Episcopal Press and News
Summary of Actions of the Executive Council
Episcopal News Service. March 5, 1981 [81067]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- The Executive Council of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church held its regular meeting Feb. 25-26 at Seabury House here.
The Council -- which sets policy and develops programs for the Church between the triennial meetings of the General Convention -- consists of 44 members! 24 elected by the Convention; 18 elected by the Church's nine internal provinces, and the Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, and the President of the House of Deputies, Dr. Charles R. Lawrence. The Rev. Canon James R. Gundrum is secretary.
Changes in the Church's laws in the fall of 1979 have doubled the number of provincial representatives -- provinces previously elected one each -- and pared back the representation elected directly by each Convention from 14 to 10.
Most resolutions for Council action come through six standing committees and occasionally a special committee or sub-committee.
The Council took the following actions:
- Heard Presiding Bishop Allin address the Council, saying that the congregation (two or more Christians 'congregating' in Christ's name) is the focus and key to missionary planning;
- Heard the Presiding Bishop report several staff appointments: Mrs. Nancy Marvell, from secretary to Bishop Allin to assistant for administration in the office of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief; Mrs. Marjorie Kivell as secretary to the Presiding Bishop; Mrs. Alysoun Powell as secretary to the Rev. Canon Edward Geyer; Mrs. Bobbie Bevill as coordinator for youth and young adult ministries; Mrs. Jean Green as assistant for scholarships in the overseas personnel area of the World Mission office; the Rev. Arlin J. Rothauge as assistant evangelism officer, and a change of title, designating the Rev. William A. Norgren as ecumenical officer;
- Heard the Presiding Bishop name and welcome the members of the press who were present to cover the meeting.
- Heard a report from the standing committee on stewardship seminars and materials;
- Viewed a 13-minute slide presentation, "Because We Ventured," narrated by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin;
- Heard Executive for Stewardship/Development the Rev. Thomas H. Carson, Jr., report that the churchwide total in pledges and contributions to the Venture in Mission program is now $113 million, with 18 dioceses surpassing their goals, and $31.5 million of the total allocated for national projects.
- Authorized funding for 11 Venture in Mission projects:
- $200,000 to the Diocese of Northern Brazil and the Igreja Episcopal do Brasil from the Diocese of Oregon;
- $100,000 to the Diocese of Haiti from Virginia, Missouri and Delaware;
- $77,000 to the Diocese of Northern Mexico for self-development investment;
- $1,000 from the Diocese of Ohio to Self Support for the Northern Philippines for the library of St. Mary's, Sagada;
- $5,000 for the Asian Seminaries Exchange program with the Church Divinity School of the Pacific; part of a $30,000 pledge from Hawaii;
- $12,000 for partnership projects at Coddrington College, Barbados, as part of a $20,000 pledge from Central Pennsylvania;
- $17,502 from the Diocese of Central Florida and other donors for the Diocese of Jerusalem's capital development, the funds to be used for St. Luke's Hospital, Nablus;
- Funds from Central Pennsylvania, Colorado, Easton and others to establish special ministries to aid family life, to be administered by the social welfare office of the Church Center;
- $15,000 from the Diocese of Western Massachusetts to help the Offender Aid and Restoration program in recruiting, training, and supporting volunteer ministries to help prisoners and parolees;
- $21,893, largely from the Diocese of Oklahoma, to help the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf expand its training projects;
- A permanent trust to begin the Development Fund for National Mission for support of several categories of rural and small church projects and budget support.
