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 Broadcast of full communion service to air on Odyssey 

     (ENS) The Odyssey cable network will air a special one-hour program 
highlighting the January 6 inauguration service of full communion between the 
Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on 
the following dates:

*Sunday, January 21, 2:00 p.m. (ET)

*Monday, January 22, 9:30 a.m. (ET)

*Tuesday, January 23, 2:00 p.m. (ET)

     

National Council calls for justice for victims of Korean incident

     (NCC) The National Council of Churches has called the acknowledgment by the 
U.S. government that American soldiers killed refugees at No Gun Ri during the 
Korean War "an important step on the still unfinished journey toward truth, 
justice and healing," according to the Rev. Bob Edgar, general secretary of the 
NCC. But he expressed concern that the Pentagon's report, released January 11, 
does not address demands from survivors and family members for compensation.

     "Until justice is done, there can be no true reconciliation between our two 
peoples and no lasting peace for survivors, victims and their families--or for 
those who killed and wounded innocent civilians," he said. The Army's 
acknowledgment that "an unknown number of Korean civilians were killed or 
injured" by U.S. troops in July 1950 reversed an earlier denial of involvement. 
The NCC and its South Korean counterpart pressed the Pentagon two years ago for a 
response to detailed testimony to the massacre of as many as 400 civilians, most 
of them women, children and the elderly. The incident received worldwide 
attention in September 1999 when the Associated Press documented the massacre in 
a series of reports that were awarded a Pulitzer Prize.

     The AP uncovered documents showing that troops had orders to treat as 
hostile any civilians approaching U.S. positions. "At the time, U.S. forces were 
in retreat, and thousands of refugees fled for their safety as the North Korean 
army advanced south," the AP wrote. 

     

Orthodox churches agree to work together more closely

     (ENI) Fifteen of the 16 Eastern Orthodox churches in the world have agreed 
to work more closely on issues that affect them at a December meeting called by 
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos I at his offices in Istanbul, Turkey. The move 
is likely to enhance his primacy as a "first among equals" in the Orthodox world.

     A statement released after the meeting endorsed ecumenism and dialogue with 
other churches but focused mainly on the need for unity within the Orthodox 
community. However, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow did not attend the meeting, a 
sign of the continuing conflict between the two church leaders, particularly the 
jurisdiction over Orthodox Christians in former Soviet Union nations such as 
Estonia and Ukraine. Ethnic Russians in Estonia, for example, want to retain 
links with the Moscow Patriarchate but native Estonians would prefer to be 
autonomous under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

     The Russians also did not attend a historic liturgy marking the end of 
celebrations for the Christian millenium in the ancient church of St. Sophia, in 
the city once known as Nicaea, where the first and seventh ecumenical councils of 
the undivided church took place in the years 325 and 787. The church is now a 
Turkish government museum but the Orthodox received the highly unusual permission 
to conduct a liturgy there, seen by some as a thawing of relationships between 
the church and government. 

     

Bishop Epting sets agenda for new position

     (ENI) Bishop Christopher Epting, the newly appointed officer for ecumenical 
and interfaith relations for the Episcopal Church, has vowed to make the 
strengthening of Christian-Jewish-Muslim relations, and improving ties between 
Episcopalians and Orthodox Christians, some of his ecumenical priorities.

     Epting, currently Bishop of Iowa, said, "The ecumenical movement is alive 
and well locally, and the grassroots are leading the way."

     He said that local American churchgoers often "scratch their heads" at 
theological disagreements among churches at the national and international level. 
He added that interfaith dialogue among Christians, Jews and Muslims was at an 
important juncture, particularly given the sensitive situation in the Middle 
East, and that Anglicans could play an important role in "a fair balance " of 
dialogue between people of the three Abrahamic faiths. The role, he said, could 
serve the Episcopal Church well in ongoing dialogue with Eastern Churches.

     Epting will assume his new position in April.

     

Kanuga sets $6 million as fundraising goal for 2001

     (ENS) After surpassing last year's fundraising goal of $5 million, for 
endowment, Kanuga's board of directors decided to set a minimum goal of $6 
million for this year.

     "That our people have given so generously and enthusiastically is a most 
encouraging vote of confidence in Kanuga, its people, its programs, and its plans 
for the future," said Sally Bet Gehman, chairperson of the board.

     Areas addressed by the endowment include Camp Bob Summer, an outreach 
camping program, scholarships, facilities and property maintenance, Camp Kanuga 
and a general outreach program.

     "It is pleasing that not only have people given generously but that they 
have done so enthusiastically, indicative of pride in Kanuga," said Albert Gooch, 
Jr., president of Kanuga. "It was done by friend calling on friend to tell the 
story. Now we will call on the rest of Kanuga's friends to tell that story."

     

Church Pension fund announces increases for 2001

     (ENS) A base 4% cost of living adjustment combined with an additional .25% 
increase for every year of retirement were recently approved by the Church 
Pension Fund's Board of Trustees.

     "We are thankful to have been able to increase benefits every year since 
1980, and delighted to be able to be especially generous for 2001," said Alan 
Blanchard, president of the fund.

     Clergy and surviving spouses will receive these increases through the clergy 
pension plan. Lay employees retired from the Episcopal Church lay employees' 
retirement plan will receive identical increases. In addition, benefits paid to 
dependent children of deceased clergy will be increased by 4%.

     These increases come at a time when the Church Pension Fund's new advisory 
committee on pension fund abundance has begun deliberating about the use of the 
resources made available by the fund's recent investment returns.

     The additional increase of .25% for each year a clergyperson has been 
retired will begin to address the benefit disparity between beneficiaries who 
have been retired the longest and the more recently retired.

     

CREDO program supporting clergy

     (ENS) The CREDO ( Clergy, Reflection, Education, Discernment, Opportunity) 
program, developed and piloted by the Church Pension Fund, provides opportunities 
in a conference setting for priests and bishops to reflect on significant areas 
of their lives and to prayerfully discern the future of their vocations.

     "The mental, physical and spiritual well-being of our clergy is of utmost 
importance to the life and health of the Episcopal Church, and the CREDO program 
addresses those issues in meaningful and systemic ways," said William S. 
Craddock, Jr., CREDO Institute, Inc.'s managing director.

     Each eight-day conference is led by a trained faculty team, and there is 
extensive pre- and post-conference assessment and follow-up. Participants report 
that they return home renewed, energized, and eager to resume their work with new 
focus and enthusiasm.

     "In addition to clergy renewal, CREDO offers a wonderful opportunity for us 
to forge alliances with other Episcopal organizations in order to better support 
education and leadership within the church," Craddock added.

     One such alliance, with the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF), is already in 
place, and more are anticipated. At its May 2000 meeting, the ECF Board of 
Directors approved a five-year funding contribution totaling $500,000 to support 
the work.

     Bernard Milano, president of the ECF Board, said, "The foundation, with its 
history of promoting clergy wellness, has been supportive of CREDO since its 
earliest pilot phase. It seems fitting, as CREDO enters its next stage of 
development, that we now offer financial support as well."

     CREDO participants are randomly selected from the Church Pension Fund clergy 
database. During the pilot phase, clergy with a minimum of 10 years of active 
service and at least 10 years before normal retirement age are eligible. Nearly 
180 clergy attended CREDO conferences in 2000, and a five-year plan projects over 
500 yearly attendees by 2005.

     Eventually, all clergy will have the opportunity to attend CREDO conferences 
every 10 years or so throughout the course of their careers.