Over the past week, Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley joined 132 other bishops and bishop-elects of The Episcopal Church at a House of Bishops retreat at Camp Allen, near Navasota, Texas. It marked the first time the group has been able to meet in person since September 2019. Over the course of the March 15-21 meeting, the House of Bishops voted unanimously to issue statements condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and also recent political actions that have targeted transgender people.

Bishop Woodliff-Stanley was grateful for the time spent together with the diverse group. “I found the House of Bishops to be a deeply welcoming and profoundly prayerful community, and I was both inspired and challenged by the stories of bishops whose people face all manner of trials, both on our shores and globally, that threaten our fundamental birthright as beloved children of God,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “I left with a renewed commitment to continue the important work of justice, mercy, and revolutionary love, and I was eager to return home and continue that good work with the people of the Diocese of South Carolina.”

In addition to making clear their stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, expressing complete support for Ukrainian refugees as well, the bishops also took action on issues closer to home, discussing the alarming number of new laws and political directives that have been presented and sometimes passed targeting the rights of transgender youth across this country.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry explained the link between the two issues on different continents. “People can think ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ can be trite and simplistic until you have to do it,” he said. “And that same principle that applies for transgender children applies for the people of Ukraine. They’re God’s children, and nobody, no human being is meant to be abused. Put down. Oppressed.”

During the discussion about the proposed and passed legislation currently being considered in many states across this country that could diminish the rights of the transgender community (particularly among youth), Bishop Woodliff-Stanley rose to the floor to acknowledge that South Carolina is one of these states and to demonstrate her solidarity with transgender youth and adults in the Diocese of South Carolina (click here for a link to find out more about legislation proposed in SC and other states).

Read a more complete summary of the substantial issues discussed by the House of Bishops, and the specific actions taken about each, on the Episcopal News Service at this link.

There was one unplanned session during the retreat, in which our bishop took part. When one of the scheduled speakers was unable to attend at the last minute, various bishops were asked to offer specific reflections to the group, mostly related to reconciliation in a variety of forms. Bishop Woodliff-Stanley was honored to offer one of the reflections, all of which were framed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Ten Commandments for Non-Violence,” which were shared in his book Why We Can’t Wait and are, still today, often used for work in the areas of justice and reconciliation.

The gathering was not all business; there was both retreat and sabbath time. During the retreat portion, theologian Cynthia Bourgeault taught compelling prayer practices. These practices are rooted in awareness of how we become grounded in our bodies to offer centered leadership, especially in difficult times. As it was held at a camp facility, attendees enjoyed the opportunity to participate in “camp activities” on their Sabbath. Bishop Ruth enjoyed her first pickleball lesson. “I’m not quite ready for the major leagues, but I’m working on it,” she said.
 
The House of Bishops will gather next alongside and its counterpart, the House of Deputies, at the 80th General Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, from July 7-14.

Last week, Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley toured Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, an Episcopal school with a long affiliation with our diocese. In addition to meeting with school leadership, Bishop Ruth also met with the school’s new Head Chaplain, the Rev. Palmer Kennedy, who also serves as the school’s Religion & Philosophy Department Chair. During their meeting, the two talked about the current situation in Ukraine and how Fr. Palmer is discussing these current events with students, along with a history of the region that is important to understanding where we are today.

Currently, a select group of students at the school are exploring these issues through a bi-monthly Interdisciplinary Seminar Program entitled “Genocide: Past and Present” that he presents along with Dr. Tom Westerman. “It is our conviction that studying these horrific moments, some of the darkest in human history, opens our minds and hearts to the fragility and brokenness of our world generally and human beings particularly,” said Fr. Palmer. “These events are studied not as something that happened ‘out there’ or ‘back then’ but as mirrors reflecting things happening right now in our world, in our neighborhoods, and in our own hearts.”

While the seminar topic was developed before Russia invaded Ukraine, it proved to be very timely. “When we pitched this idea last semester, there were only faint whispers of upcoming trouble in Eastern Europe,” said Fr. Palmer. “At that time, the Holodomor (genocide in Ukraine during the 1930s) was scheduled as an exploration of how political economies can be leveraged with genocidal intentions. We had no idea how relevant this particular event would become. As Russian troops crossed the border into Ukraine, our students were again reminded history may not repeat itself exactly, but it certainly does rhyme.”

In the hopes that it might be helpful to youth and anyone in the diocese, Fr. Palmer shared a sample of the resources provided to his students, particularly in light of the often-forgotten Holodomor, to help them understand the evolution of events in the region. Find these resources linked below:

• Introduction to Neuroscience, Tribalism, and Dehumanization
• Introduction to Rene Girard and the Scapegoat Mechanism
• Overview of the Holodomor (Genocide in Ukraine)
• How Stalin Hid Ukraine's Famine from the World 
• Putin's Case for Invading Ukraine Rests on Phony Grievances and Ancient Myths
• Lecture by Timothy Snyder on the Holodomor and Its Continued Relevance

​Fr. Palmer was ordained in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida and served for four years as chaplain at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension and the Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, LA, prior to moving to Charleston. We welcome Fr. Palmer, along with his wife and son (and daughter on the way!), to the Lowcountry and to the Porter-Gaud School.

​On Sunday, Christ Episcopal Church in Denmark, welcomed the Rev. Deacon Pam Crossley, who will serve as a deacon alongside the Rev. Srs. Carol Andrew and Miriam Elizabeth, OSH who serve as supply clergy. Deacon Pam previously served at All Saints, Hilton Head, until she and her husband, Neil, moved to Aiken, SC.

