The following article was shared by the Rev. Bill Watson, priest-in-charge at the Episcopal Church in Okatie, located in Ridgeland, SC.

On Saturday, March 27, a recent project of the Southern Deanery concluded with the distribution of food at Church of the Holy Communion in Allendale, SC. 
 
The project originated by the Rev. Jack Nietert during a Southern Deanery Zoom call just before the beginning of Advent. A list of foods to be collected was distributed and All Saints, Hampton; All Saints, Hilton Head; St. Mark’s, Port Royal; and The Episcopal Church in Okatie all participated.

Over the following three months, food was collected at these churches and brought to The Episcopal Church in Okatie.  There, the food was sorted by kind and later bagged by a host of people. In addition, All Saints, Hilton Head contributed Publix gift cards.  Since there is no Publix in Allendale’s proximity, these were converted into even more groceries. Alison Davidow worked with Publix management and used the cards on their weekly two-for-one specials. This added enough food to assist another 20 families (all bagged by Patti Wallace).  St. Mark’s, Port Royal also contributed additional funds which the Rev. Ken Kraft bartered with the Port Royal Piggly Wiggly meat manager, Teddy Ogle, into 10 pounds of frozen chicken for each family.  

We were able to distribute two or three bags of food and 10 pounds of chicken to each family depending on their size. Seven volunteers (Jim Heuer, Mike Seymour, the Rev. Ken Kraft, the Rev. Andrea Peacock, and the Rev. Bill Watson, along with Elaine and Lari Gooding from Holy Communion) distributed the food to 55 families. 

While food was being distributed, other volunteers (Loy Heuer, Alison Davidow, Jim Rowe, and Sallie Watson) cleaned inside the church polishing brass, scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming, etc.  Still other volunteers worked on cleaning the grounds and pruning the shrubs (Dede Passeggio, Nicole Passeggio, Neil Crossley (while celebrating his 75th birthday), and the Rev. Pam Crossley).      

The group of volunteers arrived at 9 am, and the distribution had been advertised on local radio to begin at 10:30 am.  Yet, a few folks were already in line when the volunteers arrived.  The group decided to begin distribution early and by11:30 am Jim Heuer’s box truck, “Gus,” had been emptied.   

As one who had the good fortune to greet those who came, I was deeply moved.  One of the early vehicles had a multi-handicapped teenager in the car. As our distribution was ending, I recognized the same teen in one of the last vehicles.  She rolled down her window and said, “I finally got ahold of my aunt (the driver).  I hope you have some food left for her.”  Yes, we did.  And then her aunt said, “My neighbors are an elderly shut-in couple. The wife cares full time for her husband with dementia. They cannot get out. Do you think you might have some food for them also, if we take it to them?”  Well, you know we did have a few bags and some chicken left and they were overjoyed. The chance to greet and assist those who came was an incredible honor and joy.   

As we sent them off with a blessing and a wish for a Happy Easter, many in turn offered a blessing in return on all who had made this possible!  You must know the joy and hope on their faces as they received the food and chicken made possible by your efforts.  I find it remarkable that over and over when we share Christ’s love and blessing with others, we in turn are blessed.  This was made possible by the dozens and dozens of folks who took part at every level and stage of the effort.  Thank you all for your participation!  Who knows what else the future may hold. 

~ Written by the Rev. Bill Watson, Priest-in-Charge, The Episcopal Church in Okatie

On Thursday, March 4, attorneys for the Diocese of South Carolina (also known as The Episcopal Church in South Carolina (TECSC)) and The Episcopal Church filed an Initial Reply Brief of Appellants with the South Carolina Supreme Court. The brief was filed in response to the brief filed by the opposing side on February 12, 2021, which was filed as a reply to the diocese’s Initial Brief of Appellants filed November 12, 2020. All briefs relate to the June 19, 2020 Order by South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Edgar Dickson. That Order is contrary to the Supreme Court final judgement from August 2017 which ruled that diocesan property and 29 parishes should be returned to the parties affiliated with The Episcopal Church.

In the March 4 brief, the national church and the historic diocese dispute the claims made by the opposing side (“Respondents”), noting that the disassociated diocese continues an “effort to have a differently comprised panel of this Court [the South Carolina Supreme Court] relitigate the trial and prior appeal of the case.” The brief further notes that “there is no legal basis or authority for this Court to ignore its previous decision and to reconsider this matter anew, just as there was no legal basis or authority for the Circuit Court to do so.”

The 15-page brief clearly argues the law of the case in support of the arguments of the historic Diocese of South Carolina (TECSC) that the 2017 ruling of the South Carolina Supreme Court that reversed the decision of the lower court cannot and should not be overturned by the actions of a lower court judge who was charged with enforcing the Supreme Court’s judgment. As noted in the brief, “The citizens of South Carolina rely on the finality of this Court’s decision.”

Now that the final briefs have been submitted, attorneys for both sides will await a final decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court, which likely will be preceded by a hearing. It is unknown as to the timing of the next steps in this case.