News Brief

Episcopal News Service. June 16, 1977 [77218]

Washington, D. C

The Rt. Rev. William F. Creighton, fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, was honored in a retirement service in Washington Cathedral on June 18 at 11 a. m. He was consecrated bishop coadjutor of the diocese in 1959 and was installed as bishop in 1962 in succession to Bishop Angus Dun. Bishop Creighton retires on June 30. His successor -- Bishop Coadjutor John T. Walker -- will be installed as Bishop of Washington on Sept. 24.

Garden City, N. Y

The Rt. Rev. Jonathan Goodhue Sherman, fifth Episcopal Bishop of Long Island, retired June 13 on his 70th birthday. At his retirement he was the longest reigning bishop in the Episcopal Church, having been consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Long Island in April, 1975. He will be installed as the sixth bishop of the diocese on June 25 at a service of commitment in the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City. Bishop and Mrs. Sherman plan to remain in Garden City where the bishop will continue to teach and write.

New York, N. Y.

The National Commission on Hispanic Affairs of the Episcopal Church, at its meeting June 13, voted to initiate the process of changing the name of the group to National Commission on Hispanic Ministries. The members of the commission discussed plans for a national consultation -- which will be held at Biscayne College, Miami, Fla., Sept. 25-28 -- and reviewed requests for grants.

New York, N. Y.

The board of trustees of the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church has decided to sell its copy of the Gutenberg Bible in order to establish a major endowment for the seminary library. The Bible was a gift of the Very Rev. Eugene Hoffman, third dean of the school, in 1898. It was purchased at auction in London. Its value lies solely as an example of the first book printed on a movable type printing press, not as a Bible translation. Dean Roland Foster was authorized to head the effort to find a suitable buyer.

Philadelphia, Pa.

The third national convention of Integrity -- an organization of gay Episcopalians -- will be held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Aug. 25-28. The special emphasis of the convention this year, according to the Rev. Ron Wesner of Philadelphia, president, will be building community among Integrity members. Registration and other information may be secured from Roger K. Stephens, 1516 Lombard St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146.

New York, N. Y.

Members of an Episcopal-Roman Catholic dialogue team in the New York City area have reaffirmed their "commitment to one another as 'sister Churches"' despite differing views on the ordination of women. The joint statement, which was released by the Ecumenical Commission of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York and the Anglican/Roman Catholic Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, said, "We believe that we have come too far in our dialogue and too close to that desired unity between our two Churches to permit this matter to interrupt or retard our work for that day when we shall be able to share the Eucharist."

Winchester, Tenn.

The Rev. Claudius Vermilye, an Episcopal priest, has been sentenced to 25-40 years after being ruled guilty of charges that he used boys at a rehabilitation home he operated in Alto, Tenn., in the production of obscene films. The district attorney said the Tennessee Boys Farm was supported by private contributions and that the 275 active and 90 inactive sponsors came from around the world. He said that "many of these sponsors were legitimate -- some of the churches in Tennessee were backing him -- but many were not legitimate." Mr. Vermilye, 48, is the divorced father of five children.

New York, N.Y.

In response to the Partners in Mission consultation at the Executive Council meeting in April, Presiding Bishop John M. Allin has designated the chairmen of the Council's seven committees to work with him in implementing the resolution calling for the "learnings of the consultation" to be kept before the Council and its committees "in all its deliberations." The committee chairmen are: Bishop George Masuda, National and World Mission; the Rev. William Powell, Education for Ministry; Bishop Quintin Primo, Church in Society; Mr. James Winning, Administration; the Rev. Robert R. Parks, Communication; the Rev. Robert Wainwright, Financial Control; and the Rev. Canon W. Ebert Hobbs, Development/Stewardship. Bishop Allin expressed the hope that this procedure will enable the Partners in Mission effort to be seen as the total program of the Church in an ongoing way, rather than a special program apart.

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Bishop Harwood Sturtevant, retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, died suddenly on April 16 at the age of 89. At the time of his death he was the second oldest bishop in the Episcopal Church. He was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of Fond du Lac in 1929 and became diocesan in 1933. He retired in 1956 and made his home in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Houston, Tex.

Bishop James P. Clements, who was Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas from 1956 to 1960, died of cancer in Houston on June 6. At the time of his death he was assisting the Bishop of Texas, the Rt. Rev. J. Milton Richardson.

Hartford, Conn

The Rt. Rev. Warren Hutchens, Bishop of the Diocese of Connecticut since 1971, has announced his plan to retire August 31. He served the diocese for 10 years as suffragan bishop before becoming diocesan. He will be succeeded by the coadjutor, the Rt. Rev. Morgan Porteus, who was elected to that post in 1976 after serving as suffragan for five years.