 Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley shared a message with the diocese yesterday announcing plans by Canon Andrea McKellar to step back from her role on diocesan staff as Canon for Strategy and Vitality later this summer. Canon McKellar will continue to be involved in the life and future of the diocese as a consultant for special projects, allowing her more time with her family during this season of her life. Read the bishop’s full message at this link.
In her message, Bishop Woodliff-Stanley expressed her immense gratitude to Canon McKellar for her service to the diocese, which began when she first volunteered her time in 2013 under Bishop von Rosenberg. “Words cannot begin to express the depths of my appreciation for the countless ways Canon McKellar has served this diocese over the years, helping to shepherd it through a period of rebuilding, and ensuring we are on firm footing for the future,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “She has served in a number of roles under four different bishops, and her leadership, vision, institutional knowledge, and unwavering commitment have been integral to the growth of our diocese.” Canon McKellar is grateful for all that she has learned during her time with the diocese. “I am thankful for the opportunities the diocese have given me to grow in a variety of ministries,” said Canon McKellar. “It has been a joy working with so many people over the last 12 years and will miss the day to day connections.” Bishop Woodliff-Stanley shared in her message that lengthy discernment has determined the need for a full-time position on diocesan staff. More details will be shared about this role in the near future.  Happening #7 was a great success last weekend at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center. Happening is a high school retreat led by high school students, following a model of an awakening-style retreat, during which youth from around this diocese get to experience how their peers live day-to-day within their own faith journey. Through a series of talks, singing, worship, activities, and surprises—all at the best place on earth: St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center—these youth have a safe place outside their everyday busy lives, to take down their walls and enjoy Jesus.
This year's Happening was made possible through through the dedicated work of the 11 team members, and the support of six adult leaders, and three clergy (the Rev. Brooks Boylan, the Rev. Laura Rezac, and Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley). This dynamic leadership team of youth and adults welcomed 15 Happeners to experience Jesus in the most awesome of ways! Making this year's experience even more special, one of the Happeners, Angel F., decided he wanted to be baptized and confirmed during the weekend. After receiving permission from his parents, Angel was baptized and confirmed out in the waters of the ocean by Bishop Ruth. View more photos from the weekend on Facebook at this link. New Barnabas Team Provides Support at Happening (photo, top right) With the new direction that Happening took this year, a new retreat was created to run parallel to the Happening group, named Barnabas Team. This was a retreat for those who had graduated high school and who may have had a fondness for their Happening experience. The purpose was to provide this age group their own retreat, which also worked behind the scenes to support and encourage the Happening staff and participants. Their focus was prayer and support, truly acting in service for our wonderful youth. -Report submitted by the Rev. Brooks Boylan  Article excerpted from the Episcopal News Service: This article was written before the final vote on February 19, but on that date, the Executive Council did vote to forgive about $2.7 million in debt accrued from a loan given to the Diocese of South Carolina after the 2012 diocesan schism. The following article was written the day prior.
Executive Council is poised to forgive about $2.7 million in debt that the Diocese of South Carolina accrued after a 2012 diocesan split, in which theologically conservative church leaders led a large group of Episcopalians to leave the church. After that split, The Episcopal Church had responded in part by lending money to the remaining Episcopal diocese and its congregations as they fought a decade-long legal battle to retain possession of their historic properties. Those court cases were largely resolved in the Episcopal diocese’s favor in 2022. Since then, some congregations have moved back into their historic churches, and the diocese has pursued church planting efforts in other communities. On Feb. 17, South Carolina Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley appeared on Zoom to address two committees of Executive Council, which is meeting here at the Maritime Conference Center. Woodliff-Stanley emphasized that South Carolina is one of The Episcopal Church’s original nine dioceses, dating to 1785, and now with the court fight resolved, Episcopalians in South Carolina are focused on rebuilding congregations and growing ministries in their communities. “We could not have done what we had to do without the church being with us. And we are now asking you to be with us in this season of rebuilding,” Woodliff-Stanley said. Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe spoke briefly to the committees, arguing strongly in favor of forgiving the diocese’s outstanding church loan. “I am in complete support,” Rowe said, adding that acting on the proposal was about more than forgiveness of past debts. “I believe this would be, on our part, an investment in the mission of that diocese.” Executive Council’s committees on Finance and Governance & Operations voted unanimously to advance the proposal, to which Woodliff-Stanley responded, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” The measure will proceed to likely approval by the full Executive Council on Feb. 19, the final day of this meeting. Read the full story on ENS at this link.  Members of the leadership bodies of the diocese (Diocesan Council, Standing Committee, Trustees, and regional deans) gathered in retreat last week at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center along with Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and diocesan staff. The event was originally scheduled in January, but was postponed due to the wintry weather.
