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A Prayer for the Election of a Bishop Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 818)  This Saturday, more than 100 lay and clergy delegates will join together virtually to elect the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. The entire convention will be shared live on the Diocesan YouTube page beginning at 9 am at this link. The five candidates on the slate for this election are as follows (listed in alphabetical order by last name, click on each name for more information about each candidate):
Please join us in prayer for the candidates, the delegates, leadership, and all of the Diocese of South Carolina. Learn more about the Electing Convention, and the process outlined in our own Constitution and Canons which will guide this election on the Bishop Search website at this link: scbishopsearch.org/electing-convention. If you have any questions about the election, as a delegate or a member of the diocese, send it to [email protected]. Find more information about the slate of candidates, as well as detailed information about the entire bishop search process, on the Bishop Search website at this link: scbishopsearch.org.  Pursuant to the Constitution of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina (The Diocese of South Carolina), the Standing Committee has called a Special Meeting of Convention to be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 9 am for the purposes of the Election of the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. As set forth in Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina, Convention voting will be by Orders with the clergy voting individually and the lay delegates voting by churches (“a majority from each parish having one vote and each mission having one-half vote”). To elect a Bishop, one candidate must have the required majority in both Orders on the same ballot.
A section has been added to the Bishop Search website that explains the Electing Convention in great detail through a series of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Please visit it at this link. At the Electing Convention, each parish is to provide four lay delegates and up to four alternates. Each mission is to provide two lay delegates and up to two alternates. All canonically-resident clergy who are currently serving a church or institution of the Diocese or, are canonically resident having served a parish or institution of the diocese for five years directly before retirement, have voice, seat, and vote at this convention. All clergy and lay delegates are asked to register here BY TOMORROW, Friday, April 16, 2021. Visitors are welcome to register, but all proceedings will be shared live on the Diocesan YouTube page on May 1 beginning at 9 am. Only registered delegates will participate on the online convention through Zoom. By registering, you will receive all emails about the upcoming election, including information about pre-convention meetings and training sessions. Preconvention Meetings Offered to Delegates There will be virtual Preconvention Meetings to discuss the format of convention, voting, and technology. These will be held on Zoom on the following days and times:
It is strongly encouraged that all delegates attend at least one of these sessions. Zoom links for these sessions will be sent to all registered delegates very soon. You may also email your questions to [email protected].  Whether participating live or watching the recorded videos on their own time, hundreds of people from throughout the diocese learned more about the five candidates for the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina this week through the three-day virtual event known as Candidate Conversations (In the photo, Jeanette Spencer, a member of Calvary, Charleston, and the Very Rev. Dr. Adam Shoemaker, rector of St. Stephen's, Charleston, both members of the Bishop Search Transition Committee, moderated the Wednesday morning session with the five candidates.).
From Monday through Wednesday, people of the diocese watched panel discussions with the candidates where they answered 4-5 questions in a live video conference each day, and then they joined in the evening for breakout sessions that provided an opportunity to meet and listen to each candidate one at a time. Throughout the event, churches from around the diocese joined together to offer morning prayer, noonday prayer and evening prayer for each daily session. Youth of the diocese closed the three-day event with Compline on Wednesday evening. Candidate Conversations hopefully served as a wonderful opportunity for the candidates to learn more about the diocese and for people to learn more about them. This will be particularly helpful for those who will serve as lay and clergy delegates at the Electing Convention on May 1, 2021. For those who were unable to watch the events live, the panel discussions from each of the three days were recorded and can be watched on the Diocesan YouTube account at this playlist. Learn more about the candidates, including interviews, resumes, application essay answers and more, on the Bishop Search website at this link. Join Zoom Meeting for the Candidate Conversations at this link: http://bit.ly/CandidateConversations Meeting ID: 891 0367 6508 Passcode: 596991 Click link above, or visit www.zoom.com and/or dial the following number and enter the information above: +1 646 876 9923  Candidate Conversations are into the third and final day today, Wednesday, April 14. This three-day virtual event is the main instrument of discernment we are using in the search for our next Bishop. These Conversations have been organized by the Transition Committee to provide a forum for the people of the diocese to hear directly from the candidates about issues affecting our common life, and to help the candidates learn more about what matters most to people in the diocese.
Today will follow the same schedule as the other two days:
All are welcome and invited to attend any or all sessions of this event. For more information, visit the Bishop Search website at this link: scbishopsearch.org/candidate-conversations. Day 1 Panel Discussions can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/eFhO_IUsNOQ Day 2 Panel Discussions can be viewed at this link: https://youtu.be/qI4Ix1Lu_oA Join Zoom Meeting for the Candidate Conversations at this link: http://bit.ly/CandidateConversations Meeting ID: 891 0367 6508 Passcode: 596991 Click link above, or dial the following number and enter the information above: +1 646 876 9923  Nearly 100 people participated in the first day of Candidate Conversations, the three-day virtual event held in place of the traditional "Walkabouts" that are usually a part of a bishop election process. These fully-online and virtual forums are taking place on Zoom and provide an opportunity for the people of the diocese to hear directly from the candidates about issues affecting our common life, and to help the candidates learn more about what matters most to people in the diocese.
