Episcopal Press and News
Miscellaneous Actions of the Executive Council
Episcopal News Service. February 19, 1976 [76072]
Greenwich, Conn. -- The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, meeting here February 18-19, took the following actions:
Shifted the September meeting of the Executive Council from Thursday the 9th to Friday the 10th, in Minneapolis, just prior to the opening of the General Convention.
Banned smoking from the Executive Council meeting room while the Council is in session.
Welcomed the Rev. J. Leonardo Cespedes, Matamoros, Tamps, Mexico, Missionary Diocese of Northern Mexico, who was elected last November to succeed the Rev. James H. Ottley, Balboa, Canal Zone, Missionary Diocese of Panama and the Canal Zone, as the representative of the Ninth Province on the Executive Council.
Heard a report from the Rev. Page S. Bigelow, Bicentennial Resource Coordinator, on pamphlets and curriculum material available to assist parishes in observing the bicentennial of the nation.
Decided to hold four Executive Council meetings in 1977 rather than three as recommended by the steering committee, and added $13,600 from the budget adjustment item to the budget for meetings.
Approved the appropriation of $45,000 from the Reserve for Contingencies to balance the 1975 budget.
Authorized the treasurer, assistant treasurer, administrative assistant to the treasurer, controller, and the assistant controller to sign all checks, drafts, orders for payment of money, on the petty cash account.
Authorized the transfer of the title of a piece of property in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, to the Igreja Episcopal do Brasil, for the sum of One Dollar ($1.00).
Approved the funding of half the cost of sermons to be preached at the Washington National Cathedral in November and December, 1976, with a maximum grant of no more than $10,000 from the Julia A. Gallaher Memorial Fund. The series of sermons by well-known British observers of America, will seek to link the bicentennial of the nation and the Anglican heritage in America.
Heard the treasurer announce the receipt of two designated legacies: $1,402.08 from the estate of Charles M. Harrington, Minneapolis, Minn., for "work in foreign and domestic missions," and $31,310.07 from the estate of Laura E. Lenhart, Washington, D.C., for "work in foreign missions."
Heard the treasurer announce that $1,100 has been appropriated from the income of the Sheppard Fund for medical assistance in the Diocese of Minnesota.
Heard the Rev. John S. Spong, Richmond, Va., report that a committee, under the chairmanship of the Rev. Alan W. Jones, New York City, is making progress in the plans for the New Church's Teaching Series, with the projection of seven or eight volumes. He reported that the next planning meeting will be in March with the expectation of a more detailed report to the Executive Council at its April 21-23 meeting.
Elected the Council's steering committee as follows: Marcus A. Cummings, Cincinnati, Ohio; Bishop George T. Masuda, Fargo, N.D.; Dr. D. Bruce Merrifield, Houston, Tex.; the Rev. William V. Powell, Stillwater, Okla.; and the Rev. Robert M. Wainwright, Rochester, N.Y.
Confirmed the following members who were appointed by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin to the Community Action and Human Development Commission (CAHD): Ralph Campbell Sr., Raleigh, N.C.; the Rev. J. Carleton Hayden, Washington, D.C.; Lawrence E. King Jr., Omaha, Neb.; Ms. Louanner Peters, Chicago, Ill.; Dallas R. Selsey, Riverdale, N.Y.; the Rev. Morgan Tabb, Seaside, Calif.; the Rev. Anthony A. Thornell, Highland Park, Mich.; Gus Townes, Hayti, Mo.; Ms. Florida Washington, Oakland, Calif.; Ms. Myrtle Gordon, Atlanta, Ga., exchange member from the Episcopal Commission on Black Ministries; and Executive Council members Bishop Quintin E. Primo Jr., Chicago, Ill., and Marcus Cummings, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Received from the Community Action and Human Development Commission a summary of regular and emergency grants made by that body in 1975, and minutes of meetings of CAHD and the Episcopal Asiamerica Strategies Task-Force (EAST).
Received the Presiding Bishop's Charge to the Special Advisory Committee on Church and Society, with the list of appointments of members, to be co-chaired by Bishop Paul Moore Jr. of New York, and Dr. Charles R. Lawrence, New York. The 25-member committee, with three staff, will report to the Council in April.
Heard Ms. Joan Bordman, Los Angeles, Calif., Province VIII field staff and acting Indian Affairs Officer, report on workable models in which the National Committee on Indian Work (NCIW) has been involved. The Council approved the transfer of $180,000 from the NCIW account to Coalition 14 which has accepted the Navajo Episcopal Council as a member. Ms. Bordman reported that the NCIW is seeking to become a Joint Commission of the General Convention and will seek Convention authorization in September.
Approved the appointment of Ms. Betty Louise Acton and Mrs. Dorothy Patrick as assistant secretaries of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.
Approved the retaining of the law firm of Davies, Hardy, Ives and Lawther as legal counsel for The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America for the year 1976, and the auditing firm of Price Waterhouse and Company as auditors for the year 1976.
Re-elected the following members of the Trust Funds Committee: Elbridge T. Gerry, New York City; Presiding Bishop John M. Allin; Frederick G. Atkinson, Palm Beach, Fla.; John S. Buckley, New York City; Thomas D. Cunningham Jr., New York City; Edward B. deSelding, New York City; George T. Guernsey III, St. Louis, Mo.; Douglas T. Yates, New York City; and staff member Matthew Costigan, Executive Council Treasurer.
