Summary of Actions of the House of Bishops
Episcopal News Service. October 12, 1978 [78283]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Some 150 members of the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops met here at the Hilton Airport Plaza Inn, October 2-5, for the 1978 interim meeting and transacted the following business:
Spent the first hour of each morning session meditating on segments of the Gospel and Epistles, led by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin.
Welcomed as new members of the House, consecrated during the past year, Bishops Bob Gordon Jones of Wyoming, Robert Marshall Anderson of Minnesota, John Thompson of Northern California, Hugo Pina of Honduras, Suffragan Bishop Judson Child of Atlanta, and Armed Forces Suffragan Bishop Charles Burgreen.
Was welcomed to Kansas City by its mayor, the Honorable Charles B. Wheeler, Jr.
Elected Suffragan Bishop Hal Gross of Oregon as vice-president for this session; since he retires in January, Bishop George M. Murray of Central Gulf Coast was elected vice-president for the coming year.
Extended the courtesy of the House to the Most Rev. Marinus Kok, Archbishop of Utrecht and Metropolitan of the Old Catholic Churches; Bishop Brian Skinner of Chile who addressed the House briefly; and the resigned bishops of the U. S. Episcopal Church who were present.
Noted that four coadjutors have become diocesans this past year -- Edward Jones of Indianapolis, Robert M. Anderson of Minnesota, Charles Vache of Southern Virginia, and Manuel Lumpias of the Central Philippines; that Bishop Richard Millard has moved from the post of coordinator for Venture in Mission to become Bishop Suffragan in Charge of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe.
Heard Bishop Allin announce the resignation of Bishop William A. Franklin of Colombia for reasons of mission strategy, and the retirement of Bishops David Thornberry of Wyoming, Armed Forces Suffragan Clarence Hobgood, Philip McNairy of Minnesota, David Rose of Southern Virginia, Benito Cabanban of the Central Philippines, Ervine Swift of the American Churches in Europe, and Clarence Haden, Jr., of Northern California.
Remembered at the Eucharist bishops who have died during the past year: Herman Page, retired, of Northern Michigan; George A. Taylor, retired, of Easton; Oliver J. Hart, retired, of Pennsylvania; John Craine of Indianapolis; and Harold Wright, Suffragan of New York.
Sent greetings by wire to the Polish National Catholic Church Synod meeting in Chicago, and to retired Presiding Bishop and Mrs. John E. Hines on their 68th birthdays.
Learned that retired Bishop Harold Gosnell of West Texas would be its parliamentarian, and that retired Bishop Jonathan Sherman of Long Island would represent Presiding Bishop Allin at the funeral of Pope John Paul I.
Heard Bishop Arthur Vogel of West Missouri describe in warm terms the deceased Pope as he met him during his institution a few weeks ago.
Reaffirmed its 1975 pastoral statement concerning the possible continuing use of the 1928 Prayer Book after 1979, and estimated (via small group discussion) that the Proposed Book has won overwhelming acceptance in most dioceses and parishes, though small numbers of congregations and dioceses remain strongly pro-1928 Book.
Consented for the Diocese of California to elect a coadjutor and for the Diocese of New York to elect a second suffragan.
Heard Suffragan Bishop Stuart Wetmore of New York report such Christian Education developments as the securing of part-time coordinators for provinces, the possibility of a nationwide Christian Education conference in 1980, and the preparation by Episcopal Church Center staff of study guides for the forthcoming New Church's Teaching Series.
Learned that a $10,000 grant from the George Mercer School of Theology on Long Island will enable an update of White & Dyckman's Annotated Constitution and Canons if an additional $10,000 can be secured.
Agreed to meet Oct. 3-11, 1980, and possibly also Oct. 2-9, 1981, at Estes Park, Colorado.
Accepted coming resignations of Bishops George Rath of Newark (Jan. 1, 1979), William Marmion of Southwestern Virginia (June 1, 1979), and Suffragan Hal Gross of Oregon (Jan. 15, 1979), for reasons of age.
Heard General Convention executive officer the Rev. James Gundrum describe preparations for the 1979 Denver conclave.
Received a report from the Standing Commission on Human Affairs and Health from Bishop Robert Spears, who said the committee has been asked specifically to report in Denver next year on the possible ordination of homosexual persons.
Discussed the work of the General Board of Examining Chaplains with Bishop Donald Davis of Erie, who responded to questions about procedures and ensuing diocesan responsibilities for authorizing the ordination of candidates.
Heard Bishop Elliott Sorge, staff officer for the Council for the Development of Ministry, describe Council work including the nearly completed study of the permanent diaconate which, given a bit more funding, will be distributed next year.
Asked its Theology Committee to study the matter of authority within the Church and prepare a draft statement on the subject for study in advance of the 1979 General Convention.
Enjoyed a midweek dinner party hosted by Bishop Arthur Vogel and featuring samples of jazz as it developed in Kansas City.