The Rev. Floyd Finch died Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in Charleston. A more detailed announcement will be sent out later today. A service will be held in the Chapel at Bishop Gadsden tomorrow, Friday, March 4, at 11 am. Ordained to the priesthood in 1955, the Rev. Finch served many churches in the Diocese of South Carolina beginning in 1976 and ending with seven years as Chaplain at Bishop Gadsden, where he retired in 2007. He and his wife, Leona, have been residents at Bishop Gadsden for more than 20 years. 

Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord; let sight perpetual shine upon him. Amen.
​

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has shared a detailed update to COVID-19 guidance for our diocese. Read text of the letter below, or view the letter at this link.

March 2, 2022

Dear faithful people of the Diocese of South Carolina,

It brings me joy and relief to continue to see a significant decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths throughout our diocese. I hope and pray that this decrease will continue. In light of these developments, I believe we are ready to modify our guidelines. I am also mindful, however, that there are those among us, particularly those with immunosuppression, those who are elderly, and those who are, for a variety of reasons, unvaccinated, who remain at high risk. I ask you to consider prayerfully how best to make adjustments in your particular context in a way that seriously takes into account the needs of those among us who remain most vulnerable. As a reminder, we have always and will continue to base our guidance on science, through consultations with medical professionals in our communities and consideration of CDC-issued policy, coupled with our desire to follow Christ’s commandment to love our neighbors. 

Throughout this pandemic, the key tools at our disposal when managing in-person gatherings have been and continue to be vaccinations, masks, and self-isolation when there is any question of infection. As we move forward, I ask you to keep in mind the following: 

1. Vaccines: Our policy concerning vaccinations has not changed. The science shows they save lives, and we will continue to encourage all of our members to get vaccinated and boosted as recommended by the CDC, and to expect proof of vaccination for those engaging in overnight events sponsored by the Diocese.
2. Masks: The CDC has modified their mask policy by county based on the number of hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases. You can find your “COVID-19 Community Level” at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html. I encourage the leadership of each congregation to use this tool, as well as their assessment of the vulnerability of their congregation, to determine the mask policy appropriate for your services and in-person gatherings such as Sunday School and church meetings. While we are all eager to forego masks, I would hasten to underscore the following facts as you make decisions that take your specific context into account: Unvaccinated persons and the 3-4% of adults who are too immunosuppressed to respond at all to vaccines who worship indoors in a parish that elects to stop masking are very much at risk to get COVID-19, a disease that even among the young & vaccinated is enough to make most people who get it too sick to work for a week or more and poses greater risks to those with other complicating risk factors. I am asking you to consider this reality in light of your particular community as you determine what practices best enact love of neighbor in your setting. There is, unfortunately, no one-size-fits-all answer to the matter of doing this risk/benefit analysis.
3. Self-Quarantine when illness is suspected: We continue to urge anyone who suspects they are ill with COVID-19 or believes they might have been in close proximity to someone who has the virus to remain at home for the quarantine period recommended by the CDC (Learn more at this link). 
4. Church-sponsored social events: We are thankful that we are now able to gather for social events, sharing food, and fellowship. However, it is still advisable to consider keeping events on the small side when fully indoors, and hosting large gatherings outside, weather permitting.
5. Communion/The Common Cup: It has been more than two years since we have participated in communion of two kinds. There is not substantive medical evidence to suggest that it safe to partake of the common cup in our context. We simply lack scientific information that informs one way or the other the risks of chalice-sharing during COVID-19 pandemic. This is an infection that is highly present in saliva. While there have been studies conducted in past decades that indicate transmission of disease through the common cup is rare, we do not have data on that question for this current pandemic. We are therefore in the position of making decisions without scientific reassurance, when it comes to the matter of returning to the common cup. I therefore strongly recommend the practice of intinction, administered by the Eucharistic Minister (not with self-intinction by individual communicants) as the safest method of receiving the wine. That said, and understanding the strong desire many of you have to move forward in light of current numbers to offer the common cup again, I will support congregations that practice communion in one or two kinds. I ask that local leaders make this determination, taking into account factors such as the identified community risk level in your local community, as well as indicators within your congregation that can inform the most prudent, pastoral course for you in your setting. If you return to the common cup, I would urge you to make clear that communion in one kind is a complete reception of the sacrament, and I would ask that you make intinction (offered in a safe way with a separate cup) always available as an option.  

​Please keep in mind that CDC community risk levels take into account three key metrics:

• New COVID-19-related hospitalizations over a seven-day period;
• The percentage of inpatient beds currently occupied by COVID-19 patients; and
• The total number of new cases in the community over the past seven days.

These metrics focus attention on what risk level a community can sustain without overtaxing hospitals and medical resources. This focus is important for us to keep in view, as our actions may impact our neighbors who have other medical needs that cannot be properly addressed should medical resources become overwhelmed.  

I want to reiterate, that as we contemplate a path that will allow us to return to church services and gatherings as we held them prior to the pandemic, it is important to remember that some people in our congregations may not be ready to attend without a mask or participate in a common cup. I expect all congregations will ensure all feel welcome to attend and practice the precautions they believe are necessary. Showing respect for their precautions is a way of loving our neighbor. Also, we should be especially mindful of those in our congregations who are immunocompromised or facing a greater risk to COVID-19 than most others. I ask that you make reasonable accommodations as possible and appropriate to ensure that all are welcome.

We hope that this step is yet another one that will bring us back to a day when we can all gather safely together again, with significantly decreased concern about COVID-19. I am grateful for the tremendous care for others you have continually demonstrated throughout this pandemic. Your prayers and patience have been greatly appreciated.

Faithfully yours,