly white, male and over 50." The adopted resolution calls for basic biographical information on each nominee in February, such as name, place of residence, age, sex, race, and occupation.
The Rev. Page Bigelow, Bicentennial Resource Coordinator of the Executive Council staff, reported on plans of the Committee on Observance of the Bicentennial of the Nation. She spoke of a number of resources which the committee is developing, including a quarterly newsletter (Feb., May, Aug., Nov.), liturgical material, film strips, education packets, a portable display, and special issues of the Anglican Theological Review and Historical Magazine. The Seabury Press will publish several books on the theme, including The Future of the American Past by Earl Brill which was issued in June 1974. The Episcopal Church's committee is working ecumenically in the production of The Light in the Steeple, a tabloid newspaper; Bicentennial Broadside, a newspaper; and a Bicentennial film, "Right of the People." The Rev. John B. Coburn of New York City has succeeded Bishop John M. Burgess of Massachusetts as chairman of the committee.
Bishop Harold C. Gosnell of West Texas reported on a meeting of the House of Bishops' Committee on Evangelism, chaired by Bishop Coadjutor Frank S. Cerveny of Florida, at the Bishop Mason Retreat Center in Grapevine, Tex., Dec. 3-4, 1974. Seven other bishops were joined by 10 clergy and lay persons for the consultation. Bishop Gosnell said that the Rev. Peter C. Moore, Cheshire, Conn., was asked to draft a statement which will be a call to evangelism. He said that the Evangelism Committee hopes to have a staff officer for evangelism on the job at the Episcopal Church Center in New York City by February 1, 1975.
Werner Mark Linz, president of The Seabury Press, reported that the publishing house "has achieved a sound position of service capability" for the church. It has now eliminated its capital deficit and for the first time since its founding in 1951, the company's net assets exceed the Executive Council's working capital advances. Since 1973, the Press's expanded staff of 80 has published 220 new books and distributed more than 10 million books and other materials, making it one of the country's leading religious publishing houses.
The Council welcomed Mrs. Leona E. Bryant, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, who was elected to Council membership in September to succeed Dr. Charles Willie who resigned.
Lindley M. Franklin, Jr., treasurer, reported to the Council that the 1974 lapsed balance is expected to be approximately $200,000, which will be applied to the 1976 budget income. At this time, it appears that only three dioceses may have difficulty paying their full pledges for 1974, he said. Mr. Franklin said that a preliminary report on pledges toward the 1975 budget, indicates that 48 of the 93 domestic dioceses have responded so far, as follows: 36 pledged the full quota, 5 estimated full acceptance, and 4 over and 3 under the quota.
The Presiding Bishop announced the appointment of Ms. Jeannie Willis as Interpretation Officer in the office of the executive for national and world mission, effective December 1, 1974. Ms. Willis was associated with American Home magazine prior to 1960 when she joined the staff of The Episcopalian. For the past few years she has produced "Mission Information" and the "Pix-Pack," which provide narrative and photographic resources on world mission.
The Presiding Bishop announced the appointment of Frank Tedeschi, now on the staff of The Seabury Press in the professional services division, as a member of the communication staff, effective January 1, 1975. Mr. Tedeschi will be responsible for promotional material for the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and other special offerings, as well as providing editorial and writing services for Council program printed pieces.
The Council heard an ecumenical presentation by the Rev. Charles Long, executive secretary of the New York office of the World Council of Churches and a priest of the Episcopal Church. "To what is a divided church calling its converts?" he asked. "What would the church really look like if it were a servant?" He posed the question: "Are we entering the age of ecumenical fulfillment or the age of ecumenical hypocrisy?" Dr. Long gave a brief preview of the Fifth Assembly of the WCC which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, Nov. 23 - Dec. 10, 1975. Held every seven years, the Assembly will include representatives from 271 member churches (seven from the Episcopal Church) from 90 countries. Six booklets have been prepared as resources on the Assembly's theme, "Jesus Christ Frees and Unites."
The education committee reported that a second supplement to AWARE, a religious education resource notebook, containing evaluations of current curriculum material, has been distributed. The committee also announced that resource materials on the Appalachian People's Service Organization (APSO), including a poster, craft and worksheet for children, study guide for teachers, brochure for adults, and a mite box, to promote the Church School Missionary Offering, is ready for distribution.
The Council approved a resolution introduced by Philip Masquelette of Houston, Tex., as follows: "RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The Seabury Press be requested to study, from the standpoint of legal and other considerations, and to report to the Executive Council not later than December, 1975, on the advisability of the following: (a) increase in the size of the Board of Trustees; (b) broader representation by age, sex, race and occupation of Trustees; (c) adoption of a Trustee rotation policy through use of longer and staggered terms of Trustees; and (d) increasing the frequency of the meetings of the Board of Trustees to more than twice each year."
A resolution concerning the charters of the five sections of the program with minorities, Mission Service and Strategy, introduced by Philip Masquelette of Houston, Tex., was adopted as follows: "RESOLVED, That the Executive Group be requested to review the charters of the Community Action and Human Development Commission, the Episcopal Asiamerica Strategies Task Force, the Episcopal Commission for Black Ministries, the National Commission for Hispanic Affairs, and the National Committee on Indian Work, and to submit to the Council in February, 1975, such recommendations for changes in same as the Executive Group shall deem appropriate with respect to: (a) insuring relative uniformity among each of the charters, particularly with respect to selection of the chairmen and membership of each of said groups; (b) preserving proper accountability on the part of the Executive Council in terms of the Council's responsibility for grants made by each of said groups; and (c) compliance with the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, the charter and by-laws of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the laws of the State of New York with respect to not-for-profit corporations."
Lindley M. Franklin, Jr., treasurer, reported he is holding $37, 000 of the original $50, 000 in treasury bonds which were purchased as bail for those arrested at Wounded Knee, S.D., last year. Bishop Walter Jones of South Dakota used $8,000 worth of bonds and retained $5,000 for emergencies. There have been no defaults so far, he said. Eight cases are now pending in the courts.
The Council voted to send its "deep regret" on the death of Bishop Stephen Spottswood to his family and to his church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion. Bishop Spottswood was long a moving force in the Consultation on Church Union and was a past president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
The Council was informed that the Rev. Winston Ching, executive officer for the Episcopal Asiamerica Strategy Task Force, has been elected coordinator of the Mission Service and Strategy staff for 1975, succeeding Maria Cueto, executive officer of the National Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Other sections of MS&,S are: National Committee on Indian Work, Episcopal Commission for Black Ministries, and Community Action and Human Development.
The City of New York has filed an intention to appeal a ruling that the Episcopal Church Center property at 815 Second Avenue is exempt from taxes, though no brief has yet been filed. Attorneys for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society will file a motion in late December in the court of appeals to ask that the City's appeal be dismissed.