Episcopal Press and News
News Briefs
Episcopal News Service. January 18, 2001 [2001-8]
Broadcast of full communion service to air on Odyssey
(ENS) The Odyssey cable network will air a special one-hour program highlighting the January 6 inauguration service of full communion between the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on the following dates:
· Sunday, January 21, 2:00 p.m. (ET)
· Monday, January 22, 9:30 a.m. (ET)
· Tuesday, January 23, 2:00 p.m. (ET)
National Council calls for justice for victims of Korean incident
(NCC) The National Council of Churches has called the acknowledgment by the U.S. government that American soldiers killed refugees at No Gun Ri during the Korean War "an important step on the still unfinished journey toward truth, justice and healing," according to the Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the NCC. But he expressed concern that the Pentagon's report, released January 11, does not address demands from survivors and family members for compensation.
"Until justice is done, there can be no true reconciliation between our two peoples and no lasting peace for survivors, victims and their families-or for those who killed and wounded innocent civilians," he said. The Army's acknowledgment that "an unknown number of Korean civilians were killed or injured" by U.S. troops in July 1950 reversed an earlier denial of involvement. The NCC and its South Korean counterpart pressed the Pentagon two years ago for a response to detailed testimony to the massacre of as many as 400 civilians, most of them women, children and the elderly. The incident received worldwide attention in September 1999 when the Associated Press documented the massacre in a series of reports that were awarded a Pulitzer Prize.
The AP uncovered documents showing that troops had orders to treat as hostile any civilians approaching U.S. positions. "At the time, U.S. forces were in retreat, and thousands of refugees fled for their safety as the North Korean army advanced south," the AP wrote.
Orthodox churches agree to work together more closely
(ENI) Fifteen of the 16 Eastern Orthodox churches in the world have agreed to work more closely on issues that affect them at a December meeting called by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I at his offices in Istanbul, Turkey. The move is likely to enhance his primacy as a "first among equals" in the Orthodox world.
A statement released after the meeting endorsed ecumenism and dialogue with other churches but focused mainly on the need for unity within the Orthodox community. However, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow did not attend the meeting, a sign of the continuing conflict between the two church leaders, particularly the jurisdiction over Orthodox Christians in former Soviet Union nations such as Estonia and Ukraine. Ethnic Russians in Estonia, for example, want to retain links with the Moscow Patriarchate but native Estonians would prefer to be autonomous under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The Russians also did not attend a historic liturgy marking the end of celebrations for the Christian millennium in the ancient church of St. Sophia, in the city once known as Nicaea, where the first and seventh ecumenical councils of the undivided church took place in the years 325 and 787. The church is now a Turkish government museum but the Orthodox received the highly unusual permission to conduct a liturgy there, seen by some as a thawing of relationships between the church and government.
Bishop Epting sets agenda for new position
(ENI) Bishop Christopher Epting, the newly appointed officer for ecumenical and interfaith relations for the Episcopal Church, has vowed to make the strengthening of Christian-Jewish-Muslim relations, and improving ties between Episcopalians and Orthodox Christians, some of his ecumenical priorities.
Epting, currently Bishop of Iowa, said, "The ecumenical movement is alive and well locally, and the grassroots are leading the way."
He said that local American churchgoers often "scratch their heads" at theological disagreements among churches at the national and international level. He added that interfaith dialogue among Christians, Jews and Muslims was at an important juncture, particularly given the sensitive situation in the Middle East, and that Anglicans could play an important role in "a fair balance " of dialogue between people of the three Abrahamic faiths. The role, he said, could serve the Episcopal Church well in ongoing dialogue with Eastern Churches.
Epting will assume his new position in April.
Kanuga sets $6 million as fundraising goal for 2001
(ENS) After surpassing last year's fundraising goal of $5 million, for endowment, Kanuga's board of directors decided to set a minimum goal of $6 million for this year.
"That our people have given so generously and enthusiastically is a most encouraging vote of confidence in Kanuga, its people, its programs, and its plans for the future," said Sally Bet Gehman, chairperson of the board.
Areas addressed by the endowment include Camp Bob Summer, an outreach camping program, scholarships, facilities and property maintenance, Camp Kanuga and a general outreach program.
"It is pleasing that not only have people given generously but that they have done so enthusiastically, indicative of pride in Kanuga," said Albert Gooch, Jr., president of Kanuga. "It was done by friend calling on friend to tell the story. Now we will call on the rest of Kanuga's friends to tell that story."
Church Pension fund announces increases for 2001
(ENS) A base 4% cost of living adjustment combined with an additional .25% increase for every year of retirement were recently approved by the Church Pension Fund's Board of Trustees.
"We are thankful to have been able to increase benefits every year since 1980, and delighted to be able to be especially generous for 2001," said Alan Blanchard, president of the fund.
Clergy and surviving spouses will receive these increases through the clergy pension plan. Lay employees retired from the Episcopal Church lay employees' retirement plan will receive identical increases. In addition, benefits paid to dependent children of deceased clergy will be increased by 4%.
These increases come at a time when the Church Pension Fund's new advisory committee on pension fund abundance has begun deliberating about the use of the resources made available by the fund's recent investment returns.
The additional increase of .25% for each year a clergyperson has been retired will begin to address the benefit disparity between beneficiaries who have been retired the longest and the more recently retired.
CREDO program supporting clergy
(ENS) The CREDO (Clergy, Reflection, Education, Discernment, Opportunity) program, developed and piloted by the Church Pension Fund, provides opportunities in a conference setting for priests and bishops to reflect on significant areas of their lives and to prayerfully discern the future of their vocations.
"The mental, physical and spiritual well-being of our clergy is of utmost importance to the life and health of the Episcopal Church, and the CREDO program addresses those issues in meaningful and systemic ways," said William S. Craddock, Jr., CREDO Institute, Inc.'s managing director.
Each eight-day conference is led by a trained faculty team, and there is extensive pre- and post-conference assessment and follow-up. Participants report that they return home renewed, energized, and eager to resume their work with new focus and enthusiasm.
"In addition to clergy renewal, CREDO offers a wonderful opportunity for us to forge alliances with other Episcopal organizations in order to better support education and leadership within the church," Craddock added.
One such alliance, with the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF), is already in place, and more are anticipated. At its May 2000 meeting, the ECF Board of Directors approved a five-year funding contribution totaling $500,000 to support the work.
Bernard Milano, president of the ECF Board, said, "The foundation, with its history of promoting clergy wellness, has been supportive of CREDO since its earliest pilot phase. It seems fitting, as CREDO enters its next stage of development, that we now offer financial support as well."
CREDO participants are randomly selected from the Church Pension Fund clergy database. During the pilot phase, clergy with a minimum of 10 years of active service and at least 10 years before normal retirement age are eligible. Nearly 180 clergy attended CREDO conferences in 2000, and a five-year plan projects over 500 yearly attendees by 2005.
Eventually, all clergy will have the opportunity to attend CREDO conferences every 10 years or so throughout the course of their careers.