Heard the Rev. Rustin R. Kimsey, The Dalles, Ore., give a brief report on the Partners-in-Mission consultation which the Episcopal Church will host during the week of April 25-30, 1977, in connection with the Executive Council meeting, with the following Anglican provinces represented: Central Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Canada, West Indies, Council of the Church in Southeast Asia, the Nippon Seikokai, West Africa, South Pacific Anglican Church, Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Sudan, Consejo Anlicano Sud Americano (CASA), Church of England, Australia, Kenya, South Africa; and the National Council of Churches, World Council of Churches, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Forty representatives are expected to take part.
Received as information the following overseas personnel announcements: the resignation of the Rev. Jose D. Carlo, Costa Rica, who will continue work in that country on a non-stipendiary basis, effective Dec. 31, 1975; the resignation of John H. Gay, Ph.D., Cuttington College, Suacoco, Liberia, to assume new duties in the Diocese of Lesotho, effective Oct. 31, 1975; the resignation of the Rev. James G. Estes, St. Stephen's College, Hong Kong, to assume new duties in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, effective Dec. 31, 1975; and the appointment of the Rev. W. Clarke Prescott, endorsed by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin, effective Feb. 1, 1976, for assignment to the Church of the Good Shepherd, San Jose, Costa Rica.
Approved the establishment of a Companion Diocese relationship between the Dioceses of West Virginia and Central Tanganyika of the (Anglican) Church of the Province of Tanzania, to be in effect until February 1979 unless terminated by mutual consent sooner.
Received as information the following detailed items concerning the National and World Mission budget: criteria for Coalition Overseas budgets; five samples of budgets of overseas dioceses; 1973 Executive Council resolution regarding financial agreements made with Japan and Brasil; plan for diminishing grant to Brasil after 1977; and detailed report of Agreement with Japan, following the reversion of Okinawa to Japan, which continues a grant of $40,000 per year through 1977.
Accepted the invitation of the Council of the Anglican Church in South America to send representatives to participate as partners in mission in a regional consultation, October 12-29, 1976.
Chose work with the Navajo as the Church School Missionary Offering (CSMO) recipient in 1977, and work with the deaf as the CSMO project for 1978.
Heard Bishop Harold C. Gosnell of West Texas, chairman of the Council's Evangelism Committee, report on the Presiding Bishop's Conference on Evangelism, which was held in Grand Prairie, Tex., Jan. 15-16; announce the meeting of a Task Force in Evangelism on March 18 as a follow-up of the Texas conference; announce the testing of a Church Growth orientation to evangelism in Episcopal Church congregations in the Dioceses of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut; and report on the possibility of an evangelism course at General Theological Seminary, New York City.
Received by title a report from Bishop Coadjutor Scott Field Bailey of West Texas, and Executive Officer of General Convention, a communication from the Joint Commission on the Church in Human Affairs, which served to alert the Council of a pending referral from this Commission relative to a "Primer for Social Action."
Heard a brief report from Mrs. Seaton Bailey, Griffin, Ga., on plans being developed by the Process Committee for presentation of the 1977-1979 General Convention proposal to be made at the 1976 provincial meetings as follows: Domestic: May 17, Province VII, Dallas; May 20-21, Province I, Hiway Motel, Massachusetts/ Western Massachusetts; June 9-11, Province IV, Kanuga, N.C.; June 10, Sioux Falls, S.D., and June 11, Casper, Wyo., both for Province VI; June 14-15, Province II, Rochester, N.Y.; and June 15-17, Province V, Farmington, Mich.; Missionary (Overseas): March 3, National Council, The Philippines; March 6-8, Province IX, Panama; March 8, Taiwan; and April 30, May 1-2, Convocation of American Churches in Europe, Frankfurt. Mrs. Bailey reported that it is impossible to schedule a presentation at the Province III meeting.
Heard Oscar C. Carr Jr., Executive for Development/Stewardship, report that about $860,000 has been pledged so far toward the $3. 1 million development campaign on behalf of Cuttington College, Suacoco, Liberia.
Heard Oscar C. Carr Jr., Executive for Development/Stewardship, report that a total of $117,406.43 was received on the Income Development Program for 1975, with an additional $7,800 pledged but not paid. Since January 1, 1976, a total of $34,939 has been received, with pledges of approximately $33,000 in 1976 not yet paid. This represents a grand total of $193,145.43 in pledges and cash since the beginning of the Income Development Program a year ago, he said.
Heard Presiding Bishop John M. Allin announce the appointment of the Rev. James J. McNamee of the Diocese of Maryland to be Coordinator of Youth and College Work on the Episcopal Church Center staff, effective February 1, 1976.
Heard Presiding Bishop John M. Allin announce the appointment of Joseph I. Worsham, Dallas, Tex., to be chairman of the Council's Ghetto Loan and Investment Committee, and Harry C. Griffith, Winter Park, Fla., to be a co-opted member of the Evangelism Committee.
Established as a trust fund a pension account for Episcopal military and Veterans' Administration chaplains, from accumulated funds in the amount of approximately $320,000, which is now considered "sufficient to meet future pension assessments. " This will assure chaplains" an uninterrupted pension plan in the event that they have not completed a period of service sufficient to receive Federal Retirement Pay. "
Heard Presiding Bishop John M. Allin appoint the following as a liaison group from the Council and staff to the New Church's Teaching Series: Executive Council members: Bishop Harold C. Gosnell of West Texas; the Rev. William V. Powell of Stillwater, Okla.; and Walker Taylor of Wilmington, N.C.; Staff: Oscar C. Carr Jr., Executive for Development/Stewardship; Matthew Costigan, Executive for Finance and Treasurer; and Bishop Milton L. Wood, Executive for Administration.