Sayre, John Nevin

(Feb. 4, 1884-Sept. 13, 1977). Founder of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. He was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Sayre received his B.A. from Princeton in 1907 and his B.D. from Union Theological Seminary, New York, in 1910. He was ordained deacon on Oct. 31, 1911, and priest on Nov. 7, 1912. In 1911-1912 and 1914-1915, Sayre was an instructor at Princeton. In 1913 he was a missionary in the Missionary District of Kankow, China. From 1915 until 1916 he was assistant minister, and from 1916 until 1919 he was rector of Christ Church, Suffern, New York. Sayre was a founding member of the American branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in 1915. He then served as its director from 1924 until 1935. In 1939 Sayre convened a meeting of like-minded members of the Episcopal Church which led to the formal establishment of the Episcopal Pacifist (now Peace) Fellowship. He served as its national chair, 1962-1967. His commitment to peace and active non-violent alternatives to war shaped the EPF. Sayre was chairman of the International Fellowship of Witness, 1935-1955, and president of the National Peace Conference, 1935-1938. In recognition of Sayre's life and work in the cause of peace, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship established the John Nevin Sayre peacemakers' award. Its first presentation was made during the General Convention on Sept. 13, 1979, the second anniversary of Sayre's death. He died in South Nyack, New York. See Fellowship of Reconciliation, The (FOR); see Episcopal Peace Fellowship, The (EPF); see Pacifism.