Executive Council Deals with 'Tragedy in the Family,' Announces Plan to Visit Dioceses
Episcopal News Service. November 18, 1992 [92227]
At its fall meeting in Melville, Long Island, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church mourned "a tragedy in the family," rejoiced in the news that the Church of England had approved the ordination of women to the priesthood, announced an ambitious program to send council members into the dioceses and approved a budget for 1993.
The meeting began on a very sober note. The council took the entire opening plenary, November 10, to deal with what Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning called "a terrible tragedy in our community," the resignation of the Rev. Wallace Frey from the ministry because of allegations of sexual misconduct. Frey was elected vice president of the House of Deputies at last summer's General Convention.
"We are in a time of healing," Browning said in his opening comments from the chair. "It is the kind of healing that can only take place when a wound is completely uncovered and laced, rather than being allowed to fester. It is a time of healing, but we cannot gloss over the pain that has been and the pain that will continue," Browning said to a hushed plenary session. He said that "how we live with issues of clergy sexual misconduct says a great deal about how we see ourselves as a Christian community."
Pamela Chinnis, president of the House of Deputies, said that she had been in touch with Frey and urged the council to "recognize and never forget all the marvelous gifts Wally Frey has given to this church of ours." Yet the church must make it clear that it cannot tolerate those who "misuse positions of trust and authority to engage in inappropriate sexual activities."
Bishop Harold Hopkins of the Office of Pastoral Development said that while the problem is not new, "we now have ways of talking about these issues and how they can be dealt with." The issue, according to Hopkins, is not about clergy bashing or a new moralism but about "providing safe communities where people can come to be themselves, open and vulnerable -- especially with their clergy."
The council broke into small groups, where they were able to deal with unresolved anger, feelings of betrayal and hopes for reconciliation. At the closing plenary, the council passed a resolution commending Bishop David Joslin of the Diocese of Central New York for his "sensitive pastoral leadership as he provided support for all involved in the tragedy" and for "creating a model for the church to follow where there have been allegations of clergy sexual misconduct and violations of the pastoral relationship." The resolution also recognized Frey's "contributions to our common life and commending him for his ongoing efforts to work toward recovery, rehabilitation and reconciliation."
The afternoon session brought more sobering news from Alan Blanchard of the Church Pension Group. A "precipitous" increase in claims for sexual misconduct has meant that insurance is paying out two dollars for every dollar collected in the last two years. Before 1983 there were no claims and there are already 31 this year.
The escalation in claims is fueled by tremendous national interest and has meant that "cases are coming out of the woodwork," according to Blanchard. As a result, the Pension Group's board may not be able to provide unrestricted casualty coverage in the future. According to Blanchard, the board could decide that, beginning next July, it won't cover liabilities incurred through sexual misconduct without special riders, which coverage will be offered only for only those clergy who meet special conditions.
In what the presiding bishop called "one of the most momentous decisions," the council approved plans for a February 6-9 Partnership in Mission (PIM) Consultation. Representatives from 20 churches that have traditional ties to the Episcopal Church will visit selected dioceses and share their observations.
Results of the consultation will be shared with the Executive Council at its February 1993 meeting and will become a major resource for the church's long-range planning process. "Through PIM we will identify the most important issues in ministry and mission facing the church today," said the Rev. Patrick Mauney, executive for the Partnerships Office. "More than ever before we are aware of the interdependency of all of God's creation and the urgent need to improve and strengthen our relationships." The Episcopal Church has sponsored one other PIM meeting, in 1977.
Bishop Rustin Kimsey of Eastern Oregon introduced the next phase of the church's long-range planning process and applauded the "formidable investment" by council members in visiting dioceses with national staff members who are linked to dioceses. During the discussion on the mission discernment document that serves as the basis for the visitation, council members emphasized their role as one of listening. "We must ask them what the national church can do to help them carry out their mission," said Joyce Austin of New York. Tim Wittlinger of Michigan said that the diocesan visitation could result in a whole reexamination of the role of the national church.
In comments during the closing plenary, the presiding bishop said that the PIM consultation could "engage us and impact us in ways we don't even understand now."
Browning also confessed that he was "lifted and thrilled" by the decision of the Church of England to ordain women to the priesthood because it "raises all we have sought to a new dimension of inclusiveness." Browning said that Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey called to thank the Episcopal Church for its prayers and support.
In other action, the Executive Council
- adopted a budget of just over $41.5 million for 1993;
- continued its policy of filing shareholder resolutions to broaden representation of women and ethnic minorities on boards;
- created a Coalition for Social Witness and Justice Committee as an umbrella for the church's involvement in justice issues;
- transferred housing programs to the Economic Justice Implementation Committee;
- affirmed the Jubilee Ministry and its new centers and charged its committee "with engaging the church in the needs and issues of poverty and oppression among congregations and dioceses";
- reviewed the latest draft of a national church policy on sexual harassment and abuse after review by legal counsel; and
- bid a humorous and moving farewell to Bishop Furman Stough, who has retired as senior executive for planning and development and deputy for the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief.