Summary of Action-- Not Minutes
Diocesan Press Service. December 12, 1974 [74356]
December 10-12, 1974
I. 1975 BUDGET
A. Approved a balanced budget for 1975 in the total amount of $13,925,732, with the understanding that the resolution and the budget will be sent to bishops, the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance and others as appropriate. A summary of the budget follows:
Office of Exec. for National & World Mission $ 432,518
Overseas Episcopal Dioceses 3,613,362
U.S. Episcopal Dioceses 1,389,802
New Programs, 1975-1976 70,400
Linkage, Executive Council Visits -0-
Anglican Responsibilities 734,590
Wider Episcopal Fellowship 226,607
Convocation of American Churches in Europe 37,500
Ecumenical 288,734
Office of Executive for Ministries 55,187
Black Colleges 797,000
Ministry Council 10,000
Appalachian Peoples Service Organization 74,800
Episcopal Commission for Black Ministries 207,381
National Commission on Hispanic Affairs 425,256
National Committee on Indian Work 397,091
Community Action and Human Development 691,877
Episcopal Asiamerica Strategy Task Force 214,363
Office of Executive for Program 98,472
Specialized Ministry Program 41,360
Social Ministry and Concerns 92,700
Social Responsibility in Investments 26,400
Staff Cost of Specialized and Social Program 73,155
Education Program 164,644
Evangelism Program 35,200
Lay Ministries Program 42,180
Staff of Education, Evangelism & Lay Ministry 145,876
Youth and College Ministry 295,314
Presiding Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies to Military, Prisons and Hospitals 217,728
Communication 477,157
Development/Stewardship 142,627
Office of the President 26,655
Office of the Executive Vice-President 0
Office of Executive for Finance Department 429,638
Executive for Administration 210,591
Personnel Office 43,810
Administrative Services 520,135
Operational Cost - Episcopal Church Center 248,337
General Convention and Related Agencies 387,933
Executive Council Meetings & Committees 113,750
Other 425,602
Total 13,925,732
II. DEVELOPMENT
A. Approved an Income Development Plan in principle and requested the Development Committee to report a detailed plan to the February, 1975 meeting of the Council.
1. The Advisory Committee on Development will meet with Development Committee in January to assist in refinement and clarification of the plan.
B. Heard a brief report of the first Development/Stewardship Workshop in Dallas, December 4-6.
III. ECUMENICAL
A. Heard an address by the Rev. Charles Long, Executive Secretary of the New York Office of the World Council of Churches.
B. Directed that a message of condolence be sent to the family and associates of Bishop Spottswood of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, a long-time ecumenical colleague, who died recently.
IV. BICENTENNIAL OBSERVANCE
A. Bishop Burgess, who will have retired by 1976, has resigned as Chairman of the Bicentennial Committee. Dr. Coburn has been appointed to chair the committee in his place.
B. Heard a progress report on present program and resources being developed for the Bicentennial Observance.
V. MINNESOTA CONVENTION
A. Heard a report from the Rt. Rev. Scott Field Bailey, interim Executive Officer of the General Convention, which indicated that all Joint Committees and Commissions of the General Convention are at work and on schedule.
VI. WORLD HUNGER
A. Approved a report of the Task Force on World Hunger which included recommendations on:
1. Adoption of a statement on world hunger;
2. A request by the Presiding Bishop that every parish of the Episcopal Church form a Task Force on World Hunger to
a. raise awareness
b. enable immediate and long range action.
3. Two regional conferences (one East and one West) to be held in January and February, 1975 to train Provincial Teams of enablers for each U.S. diocese; the decision to train similar teams in overseas dioceses to be made by the Overseas Bishops meeting in February, 1975;
4. An Ad Hoc Inter-Provincial Team to be appointed by the Presiding Bishop to be responsible for implementation of the planning, conducting and evaluation of these activities; a report to be made by September, 1975; 5. A budget of $69,980 from the Rochester Fund for these programs.
B. Adopted the following Immediate Response Commitment: "To meet this urgency we invite every diocese, parish and member of this Church to join us in considering prayerfully the following actions:
"1. To pray daily for those who do not have food and for God's wisdom to understand that we are a part of both the problem and of the solution, and for grace and power to take appropriate action.
"2. To support the Presiding Bishop's Christmastide Appeal.
"3. To contribute a percentage of our income to the feeding of the hungry -- at least $1.00 per family, per month.
"4. To examine and evaluate our life styles with respect to the use of resources which might be available for feeding the hungry.
"5. To find ways to consume less energy in our daily lives -- light, heat, transportation, etc., in order to help our economy which in turn will make more aid to other nations possible.
"6. To participate in reforming the institutions of society by working in organized groups and coalitions to raise awareness, to involve others, and to bring about appropriate political, social and economic change."
VII. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN INVESTMENTS
A. Adopted a resolution authorizing the Committee on Social Responsibility in Investments to file shareholder resolutions with IBM which would require that company to cease selling computers and related products to the government of South Africa.
VIII. COMMUNICATIONS
A. Seabury Press
1. Referred the report of the Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Seabury Press back to that committee with the request that the report be resubmitted at the February, 1975 meeting along with additional information on each nominee, including city and state of residence, age, sex, race and occupation.
