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Bringing home experiences from Justice Pilgrimage

5/28/2019

The Very Rev. Adam Shoemaker, rector of St. Stephen's, Charleston, recently returned from a weeklong Justice Pilgrimage of clergy representing the 20 dioceses in the southeastern United States who make up Province IV of The Episcopal Church. Here is his report from his experience.

I have recently returned from representing our diocese at a pilot program of the Episcopal Church focused on racial healing. The program is run out of the Diocese of Atlanta’s Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing. A racially diverse group of clergy representatives from every diocese of Province IV gathered at the center for a week of pilgrimage and, during the week, traveled together to Savannah and Charleston to reflect upon how our shared history around race in America continues to impact our present challenges. The goal of the program is for each clergy representative to go back to their home diocese to share the work of racial healing in their own contexts. We will check in with one another over the coming months and gather back at the Absalom Jones Center in January.

This was a full week of intense conversation, learning, and relationship building. We shared powerful experiences learning about the history of slavery and how that legacy has been carried forward in many ways. I am still processing these experiences but was grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this program.

The bottom line learning for me is to understand that racial healing in this country is not so much an end point as it is a process. It is incumbent upon us as a part of the “body of Christ” to be a part of this ongoing work. To do that well, the church must have the courage to create brave spaces where hard truths can be both spoken and heard. This requires light skinned Christians like myself being willing to really listen to the experiences of African Americans without being defensive or rushing in to try to solve problems. It requires appreciating the fact that the work of racial healing is critical for the well-being of all of us.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with anyone who would like to learn more and look forward to sharing with many of you in the work ahead. To learn more about the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing please visit: www.centerforracialhealing.org.

________________

An Episcopal New Service article about the Justice Pilgrimage can be found here.

Diocesan Council creates Youth Commission

5/21/2019

Some of the more than 80 youth and adult leaders who attended Happening #1 at Camp St. Christopher in March 2019.

With the growth in youth ministry across the diocese, the Diocesan Council on May 16 unanimously approved the creation of a Diocesan Youth Commission that will shape the vision for our diocesan ministry to middle school and high school students and plan events and resources to help young people grow in their life in Christ.

"The 2019-2020 school year will bring three diocesan youth events, as well as participation in three provincial and denomination-level events," says Andrea McKellar, Diocesan Ministry Developer. Andrea has been coordinating youth ministry in the Diocese, and presented the recommendation for the new Youth Commission to the Council. The recommendation came from a group of leaders who have been working with youth to offer diocesan events such as Happening, annual fall youth retreats, and the Bishop's Lock-In, as well as sending teams to regional and churchwide Episcopal youth events.

The growing scope of youth ministry in the Diocese is evidenced by the calendar for 2019-2020, which can be found on our website's Youth Page. Youth, parents, and volunteers, please save these dates on your calendars.

July 30-August 3: (Register by June 1) The Province IV Youth Event, "Washed by Water," assisting with the continued recovery from Hurricane Florence with mission work based out of St. John's, Fayetteville, NC. All current high school students are invited; scholarship funds are available.

October 4-6: Fall Youth Retreat at Camp St. Christopher

December 5-8: Province IV Youth Leadership Weekend at Camp Gravatt, Aiken, SC

February 28-March 1, 2020: Happening #2 at Camp St. Christopher

March 27-28, 2019: Bishop's Lock-In

July 7-11, 2020: Episcopal Youth Event (EYE20) at Howard University, Washington, DC. This will be an exciting opportunity for high school students in our Diocese; more information will be coming in early 2020.

Two grants programs to fund church initiatives, needs

5/21/2019

Bishop Skip Adams leads a meetingin 2016 for mission congregations who received grants through the diocesan grants process, sharing stories of how the money supported ministry in their churches and communities.

Churches in The Episcopal Church in South Carolina now have two grant processes available to seek funding from the diocese thanks to programs and funding approved by the Diocesan Council and the Trustees this month.

For several years the diocese has offered the Mission Grants Program to encourage and fund new initiatives. This program has been renamed the Ministry Grants Program, and the Diocesan Council and Trustees have approved a total of $50,000 to fund the 2019 grant cycle.

Ministry Grants

Ministry Grants will be awarded to congregations for initiatives that will enhance the mission and ministry of the Diocese, with special consideration given to missions and worship groups. Through this grant program, the Diocese identifies innovative and worthwhile ministries in a church where a relatively modest amount of grant money can make a significant difference. Grant requests can be submitted for, but are not limited to, new or continued initiatives that will enhance parish life.

"We hope this will encourage people to tap into their passions and do creative things," Bishop Skip Adams told the Trustees at their May 21 meeting.

In approving the funding, the Trustees also agreed to make an ongoing annual commitment of $50,000 to the Ministry Grants program. Diocesan Ministry Developer Andrea McKellar, a member of the grants committee, said that will encourage more churches to start thinking about innovative ways to use the money.

"If they know there's continuous funding, they can really dream," she told the Trustees.

