wfn.org | Episcopalians: News Briefs

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May 7, 2002

2002-113

Episcopalians: News Briefs

Protestant Hour' to become Day 1', launch TV version

(EMC) Just as it celebrates its 57th anniversary of weekly radio 
broadcasts, "The Protestant Hour" will experience momentous 
changes beginning July 7, when the Atlanta-based radio ministry 
launches a television version, adopts a new program name, and 
welcomes a fifth denomination--the United Church of Christ--to a 
production partnership that includes the Episcopal Media Center, 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian 
Church (U.S.A.), and the United Methodist Church.

The new "Day 1" television program will air at 10 a.m. as a 
segment of "America at Worship," a morning of preaching, music, 
and worship from great congregations and ministries across the 
nation. "America at Worship" airs on Hallmark Channel Sundays 
from 9 a.m. to noon, ET/PT. 

"Day 1" is the new name for the long-running radio series as 
well as the new television program, effective in July.

Produced in association with Faith & Values Media, "Day 1" will 
feature highlights from the sermon presented on the radio 
program and Web site each week, as well as a panel discussion by 
representatives from the five participating denominations 
examining the sermon's Scripture passages.

"Day 1' will bring an exciting new source of high-quality 
preaching and discussion to America at Worship,'" said Edward 
J. Murray, president and CEO of Faith & Values Media. 
"Partnership with the Day 1' producers ensures that Faith & 
Values Media's Sunday worship presence will bring viewers the 
richest variety of inspiration, prayer, and preaching to be 
found anywhere on Sunday morning television." 

The Protestant Hour, Inc., also recently launched a redesigned 
version of its popular Web site, available at 
www.protestanthour.com and www.day1.net. 

CWS webcasts on interfaith disaster response

(CWS) In communities across America, in one of the continuing 
tragedies of the September 11 attacks, neighbors regard each 
other with heightened suspicion. A May 20 event sponsored by 
Church World Service will address these challenges, beginning 
with hearing American Muslims speak about their experiences 
after the attacks, then moving to consider next steps in 
building interfaith bridges. How does the Muslim community want 
to be understood? How can Christians work with Muslims in the 
U.S. to bridge what appears to be a growing divide? How can 
these faith groups work together in times of disaster to 
strengthen and build better communities?

The discussion will take place May 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. ET, in 
the studios of Detroit's WXYZ, Channel 7. It will be Webcast 
live on FaithandValues.com. Viewers may interact with the panel 
by email to webcast@faithandvalues.com. Additional support comes 
from the Christian Council of Metropolitan Detroit, Channel 7, 
FaithandValues.com and Pacific Media Ministries.

Panelists include: The Rev. Dr. Charles Mabee, author of 
Reading Sacred Texts through American Eyes and 
Reimagining America; Victor Begg, president of the Unity 
Center Mosque, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and vice-chair of the 
state's Council of Islamic Organizations; Imam Hassan Qazwini, 
religious leader of the Islamic Center of America in Detroit; 
and Dr. Abdul Hakim Jackson, associate professor of Arabic and 
Islamic studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 
Broadcast journalist Arthur Cribbs Jr. moderates the panel. 

Ecumenical CLF bulb project spares the atmosphere

(CWS) Question: How many people of faith does it take to screw 
in a light bulb? Answer: Only one, but the bulb should be a CFL 
(compact fluorescent light).

That line gets a chuckle from people involved in an ecumenical 
project to promote the use of energy-efficient and long-lasting 
CFL bulbs as an effective way to protect God's creation from 
pollutants in the atmosphere. Called "A Bright Idea," the 
project encourages youth groups in congregations to sell CFLs as 
a way to accomplish two goals at once: to do something for the 
environment and to raise funds for youth group activities. "A 
Bright Idea" is a project of the National Council of Churches' 
Eco-Justice Working Group in cooperation with several 
participating denominations and with Brethren Press, the 
publishing house of the Church of the Brethren, which is 
handling marketing and distribution.

