European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday january 30, 1993 1 religion the stars and stripes Page 11 anglican Bishops reassure opponents of women priests from hire reports London a the Church of England s Bishops have reassured those who oppose the churches decision to allow ordination of women that they will a remain valued and Loyal members of the anglican  most Bishops Welcome the Prospect of a new gifts which the ministry of women priests will bring to the life of the Church a the Bishops said. But they added a we encourage a willingness on the part of All to listen with respect to the views of those from whom they differ and to afford a recognition of the value and integrity of each others position within the  reach Milestone Salt Lake City the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day saints says it has established its 20,000th congregation. That Honor goes to the Harvest Park Ward organized dec. 6 on mormon Home territory in Salt. Lake City. Ecumenical Leader Dies Philadelphia . Edwin Espy an Early Leader in the world ecumenical movement and general Secretary of the National Council of churches from 1963 to 1973, died Jan. 17 at the. University of Pennsylvania Hospital. He was 84. The american Baptist was an observer Delegate to roman catholicism a reforming second Vatican Council of 1962-65, and was the North american representative for a. Decade to the joint working group of the Vatican and world Council of churches. At the acc he took leadership in setting up regular Liaison Between executives of protestant orthodoxy Judaism and roman catholicism through the National inter religious Council. Born in Portland ore., he was organizing Secretary of the first world conference of Christian youth in Amsterdam Netherlands in 1939. This Lead eventually to the formation in 1948 of the world Council of  translated new York a the american Bible society says the publishing of the gospel of Mark in a language spoken by a half million people in the West african nation of Ivory coast is the 2,000th language in which at least one Book of the Bible has1 been  targets women Oklahoma City a the pastor whose protest got Billy grahams daughter Anne Graham Lotz bumped from speaking at a Southern Baptist evangelism conference also has walked out of a meeting where another woman spoke the daily oklahoman reports. It said the Rev Wayne Keely of Faith Baptist Church in Claremore okla., interrupted Jill Briscoe a popular evangelical women a speaker at a youth conference dec. 30. He pointed his Finger at her and said women do not have authority to preach. He and his group then walked out. His complaints led to Lotze a being dropped from the program of a Jan. 18-19 conference in Oklahoma City. Biblical fundamentalists controlling the Southern Baptist convention maintain women Are excluded from  to cities urged new York a the Union of american hebrew congregations deploring the Quot continuing decay and deterioration of Urban communities increasing violence and growing despair of families Quot has urged president Clinton to give the Urban crisis a High priority on the nations Agenda. Pentecostal Church seeks Fidelity to holiness code Bridgeport Conn. Apr a major pentecostal Church is risking a schism to uphold a code of conduct that disapproves of mixed swimming dances women cutting their hair. And television sets in members Homes. The United pentecostal Church next month will Send letters to its 7,500 ministers requiring them to recommit to its holiness code and other articles of Faith or lose their ministerial licenses. Holiness standards once were a defining part of american pentecostalism. But with the passage of time and the growth of a More affluent and better educated memberships the standards have increasingly been forgotten or ignored in major denominations such As the assemblies of god. Several United pentecostal ministers have declared their intention to resign Over the recent action but officials say its time to take a stand. A we live in a culture today that basically has no morals a said the Rev. David Bradt of the Bridgeport apostolic Church. A your leadership and general constituency arc making a stand and lifting a voice against what they see As  the Hazelwood  United pentecostal source a Church was formed in 1945 with the merger of the pentecostal Church inc. And the pent cos Tal assemblies of Jesus Christ. From fewer than 1,000 churches then the denomination today has More than 3,700 churches in North America. The denominations holiness code expresses wholehearted disapproval of activities consid Rcd not conducive to Good Christian living. These include a a Heaters dances mixed bathing women cutting their hair make up any apparel that immodesty exposes the body All worldly sports and amusements and unwholesome radio programs and  at the United pc Etc costal churches general conference in october conservative leaders said some ministers no longer hold to the standards. The conference approved a Resolution requiring ministers to sign a statement annually restating their adherence to the articles of Faith. Church officials said the code is biblically based. For example women not cutting their hair is based on i corinthians 11 15, which says a if a woman has Long hair it is her  a holiness code following is the text of the holiness standards that Are part of the articles of Faith of the United pentecostal Church we wholeheartedly disapprove of our people indulging in any activities which Are not conducive to Good christianity and godly living such As Heaters dances mixed bathing women cutting their hair makeup any apparel that immodesty exposes the body All worldly sports and amusements and unwholesome radio programs and music. Furthermore because of the display of All these evils on television we  Eft any of our people having televise a Steret i lir Homes a admonish All of our r6practices in the p tend amp i Pope on Sas Edward Godina Oral Roberts quits As president of University hands reins to son Tulsa okla. Apr evangelist Oral Roberts retired wednesday As president of the University that he said god told him to build passing the Mantle to his 44-Ycar-old son. The Oral Roberts University regents unanimously elected Richard Roberts to become the second president of the University which his father founded in 1965. The elder Roberts was named Chancellor by the Board of regents. He said he would hold that Post a for As Long As 1  most of the schools 4,300 undergraduate and graduate students were in the Chapel when Roberts stepped to the podium to announce his retirement. The announcement was met with a thunderous ovation. The succession however was expected. Roberts told students two years ago he would step Down when he turned 75. His birthday was sundays Roberts took his son by the Halls and asked the re ends to stand As he commissioned his son to succeed i in. A you have the calling to be the second president Quot Roberts told him. Richard Roberts was executive vice president and has handled virtually All of the administrative tasks at the University for the past six years. The school which was founded As an Extension of Roberts evangelistic ministry has been besieged with financial troubles Over the past few years. The City of Faith a medical Complex that Oral Roberts said was inspired by a vision from god in the desert was closed in 1989 and sold in december to an undisclosed buyer As the University moved to trim its debt. Roberts lesbian presbyterian minister resigns Watervliet . Apr a presbyterian minister has told her congregation that she is a lesbian and resigned because the Church does not permit avowed homosexuals to be pastors. A in a letter sent to congregation members this month the Rev. Kathleen Buckley 39, said she had to resign from first presbyterian Church of Watervliet North of Albany because of her six year relationship with a woman. News of Buckley a decision was reported wednesday in met Roland Magazine a weekly entertainment Magazine in the Albany area. A it is my firm belief that committed monogamous same sex relationships Are not contrary to gods word or sinful in any Way Buckley wrote. However she Felt she had to resign after a National presbyterian body ruled in november that a Rochester Church could not hire a lesbian As its pastor. Members of Buckley a Church initially voted 55-7 to reject her resignation then agreed to let her leave. Many continue to support her. A there is no one in this room who can legitimately dispute her Call abilities or her professional conduct Church organist Donald Hebert said tuesday at a meeting of Albany presbytery a group of 70 area churches. Buckley a decision was prompted by the ruling of the National churches permanent judicial commission that the Rochester Church could not hire the Rev Jane Spahr of san Anselmo Calif. Spahr said Buckley a decision would educate Church members about homosexuality. A i think that people have to do what s right for them a Spahr said. A but Kathleen said a before 1 go i want you to know truly who 1 am. And what she did made it real for her  Buckley said that she did not want to keep her relationship a secret any longer and that she did not want to drag her Church through a fight Over keeping her Job