Parish and Mission Support Grants

The second grant program draws from the existing Parishes and Missions Support budget line item, which is funded at $150,000 in 2019, up from $100,000 the previous year. This money is available to churches in need of emergency or temporary funding. Previously, such requests have gone to the Diocesan Finance Committee to review and make a recommendation to Diocesan Council. These grants can be used for expenses including, but not limited to, clergy or lay salaries, rent and other initiatives to enhance parish life.

Under the new process, churches will go through an application process similar to the one used for the Ministry Grants, and be required to give regular progress reports after receiving a grant. The process was created to make the funding method more transparent and accessible to all congregations.

Applications for both grant processes are available on our website: http://www.episcopalchurchsc.org/grants-for-congregations.html. The Ministry Grants committee will announce soon the application dates for this year’s grant cycle. Applications for Department of Parishes and Missions Grants can be submitted at any time throughout the calendar year.

Diocese represented at B+E+S+T Conference

5/7/2019

Lauren Kinard, Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Diocesan Administrator, recently attended the 2019 B+E+S+T (Bishop Executive Secretaries Together) Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This year's conference was scheduled three years ago before Hurricane Maria struck the island in 2017, and B+E+S+T organizers opted to continue with the conference in support of Puerto Rico, the Diocese of Puerto Rico, and the people there in their ongoing recovery.

Participants hailed from over 75 dioceses and over 100 people attended. There was networking, time for fellowship and sharing of best practices, as well as speakers on a variety of subjects, and a service project partnered with the diocese.

Presenters included our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, who spoke on The Way of Love, as well as presenters from Church Pension Group, and The Rt. Rev. Rafael Morales, Bishop of the Diocese of Puerto Rico. Participants also heard about the work of the Episcopal Social Services, particularly their work with Casa San Miguel, a home for young boys in need of love, support, and family.

Letters from the Bishop and Standing Committee

5/3/2019

Bishop Skip Adams and Standing Committee President the Rev. Jeff Richardson have written letters to the people of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina regarding transition plans for episcopal leadership. These letters can be found here:
Letter from the Bishop
Letter from the Standing Committee President

The text of the letters follows.

FROM BISHOP ADAMS

Dear People of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina,

I began my time with you as your Provisional Bishop at the beginning of September 2016. As you may recall the Standing Committee at that time requested of me a two-year commitment. September 2019 will begin my fourth year. My time among you has been full of grace and as I fully expected to happen, I have fallen in love with you and this place. God has been good and I find my heart filled with gratitude.

I am not at this point announcing an ending date. What I do want you to know is that I have requested that the Standing Committee, with Diocesan Council’s support, begin to work on a transition plan for episcopal leadership that will not only serve us well in the short term, but also well into a healthy future as a diocese. We do this work with the assistance of the Presiding Bishop’s office, with which the Standing Committee is already in conversation. We also do this work fully aware that we yet have many unknowns before us.

I am with you in this process and will continue to function as I have in my half-time capacity as your Provisional Bishop. When the time comes to name the specifics of the process we will be following, the Standing Committee will communicate with you in a timely manner. Until then, please continue to hold all diocesan leadership in your prayer as we seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus who gives us hope.
Blessings and peace in Christ,

+Skip

The Rt. Rev. Gladstone B. Adams III

FROM THE STANDING COMMITTEE

Dear Fellow Members of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina,

In regard to the information that Bishop Adams has recently shared with you, I am now writing to apprise you that the Standing Committee of our Diocese has begun the process of developing plans for the search for future episcopal leadership for our Diocese. For several months, we have been in conversation with Bishop Adams concerning the timing involved both from his standpoint and from the point of view of our ongoing life together as a diocese.

In January, the Standing Committee met with Bishop Todd Ousley, Bishop for the Office of Pastoral Development of The Episcopal Church, for some direction on how to proceed. We are considering various possibilities. Our intention is to be thorough and to proceed in a timely manner.

It is my plan to keep you informed as things progress. Meanwhile, the Standing Committee will be most grateful for your prayers for Bishop Adams, for this endeavor, and our diocese.

Faithfully,

The Rev. Jeffrey R. Richardson
President of the Standing Committee

Job Posting: Diocesan Director of Communications

5/2/2019

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is seeking a part-time Diocesan Director of Communications. Under direction of the Bishop, the Diocesan Director of Communications plans and leads all aspects of communication for The Episcopal Church in South Carolina. The Director of Communications provides and supports communications for the Diocese and its Bishop, clergy and lay leadership, and supports communication efforts by staff and volunteers in all congregations of the Diocese.

This position is part-time, 20-25 hours per week with flexible hours and ability for some work to be done from home. A full job description can be found here. Apply with a resume and cover letter to Bishop Skip Adams, [email protected].

Bringing home experiences from Justice Pilgrimage

Diocesan Council creates Youth Commission

Two grants programs to fund church initiatives, needs

Diocese represented at B+E+S+T Conference

Letters from the Bishop and Standing Committee

Job Posting: Diocesan Director of Communications

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