Small Communities Panel Begins Work
Episcopal News Service. February 28, 1980 [80066]
NEW HARMONY, Ind. -- The Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on the Church in Small Communities, meeting for the first time since General Convention, began the work that it hopes will lead to a new vision of ministry for its constituency.
The Feb. 4-6 meeting at the New Harmony Inn here was centered on a day-long forum involving Commission members and representatives of the Episcopal Church's seminaries. The forums -- the commission plans a number of them over the next three years -- are designed to bring together people who minister in small communities or with small congregations, diocesan leaders and commission members, around specific issues that concern their ministry.
For this first forum, the Commission explored with the seminary group some of the special needs in ministry in small town communities, especially as they point to the preparation of persons for ministry in small churches and small communities. Presentations were made by Dr. Charles Long, president of the Forward Movement Publications and member of the Board for Theological Education, who spoke out of his experience in the missionary field and ministry in small congregations; and by the Rev. Robert Shahan, who spoke of the program at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary for equipping persons for ministry in small congregations.
The Commission also planned a forum for Sept. 22-26, 1980, on the rural church and the sociological and other changes affecting the life of these churches. This forum will involve representatives from England and Canada, who have accomplished much in this area.
Commission members are: the Rt. Rev. William J. Cox, Suffragan of Maryland and chairman; the Rt. Rev. William Davidson, Bishop of Western Kansas; the Rt. Rev. William Beckham, Bishop of Upper South Carolina; the Ven. Carlson Gerdau of St. Louis, secretary; the Rev. George Bates of Pendleton, Ore.; Peter Finger of Geneva, N. Y., vice-chairman; Douglas F. Fleet of Tazwell, Va.; Steve Smith of Athens, Ohio; the Rev. Vernon A. Jones, Jr., of Tuskegee Institute, Al.; Dr. Arthur Raymond of Grand Forks, N. D.; Dr. Rosa J. de Cisneros of El Salvador; and Mrs. William Nichols of Littleton, N.H.