'Total Ministry' Conference Held In Arizona
Episcopal News Service. March 8, 1979 [79070]
Tempe, Ariz. -- Operating under the rubric that the Church is "called to be a ministering community, not a community gathered around a minister," representatives of 16 dioceses of the Episcopal Church met here in late February to explore concepts of "Total Ministry."
The immediate focus of the conference -- convened by the Council fo the Development of Ministry -- was an examination of the role of persons ordained priest under the Church's Canon governing ordination in special cases (III. 8). That law was designed to provide priestly ministry to communities that are ethnically homogeneous, and/or isolated from regular services of the Church.
The Canon has been available to the Church for about 10 years. A key factor in its use is that the small isolated community would choose from among its own the person from whom they wished to receive the sacraments. The priest would remain self-supporting and not necessarily responsible for administration of the congregation or even the exercise of other ministerial or pastoral functions.
It has been widely used in Alaska, among native Americans and in Appalachia and, in at least one case, in a prison.
The conference's 35 participants affirmed that this ministry had become a pivotal point around which a congregation could develop a renewing sense of Total Ministry in which each member can best exercise his or her gifts.
Bishop Wesley Frensdorff of Nevada said, "The diocese began five years ago with a commitment to develop Total Ministry. Some congregations have worked at it for several years; some are just starting; all are being exposed to new ideas and challenges.
"At least seven congregations, formerly largely dependent on professional clergy, have become virtually self-supporting through developing their members' ministries. Educational programs, training for ministry, supervision, and support have been provided by the diocese. Three of the seven congregations have chosen and supported one of the trainees for ordination and will have their own priest within a year.
"Congregations previously crippled by survival efforts are being renewed. Throughout the diocese persons are discovering their gifts and using them in ministry. "
The bishop made it clear: a financial squeeze started the diocese looking at the possibilities of Total Ministry, including Canon III. S. But now, he said, even if money were suddenly available, he would want to continue the Total Ministry program.
Similar tales were heard from rural Maryland, Eastern Oregon, Vermont, Utah and Alaska. The latter diocese has made the widest use of the Canon and now has 26 of the 48 men and women so ordained.
Over the years, Church people have viewed these "tentmaker priests" in a variety of ways. For the most part, they are excluded from the clerical order in diocesan conventions, and, by Canon, their sacramental license has not been as easily transferable as that of priests ordained under the Church's "regular Canons."
The conference explored these issues and reached some understanding of the tensions and opportunities of this ministry.
They felt that such ordination was unconditional and allowed the ordinand to be titled 'priest' and treated as a member of the clerical order but noted that the variety of names that have grown up around the practice -- sacramentalist, sacramental priest -- were attempts to reduce and share some of the burdens that have accumulated to the ordained ministry over the years.
In the same vein, they noted that the limitation of functions to the sacramental role that the person had been called to insured that the ministry would be exercised in the context of Total Ministry.
The consultation suggested strongly that ordination under this Canon is most appropriate in congregations which have already adapted such a Total Ministry approach to their life and affirmed that corporate identification of the proposed ordinand was a vital factor.
In turning to the meaning such ministry has for the diocese and the Church as a whole, the consultation pressed clearly for an expanded role for the ministries commission in the Church.
The final report -- presented by the Rt. Rev. Elliott Sorge, staff officer for the Council -- noted that "Commissions must understand their role as enablers of all ministries in the diocese by developing education processes and systems which will provide training for Total Ministry at the congregational level."
Other participants included: The Rt. Rev. William B. Spofford of Eastern Oregon; the Rt. Rev. Joseph T. Heistand of Arizona, the Rev. David M. Talbot of Central New York, the Rt. Rev. Frederick W. Putnam of the Navajo Area Mission, the Rt. Rev. Walter H. Jones of South Dakota, the Rt. Rev. David R. Cochran of Alaska, the Rt. Rev. Bob Jones of Wyoming, the Rt. Rev. William J. Cox of Maryland, Mr. John Harmon of Eastern Oregon, the Rev. Glenn B. Jenks of Arizona, Miss Dorothy J. Britten of Central New York, Mrs. Steven Plummer of the Navajo Area Mission, the Ven. Paul J. Davis of South Dakota, the Ven. Donald M. Bullock of Alaska, the Rev. Richard E. Hayes of Wyoming, the Rev. Lawrence W. Handwerk of Maryland, and the Rev. Paul Saunders of Rio Grande.
Also: The Rev. William Hannifin of Utah, the Rt. Rev. Jackson Gilliam of Montana, the Rt. Rev. William J. Gordon of Michigan, the Rev. Richard Gary of the Episcopal Church Center staff, the Rev. R. Baldwin Lloyd of the Appalachian Peoples' Service Organization, the Rev. Robert M. Maxwell of San Diego, the Rev. George Hunt of California, Ms. Janette Pierce of Pennsylvania, the Rt. Rev. and Mrs. Harold Jones of South Dakota, the Rev. Noah Brokenleg, also of South Dakota, Mr. Robert M. Gordon of Utah, the Rev. William Warren Jr. of Arizona and the Rt. Rev. George Masuda of North Dakota.