Episcopal Press and News

Alaskan Ecumenical Venture

Diocesan Press Service. December 10, 1962 [V-21]

The Bishop of Alaska, five Episcopal priests, and four Roman Catholic priests met recently in Fairbanks to pool their Churches' combined missionary experience of almost a century and a quarter. Organized as the Churches' Socio-Economic Advisory Committee, the group met to discuss the tremendous changes being brought about in their districts by the rapid evolution in the traditional social and economic patterns of life in the Bush.

The group cited six most urgent needs: vocational training to enable men to earn their income; village labor pools to aid job seekers; land surveys to guarantee space for residential lots; provision to guarantee residents dependent upon hunting rights to available game; abundant, efficient, and safe sources of electric power; technical and financial assistance to encourage small local industries. The clergy also presented their views on education and the Rampart Dam project.

Their primary purpose is to make these facts and suggestions available to the public and official agencies and, when possible, to offer their collective or individual assistance. Episcopal clergy attending the meeting were The Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon, Jr., Bishop of Alaska; and the Rev. Messrs. Edward Caum of Fairbanks; Richard Clarke, Hollachuk; Thomas Cleveland, Tanana; Walter Hannum, Fort Yukon; and Patterson Keller, Huslia.