News Brief
Episcopal News Service. August 18, 1989 [89142]
The 117th convocation of the Niobrara Deanery in the Diocese of South Dakota centered on discussions of issues affecting Native American Episcopalians. The convocation, held by and for the D/Lakota Native Americans living on South Dakota reservations and in urban areas such as Rapid City and Denver, honored the Rev. John Lurvey who served the Cheyenne River Mission for 35 years. Bishop Craig Anderson of South Dakota baptized, confirmed, ordained, dedicated and consecrated a church, and even officiated at a wedding during the four-day meeting. He also reported on the Presiding Bishop's Blue Ribbon Committee on Indian Work. Howard Williams, the church's coordinator of children's ministries, introduced the new Native American curriculum, "In the Spirit of the Circle"....
The General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church, which does not ordain women, has approved a measure allowing women priests from other churches in the Anglican Communion to celebrate the eucharist in Scotland. The move was intended as a compromise to head off protracted debate on the issue of ordaining women. Some observers feared the debate might split the church....
Parishes are invited to join the commemoration of Constitution Week (September 17-23) by ringing church bells at 4 pm on September 17, the hour the Constitution was signed. This year's celebration honors the formation of the Executive Branch, the first presidency and first Congress. For information call 202/653-5383....
Mainline churches in the United States continue to lose members, according to the newest edition of the "Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches 1989." Reports from 219 religious bodies show that 58.6 percent of Americans belonged to one of their churches, synagogues or religious congregations. Among the churches showing membership losses was the Episcopal Church, down 1.69 percent to 2,462,300 members. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and the Lutheran churches also reported losses. The yearbook also reported that the percentage of women ordained has increased from an estimated 4 percent in 1977 to 7.9 percent in 1986, from 10,470 to 20,730....
Highlights from the consecration of the Rev. Barbara Harris as Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts will be shown on the VISN cable network on Monday, August 28 at 7 pm EST, repeated on Tuesday at 3 pm and Wednesday at 10:30 am. The program will also be shown on the ACTS cable network on Sunday, August 27 at 5:30, repeated on Monday at 10 am and 12 midnight and Saturday at 2 am. Harris is the first woman bishop in the history of the Anglican Communion....
Beginning in October the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada begin a relationship of "interim sharing of the eucharist," patterned after a similar one in effect in the United States since 1982. The Canadian churches will also sponsor joint programs in evangelism, social action, Bible study, shared facilities and regular intercessions for each other....
During a tour of Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia, Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie met with African National Congress President Oliver Tambo. The ANC leader was preparing for ordination as an Anglican priest until South Africa's apartheid government curtailed his studies and arrested him for treason in 1956. After their meeting Runcie said the church seeks a non-violent end to apartheid but understands and accepts the moral posture of those who embrace the ANC's armed struggle against apartheid as a just war. He did not say if he personally shares that view and declined to take a public stand on sanctions or other forms of non-violent direct action....
The Rev. Dr. Erica Wood has been the new director of studies at the College of Preachers in Washington, DC. Donna Osthaus becomes the new director of program and the Rev. James Fisher joins the staff as part-time chaplain. The college is beginning its 66th year as a post-graduate training center for clergy and laity from all over the world.... Bishop David Leake, a native Argentine, has been elected Bishop of the Diocese of Argentina and will be enthroned at St. John's Cathedral in Buenos Aires where he was consecrated as bishop 20 years ago.... Bishop Henry Boyd Hucles III, who served the Episcopal Church in Long Island for 40 years, died August 4 at his retirement home in Virginia. He was elected and consecrated Bishop Suffragan of Long Island in 1981 after serving parishes in his native Brooklyn since 1949.... The Rt. Rev. John Bowen Coburn, former Bishop of Massachusetts (1976-1986), was awarded the first Henry Knox Sherrill Medal for "Outstanding Service" by directors of the Episcopal Church Foundation, Sherrill was a former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, who in 1949 founded the Foundation. The citation reads: "For Excellence Bishop. Scholar. Author. Teacher. Rector. Chaplain. President, House of Deputies. Trustee, Princeton and Wooster Schools, Union Theological Seminary. Dean. Leader. Friend." The silver medal was presented in Boston by the newly elected president of the foundation, Peter Megaree Brown.