Episcopal Press and News

Executive Council Meeting

Diocesan Press Service. February 22, 1973 [73057]

Harry C. Griffith, Communications Officer, Diocese of Central Florida

(Note: The article below was written by Mr. Harry C. Griffith, Communications Officer, Diocese of Central Florida, who was a guest of the DPS at the meeting of the Executive Council.)

GREENWICH, Conn. -- Responding to "what it heard in the dioceses," the national Executive Council of the Episcopal Church has developed a tentative $13.8 million budget for 1974. The intense, three-day meeting of the Council took place February 20-22 at Seabury House, Greenwich, Connecticut.

Members of the Executive Council, staff of the national Church and "linkage" persons had met with leaders of 91 of the 92 dioceses of the Church and several of the overseas jurisdictions from September 11 to December 2, 1972. A five member committee of the Council then sifted through the information and produced a Summary Report. That report, plus hearings on the budget requests of various committees, commissions and agencies, combined to form the basis for the program of the Church to be presented at the Louisville General Convention in the fall.

The Summary Report, entitled "What We Learned from What You Said", is a 78-page document containing general conclusions and statistical back-up for those conclusions. "There is almost total agreement," it says, "that a major change in emphasis is desired in the General Church Program. Apparent throughout the statements (from the dioceses) is a consciousness of a spiritual awakening, both in and out of the Church, which has evoked a strong-individual and corporate desire for growth in the life of faith, education in Christian thought and viewpoint and guides to involvement in the world. "

Under the leadership of the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Bishop of Mississippi, the Executive Council functioned as a "Committee of the Whole " to review the input material from various angles. The goal was to translate the program the Church appears to want into a budget it will support. That budget will be reviewed further at the May Executive Council meeting and then presented to General Convention in Louisville. Meanwhile, further visits to the Church at large -- probably on a regional basis -- are envisioned between May and September.

New programs in Christian education, evangelism and lay ministry are included in the proposed budget. Those had been areas of major emphasis stressed by the dioceses. "There is no clearer mandate in the whole of the Church's response than the demand for a new and innovative program of Christian education," said the Summary Report. Responding directly to that issue, the Council set aside $100,000 of funds currently available to get into a Christian education study during 1973.

Again, reflecting "what the Church has said," the General Convention Special Program's budget was cut significantly. Further, GCSP funds were agreed upon in conjunction with outreach work to American Indians, Spanish-speaking Americans, and Appalachia under the general heading of "empowerment ". Staff personnel administering grants to those groups are expected to coordinate their activities more closely.

In accordance with the recommendations in the Summary Report, the areas of communication, specialized ministries (to the aged, deaf and blind) and stewardship development received increased support in the proposed budget. Overseas work received a slight increase, although it was assumed that recent dollar devaluation will result in a net reduction of the overseas program under the proposed budget. In responding to low priority ratings from the church, financial assistance to Seabury Press and The Episcopalian would be discontinued.

In the process of cutting in half the various budget requests in order to reach the $13.8 million figure, Bishop Allin noted, "We have a responsibility to exercise leadership. The total resources available must be focused toward the real needs of the Church. If we do our job (as Executive Council) and share it with the Church, the Church may respond. "

An important step toward involving the Church at large in determining its program appears to have been taken; how the Church responds in giving toward that program remains the crucial test.

A regular business session of the Executive Council was also held. One matter involved . study of questions concerning the administration of the General Convention Special Program which had been raised when the Rt. Rev. Wilburn C. Campbell, Bishop of West Virginia, resigned from the Screening and Review Committee of GCSP at the last Executive Council meeting. Bishop Campbell felt that the study prepared on behalf of the Presiding Bishop and submitted by Bishop Hines was superficial. The Executive Council accepted the study with the understanding that members of the Council would submit to Bishop Hines any desire they might have for further clarification of the issue.