- Approved a resolution which expressed its repulsion to the violence in El Salvador; called for a solution to the problems based on love; assured Salvadoreans of the Church's concern and prayers; and asked Episcopalians to pray for the restoration of peace in that nation;
- Urged the United States government to offer refuge and asylum immediately to Salvadoreans who have fled from their country;
- Heard the Rt. Rev. Edward Haynsworth, Bishop-in-Charge of the Episcopal Church in El Salvador, speak briefly about the situation in that country;
- Reaffirmed its 1975 resolution supporting Namibia's independence and selfdetermination and commended efforts by the United Nations-initiated conference in Geneva to consider that problem, and offered prayers and assurance of support to the people and bishops of the Anglican Church in Namibia;
- Expressed gratitude for the safe return of three Anglican missionaries -- John and Audrey Coleman and Jean Waddell -- who have been released by the government of Iran; thanked God for the safe release of the 52 American hostages in January; and extended its love, concern and prayers for the bishop, priests and members of the Anglican Church of Iran during its time of persecution;
- Learned that a new film on the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief will be completed by September;
- Approved a resolution which stated that the Episcopal Church's policy on the Middle East as established by the General Convention in 1979 is not reflected in the National Council of Churches' November 1980 statement on Middle East policy, as it pertains to Israeli-Palestinian matters;
- Approved grants totaling $78,830 from a trust fund for theological education for Latin America;
- Approved Episcopal Church representatives at 1981 Anglican Partners in Mission consultations as follows: Church of England, June, Robert M. Ayres, Jr., Sewanee, Tenn.; Igreja Episcopal do Brasil, September, Matthew K. Chew, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Province of Sudan, October, Bishop A. Heath Light of Southwestern Virginia (or the Ven. Richard D. Tyree of Southwestern Virginia) and the Rev. Denis O'Pray, Minneapolis; and Church of the Province of Kenya, Dr. Charles R. Lawrence, Pomona, N. Y.;
- Congratulated the Rev. Samuel Espinoza who was recently elected Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Western Mexico;
- Extended a welcome to and asked for God's blessing on the 28 Primates of the Anglican Communion who will meet at the College of Preachers, Washington, D. C., April 26 to May 2;
- Extended a welcome to a delegation from the Anglican Church of Ireland who will visit the United States March 19 to April 1; called for the observance of March 17-24 as a Week of Prayer for Peace and Reconciliation for Northern Ireland; and reaffirmed the Lambeth Conference 1978 statement on "War and Violence";
- Heard of the assignments for the following overseas personnel: The Rev. Roger and Patricia Sonnesyn to Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire; Kershaw and Gwendolyn Burbank to Kenya; and Donald and Bridget Moore to Central Africa;
- Approved the joint request of the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York and the Anglican Diocese of Egypt to establish a companion diocese relationship for three years.
- Heard a report on the work and plans for the future by the Standing Committee on Communication, including coordination with the Episcopal Radio/Television Foundation;
- Approved a resolution which expressed thanksgiving and best wishes to Council member the Rt. Rev. Christoph Keller who retired on Feb. 28 as Bishop of Arkansas and to former Council member the Rt. Rev. Herbert A. Donovan, who was installed as bishop of that diocese on that date in Little Rock.
- Approved a resolution calling for the Presiding Bishop to appoint a task force to work with the Convention's Joint Commission on Peace and the Episcopal Urban Caucus in the preparation of a study and action guide on the arms race prior to the 1982 Convention, with a planning report and funding request presented to the Council in June;
- Tabled a resolution until the June meeting calling for the distribution of material on the arms race;
- Heard Harry Griffith of Orlando, Fla., chairman of the ad hoc Affirmative Action Committee, report that the committee is making progress in its study and that a policy statement and a plan for the Episcopal Church Center are expected to be presented to Council in June and a suggested plan for the Church at large in November; and approved an appropriation of up to $10,000 for the work of the group this spring;
- Received a brief report which indicated that 1,053 conscientious objectors packets were distributed in 1980 in response to requests, that 55 diocesan liaison/coordinators for draft counseling have been appointed, and that 129 persons have registered as conscientious objectors;
- Approved an appropriation of $38,000 from the income from the Constable Fund for contracting with a special assistant for one year to provide research and development of educational materials for local churches;
- Allocated $15,000 from the income from the Constable Fund to the Education for Mission and Ministry staff at the Episcopal Church Center to be used for scholarships for leadership development at the Omega Institute, University of Santa Clara;
- Approved a report on the 1981-1982 Church School Missionary Offering, the goal of which is to enable children and others to have a deeper commitment to the ministry of the Church in the city, with receipts designated for church-sponsored programs addressed to the needs of the family in urban areas, and approved a six-unit curriculum to be developed by the Education for Mission and Ministry staff.
