After becoming a parish at our diocesan convention in November 2022 and then welcoming their first rector last summer, The Episcopal Church on Edisto began exploring the possiblity of changing their church name. With the help of a Naming Task Force, the possibilities were narrowed down to three options. At their congregational meeting in January, members voted overwhelmingly in favor of the name St. Francis Episcopal Church.
When voting for the final choice, the description around the option of St. Francis included the following: St. Francis (1181-1226) is one of the best known and most cherished saints in the history of the Christian church...St. Francis can easily represent the past, present, and future of our church. He teaches us to care for and respect animals, all of creation, and each other, including the disadvantaged. We can draw inspiration from him to broaden our outreach to care for our fellow humans and to be good stewards of God's creation as we go forward. St. Francis was able to see the face of Christ in everyone with whom he came in contact. By choosing this name, it clearly communicates our commitment to doing the same. The new name will become official on Saturday, June 15, when Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley visits to lead the installation of Fr. Joseph Smith as the congregation's rector, and makes official the new name. The service will be held at 11 am, and ALL are welcome and invited to attend! Check out the church's new website at saintfrancisedisto.org! ![]() Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has appointed the Rev. Joseph Smith, rector of the Episcopal Church on Edisto (soon to be formally known as St. Francis), Edisto Island, as Dean of the West Charleston Deanery. Fr. Smith succeeds the Rev. Dow Sanderson, priest-in-charge of Good Shepherd, Summerville, who has fulfilled the role with grace and devotion since February 2022. “We owe a debt of gratitude to the Rev. Dow Sanderson for his steady, pastoral leadership of the West Charleston Deanery,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “He has truly been connective tissue, quietly yet effectively tending to needs and providing guidance to me and to the clergy in his deanery. I am grateful and delighted that Father Joseph Smith has agreed to take on this ministry. He brings a wealth of experience in a season when we will be increasing the role of our deaneries as we live into our strategic plan together. I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.” The West Charleston Deanery includes the churches in our diocese located in Summerville, North Charleston, Johns Island, and Edisto Island. Learn more about our deaneries on the diocesan website at this link. Many thanks to both of these priests for their ministry in our diocese! The Reverend Rosario Francis (Ross) Tortora was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston. Father Ross, who was initially ordained to the vocational diaconate, spent many months of discernment about this call to the priesthood. In April, he received final confirmation from Bishop Ruth and the Standing Committee, approving his ordination to the priesthood. As a priest, Fr. Ross will be based at Grace Church Cathedral, but will upon occasion assist across the diocese to help meet any short-term needs of other congregations. View an album of photos from the ordination on the diocesan Facebook page at this link. View a video recording of the entire service on the Grace Church Cathedral YouTube page at this link.
![]() With sadness we share the news that the Rev. Len Williams died on Monday, May 13. Father Len most recently served as interim priest-in-charge of Epiphany, Summerville, and was chaplain emeritus of the Charleston Port and Seafarers’ Society. A Celebration of Life will be held at Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston on Saturday, May 25, at 11 am. Please keep his wife, Angela, and their family, in your prayers as we remember the blessing he was in the lives of so many. "Father Len was a gifted and faithful priest," said Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley. "He served in the Diocese of Mississippi when I was a young priest there. I have respected and learned from his example for my whole ordained life. When I visited him the day before he died, Fr. Len focused the conversation on his gratitude for all God allowed him to do in his ministry. He has blessed countless lives. May he rest in peace and rise in glory." A native of South Carolina, Father Len was ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Mississippi by Bishop Duncan Gray in 1981. He served as vicar of St. Mary's, Lexington (1982-1986) and St. Timothy's, Southaven (1986-2002)--where he helped shepherd the devoted congregation of a struggling mission church to build a thriving parish. Eventually, he found his way back to South Carolina, becoming the Charleston Port and Seafarers’ Society (ChaPSS) chaplain in 2001. He continued this important ministry, serving the seafarers who called in Charleston for 17 years as chaplain, and continuing even after he officially retired from the role in 2018. In retirement, Fr. Len served as a volunteer, bringing God’s love to all he met at the port. In 2021, ChaPSS dedicated the “The Father Arthur Lenwood Williams, Jr. Center,” its