The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Vision
    • Our History
    • Find a Church
    • Deaneries
    • The Bishop >
      • Messages from Bishop Woodliff-Stanley
    • Clergy & Staff >
      • Clergy in Good Standing
      • Clergy and Transition Ministries
    • Governance >
      • Constitution & Canons
      • Convention
      • Boards and Committees >
        • Standing Committee
        • Diocesan Council
        • Trustees of the Diocese
        • Deputies to General Convention
        • Liturgical Commission
        • Visioning Committee
        • University of the South Trustees
        • Other Boards and Committees
    • Historical Timeline
    • FAQ
  • Ministry
    • Prayer Calendar
    • Commission on Ministry
    • Title IV Concerns
    • Outreach
    • Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission
    • Grants for Congregations
    • Administrative Resources
    • Clergy Resources
    • Liturgy & Worship >
      • Liturgical Commission >
        • Bishop Guerry
      • Marriage
      • The Lectionary
      • The Book of Common Prayer
      • Brother, Give Us A Word (SSJE)
      • Daily Prayer: Forward Movement
    • Education & Formation >
      • Adults
      • College Ministry
      • Youth
      • Children
    • Church Connections >
      • The Episcopal Church >
        • Province IV
      • The Anglican Communion
      • Anglicans Online >
        • The Society of Archbishop Justus
      • Daughters of the King
      • Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
      • Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross
      • Order of St. Helena
    • Ecumenical & Interfaith >
      • Fellowship of SC Bishops/Public Education Initiative
      • Charleston Area Justice Ministry
      • Christian Jewish Council
      • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Communications Resources
    • Communication and Evangelism >
      • Carolina Grace
      • Social Media Sunday
      • Mission Matters Videos
  • News
    • News Blog
    • Lenten Resources & Events
    • Sacred Ground 2023
    • 80th General Convention 2022 >
      • 80th General Convention Blog
    • Email Newsletter
    • Episcopal News Service
    • Anglican Communion News
  • Giving
  • Convention
    • 234th Diocesan Convention
  • Contact Us
    • Get in touch
    • Make a donation
    • Sign up for the newsletter
    • News Submission
  • St. Christopher
  • Strategic Visioning
Picture






Facebook Photo albums

Friday, February 21

Saturday, February 22

"We All Are Ministers"
223rd Annual Diocesan Convention
February 21-22, 2014

Thank you!
Our 223rd Annual Convention has adjourned.
CLICK HERE FOR THE CONVENTION JOURNAL


Read the Bishop's Address to the Convention
View the address on the video below:


The Bishop's Address at the 223rd Annual Diocesan Convention from The Episcopal Church in SC on Vimeo.



Report on the Convention

Constitution & Canons
Delegates voted to approve changes in the governing documents of the diocese that restore language acknowledging the diocese as part of the wider church and agreeing to be governed by the TEC Constitution and Canons.

Changing the Constitution of the diocese requires approval at two consecutive annual conventions. On Saturday, the Convention first voted to give second and final approval to the Constitution that was initially approved at the 222nd Annual Convention in March 2013. That document essentially restored the Constitution to 2007, before breakaway church leaders revised the governing documents of the diocese to remove references to The Episcopal Church.

Next, delegates voted to approve a new Constitution, a more thoroughly updated and revised document. The 2014 Constitution must be approved at the next Annual Convention in 2015 to become effective.

The Convention also approved the new 2014 Canons and Rules of Order, which become effective immediately.


View all of these documents on the Constitution & Canons page.

New Missions
Another early item on the agenda was the report of the Committee on New Parishes and Missions. Their recommendation was greeted with a standing ovation: Five worship groups were officially recognized as missions of the diocese, and their representatives took their seats among the delegations at Convention. Later, interspersed through the morning’s business, each group got a moment to be introduced with a procession into the church complete with banners, flags, hymns and applause. The new missions of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina are:

The Episcopal Church on Edisto
Good Shepherd, Summerville
St. Anne's, Conway
St. Catherine's, Florence
St. Francis, Charleston

That brings to 27 the number of parishes and missions that are in union with Convention. The diocese also has active worshiping communities in Okatie, East Cooper, and Myrtle Beach that could apply as missions at future Conventions. Find a complete list of Episcopal Church congregations here.

Budget


The Convention also approved the 2014 budget, which can be viewed here.