2. Requested the Board of Trustees of the Seabury Press to study, for report by December, 1975, the advisability of increase in size of the Board; broader representation by age, sex, race and occupation of Trustees; a membership rotation policy through use of longer and staggered terms of Trustees; and increase in frequency of meetings.
B. Directed the Communication Committee and staff to assist the Standing Liturgical Commission in promoting greater understanding of the Draft Proposal Book of Common Prayer.
IX. PROGRAM
A. In response to the resolution adopted in September requesting that the Committees on Education, Lay Ministry and Evangelism work with the Seabury Press to explore a proposal on a new Church's Teaching Series, heard a report that:
1. A consultation will be held in February, 1975 to focus and sharpen a description of resources needed;
2. This description will be circulated to some 200 persons across the Church with request for response;
3. These responses will be collated and presented to the three Program Committees for any appropriate proposal in May, 1975.
X. EVANGELISM
A. Heard that a staff person for Evangelism should be on board by February, 1975.
XI. SOCIAL MINISTRY AND CONCERNS
A. Referred a resolution on Ministerial Confidentiality back to the committee.
XII. MINISTRY
A. Heard the report of the Committee, which noted that:
1. The Rev. Winston Ching has been elected Coordinator of the Ministry staff for 1975.
B. Adopted a resolution regarding the NCIW action concerning the Havasupai Indian tribal lands; the Presiding Bishop to notify Senator Henry Jackson by telegram of this action, urging his support of the House amendment to S.1296, which would accomplish these purposes.
C. Referred suggested revisions of the Charter of the Commission on Community Action and Human Development to the Committee on Mission Service and Strategy for recommendation in February, 1975.
D. Requested the Executive Group to review, for report in February, 1975, the charters of CAHD, EAST, ECBM, NCHA and NCIW, with respect to: uniformity in selection of chairmen and membership; preserving accountability on the part of the Executive Council in terms of responsibility for grants made; and compliance with the Constitution and Canons, the Charter and Bylaws of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and the laws of the State of New York.
XIII. MISSION
A. Heard the report, noting the following: 1. $5,000 has been committed to the Province of Tanzania for the Commission on Training.
2. $7,500 will be contributed over the next three years to the Province of Central Africa for a Provincial Officer.
3. The Linkage system is a high priority item; that members of staff, of the Executive Council and certain others are now involved in this program; and that the Linkage relationships are to be reviewed at one-year intervals.
B. Approved Companion Diocese relationships between:
Maryland/Liberia (extended)
Southern Ohio/Hong Kong (extended)
Kentucky/Guatemala (new)
South Carolina/Dominican Republic (extended)
Western New York/Belize (extended)
New Jersey/Matabeleland (new)
Southern Virginia/Alaska (extended)
XIV. MANAGEMENT OF RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS
A. Received a report recommending implementation of a limited and up to date Records Management Program to begin in the Spring of 1975.
XV. PRESIDING BISHOP
A. Heard from the Presiding Bishop:
1. An appeal for a special Christmastide offering for world hunger;
2. His intention to inform President Ford of this special offering and urging his participation in the fight against world hunger.
B. Adopted a resolution in support of the Christmastide appeal, commending the Presiding Bishop's plan to write President Ford and urging that the Diocesan Press Service and independent press publicize the appeal.
XVI. TREASURER
A. Heard a report which indicated that:
1. It is estimated that there will be approximately $200,000 in lapsed balances for 1974.
2. There are only three dioceses which may not be able to meet their full pledge for 1974.
3. The City of New York has filed an intention to appeal the ruling that the property at 815 Second Avenue is exempt from taxes, but that a brief has not yet been filed. Attorneys for the Society will file a motion to dismiss the appeal.
XVII. TRUST FUNDS
A. Authorized establishment of the following trust funds:
1. Laverne and Hiram McCurry
2. Elvira Lorraine Van Buren
XVIII. EDUCATION
A. The following items were reported:
1. The second supplement to the AWARE notebook has been sent.
2. The Church School Missionary Lenten Study book on APSO, "God's Back Yard" is available.
3. Lenten Study materials and mite boxes (in a larger size than last year) are now available.
XIX. MEETING DATES 1975
A. After noting a conflict of dates with the World Council of Churches meeting in November-December, 1975, changed the date of the Executive Council's December meeting: from December 9-11
to December 16-18.
XX. LAY MINISTRIES
A. Authorized the transfer of $8,750 from the Windham House Specials Account and $8,750 from the Windham House Trust Account to the Program Committee on Lay Ministries for a grant of $17,500 to Berkeley Divinity School at Yale for an experimental lay leadership training program which uses as resources the faculty and seminarians in field service.
XXI. APPOINTMENTS
A. Staff
1. Jeannie Willis, as Interpretation Officer, effective December 1, 1974.
2. Frank Tedeschi, to the Communications staff, effective January 1, 1974.
B. Committees
1. The Rev. William L. Jacobs, coopted to the Structure Committee.
XXII. PERSONAL
A. Welcomed Mrs. Leona Bryant, elected at the September meeting; she has been appointed to the Communications Committee.
B. Heard that the report of the expiration of the term of the Very Rev. Dillard Robinson was premature; his term expires in the Fall of 1975.