newest dockside seafarers’ center at the Hugh Leatherman Terminal in Charleston, SC, in honor of their beloved chaplain emeritus. Fr. Len was also a long-time member of the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA) and received a NAMMA Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Following the center dedication at ChaPSS in 2021, NAMMA shared an article on their website in which the author noted the following: “In his address at the dedication, Fr. Len told the crowd of his family, friends, and colleagues from the ministry, church, and maritime industry how blessed and thankful he felt for the opportunity to serve as the ChaPSS chaplain. He remarked that when he was first approached to become the ChaPSS chaplain he was a bit hesitant, as he knew nothing about chaplaincy in general or seafarers’ ministry in particular. But looking back on his time of service he now views it as the most rewarding activity that he has ever been involved in during his tenure as an Episcopal priest.” It was further noted in the article that during his time as ChaPSS chaplain, Fr. Len served as a mentor, role model, and friend to the volunteers and staff of ChaPSS. Also in his "retirement," during the pandemic, Fr. Len began assisting the Rev. Bob Schwarz at Epiphany, Summerville, and after Fr. Bob's retirement in 2021, Fr. Len stepped into the role of interim priest-in-charge, where he served with a deep love for this congregation. In addition to his wife, Angela, Fr. Len is survived by two sons, a daughter, stepdaughter, children-in-law, and four grandchildren. Please continue to hold the family in your prayers, as well as the congregation and leadership of Epiphany, Summerville, and all who grieve his death. A full obituary can be found at this link. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Fr. Len’s honor to: The Charleston Port & Seafarers' Society, P.O.Box 2442, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465 (charlestonseafarers.org), or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (stjude.org/donatetoday). Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord; let light perpetual shine upon him. ![]() The Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has appointed Stephenie Benes as Diocesan Comptroller, effective May 7, 2024. “Stephenie comes to our team with all the skills we need to take us to the next level in the financial management of our diocese,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “Her work will support churches across the diocese as faithful stewards of their resources and will help us accomplish our diocesan goals in the mission of the gospel. I am thrilled to welcome her as she begins this vital ministry.” As diocesan comptroller, Stephenie will serve on the bishop’s staff on a full-time basis, with responsibility for general accounting duties including day-to-day bookkeeping, preparation of quarterly financial statements, federal and state tax reporting, and annual budget support. In addition, she will handle all accounts payable, accounts receivable, diocesan grants, payroll, and audit compliance. In partnership with our diocesan treasurer, Stephenie will work to ensure the overall financial health of the diocese. A 2004 graduate of Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, with degrees in Banking and Finance and Business Management, Stephenie has worked for more than 20 years in banking, accounting, and insurance. For the past eight years, she has been managing the financials for multiple companies with an accounting firm. While the role of diocesan comptroller is a new position on the bishop’s staff, Stephenie will assume the majority of the financial duties previously handled by Andrea McKellar in her role as Canon for Finance and Administration. McKellar was recently named Canon for Strategy and Vitality, and she will work with Stephenie through this transition, expecting to hand over the role completely by June 1. Congregations and institutions are asked to continue to contact Canon McKellar for financial needs until June 1. After this time, Canon McKellar will continue to serve as the diocesan administrator for benefits including all medical, insurance, and pensions—in addition to her new responsibilities as Canon for Strategy and Vitality. Stephenie and her husband, Neil, live in North Charleston with their two children, and their dog Ellie. It was announced at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Charleston on Sunday, April 28, 2024, that on April 26, Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley formally accepted B. Shawan Gillians as a postulant for Holy Orders. Shawan, a practicing attorney, received her juris doctor from the College of William and Mary in 2007 and an MBA from the University of South Carolina in 2016. She has worshiped at St. Mark’s for more than a decade and has served in various capacities within the congregation, including as senior warden.
Parishioners at St. Mark’s gathered around to lay hands on Shawan this past Sunday, as Fr. Michael Shaffer prayed for her as she starts a new chapter in her journey towards ordained ministry. She will formally begin her studies to obtain a Master of Divinity degree in the fall of 2024. |
News BlogThe Diocese of SC Archives
March 2025
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