Since its debut last summer, the program has enlisted youth 
groups in 62 congregations in 20 states, according to Russ 
Matteson of Brethren Press. Participants come from a dozen 
denominations. The groups have sold 5,000 CFLs to date, Matteson 
reports.

Over the life of these bulbs, more than 2 million pounds of 
carbon dioxide will be kept from polluting the atmosphere, 
illustrating the impact that CFL use can make on slowing the 
pace of climate change. The 5,000 bulbs also represent a 
reduction of 656 pounds of soot, 15,750 pounds of sulfur dioxide 
and 8,550 pounds of nitrogen oxide.

Among the many CFL-related anecdotes that Anne D. Burt, 
coordinator for Maine's Interfaith Climate Change Initiative, 
has collected during this effort is the story of St. Paul's 
Episcopal Church in Brunswick, Maine, whose social hall is 
lighted by wrought iron chandeliers. "St Paul's installed the 
twister-type CFL to beautiful effect; it actually enhanced the 
look of the chandeliers," she said. "But the light was so much 
brighter that it revealed dingy walls and they decided that they 
need to paint!"

For more information about "A Bright Idea," contact Russ 
Matteson at Youth CFL Project, 1451 Dundee Avenue, Elgin, IL 
60120, or visit the 
project web site.

Budget cuts force reduction in Presbyterian staffing and 
missionary work

(ENI) The Presbyterian Church (USA) is cutting funding and 
personnel for overseas missions programs by 10 per cent as a 
result of a $5.3 million budget cut. A $130 million budget for 
2003 eliminates the jobs of 43 national staff members and 34 
long-term mission workers. 

"A lot of people are jumping to the conclusion we are doing this 
because church members are withholding money," the PCUSA's 
associate director for communication, Gary Luhr, told ENI. "That 
simply is not true." Luhr gave two main reasons for the cuts: a 
shortfall in revenues due to a loss on endowment funds and 
investments, and a vote to establish two new mission initiatives 
which required shifting funds away from current mission 
programs. 

The two new mission initiatives are a $500,000 denomination-wide 
educational program on the Bible, the sacraments and the meaning 
of being Presbyterian, and a $1 million effort to support a $40 
million fund-raising drive for new church development, 
racial-ethnic church growth and more postings for mission 
personnel. 

Officials distributed termination notices on April 29, with 
staff required to vacate their offices by May 3. Two additional 
positions will be eliminated by the end of the year. Twenty-one 
vacant positions were also cut. 

Court finds church autonomy doctrine permits firing of 
Colorado youth minister

(ENS) The church autonomy doctrine prevents a Colorado youth 
minister, terminated because she is a lesbian, from bringing 
claims of sexual harassment and violations of civil rights 
against the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled April 30 
in Bryce v. Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Colorado (10th 
Cir., No. 00-1515, 4/30/02) rejecting the claims of youth 
minister Lee Ann Bryce and her partner, the Rev. Sara D. Smith, 
against the Colorado diocese and St. Aidan's Episcopal Church on 
the grounds that religious institutions are protected under the 
church autonomy doctrine that allows churches and religious 
organizations to make decisions about their own internal 
affairs. 

Neither Bryce nor Smith are members of the Episcopal Church. 
Smith is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ 
(UCC). Bryce and Smith had a civil commitment ceremony in 
November 1998. In January 1999, St. Aidan's priest and lay 
leaders learned about the commitment ceremony and informed her 
that she would be terminated as youth minister because she 
violated Episcopal doctrine that opposed sexual relationships 
outside of marriages. She was offered an adult education 
position until the end of 1999. 

