Liturgical Education and Communication Group Meets
Diocesan Press Service. May 12, 1975 [75177]
DALLAS, Tex. -- Possibilities for relating Prayer Book revision to the life and history of the Episcopal Church were explored by a special Education and Communication Committee meeting at the Bishop Mason Retreat and Conference Center here March 10-11.
The committee, which consists of six priests and six lay persons, was created in response to a resolution passed by the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church directing the Church Center staff "to assist the Standing Liturgical Commission in promoting greater understanding of the Draft Proposed Book of Common Prayer " and of the entire process of Prayer Book revision.
The committee compiled suggestions and ideas for a liturgy education packet which would have flexibility to fit a range of parish budgets and needs and which would be adaptable for use in a variety of Christian education situations. The proposed curriculum would include audio-visual units about the Church's liturgical history, including its music, along with data on leadership training and liturgical planning Each unit would be accompanied by a study guide and bibliographical resource list. As designed by the committee, the curriculum can be used for church school classes, inquirers classes, and adult discussion groups.
The committee also outlined the contents of two brief printed pieces, directed toward the different problems faced by the clergy and the laity in liturgical change.
The committee voiced the hope that the brochures and educational materials could be produced by the Church Center staff and others by early 1976, to aid in the evaluation and interpretation of the forthcoming Draft Proposed Book of Common Prayer. The Draft Book will be presented to the 65th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota in the fall of 1976.
Clergy members of the committee were the Rev. William A. Dimmick of Southport, Conn., parish priest, member of the Standing Liturgical Commission, and bishop- elect of Northern Michigan; the Rev. Charles A. Cesaretti, former parish priest, currently a graduate student at Princeton Theological Seminary and regional religious education coordinator for Province II: the Rev. David Fisher of Sewanee, Tenn., instructor in theology at the Seminary of the University of the South; the Rev. Michael Merriman of Washington, D. C., former parish priest, currently consultant in liturgical education for Associated Parishes; and the Rev. James Bethell, rector of St. David's, Topeka, Kan., and former liturgical chairman of the Diocese of Northwest Texas.
Laypersons on the committee are Mrs. Caroline Rakestraw, executive director of the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation, Atlanta, Ga.; Mrs. Virginia M. Harbour of Gambier, Ohio, member of the Standing Liturgical Commission; Dr. Alec Wyton, music director of St. James Church, New York, and coordinator of the Standing Commission on Church Music; Frank Tedeschi of New York, N. Y., representing the Church Center communication staff; and Mrs. Patricia Masterman of Amarillo, Texas, editor of the diocesan publication for Northwest Texas.
Two members unable to attend were the Rev. James Kennedy, director of Forward Movement Publications; and Dr. Anne LeCroy, member of the Standing Liturgical Commission and professor of English at East Tennessee State University.