Response Favorable to Conference on Renewal
Diocesan Press Service. August 24, 1973 [73201]
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Sponsors of a conference on church renewal to be held in Arlington, Virginia in November have been pleasantly surprised by the number of people who have already requested reservations.
The conference, "The Word of God and the Renewal of the Church," will focus on the Scriptures as a means of examining contemporary questions facing the church.
This type of conference, patterned after the "Kirchentag," was developed in post World War II Germany where the church was required to return to the Scriptures in order to reestablish a purpose for itself, said the Rev. Dr. Gary Price.
His church, Trinity in Arlington, will host the conference which begins on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 7, and ends on the afternoon of Friday, November 9.
In just the first two weeks, after a small initial mailing, he said that the church had received one-fifth of the enrollment for the 300 reservations available at the conference. The conference will consist of worship, bible study and discussion seminars. At the opening banquet, Dr. Clifford L. Stanley will give the keynote address entitled "Witnessing in Rough Times." The Bishop of Central Gulf Coast George M. Murray, the Bishop of Southern Ohio John M. Krumm, and the Bishop - Coadjutor of Kentucky David B. Reed, will preach at the services of worship.
The Rev. Drs. Charles P. Price, John H. Rodgers and C. FitzSimons Allison, all of the Virginia Theological Seminary, will lead plenary Bible study sessions.
The discussion seminars will cover over 25 topics, including: evangelism, the parish ministry, psychotherapy and the cure of souls, foreign mission, charismatic ministry, and a Roman Catholic witness to the Word.
Leaders of these seminars were chosen on the basis of their expertise in their fields. Among them will be the Bishop of Western Massachusetts, Alexander D. Stewart, the Dean of Virginia Seminary G. Cecil Woods, Vice President of the Executive Council Oscar C. Carr., Jr., the former Dean of Seabury-Western Seminary Charles U. Harris, the Director of the Word of God Institute Father John Burke, O.P., as well as many other prominent lay and ordained church leaders.
The conference is sponsored by the Evangelical Education Society of the Episcopal Church. This is a pilot conference in Province III and open to all Episcopalians who may be interested. Similar conferences in other areas are contemplated for the future. A reservation fee of $35, which includes two banquets and a luncheon, may be made by writing to: Trinity Church, Columbia Pike and S. Wayne St., Arlington, Virginia 22204.
As one person who wrote for reservations put it, "It's wonderful to see attempts at renewal centered upon the things of the faith for a change."