"The plaintiffs ask this court to insert itself into a 
theological discussion about the church's doctrine and policy 
towards homosexuals[,] one of the most important ongoing 
dialogues in many churches today," Judge Deanell Reece Tacha 
wrote for the court. "We decline to do so." The court found that 
the church autonomy doctrine "prohibits civil court review of 
internal church disputes involving matters of faith, doctrine, 
church governance, and polity" and that as long as the hiring 
decisions were made for "ecclesiastical" and not secular 
reasons, the courts should not interfere with the decisions of a 
church. In rejecting the appeal, the Tenth Circuit found that, 
although some comments by church leaders could be viewed as 
"offensive" and incorrect, the statements "fall squarely" into 
church governance and First Amendment rights. 

General Seminary chapel featured on prime time television

(GTS) For the first time in its history the General Theological 
Seminary (GTS) has permitted commercial film production in the 
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, a landmarked space where 
seminarians have worshiped faithfully each day for the last 114 
years. Personnel from "Third Watch," a drama series now its 
third season, spent an entire day filming in the chapel in 
mid-April. The prime time series centers around the daily life 
of New York City police, paramedics and firefighters on the 
"third watch," the shift from 3-11pm and is the work of the 
award-winning producers of "ER" and "The West Wing." The episode 
featuring the GTS Chapel aired on NBC May 6.

Although many locations at the seminary have been used for film 
production in recent years, filming in the chapel has always 
been off-limits. The "Third Watch" story line and its connection 
with the death of a firefighter on September 11 persuaded the 
seminary's dean, the Rev. Ward B. Ewing, to make an exception. 

"So many of our students, faculty, and staff members helped with 
the relief effort in the weeks following 9/11 -- and continue to 
serve as chaplains and volunteers -- that we felt helping with 
the production of this tribute to those who had died was a 
worthy enterprise," Ewing said. 

The dean also based his decision on the critical acclaim the 
program has received as well as an agreement reached with the 
producers that the ceremonies portrayed in the episode would be 
those of the Episcopal Church. GTS doctoral student the Rev. J. 
Barrington Bates was asked by the producers to appear as the 
on-camera officiant and four current GTS students, Jay Rozendaal 
(Olympia), Heather Patton-Graham (Delaware), the Rev. Iris 
Peterson (Bethlehem), and Laurie Brock (Central Gulf Coast) 
appear in the episode as acolytes and assisting ministers. A 
number of GTS students also served as "extras" in the scenes 
taking place outside the chapel. 

"I knew we had found the right space as soon as I walked in," 
said "Third Watch" producer Brooke Kennedy, who also directed 
the episode. "There's an unmistakable sense of holiness here -- 
a hallowed ambience that I hope we can capture on film." 

CSW says women still struggling for parity in the church

(ENS) "There has been some improvement" in the status of women 
in the Episcopal Church in the last 15 years, but a survey 
sponsored by the Executive Council's Committee on the Status of 
Women indicates that full parity for women is still in the 
future.

"Historically, religion has provided the theological and ethical 
ballast for sexual inequality and continues to do so to the 
degree that its present theology, structures and practices 
reinforce belief in male dominance--whether the issue is hold 
elected or appointed office, equal pay for equal work or serving 
as a priest or bishop," said committee chair Sally Bucklee of 
the Diocese of Washington. "So, the two surveys (1987 and 2002) 
measure how the Episcopal Church is progressing in assuring the 
full participation of women in Christ's ministry and mission."

Dr. Adair Lummis of the Hartford Seminary distributed the 
results of the survey Reaching Toward Wholeness II to the 
chairs of the 18 dioceses which participated in updating 
information from the committee's report to the 1988 General 
Convention. Diocesan chairs had an opportunity to compare data 
from their individual dioceses as well as to examine it through 
the lens of the national totals. They had randomly distributed 
surveys to 300 women and100 men in each of their dioceses and 
distributed an additional 50 questionnaires to local leaders. 

"The diocesan chairs got onboard quickly with each other, 
comparing data, asking questions, probing beneath the 
percentages in order to make informed statements about what is 
going on in their dioceses regarding women's participation and 
acceptance," said Marjorie Burke of the Diocese of New 
Hampshire, project manager for the survey." While initial 
reading of the statistics show some improvement since 1987, a 
more in-depth look indicates there is still much work to be 
done." 

