Summary of Actions of the Executive Council
Episcopal News Service. December 21, 1978 [78360]
ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The 41-member Executive Council of the Episcopal Church met here at the Mayfair Hotel, December l2-14, and transacted the following business:
- Accepted the "Handbook of Guidelines for the Support of Overseas Missionaries," with a pension amendment, as presented by the National and World Mission Committee.
- Welcomed the Rt. Rev. Wesley Frensdorff, Bishop of Nevada and president of Coalition 14, who had come to the Council meeting to consult with the National and World Mission Committee.
- Approved suggested changes in the proposed goals and objectives of the National and World Mission office for the next triennium.
- Approved the allocation of $76,200 from Trust Fund No. 809 to fund six projects in Province IX, as recommended by the Commission on Theological Education for Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Approved a Companion Diocese Relationship between the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Anglican Diocese of Chile, to be in effect until January, 1982.
- Approved a Companion Diocese Relationship between the Diocese of South Carolina and the Anglican Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador, to be in effect until January, 1982.
- Approved a Companion Diocese Relationship between the Diocese of Long Island and the Lusitanian Church of Portugal, to be in effect until January, 1982.
- Accepted an invitation from the South Pacific Anglican Council to participate in a Partners in Mission consultation, July 24-26, 1979, in Suva, Fiji, and designated the Rt. Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Bishop of Hawaii, as the Episcopal Church's representative.
- Accepted an invitation from Conosur (Southern Cone, South America) to participate in a Partners in Mission consultation, October 20-25, 1979, in Salta, Argentina, and designated the Rev. J. Mark Dyer of Massachusetts, the Rt. Rev. Robert Appleyard of Pittsburgh, and Robert H. Ayres, Jr., of Sewanee, Tenn., as the Episcopal Church's representatives.
- Accepted an invitation from the Council of the Church in East Asia to participate in a Partners in Mission consultation, November 9-14, 1979, in Hong Kong, and designated the Rt. Rev. George Masuda, Bishop of North Dakota, as the Episcopal Church's representative.
- Approved a resolution which deplored the detention of Mrs. Sally Motlana in South Africa, protested that government's action to appropriate officials there, called on President Carter to demand her release, and asked Presiding Bishop John M. Allin to express the Council's concern to the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg and to Mrs. Motlana's solicitor.
- Received a report on overseas personnel changes as follows: The Rev. Roger Williams appointed rector of All Souls Church, Naha, Okinawa; the Rev. Peter Arvedson resigned as rector of All Soul's Church, Naha, Okinawa to become rector of St. Andrew's Church, Madison, Wis.; the Rev. Charles Goodwin, Ph. D., retired from service in the Church in Korea; and the Rev. Richard Menees appointed diocesan secretary and tutor in the Bible school in the Diocese of Bukavu.
- Heard a report from Joseph Hargrove, Shreveport, La., on the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief and the recently-held Consultation on Immigration and Refugee Concerns.
- Received without action a resolution calling for the establishment of an advisory committee to study long-range strategic planning and the budget-making process, with the expectation that action will be taken later.
- Approved designating the Church School Missionary Offering for Advent 1979 to Advent 1980 for the needs of the child (in connection with the observance of the International Year of the Child in 1979), and for Advent 1980 to Advent 1981, projects benefiting the children of Province IX (Latin America).
- Approved a revised section of the Education for Ministry goals and objectives for 1980-1982 in the section on youth and young adult ministries.
- Received from the Church in Society Committee a summary of its actions which had been reported to the Council in September.
- Commended the policy/strategy statement adopted by the National Conference on Family Life in November for study by members of the Church.
- Commended the National Committee on Indian Work for its help in drafting a policy statement on Indian Affairs by the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches of Christ and commended the paper to the Episcopal Church for study.
- Joined in a shareholder resolution to be filed with Phillips Petroleum Corporation asking the company to comply with the six Sullivan Principles -- the minimum desegregation and fair employment standards for American corporations doing business in South Africa -- or to dispose of its ownership interest in its South African affiliate.
- Enclosed a National Council of Churches of Christ Governing Board resolution protesting some of the federal immigration practices which were said to violate the rights of Haitian refugees.
- Reaffirmed its call for parishes to sponsor refugees, especially those from Indochina, and commended President Carter's statement and urged the implementation of the government's policies as soon as possible.
- Received by title a statement and recommendations from the Coalition for Human Needs for information and study.
- Adopted the amended goals and objectives of the Church in Society Committee and referred back to the committee for a report in February the matter of a title for the staff unit.
- Heard the Church in Society Committee report that it has postponed recommending any resolutions relating to Russian dissidents, the Nestle Company, and J. P. Stevens.
- Heard the Church in Society Committee announce that it will have a presentation at the February meeting on the Lenten Hunger Program.
- Adopted a balanced program and budget for 1979 of $14,704,400.
- Voted to offer for rental Brugler House, located at Seabury House, Greenwich, Conn., a rest house for missionaries on furlough and other church workers, with the proceeds beyond upkeep costs to be designated for housing for missionaries with the approval of the treasurer and executive for National and World Mission.
- Extended until Jan. 1, 1980, a loan agreement between the Council and the Seabury Press in the amount of $350,000, which was scheduled to mature on Feb. 1, 1979.
- Established the Vincent Astor Fund in the amount of $1 million, the income of which is to be used for projects in the five boroughs of New fork City and to be disbursed by appointed representatives of the Dioceses of New York and Long Island.
- Heard of the resignation of Elias Saleeby as controller and asked the secretary to send a letter expressing the gratitude of the Council for his service.