Recorded in the House's minutes a statement by those who filed charges against Bishop Albert A. Chambers.
Voted to remind the Church of the House's censure of Bishops Robert DeWitt, Daniel Corrigan, and Edward Welles for their unauthorized ordinations on July 29, 1974.
Defeated a resolution to censure Bishop Antonio Ramos, a Collegial member and former Bishop of Costa Rica, for his sacramental participation in the unauthorized ordinations on July 29, 1974.
Reminded the Church that it had decried the actions of Bishop George Barrett for his unauthorized ordinations in Washington, D. C., in September, 1975.
Voted to censure retired Bishop Albert A. Chambers of Springfield "for his repeated and unauthorized confirmations and in the strongest terms censure him for his contribution to schism in the Catholic Church by presiding at the service in Denver, Colorado, on January 28, 1978. "
Voted to notify Bishops DeWitt, Corrigan, Welles and Chambers that they had betrayed the Church's trust and had broken fellowship with the House and asked the Presiding Bishop and/or other designated bishops to discuss with them their continued participation in the House and report to the next meeting of the House.
Asked the Committee on Canons to prepare for the 1979 General Convention a canon that will provide for the Church to handle such situations in the future when a bishop's actions threaten the Church's discipline and order.
Urged the President of the United States to support a loan guarantee proposal that would alleviate the Youngstown, Ohio, mill-closing crisis.
Heard a report from the Urban Bishops Coalition which outlined the work of the policy and action committee, the importance of the urban hearings, and urged the Church to continue those hearings and establish responsible support groups to follow them up.
Heard a report and saw a film that will be available through the Public Broadcasting System on how to train volunteer teachers for Christian education and community projects.
Greeted Presiding Bishop John M. Allin by a standing ovation on the fifth anniversary of his election to his post.
Heard a report on the shape and direction of the Venture in Mission renewal/fund raising program.
Endorsed, in lieu of a pastoral letter, a resolution adopted by the Lambeth Conference last summer on concerns about today's world in which today's Church must proclaim a total Gospel. (See DPS release #78234, pages 24-27.)
Accorded official status to two recently formed religious orders, the Order of St. Helena in Vail's Gate, N.Y., and the All Saints Sisters of the Poor of Catonsville, Md.
Agreed to invest the surplus of about $1,500 from a voluntary travel pool for the House's interim meetings in an interest bearing account to assist the travel costs of those bishops who need help for the 1980 interim meeting.
Heard from the Ecumenical Committee that negotiations are underway to provide sacramental and episcopal support to congregations of the Mar Thoma Syrian and South Indian Churches in the United States, with which the Episcopal Church has communion agreements.
Gave its consent to the Missionary Diocese of Central and South Mexico to elect two suffragan bishops, whose responsibility will be primarily to establish new mission congregations.
Heard Presiding Bishop Allin announce that, effective Jan. 1, 1979, Suffragan Bishop Frederick Putnam of Oklahoma will take a leave of absence and begin a year's work with the Navajoland area mission.
Heard Bishop Gray Temple of South Carolina announce that the charges against retired Bishop Albert A. Chambers of Springfield have been withdrawn after 14 of 16 signers detached their names.
Approved a resolution which expressed a "strong preference" that meetings of the General Convention and the House be held "if at all possible" in states which have approved the Equal Rights Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.
Passed a resolution from the Committee on Canons requesting the Presiding Bishop and/or the Executive Council to seek funds to support the committee's review of ecclesial trial procedures mandated by the House in an early session.
Heard a report from Bishop Jackson Gilliam of Montana on the work of the Committee on Pastoral Development.
Heard a report from Suffragan Bishop William Cox of Maryland, chairman of the Standing Commission on the Church in Small Communities, on the commission's work and the programs of the Leadership Academy for New Directions.
Passed a resolution commending Ohio Bishop John Burt and the Mahoning Valley Coalition for "effective action in the complex area of industry and community."
Passed a resolution, presented by Bishop John Coburn of Massachusetts, urging the arrangements committee for the 1979 General Convention to consider inviting economist Lady Jackson (Barbara Ward) to present a keynote address to Convention on the Christian response to the hunger issues.
Heard memorials and offered prayer for the bishops of the Church who died during the previous year.
Passed resolutions of thanks to: Bishop Arthur Vogel and the people of the Diocese of West Missouri; Bishop Scott Field Bailey, secretary of the House and his staff; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wallace and Ms. Ruth Taber for organizing the meeting, and of appreciation and greetings to Bishop and Mrs. Allin and Bishop and Mrs. Henry Knox Sherrill, and Bishop and Mrs. John E. Hines.
A special commendation to Mrs. Elizabeth Carlisle for her work at the Lambeth Conference; Mrs. Carlisle is an assistant secretary to the House of Bishops and on the staff of the Diocese of Texas.