Episcopal Press and News
Presiding Bishop's Fund, Hunger Office Share Regional Consultations
Episcopal News Service. June 23, 1977 [77224]
Salome Breck, Editor, The Colorado Episcopalian
New York, N.Y. -- Three regional consultations, jointly sponsored by the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and the Episcopal Church's National Hunger Office, recently brought together diocesan world relief and hunger representatives from throughout the United States. The purpose of the consultations was to promote better understanding of the Fund and its work, to examine the world hunger issue, and to explore ways in which diocesan representatives and Church Center staff could work together more effectively to interpret the Fund and its ministry to the whole Church.
The two major and closely related programs were presented by staff members from the Church Center here.
The Presiding Bishop's Fund was explained by Mrs. Howard O. Bingley, executive director of the program through which the Episcopal Church is able to respond quickly and responsibly to human needs.
The national hunger program, now one year old, is informative and educational in nature, rather than a funding channel. This effort, which is closely related to the Presiding Bishop's Fund, was described by the Rev. Charles Cesaretti, hunger officer.
The Rev. Wade Egbert, associate for projects for the Fund, explained the process through which requests for grants are administered.
Frank Tedeschi of the national Office of Communication discussed ways in which information on both programs can pass through local diocesan representatives to the Episcopalian in the pew.
The session for the Eighth Province was held May 25-26 at the Wilshire Hyatt House in Los Angeles, Calif. Diocesan representatives from the Sixth and Seventh Provinces met June 6-7 at the Marina Hotel, Denver, Colo. Hunger and Fund representatives from Provinces I-V were invited to attend their meeting June 9-10 at Stouffer's Louisville Inn, Louisville, Ky. In all cases diocesan representatives were free to attend the meeting they found most conveniently located.
The three meetings shared the same agenda, opening with prayers at 3 p.m. the first day, continuing through the evening and into morning of the second day to a celebration of the Eucharist just before lunch, and after that adjournment.
In those hours together the four leaders presented a tremendous amount of information, and diocesan representatives asked innumberable questions.
Mrs. Bingley sketched the history of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief. The Fund had its beginning back in 1938 when a priest in Ohio, concerned with the plight of refugees from Nazi Germany, began raising money for their assistance.
At the 1940 General Convention the national Church became interested and the Fund was launched.
Now completely supported through voluntary giving and administered by a board which is accountable to the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, the Fund is prepared to supply aid in times of disaster, resettle refugees from all parts of the world, and support educational and development programs which attack the root cases of hunger and poverty.
Mrs. Bingley pointed out that a major channel for the Fund's work is Church World Service, the relief arm of the National Council of Churches. During the mid-Lenten World Relief Octave, Episcopalians join other Christians with the One Great Hour of Sharing, which fights hunger and want around the world.
To do this, Mrs. Bingley emphasized, the Fund must have year-round support. This can only come through the effort of well informed, dedicated and enthusiastic representatives in every diocese.
Offerings may be sent through the individual diocese or directly to the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief, 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. Gifts may be made as memorials or in honor of birthdays or special holidays, with an appropriate card sent to the one so honored. Any money sent may be designated for special purposes.
In explaining the process through which grants from the Fund are allocated, Fr. Egbert stressed the fact that a representative board administers the money. However, in case of emergency, a sum not to exceed $1,000 may be allocated by the executive director (Mrs. Bingley) and up to $10,000 by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin. A request for an amount in excess of the latter sum must be passed by the Board of Directors after receiving additional information.
Mr. Tedeschi gave a detailed explanation of the new materials now available to diocesan representatives. He described additional materials, available soon to these men and women who carry the responsibility of involving "the diocese back home." He pointed out some of the requisites for a good diocesan representative who needs to understand the local "power structure" in order to achieve organization of a P.B. Fund and Hunger program in every parish and mission.
In describing the Episcopal Church's year-old hunger program, Fr. Cesaretti said he wanted "to explode two myths." The first was what he called the "negative idea" that the hunger issue was so large it could not be dealt with. It is a problem which calls for education in responsible family planning, nutrition and legislative action.
The second point he made was that Christians must reject the idea that "the individual person can do nothing."
"Rather, let's ask ourselves, how can I do my part?" he suggested. "Most of us approach world hunger from an emotional level. We say' What can I give?', rather than learning to understand and combat the systems which make such hunger pervasive." He urged Episcopalians to become involved in legislative action and write members of Congress when appropriate.
Participants were shown a 30-minute film, "Bread and Life," which deals with both sides of the highly controversial issue of whether or not to feed all of the world's hungry. Countering the so-called "lifeboat ethics" theory which says that our planet has a limited amount of food to support a limited number of people, one sociologist said, "It is easy to say, 'If they are hungry, why don't they control their population?' Experience has shown that once the poor of the earth achieve better living conditions they become more interested in family planning." The film is available on loan from Crop, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, Indiana, 46514.
One point which all four leaders made, and with which participants agreed, is that the Fund and hunger diocesan networks are in effect one network treating two facets of the same ministry. It was noted that in some dioceses the bishop had appointed a single individual to coordinate both tasks. Participants at all three consultations agreed that mailing lists and other communication channels should be consolidated so that the same materials and information will be sent to everyone. Staff said this decision would be implemented immediately.
Staff and participants shared the hope that Episcopalians will respond to both these programs, and that local involvement will develop in every diocese between now and the 1979 General Convention in Denver.
Martin Luther King, Jr., phrased the Christian attitude well when he said: "Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere."
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