The gathering was an opportunity to come together for prayer, fellowship, and orientation as these leadership bodies prepare for a new year of fulfilling the duties of their leadership roles, and collectively work toward the continued implementation of the Strategic Vision of the diocese. The retreat closed in Eucharist together on Thursday afternoon.  Voorhees University observed the Feast Day of Absalom Jones with a service of Holy Eucharist on Tuesday, February 11. The Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley served as celebrant, and the Right Reverend Shannon MacVean-Brown, bishop of the Diocese of Vermont, was the preacher. During her homily, Bishop MacVean-Brown shared that she has ancestors in South Carolina, many of whom were raised on the Lang Syne Plantation in Calhoun County, and some were buried at what was then St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Fort Motte. The bishop has long communicated with her cousin in South Carolina to learn more about her family history, but had not had the opportunity to meet him in person until the day of the service at Voorhees. During the service, he presented her with a bound history of their shared family members. After the service, the two cousins, along with Bishop Ruth, visited St. Matthew's to see the graves of their ancestors.
The Reverend Absalom Jones was America’s first black priest (1746-1818). Born into slavery in Delaware at a time when slavery was being debated as immoral and undemocratic, he taught himself to read, using the New Testament as one of his resources. Read more about this important figure in the history of the church at this link. A video of the service, and Bishop MacVean-Brown's sermon, is available on the Voorhees University Facebook page at this link.  St. Stephen's, Charleston has called the Rev. Julia Madden as associate rector for pastoral care and parish life. She is currently a tansitional deacon in the Diocese of Western North Carolina and will be ordained to the priesthood on February 12 at St. Luke’s in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Rev. Madden will officially begin her ministry with St. Stephen's on March 3 and her first formal Sunday with the congregation will be March 16.
Rev. Madden was the first graduate from General Theological Seminary’s new hybrid MDiv program, and the first in her cohort to be ordained to the transitional diaconate. As she noted in her announcement to St. Stephen's, "Through all these experiences, I have found deep joy in pastoral care, community involvement, and ministry beyond the walls of the church," said Rev. Madden. Read the full announcement shared by St. Stephen's, along with messages from the Rev. Adam Shoemaker and the Rev. Julia Madden, at this link.  Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has called the Rev. John West as priest-in-charge of St. James-Santee, McClellanville. Father West was ordained to the priesthood in 2000 and has served as a priest in the Dioceses of Georgia and Virginia before making his way to the Diocese of South Carolina.
“I am delighted and very happy to be the priest-in-charge of St. James-Santee Episcopal Church," said Father West. "It is a lovely, warm, inviting and welcoming congregation. I look forward to getting to know my new colleagues and the many Episcopal Church members in the Diocese of South Carolina.” Father West earned his undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia and attended Virginia Theological Seminary. He also attended Saint George's College in Jerusalem, Israel. He has three grown children. |
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November 2025
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P.O. Box 20485, Charleston, SC 29413 - 843.259.2016 - [email protected]
- Home
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About Us
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Ministry
- Prayer Calendar
- Commission on Ministry
- Title IV Concerns
- Outreach
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- Liturgy & Worship >
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