Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:2
Philippians 1:2
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Welcome!
The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has reorganized and is carrying forward the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as generations of Episcopalians in South Carolina have done since 1789, confident that by moving forward together in unity and faith, with God's help, we will flourish. Your participation in the life of our diocese and its parishes, missions and worshiping communities is encouraged. The Episcopal Church always welcomes you! The powerful words of a beloved bishop of South Carolina speak poignantly to us as we continue to rebuild: “We should strive for unity, not uniformity. Uniformity is mechanical, barren, unfruitful, and unprofitable. Unity is organic, living, and capable of endless growth. If we are to be truly catholic, as Christ himself is catholic, then we must have a church broad enough to embrace within its communion every living human soul.” The Right Reverend William Alexander Guerry (1861-1928) 
Celebrating Easter
A message from Bishop Adams "This central Christian proclamation, Jesus is Risen, is essential to Christian faith because it is there we place our ultimate hope," Bishop Skip Adams says in his Easter message. Read the message here. Read the Bishop's reflections on seasons and feast days of the church year on the Bishop's blog, along with his sermons and other messages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to receive all Bishop Adams' messages via email. The 2018 Forma Conference in Charleston
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's
visit to our Diocese On Friday, January 26, The Episcopal Church in South Carolina welcomed Presiding Bishop Michael Curry to Charleston to preach at the 2018 Forma Conference's closing Eucharist at Grace Church Cathedral. Video of the service can be viewed above. (The link will take you directly to Bishop Curry's powerful sermon at 37:46... but you can watch the entire service, too! Find the service bulletin here so you can follow along.) Mediation update: January 12, 2018
Parties met for the fourth day of mediation on January 12, 2018. Although not resolved, the parties agreed to move forward with good faith mediation efforts to amicably resolve the case. Legal news and updates can be found here. The South Carolina Supreme Court Decision
and a Statement from Bishop Adams November 19, 2017 Ruling in favor of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina, the South Carolina Supreme Court has denied two motions from a disassociated group and upheld its August 2 decision that property and assets of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, and most of its parishes, must remain with The Episcopal Church. The orders, dated Friday, November 17, can be found here: Denial of rehearing motion Denial of recusal motion Friday’s rulings reject two motions that were filed by a breakaway group that left The Episcopal Church in 2012. One sought a rehearing of the case, while the other asked that Justice Kaye Hearn, one of the five justices who wrote the opinion, be recused, and her opinion vacated. The court voted 2-2 on the rehearing motion; a majority would have been required in order to grant a rehearing. Justice Hearn did not vote. The court voted unanimously to deny the motion seeking Justice Hearn’s recusal. Justice Jean Toal, who was serving as Chief Justice at the time the court heard the case, noted that "an adverse decision is no reason to excuse a nearly two-and-a-half year delay in making a request for recusal." "While I make no criticism of the respondents' lawyers for filing the motions to recuse and for vacature, I am disappointed in the tone of these filings. They are unreasonable harsh criticisms of a highly accomplished judge and a person of great decency and integrity," Justice Toal said. Statement from Bishop Adams The Episcopal Church in South Carolina We give thanks for the clarity that the State Supreme Court’s decision provides and we are grateful for the thoughtful and difficult work the justices have undertaken in this case. From the time this lawsuit was filed against The Episcopal Church, the hope of reconciliation has been our guiding principle. We believe this is what the Lord Jesus would expect of us and it is consistent with the teachings of St. Paul who said in his second letter to the Church in Corinth, “All this is from God, who reconciled himself to us in Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” We renew our commitment to this hard work of reconciliation in the days to come. We understand that the many people in the parishes affected by this ruling may be experiencing pain, fear and confusion. Let me say to all that The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is committed to finding a path that will allow the people of God to continue to live their lives as a part of the Anglican Communion in and through the Episcopal Church. As a former Bishop of South Carolina, William Alexander Guerry, said more than 100 years ago, “If we are to be truly catholic, as Christ himself is catholic, then we must have a Church broad enough to embrace within its communion every living human soul.” The Episcopal Church seeks to be an expression of faith in Christ that welcomes all to his expansive Table. Our prayer is that every person in every parish of the Diocese will join in working and praying together to bring healing to the Church, the Body of Christ, in this part of South Carolina. The Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. Adams III Bishop, The Episcopal Church in South Carolina South Carolina Supreme Court Decision
Read the August 2 decision here. Important facts to understand about the decision A history and timeline of our diocese 
Celebrating an Ordination
Jason Daniel Roberson was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests on Saturday, November 18 at Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church in Pawleys Island. Above, Bishop Skip Adams introduced the newly ordained Father Jason to applause from the congregation. See more photos of the day here. 
Connect a student
with campus ministry Do you know a student who's at college in South Carolina? Help connect them with Episcopal campus ministries at their schools by visiting our College Ministry Page. You'll find links and contact information for campus ministries for both of the Episcopal Church's dioceses in South Carolina, covering public and private colleges and universities across the state. 