Election results

Elections were held for diocesan offices and for Deputies to the General Convention in 2014:
Standing Committee
Lay: Dr. Frances Elmore, Dr. Scott Shaffer
Clergy: The Rev. Chris Huff, the Rev. Jean McGraw

Diocesan Council
Lay: Jim Gettys, Carol Grish
Clergy: The Rev. Alastair Votaw, the Rev. David Williams

Trustee, University of the South
Jane Hart Lewis

Trustee, The Episcopal Church in South Carolina
The Rev. Donald S. McPhail

Deputies to the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church
Lay Deputies: Thomas Tisdale, Lonnie Hamilton, Mary Ann Foy, Andrea McKellar
Lay Alternates: Dr. Charles Geer, Melinda A. Lucka, Barbara Mann, Dr. James Hutchisson
Clergy Deputies:The Rev. Jim Taylor, the Rev. Dr. Wilmot T. Merchant II, the Rev. Richard C. Lindsey, the Rev. Cn. J. Michael A. Wright
Clergy alternates: The Rev. Wil Keith, the Rev. Rick Luoni, the Rev. Jean McGraw and the Rev. Jeff Richardson


Report of Institutions and participating organizations

The Report of Institutions can be read here.

The following institutions submitted reports to the Convention:
Bishop Gadsden Retirement Community *
Kanuga *
The University of the South - Sewanee
York Place/Thompson  Child & Family Focus*
Porter-Gaud School*
Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community
Voorhees College*

Those marked with an asterisk (*) above also sent representatives to present reports to the Convention.

Bishop Gadsden, Sewanee and Voorhees also had exhibit tables during Convention. Other exhibitors included:

Charleston Port and Seafarers Society
Church Insurance Group
Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy
Dominican Republic Mission Group
Education for Ministry
Episcopal Forum of South Carolina
Episcopal Relief and Development
Order of St. Helena
Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross




Social media
Thank you, Facebook friends! We added so many new "likes" during the Convention that we now have more than 1,000 followers on Facebook! If you haven't found our page yet, visit it here: facebook.com/episcopalchurchsc

Twitter users, follow us @TECinSC, and share your thoughts about our Convention using the hashtag #SC223.





Bishop Curry's Sermon
at the Convention Eucharist
Click on the audio player below:
Picture

Bishop Michael Curry
Preacher at the 
Convention Eucharist

The Right Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, will be the preacher at the Convention Eucharist on Friday, February 21 at 5:00 p.m. 

A biography of Bishop Curry can be found on the Diocese of North Carolina's website here.


Prayer for Diocesan Convention

Almighty and everliving God, source of all wisdom and understanding, be present with those who take counsel in The Episcopal Church in South Carolina for the renewal and mission of your Church. Teach us in all things to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right, and grant us both the courage to pursue it and the grace to accomplish it; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 818)


Copyright © 2025 The Diocese of South Carolina
P.O. Box 20485, Charleston, SC 29413 - ​843.259.2016 - [email protected]
Make A Donation
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Our Vision
    • Our History
    • Find a Church
    • Deaneries
    • The Bishop >
      • Messages from Bishop Woodliff-Stanley
    • Clergy & Staff >
      • Clergy in Good Standing
      • Clergy and Transition Ministries
    • Governance >
      • Constitution & Canons
      • Convention
      • Boards and Committees >
        • Standing Committee
        • Diocesan Council
        • Trustees of the Diocese
        • Deputies to General Convention
        • Liturgical Commission
        • Visioning Committee
        • University of the South Trustees
        • Other Boards and Committees
    • Historical Timeline
    • FAQ
  • Ministry
    • Prayer Calendar
    • Commission on Ministry
    • Title IV Concerns
    • Outreach
    • Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission
    • Grants for Congregations
    • Administrative Resources
    • Clergy Resources
    • Liturgy & Worship >
      • Liturgical Commission >
        • Bishop Guerry
      • Marriage
      • The Lectionary
      • The Book of Common Prayer
      • Brother, Give Us A Word (SSJE)
      • Daily Prayer: Forward Movement
    • Education & Formation >
      • Adults
      • College Ministry
      • Youth
      • Children
    • Church Connections >
      • The Episcopal Church >
        • Province IV
      • The Anglican Communion
      • Anglicans Online >
        • The Society of Archbishop Justus
      • Daughters of the King
      • Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
      • Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross
      • Order of St. Helena
    • Ecumenical & Interfaith >
      • Fellowship of SC Bishops/Public Education Initiative
      • Charleston Area Justice Ministry
      • Christian Jewish Council
      • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Communications Resources
    • Communication and Evangelism >
      • Carolina Grace
      • Social Media Sunday
      • Mission Matters Videos
  • News
    • News Blog
    • Lenten Resources & Events
    • Sacred Ground 2023
    • 80th General Convention 2022 >
      • 80th General Convention Blog
    • Email Newsletter
    • Episcopal News Service
    • Anglican Communion News
  • Giving
  • Convention
    • 234th Diocesan Convention
  • Contact Us
    • Get in touch
    • Make a donation
    • Sign up for the newsletter
    • News Submission
  • St. Christopher
  • Strategic Visioning