The Episcopal Church in South Carolina

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:2

ERD 2013 Tornado Response

Episcopal Relief & Development has been in contact with local partners in the Episcopal dioceses of Fort Worth and Oklahoma following tornadoes on May 16 and May 20 that caused severe damage and loss of life. Along with our Presiding Bishop and Bishop vonRosenberg, ERD encourages prayers for those affected, and for first responders who are providing immediate assistance.
Learn more about Episcopal Relief and Development and the 2013 Tornado Response on our Outreach Page.

Welcome!

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is continuing. We are reorganizing with renewed dedication to carry forward the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as prior generations have done since 1789. We have much to do and many challenges to meet, but we are confident that by moving forward together in unity and faith, with God's help, we will flourish.

Your participation in this new ministry is encouraged. The Episcopal Church always welcomes you!

The powerful words of a beloved bishop of South Carolina speak poignantly to us now in this time of our rebuilding:

“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)

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 PayPal. To begin, click the button below.

Update: May 2, 2013
Breakaway group’s lawsuit
raises First Amendment questions

The legal questions raised by a group attempting to break the Diocese of South Carolina away from The Episcopal Church have far-reaching implications not just for the local diocese, but for Episcopalians across the United States and for the free exercise of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to a legal response filed in U.S. District Court this week. Read more on the legal news page.

A Word to the Church

From the House of Bishops
meeting at Kanuga
Bishop vonRosenberg joined the 2013 Spring Retreat of the House of Bishops following our Convention. On March 12, the bishops offered "A Word to the Church." The Bishop commends this message to the people of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina. Read the full statement here.

Continuing in The Episcopal Church

Details on how you can continue to worship together as an Episcopal parish in South Carolina can be found on the "Information for Parishes" page.

Looking for an Episcopal Church?
Check this page for parishes, missions and worshiping communities listed by location in the eastern part of South Carolina.

CLERGY TRANSITIONS

Callie Walpole

The Right Reverend Charles vonRosenberg, Bishop of the diocese, is pleased to appoint the Reverend Calhoun Walpole to serve as the Archdeacon of the Diocese, on a half-time basis, effective March 1, 2013.
As Archdeacon, Callie will serve as Convention Secretary, diocesan clergy transition officer, and resource person for other diocesan programs. Callie can be reached at cwalpole@episcopalchurchsc.org or at her Grace office, (843) 723-4575.
Read more about the Archdeacon here.

STAFF TRANSITIONS

Lauren Kinard

Executive Assistant
The Right Reverend Charles vonRosenberg, Bishop of the diocese, is pleased to announce that Lauren Kinard will serve as the Executive Assistant to the Bishop of the Diocese, on a half-time basis, effective January 28, 2013.
Read more about Lauren here.

The Bishop's Office
Lauren and the Bishop will have their offices at Grace Episcopal Church, 98 Wentworth St., Charleston SC 29401. During the transition to the new offices, they can be reached at (843) 259-2016 or bishop@episcopalchurchsc.org.

Holly Behre

Director of Communications
Bishop vonRosenberg has announced that Holly Behre will serve as Director of Communications for the Diocese on a part-time basis effective immediately.
Read more about Holly here.

Diocesan Acolyte Festival

Sunday, May 19, 2013
A big group of acolytes, leaders and parents from all over the diocese celebrated the Day of Pentecost with a festival at Grace Church in Charleston, followed by a Choral Eucharist with Bishop vonRosenberg. See a photo gallery on Facebook here.

Ecumenical/Interfaith Officer named

Canon Wright

Bishop vonRosenberg has appointed the Reverend Canon J. Michael A. Wright, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, Charleston, as Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for The Episcopal Church in South Carolina. Canon Wright follows the Reverend Dow Sanderson, Rector of the Church of the Holy Communion in Charleston, in the important work of building and sustaining relationships with other faith communities. Read more here.

About 150 people gathered in Charleston April 22-24 for a conference of the Episcopal chaplains who serve retired clergy, their spouses and survivors. This event, held once every three years, drew Episcopalians from across the nation to renew and refresh their ministry to others with events and workshops offered through the Church Pension Group. Bishop vonRosenberg spoke to the group over dinner April 23 and gave thanks for the expressions of support and unity the group has offered. See a Facebook photo gallery from the event here.

Our new Chaplain to the Retired Clergy

The Reverend Alastair Votaw has been appointed by Bishop vonRosenberg as Chaplain to the Retired Clergy in The Episcopal Church in South Carolina. Al and his wife Rhoda Votaw will be partners in the chaplaincy, working to provide inclusion, enrichment and pastoral support for retired clergy, their spouses and partners, and survivors. The Votaws attended the National Conference for Chaplains to Retired Clergy in Charleston. Read more about them here.

In the news
St. Anne's Rebecca Lovelace profiled
Standing Committee member Rebecca Lovelace of St. Anne's is the subject of an article in the alumnae magazine of Mount Holyoke College.

Partnerships in the Dominican Republic
All Saints' Hilton Head and South Carolina are represented in this Episcopal News Service article about a bus tour in the Dominican Republic, celebrating partnerships throughout The Episcopal Church with La Iglesia Episcopal Dominicana.

Greenwood paper talks with the Bishop
Before he was a bishop, Charles vonRosenberg was rector of the Church of the Resurrection in Greenwood. The local newspaper, the Greenwood Index Journal, featured a section-front profile of Bishop vonRosenburg on Saturday, March 30. See the article here.

An article in the March 3 edition of The Post and Courier about continuing Episcopalians across the diocese: "Finding the current: Small worship groups form in wake of theological storm."

More news from around the diocese...

Easter 2013

People across the diocese joined Christians around the world in celebrating the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Day, March 31. Use the links below to read...
- An Easter Sermon from the Archdeacon
- The Presiding Bishop's Easter Message
More from Easter...
- Florence Episcopalians' Vigil on local TV news
- Video from St. Thomas, North Charleston
- Flowers at St. Mark's, Charleston
- Easter photos from Grace, Charleston
- Edisto Episcopalians celebrate in a new location
Does your parish or worshiping community have photos to share of your Easter celebrations? Post them at our Facebook page, or email them to us: hbehre@episcopalsc.org.

Resources for children and youth

Vacation Bible School, an acolyte festival, summer camp, youth conferences, continuing education and events... Check our resources page for children and youth (and the adults who work with them!)

Renewing vows in Holy Week

Bishop vonRosenberg and the clergy of the diocese renewed their ordination vows on Holy Tuesday at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist and Blessing of the Oils. Watch video of the Bishop's Holy Week sermon and read the text here. About 40 people attended the service at the Church of the Holy Communion in Charleston.
See more photos on our Facebook album.

Our Bishop, Charles vonRosenberg

January 26, 2013: Right Reverend Charles Glenn vonRosenberg is invested as Bishop by the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Richard Schori)
Read more about Bishop vonRosenberg here.