- Heard treasurer Matthew Costigan praise diocesan efforts that have pushed 1980 income and 1981 projections above estimates;
- Established restricted (use of income only) Florence Whaley Orrell Fund of $450,000 for use in support of overseas missionary work;
- Increased the Residential Loan Fund by $74,000 to $234,000;
- Authorized sale of the Roanridge property in Kansas City in conjunction with parcels held by two other parties with income from the sale to be used to establish a previously authorized trust fund for rural and small church ministry training;
- Redesignated income from a trust originally established to provide scholarships for native Americans at St. Elizabeth's School in South Dakota to use for scholarships at the discretion of the diocese, action taken because the school is now closed;
- Established a development fund for national mission in conjunction with a Venture in Mission designated gift;
- Authorized a resolution honoring Lindley Franklin, deceased former treasurer of the Society;
- Heard progress reports on new telephone, computer and fire-safety systems for the Episcopal Church Center;
- Heard that Life Care Services Corporation of Des Moines, Iowa, has decided not to proceed with plans to develop a life-care retirement community on the Seabury House property in Greenwich, Conn., because of lack of support by some segments of the area.
- Expressed sympathy and support for the families and pastors of the young victims of Atlanta violence;
- Supported activities of the presidential 'Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians' and authorized staff support for the commission's inquiry;
- Re-asserted Church opposition to proposed "Human Life" constitutional amendments.
- Authorized the National Hunger Committee to develop and disseminate material for Christian lifestyle study pursuant to a General Convention request;
- Instructed the treasurer to vote the Church's stock in shareholder actions
as follows:
- in favor of a resolution asking US Steel for impact statements regarding plant closures;
- in favor of a resolution asking JP Morgan Company to undertake affirmative action and equal employment opportunity practices;
- in favor of a resolution asking Eastman Kodak to establish a regular evaluation of the social and financial aspects of its South African activities;
- abstained on resolutions requiring JP Morgan and Exxon not to expand Chilean activities (the resolutions on file lacked proper accountability);
- in favor of a resolution asking Caterpiller, Conoco, Eastman Kodak, Mobile, Exxon, Merck, and Standard Oil of Indiana to inform stockholders of extent and possible social impact of Soviet and communist bloc operations;
- Heard a presentation on the work of the National Commission on Hispanic Ministries by the Rev. Herbert Arrunategui, staff officer at the Episcopal Church Center, and received copies of a report by a special task force on Hispanic ministries;
- Received a report for 1980 from the Coalition for Human Needs by the Rev. Robert Wainwright of Rochester, N. Y., which listed a total of 91 grants for a total of $800,000;
- Received a progress report from an ad hoc Committee on Infant Formula, chaired by Council member John Cannon of Detroit, which stated that the group feels that the basic issue is one of human nutrition, and indicated that it is awaiting the action on the WHO Infant Formula Code in May to add to other data, and that a report may come at the June meeting of the Council.
- Received a summary of communications addressed to the secretary, and referred the items to standing committees as appropriate;
- Received from the secretary the required conflict of interest forms which are to be completed by members of the Council and returned to the secretary;
- Learned that the new expense guidelines for Council members and staff call for 20 cents per mile and food allowance up to $25 per day;
- Received from the executive officer an abstract of the minutes of several interim bodies of the Convention: Joint Commission on Peace, Standing Commission on Constitution and Canons, Board for Church Deployment, Planning and Arrangements Committee, Standing Commission on Church in Metropolitan Areas; Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church, Committee on the State of the Church, and the Joint Standing Commission on World Mission.
- Heard Mrs. Mary Flagg, Portland, Me., and the Very Rev. Alien Bartlett, Louisville, Ky., speak of the long-range planning process and especially the June 16-20 meeting of the Council;
- Decided by consensus to hold the June 16-20 meeting of the Council at the Seaman's Church Institute in New York City with only members and staff in attendance, along with speakers from the theological and social disciplines.
- Elected the Very Rev. Frederick H. Borsch, Princeton, N. J., to fill the vacancy on the Council due to the resignation of the Rev. Canon W. Ebert Hobbs, Toronto, Ont., Canada.