News Brief
Episcopal News Service. November 30, 1978 [78348]
Ministers and Christian Science practitioners have a one-time opportunity to apply for exemption from self-employment (social security) tax if they file the required form by April 15, 1979. The Internal Revenue Service has issued Form 4361-A, "Application for Revocation of Exemption from Self-employment Tax for Use by Ministers and Christian Science Practitioners." The application for exemption may be made effective for 1977 or for 1978. Those who are currently entitled to receive social security benefits because of age or disability are not eligible for the revocation of a previously granted exemption from self-employment tax, the IRS says.
A fire loss totalling more than $3.5 million has been experienced by St. John's Military School of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas. A fire of undetermined origin destroyed the administration building (Vail Hall) and part of a cadet barracks (Griswold Hall) in early November. Morale among the cadets and other personnel has been high, according to the Rt. Rev. William Davidson, Bishop of Western Kansas, and indications are that the damaged buildings will be replaced to house the offices, classrooms, and dormitory of the boys' school.
Treasury Secretary W. Michael Blumenthal was honored at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine's third annual Spirit of the City dinner on Nov. 30. His support was considered crucial to President Carter's signing the long-term loan agreements which saved New York City from bankruptcy. The dinner is an outgrowth of Episcopal Bishop Paul Moore's 1976 Easter sermon in which he urged New York institutions and corporations to remain in the City and show their support for it. Previous awards went to Felix Rohatyn and Dr. John Fey for their aid in reorganizing New York's tangled finances, and Vice President Mondale. Funds raised by the dinner will help finance the Cathedral's social service, arts and educational programs.
The Church Periodical Club, an affiliated organization of the Episcopal Church, has made 22 grants this fall for Bibles, hymnals, prayer books, school books, and other literature for groups around the world. The grants ranged from Bibles and liturgical books for the Anglican Church of Uganda to copies of the Book of Common Prayer for St. John the Apostle Church in San Salvador to 80 copies of "No Hands Across the Sea" for overseas missionaries for use in Lenten services. A grant to the South American Missionary Society will enable 5,000 copies of the Hymnal to be printed in Spanish, incorporating both traditional Anglican hymns and contemporary music written by Latin Americans. A grant of $1,500 will stock a bookmobile for Susan and John Harvard, the first couple sent by the Church Periodical Club to South America.
The Rev. John H. Albrecht, rector of St. Mary'sIn-The-Hills Episcopal Church here, has just become a full-time stockbroker for Shearson Hayden Stone, Inc., at their Southfield, Mich. office. He is registered with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. He will continue to minister to the 120 families of St. Mary's on evenings and weekends. He says budget shortages -- his own and the parish's -- have made this decision necessary. His wife recently finished law school and has become a state assistant attorney general. He says his family budget has been squeezed by the expense of having four children in college.
The Offices of Christian Education and Communication at the national Episcopal Church Center will sponsor a workshop next spring for Episcopalians who are currently using video tape in their ministry. Any such persons who are interested in the conference and in the possibility of establishing a network of video users, should immediately contact the Rev. David W. Perry or Miss Sonia Francis at 815 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017.
The new Diocese of Niassa was inaugurated on Oct. 29 when the bishop of the Diocese of Lebombo, of the Church of the Province of South Africa, relinquished his jurisdiction over the northern part of his diocese. The Archbishop of Cape Town, Metropolitan for the Province, has appointed a Vicar-General for the new diocese in preparation for the election of the first diocesan bishop of Niassa, which has seven stipendiary priests and four voluntary priests. The work in that area has been under the supervision of the Rt. Rev. Paulo Litumbe, Suffragan Bishop of Lebombo.