Returning priest welcomed
through reinstatement The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has welcomed a returning priest back into good standing in The Episcopal Church through a reconciliation process designed for clergy who left following the 2012 split in eastern South Carolina. In a brief liturgy on November 11, 2016, the Reverend Matthew Wright McCormick reaffirmed the vows he took at his ordination to the priesthood in 2008. He also signed a formal declaration promising to conform to the doctrine, discipline and worship of The Episcopal Church. The reinstatement liturgy, led by the Right Reverend Gladstone B. (Skip) Adams, Bishop of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina, took place at Grace Church Cathedral. “It gives me great joy to welcome Father McCormick back into the fold of The Episcopal Church, Bishop Adams said. “ I take very seriously my responsibility as bishop to be a bridge builder, believing that all things are being reconciled through Christ as God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. This act by Matt is a sign of that grace and love as seen in Jesus.” Read more here. |
Easter 2018Palm Sunday and Holy Week, 2018March for Our Lives in South Carolina
Bishop Skip Adams and people from our diocese joined in marches across South Carolina and the US on Saturday, March 24, calling for an end to gun violence. Learn more here.
Renewal of Ordination Vows:
The Bishop's Sermon What role does memory play in the life of faith? Preaching at the annual renewal of ordination vows for clergy of our diocese, Bishop Skip Adams said that one of the central responsibilities of being a deacon, priest, or bishop "is to help the people of God to remember." Watch the video above, and find the text of his sermon here. 
Clergy of our diocese assembled for the Renewal of Vows liturgy at historic Calvary Episcopal Church in Charleston. See more photos here.
Looking for a church?
For a list of Episcopal parishes and missions, click here. The map below shows the parishes and missions of The Episcopal Church in our diocese. Click on the map for a larger view, or download a printable PDF version. Make a donation
Your support for The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is greatly appreciated! We're now able to accept online gifts to the diocese via AccessACS, our database/giving tool. To begin, click the button below. Planning ahead for year-end giving? Check out these tips on our giving page.) 
Learning about The Episcopal Church
Want to understand more about the history and governance of The Episcopal Church – how it came to be, and how it makes decisions? For an authoritative look at these important topics, you'll want to read "A Primer on the government of The Episcopal Church and its underlying theology," a report offered by the Ecclesiology Committee of the House of Bishops. Find the report here. Supporting Episcopal Relief & Development
Episcopal Relief & Development is responding in the aftermath of hurricanes in the US and Caribbean, part of its effort to 'heal a hurting world.' To make a gift directly to the hurricane relief fund, visit this link. To mail your gift, send a check to Episcopal Relief & Development, P.O. Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. Planning a special Sunday for
Episcopal Relief & Development Grace Church Cathedral is featured in a video filmed by Episcopal Relief & Development last spring, which is now being shown on their website as way to encourage churches to plan a special Sunday to support the work that Episcopal Relief & Development is doing to heal a hurting world. Grace observes a special Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday four times a year, whenever there is a fifth Sunday in a month. The congregation has long been a leader among Episcopal churches in giving to the organization: Since Labor Day, people there have given more than $60,000 to hurricane relief. Planning assistance available Many churches find that designating a Sunday for Episcopal Relief & Development is a great way to call attention to the good work being done. If your congregation would like to do this, please contact Mary Person, at SC.ERD.Rep@gmail.com or 843-478-4762. Mary is happy to discuss resources available to you from Episcopal Relief & Development is available to speak to congregations about what this organization does.  Bishop Guerry, shown here in an early photo, was the Eighth Bishop of South Carolina.
Remembering Bishop Guerry
The Episcopal Church in South Carolina remembers William Alexander Guerry as Bishop, Reformer and Martyr each year in June, as we continue to share the remarkable story of our 8th Bishop. June 24, 2018 will be the next official observance of Bishop Guerry Day in our diocese. Readings and prayers for Bishop Guerry's feast day are available here to be used in congregations across the diocese. Bishop Guerry died June 9, 1928, five days after being shot in his office by a priest who had attacked the bishop’s position on advancing racial equality in South Carolina, and his proposal to install a black suffragan bishop in the diocese. The priest then took his own life. Bishop Guerry, in the hospital before he died, said of his assailant, “Forgive him, Father, he knew not what he did.” Learn more about Bishop Guerry here. A Prayer for Reconciliation
Gracious and loving God of justice and compassion: We pray for your church caught in a crushing schism in South Carolina. We believe that you favor reconciliation in all situations; and we ask you to be with all parties involved in the case. We pray especially for the Justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court and the attorneys arguing the case: surround them all with your love and your truth; and bring this process to a just conclusion. Give all of us strength and courage to act and pray in ways that can lead toward reconciliation. Help us be agents of your reconciliation with our friends on both sides of this dispute. We ask all this in the Name of the Holy Reconciler, Jesus your Son. Amen. |
