The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA, the Most Revd Frank Griswold, announced on Friday, 7th July, that the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief would from now on be known as Episcopal Relief and Development.

Applause greeted the announcement, which was made during a special lunch, which marked the 60th anniversary of the fund, held in the Hyatt Regency hotel in Denver, Colorado. Guests included many of those attending the ECUSA triennial General Convention in the city.

"The present name, though historic, is cumbersome," said the Presiding Bishop. "In fact, a number of newspapers will not carry it because it is so long, and in no way does it identify the Episcopal Church."

The change of name was made "in the interests of clarity and simplicity, and to capture something of the new direction of the fund in the area of development," Bishop Griswold said.

"Emergency relief has always been a focus of our work and will remain so," said Sandra Swan, executive director of Episcopal Relief and Development. "But we know that well-defined development programs that attack the root causes of poverty and disease can sometimes prevent emergencies, so we are expanding our work in this development area."

Sandra Swan also stressed the agency's desire to emphasize its identity with the Episcopal Church. "We serve as the bridge between concerned Episcopalians and people in need in the United States and abroad. We work on behalf of each member of the church and our name should reflect that connection," she said.

Last year contributions to the fund topped $10 million for the first time, and the fund has more than tripled in just three years.

Item from: Convention Daily