COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31003, 8 March 1966, Page 18

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

First Russian Appointed The first appointment of a Russian to a department of the World Council of Churches, and the first appointment of an African to head the council’s division of World Mission and Evangelism, were made at the recent meeting of the Central Council in Geneva, said the secretary of the New Zealand Council of Churches, the Rev. D. M. Taylor. Mr Taylor has just returned from a six weeks’ overseas visit, during which he attended the council meeting and called on church authorities in several countries. Archpriest Borovoy had of the World Council’s Faith been appointed to the staff and Order Department, Mr Taylor said. He was the first Russian ever to be appointed to a World Council of Churches position. The new director of the council’s World Mission and Evangelism Division was Mr Philip Potter, who is of West Indian descent, and is at present the .secretary' for Africa in the Methodist Mission Society, based in London. He would be unable to take up his new position until September, and Mr A. A. Brash, a former general secretary of the New Zealand Council of Churches, has been asked to direct the division for the six months interim. This was a great tribute to Mr Brash, Mr Taylor said.