- Heard of the appointment of Robert Frown, currently assistant controller, to succeed Mr. Saleeby as controller.
- Heard the Finance/Administration Committee report that requests for funding from representatives of the Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church should go through the regular process for the 1980-82 budget.
- Referred to the Episcopal Church Foundation a letter from the Rt. Rev. Wilbur E. Hogg, Bishop of Albany, in which he requested funding of the ecumenical religious ministry at the 1980 Olympic Winter Cames at Lake Placid, N.Y.
- Voted to retain the auditing firm of Vignola and Carrico until Dec. 31, 1978.
- Voted to retain the law firm of Windels, Marx, Davies and Ives as legal counsel until Dec. 31, 1979.
- Voted to recommended a set of revised Parochial Report Forms to the Committee on the State of the Church for approval and that the forms be put in use for the year 1979.
- Authorized the treasurer to have three buildings razed -- the old administration building, the newer chapel/conference center, and a barn -- at the Roanridge property in Kansas City.
- Rescinded action taken in February, 1978, with regard to establishing an audit committee for Venture in Mission and adopted a new resolution with a revised membership of that committee, namely Matthew K. Chew, Phoenix, Ariz.; Harrison Tillman, Valdosta, Ga.; and John C. Rettew, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Approved guidelines for travel and entertainment expenses for staff, Council members, and committees/commissions of the Council, and asked the Administrative Group to review such guidelines at least annually and to report to Council when appropriate.
- Approved a charter for the Council's Finance/Administration Committee.
- Approved a motion that the Council meet as scheduled, Feb. 14-16, 1979, at Seabury House, Greenwich, Conn., that the Presiding Bishop appoint a committee for program emphases and presentation, and that time be set aside to do the program and budget emphases for 1980 -- 1982, looking toward the adoption of such a budget at the April 19-21 meeting for recommendation to the General Convention in September.
- Approved the action of the Trust Fund Committee to discontinue the total return concept on Jan. 1, 1979, and to begin on that date to distribute each trust fund's income based on the actual return received.
- Received by title a report from Matthew Costigan, treasurer; a balance sheet for operating and special funds; a list of funds available for appropriation; a summary of income and expenses as of Oct. 31; a statement of 1978 commitment apportionment by dioceses as of Oct. 31; summary of special offerings as of Oct. 31; a list of appropriations from trust fund income; and a study of national special offerings.
- Congratulated Sonia Francis, Broadcast Officer, on her election to be chairman of the Communication Commission of the National Council of Churches of Christ.
- Heard a report on several recent or projected books of the Forward Movement: Anglican Partners, a report on the Lambeth Conference, with copies distributed to Council members; Pilgrimage, an edited collation of a series of study materials originally prepared to assist parishes to respond to the Venture in Mission program; Crossroads at Denver, a planned mini book on issues facing the General Convention in Denver in 1979; and books in support of the United Thank Offering and the November Family Life Conference in Denver.
- Heard a report by John Budlong, New York, chairman of the board of trustees of the Seabury Press, concerning the status of the negotiations on the proposed merger between the Press and the Church Hymnal Corporation.
- Heard reports from the Rev. Canon W. Ebert Hobbs of Ohio, Mrs. Carter Chinnis of Washington, the Rt. Rev. Christoph Keller of Arkansas and Harold Treash of the fund raising firm, Ward, Dreshman and Reinhardt, on the meeting of the Venture in Mission Committee of 200 which was held a day prior to the opening of the Council session, and on other matters relating to the campaign.
- Received general information about the status of Venture in Mission campaign plans by the various dioceses.
- Received a budget report from Venture in Mission for 1978 as of Nov. 1.
- Approved an estimated 1979 budget for Venture in Mission in the amount of $1,003,830.
- Voted not to set a national Venture in Mission campaign goal at this time but rather to report on the progress of the various dioceses in assuming ownership of the campaign.
- Asked the Venture in Mission Cabinet to process all proposals on hand by Dec. 31 and approved holding $3 million of the $7 million contingency section for future opportunities.
- Voted approval of the Mission Opportunities report of Venture in Mission, which calls for listing $3.8 million for urban projects and $563,000 for national mission proposals; which lists eight projects not recommended for funding; and which mentions projects totaling $3. 36 million which are in process.
- Voted to consider the Venture in Mission Case -- Mission Opportunities list -- closed as of Dec. 14, 1978, and that it be reopened or added to only with the approval of the Council.
- Received copies of the current issue of the Venture in Mission Quarterly.
- Approved the goals and objectives of the Standing Committee on Stewardship/ Development.
- Heard a brief report on a stewardship advisory consultation held recently in St. Louis and heard that an Executive for Stewardship/Development will be appointed in early 1979.
- Received from the Secretary, the Rev. James R. Gundrum, and referred various communications to appropriate committees.
- Voted to ask the Secretary to send to Council members summaries of communications received in the future, not complete copies.
- Received from the Rev. James R. Cundrum, Executive Officer of Convention, reports on recent meetings of various committees and commissions of the General Convention.
- Heard the Rev. James R. Gundrum, Executive Officer of General Convention, report that registration and housing forms for the September, 1979 meeting of Convention will be mailed to bishops and deputies and others on Dec. 27.
- Was welcomed to St. Louis by the Rt. Rev. William Jones, Bishop of Missouri.
- Spent a day in plenary session, small groups, and committee of the whole examining goals and objectives for 1980-1982 as preparation for developing at the February and April meetings a program and budget proposal for the triennium to present to the General Convention next September.