First Diocesan Ecumenical Consultation Held In Oregon
Episcopal News Service. May 17, 1979 [79162]
PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Diocese of Oregon's ecumenical commission is the first in the Episcopal Church to sponsor a Diocesan Ecumenical Consulation, held May 11-12, with about 30 participants, five of them ecumenical representatives from other churches.
The aim was to look at the "Detroit Report" from the National Ecumenical Consultation last November to evaluate the broad directions and see what action it suggests in Oregon.
Keynoter William A. Norgren, assistant ecumenical officer of the Episcopal Church, spoke on the three sections of the Detroit Report to be the subject of small groups: the goal of visible unity, call to action, and principles of unity.
Reactions from Bishop Hal Gross, retired suffragan of Oregon, and Richard Hughes of the Oregon Ecumenical Ministries, rounded out the opening session. Participants from other churches spoke briefly during the consultation, and joined in group discussions.
Heading the Oregon consultation was Stuart K. Frane, chairman of the diocesan ecumenical commission, assisted by members Jean C. Jackson (a member of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations and Executive Council), Richard Gliddon, William Watson, Grace Kennedy, and Richard Van Santen.
The Consultation decided to recommend that diocesan convention, following the September General Convention, vote on the Anglican-Roman Catholic Agreed Statements on Eucharist and Ministry, and arrange for the statements to be studies throughout the diocese. Clergy may be ready to take a step along this line, the members of the Consultation felt, but now an effort will be made to get other members of the Church to look at the statements. This could be done jointly with Roman Catholics, following the "Living Room Dialogue" method of the 1960s. High-level decision-making could precipitate a local response.
Joint training of Episcopal and Roman Catholic lay people to be ministers of the Church was recommended in group decisions. Such suggestions will be sifted by the diocesan ecumenical commission for possible action.