wfn.org | Episcopal News Service Briefs

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2001-293

Faith and Values sponsoring interactive session on responses to terrorism

     (ENS) Faith and Values.com is gathering a panel of religious leaders for an 
interactive session on "Faith in the Face of Terror," October 22 from 10am to 2pm. It 
will be streamed live and on-demand over the Internet at www.faithandvalues.com. The 
program will offer ideas, resources and responses to the tragic events of September 11. 

     In addition to sharing stories, panelists will address such questions as: How does 
faith contribute to terrorism? How has our individual faith been strengthened or 
weakened? In a pluralistic society, what are the options for multi-faith responses to 
this tragedy? How do we balance our response to terrorism in the face of continuing 
social issues at home and abroad?

     Panelists include Dr. Arthur Caliandro of New York's Marble Collegiate Church; Dr. 
Ingrid Mattson, an Islamic scholar at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut; Edward J. 
Murray, president of Faith and Values Media; Harrison Rainie, director of Pew Internet 
and the American Life Project; and Dr. Robert Reccord, president of the North American 
Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

     The report of the session will be available for downloading, without charge, at 
www.faithandvalues.com

     

Episcopal Relief and Development increases grants in wake of terrorist attacks

     (ENS) Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) approved an additional grant of 
$100,000 to the Diocese of New York for rescue workers at Ground Zero, site of the 
terrorist attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center in New York. The grant will 
continue to provide emergency food and clothing supplies for the rescue workers at the 
Respite Center operated by St. Paul's Chapel and the General Theological Seminary. St. 
Paul's maintains a well-stocked canteen and place of refuge and prayer for rescue 
crews.

     The Diocese of Virginia has received a $25,000 ERD grant to provide support for 
workers at Reagan National Airport affected by the terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

     ERD also approved $25,000 emergency grants to the Diocese of Lexington in the wake 
of floods in eastern Kentucky; to the Episcopal Church in the Philippines in the 
aftermath of damage caused by a typhoon; and to the Episcopal Church in Honduras for 
drought relief that has devastated the country's agricultural sector.

     

Educational series will help Episcopalians think about money

     (ENS) After a year of exploring ways that money affects the life of Christians, a 
task force of lay and clergy Episcopalians around the country has proposed a new 
multimedia educational series called "Rich at Heart: Making Peace with Money." The 
multimedia series will be developed by the Episcopal Media Center in Atlanta. It will 
be responsible for developing the scripts and seeking funds, while relying on the task 
force for ideas, support and feedback.

     In the wake of a drop in the stock market, and an outpouring of contributions for 
those caught in the terrorist attacks of September 11 in New York and the Pentagon, 
"Money is on everybody's mind now," said the Rev. David Fisher of Evanston, Illinois, 
who will serve as editor for the project. 

     "People are taking inventory," said Terry Parsons, stewardship coordinator at the 
Episcopal Church Center in New York. "It's a great time to talk about money." Ken 
Quigley of Morehouse Group in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a member of the task force, 
added that "people are reflecting on what really matters. Today we are understanding in 
new ways the wealth of America versus the needs of the world."

     

Many Australian clergy showing signs of burnout

     (ENI) A survey of clergy in Australian churches is showing that nearly eight out 
of 10 are having trouble coping with the stresses of their profession, many near 
"burnout." While only 4 percent said they were suffering from extreme burnout, another 
19 percent found burnout a factor in their lives and another 56 percent were 
"borderline to burnout."

     More than half of those surveyed believe that their training had been seriously 
inadequate. The survey revealed that 12 percent of Anglican clergy regularly considered 
leaving the ministry and a similar percentage said that they were not suited to their 
jobs.

     The survey was conducted in 1996 and involved 324,000 people attending 6,900 
congregations in 20 Anglican and Protestant denominations. The survey was designed to 
develop questions that would provide a picture of the health and attitudes of Christian 
congregations and clergy.

     "One constellation of risk factors relates to the person themselves, another to 
their parish and church environment, and the third to their leadership style, said 
Peter Kaldor, author of a book on the results. 

     The clergy least likely to suffer from burnout rated the quality of their marriage 
and family life as high, were in good health, did not feel socially isolated, still had 
a strong sense of personal calling and were not burdened by financial problems.

     Inward-looking congregations were more "dangerous" for their leaders than those 
with links to the broader community life, according to the survey. Congregations with a 
sense of vision, and those who related their worship to contemporary society, helped 
clergy to avoid burnout.

     "The role expected of clergy has changed very fast," said Kaldor. "Different 
groups might want different things from their priest. Clergy can get stuck in the role 
of trying to be all things to all people."