While the numbers seem to indicate a greater acceptance of women 
in leadership roles, some of the discrepancies merit further 
study, according to the committee. Among the issues identified 
for closer examination was the disparity in salaries between 
ordained women and men. There were also differences between the 
responders' points of view and those they perceived to be the 
opinions of other members of their congregations. The general 
lack of interest in areas which fall into the categories of 
adult education and outreach ministry also beg for a closer 
look.

The 18 dioceses participating in the survey were a 
representative cross-section of the church

 rural and urban, small and large, traditional and 
progressive, and from every province. The Rev. Virginia 
Brown-Nolan of the Diocese of Washington will be the writer of 
the report sent to all bishops, deputies and Triennial delegates 
prior to the Minneapolis General Convention. 

Associated Parishes issues challenge to reclaim Jesus' 
ministry

(ENS) Out of the experiences of September 11 and its aftermath, 
as well as an encounter with First Nations people, the Council 
of Associated Parishes for Liturgy & Mission concluded its 
meeting at the Sorrento Conference Center of the Anglican Church 
of Canada, near Kamloops, British Columbia with a statement 
challenging the church to reclaim the mission of Jesus. 

Council members responded to an invitation to speak of their own 
reactions to the events of September 11. AP's president, the 
Rev. Clayton Crawley, Sr., vice president of the Church Pension 
Group, told of his moving experiences as a volunteer chaplain.

The Most Rev. David P. Crawley, metropolitan of the Province of 
British Columbia and Yukon and archbishop of Kootenay, gave a 
frank talk about the continuing controversy over residential 
schools, which resulted in the dissolution of the Diocese of 
Cariboo and the resignation of its bishop. Churches in the 
former diocese are continuing to function, but without the 
normal infrastructure. Overall responsibility rests in the hands 
of Archbishop Crawley as metropolitan.

Council members attended Eucharist at a small First Nations 
parish church on the outskirts of Merritt and were invited to 
lunch by parishioners in the adjacent parish hall. A visit was 
then paid to Lytton, site of some of the more egregious offenses 
against residential school students. Most of the buildings of 
the residential school were burned some years ago in a fire; the 
old stone chapel, scene of the some of the acts of abuse 
inflicted upon the students, is still standing deserted. It has 
since been deconsecrated.

In token of its increased concern with mission, the council 
agreed to use the initials APLM (Associated Parishes for Liturgy 
& Mission) in future instead of the familiar "AP."

Michigan priest returns to parish 

(ENS) A "negotiated conclusion" has been reached by the Rev. 
Edward L. Mullins, Michigan bishop Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr. and the 
wardens and vestry of Christ Church Cranbrook in Bloomfield 
Hills, Michigan. Mullins returned to the pulpit on April 28.

Mullins was inhibited in February while the diocese investigated 
complaints that he had plagiarized sermons and violated 
parishioners' confidentiality. A group of 13 church staff 
members notified Mullins that they were unable to work with him, 
and a group of eight parishioners filed a formal complaint with 
the bishop. 

The resolution between the church's leadership, the bishop and 
Mullins includes agreements that a written apology will be sent 
to each person who sent a letter to the diocesan review 
committee alleging plagiarism, as well as to each person who 
alleged that there had been a breach of confidentiality, 
indicating that Mullins did not believe there was any breach of 
confidentiality. In addition, Mullins must acknowledge sources 
of materials used in sermons and other published works; continue 
to work with an action planning committee to implement its 
recommendations as approved by the vestry; and must make clear 
which situations involve confidential communication and what 
limits exist on any confidentiality promised.

"It is now time for all concerned to turn to healing the 
divisions that exist both inside and outside Christ Church 
Cranbrook so that Christ's mission through the Church will not 
be obscured by continued controversy," the statement concluded.

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