Province 7 Stewardship Workshop Held in Dallas
Diocesan Press Service. December 23, 1974 [74362]
DALLAS, Tex. -- "We are only asked that we recognize the Lord as the one Lord of our lives, to recognize all possessions -- and money as the sign of those possessions -- as the gift of God to be shared for the good of all humanity. "
These were the words of the Very Rev. J.C. Michael Allen, co-dean of Yale Divinity School, and dean of Berkeley Divinity School, New Haven, Conn., as he challenged some 80 participants in a stewardship workshop in Dallas, December 4-6.
The workshop, which was sponsored by the office of development/stewardship of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, attracted stewardship leaders from all of the dioceses of Province 7 -- Arkansas, Dallas, Kansas, Northwest Texas, Oklahoma, Texas, West Missouri, West Texas, and Western Kansas.
In addition, outside observers present were the Bishop of Nicaragua, the wife of the Bishop of Panama and the Canal Zone, a priest from Olympia, and an official from the Anglican Church of Canada.
Under the leadership of Oscar C. Carr, Jr., executive for development/stewardship, the conference featured four successful stewardship models, presented by the Rev. James L. Sanders, Selma, Ala.; the Rev. George F. Regas, Pasadena, Calif.; the Rev. Canon W. Ebert Hobbs, Cleveland, Ohio; and the Rev. John H. MacNaughton, Edina, Minn.
Ninety-four percent of those present rated the workshop at least 80 percent effective -- with 60 percent rating it 100 percent.
A bishop who participated said that he considers the workshop to be "an essential aspect of renewal" and a form of assistance "the whole Church needs."
"The greatest impact of this conference," said a Texas priest, "is yet to come in my opinion. "
A clergyman from West Missouri said that he "felt that the workshop was very beneficial to me and therefore will be beneficial to our Diocese."
A layman from West Texas said: "After watching the Church in the 1960's on a collision course with financial disaster, and receiving zero stewardship help from the national Church to try to prevent it, I had despaired of any but locally-generated stewardship training as offering our Church its due in this vital part of our Lord's Kingdom. Then came the Dallas meeting . . . which was a marvel of its kind. "
Audio and visual tapes of the major addresses at the workshop will be made available for use in parishes and dioceses.
It is the intention of the development/stewardship office to hold other provincial workshops later to present successful stewardship models.
Attending from the Church Center staff in New York City were Mr. Carr; Miss Catherine Morphet, his administrative assistant; John C. Goodbody, executive for communication; and Mrs. Margaret H. Andersen, associate communication officer.
A welcome was extended to the participants by the Rt. Rev. A. Donald Davies, Bishop of Dallas.