Bishops Call for Renewed Commitment to Evangelism
Diocesan Press Service. January 27, 1975 [75031]
DALLAS, Tex. -- The Committee on Evangelism of the House of Bishops, under the chairmanship of the Right Reverend Frank S. Cerveny, Bishop of Florida, met with clergy and lay consultants on December 3-4, 1974, in Dallas, Texas in response to the renewal of evangelism within the Church.
In a statement issued by the committee, they rejoiced in the "unmistakable signs of evangelistic renewal in our time " which has expressed itself with "little institutional recognition or support," and stated their belief that, "The Holy Spirit is calling the Church to rediscover the Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19-20) in our day." In calling for renewed commitment to the task of evangelism, the committee noted that evangelism does not replace the need for the "long process of Christian nurture" nor does it "relieve the Church from a responsibility to call nations and institutions to accountability before God." They also recognized that within the Church there are "diverse ministries." "All people are not gifted by the Spirit as evangelists, but each Christian is Christ's witness, commanded to confess Him before men and to exercise his spiritual gift for the up-building of the body and bringing men and women to Him as the spirit leads."
A full text of the statement from the House of Bishops' Committee is attached. The Bishops attending the conference were: The Right Reverend Frank S. Cerveny, Chairman (Florida); The Right Reverend Thomas R. Fraser (North Carolina) ; The Right Reverend Harold C. Gosnell (West Texas) ; The Right Reverend Joseph M. Harte (Arizona); The Right Reverend Hanford L. King (Idaho); The Right Reverend Francisco Reus-Froylan (Puerto Rico); The Right Reverend Donald Parsons (Quincy); The Right Reverend Harold B. Robinson (Western New York).
Invited but unable to attend were: The Right Reverend Lloyd Gressle (Bethlehem) ; The Right Reverend Robert Appleyard (Pittsburgh); The Right Reverend Philip Smith (New Hampshire).
In addition a number of clerical and lay consultants participated in the meeting. They were: The Reverend Everett Fullam (Connecticut); The Reverend Robert Hall (Southeast Florida); The Reverend Walter Hannum (Los Angeles) ; The Reverend Harald K. Haugan (Florida); The Reverend Peter Moore (Connecticut); Dr. Samuel Abbot (Massachusetts); Dr. Corbin Carnell (Florida); Mr. Robert Crock (Pittsburgh); Mr. Keith Miller (West Texas); Mrs. Verner Reed (Southeast Florida); and Mr. John Goodbody, representing the Executive Council.