Yesterday, the candidates answered five questions about a variety of topics during the morning panel discussions. The morning session was recorded and can be viewed at this link. The evening breakout sessions were more informal and gave the candidates an opportunity to have more informal discussions with people of the diocese while each were in their own "breakout" room. Those sessions were not recorded, but similar sessions will be offered on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. The same sessions will be offered on Tuesday and Wednesday April 13-14, 2021. People may watch and participate the Candidate Conversations on Zoom, but those daily sessions will also be shared live on the Diocesan YouTube channel at this link: www.youtube.com/c/DioceseofSC. People will only be able to view the evening breakout sessions through the Zoom link below: Join Zoom Meeting for the Candidate Conversations at this link: http://bit.ly/CandidateConversations Meeting ID: 891 0367 6508 Passcode: 596991 Click link above, or dial the following number and enter the information above: +1 646 876 9923 Learn more about the five candidates by visiting each candidate’s page at this link: https://scbishopsearch.org/candidates. On the page for each candidate, you will find a short bio, résumé, and application essays, as well as each candidate’s introductory video, and a recent interview conducted by a member of the Bishop Search Committee. Alternately, you can view all videos at these links:
Who can participate as an attendee? All are welcome and invited to participate in any or all parts of the three-day event. All portions of the Candidate Conversations, including all of the Daily Office services, are open to anyone who would like to attend. Canonically-resident clergy and lay delegates to the electing convention are strongly encouraged to attend. The morning panel sessions will be streamed live on the Diocesan YouTube channel and a link will be shared on the Diocesan Facebook page. Learn more about Candidate Conversations at this link: scbishopsearch.org/candidate-conversations.  Login information for all sessions on Zoom, April 12-14, 2021 Join Zoom Meeting for the Candidate Conversations by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/CandidateConversations Meeting ID: 891 0367 6508 Passcode: 596991 Click link above, or dial the following number and enter the information above: +1 646 876 9923 Download this form to take notes during the sessions. Candidate Conversations will be held April 12-14 in place of the traditional "Walkabouts" that are usually a part of a bishop election process. These fully-online and virtual forums will take place on Zoom and will provide an opportunity for the people of the diocese to hear directly from the candidates about issues affecting our common life, and to help the candidates learn more about what matters most to people in the diocese.
Learn more about the five candidates by visiting each candidate’s page at this link: https://scbishopsearch.org/candidates. On the page for each candidate, you will find a short bio, résumé, and application essays, as well as each candidate’s introductory video, and a recent interview conducted by a member of the Bishop Search Committee. Alternately, you can view all videos at these links:
The Candidate Conversations will consist of a series of morning panel discussions (each day at 10 am) and early evening “breakout” sessions (each day from 5:30-8 pm). In the morning panel discussions, each candidate will have the opportunity to respond in turn to questions asked by the moderators. The evening “breakout” sessions will be more informal opportunities to spend time with each candidate. All are welcome and invited to participate in any or all parts of the three-day event. People may watch and participate the Candidate Conversations on Zoom, but those daily sessions will also be shared live on the Diocesan YouTube channel at this link: www.youtube.com/c/DioceseofSC. People will only be able to view the evening breakout sessions through the Zoom link below: Join Zoom Meeting for the Candidate Conversations at this link: http://bit.ly/CandidateConversations Meeting ID: 891 0367 6508 Passcode: 596991 Click link above, or dial the following number and enter the information above: +1 646 876 9923 Who can participate as an attendee? All portions of the Candidate Conversations, including all of the Daily Office services, are open to anyone who would like to attend. Canonically-resident clergy and lay delegates to the electing convention are strongly encouraged to attend. The morning panel sessions will be streamed live on the Diocesan YouTube channel and a link will be shared on the Diocesan Facebook page. Learn more about Candidate Conversations at this link: scbishopsearch.org/candidate-conversations.  The Bishop Search Transition Committee and the Standing Committee have decided that the Walkabouts/Candidate Conversations held on April 12-14 will be conducted virtually due to ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, Walkabouts are a time for the candidates to learn about the diocese, and for the people of the diocese to learn more about the candidates.
Submit Questions for Candidate Conversations: As the process shifts this year to virtual Candidate Conversations, there will be multiple ways for people to remain engaged in the process of electing a new bishop for our diocese. The first such opportunity is to submit questions for the candidates to be asked during the Candidate Conversations. Questions should not be specific to any particular candidate, but should be able to be asked of all candidates in a panel-like setting. There is no limit to the number of questions that may be submitted by an individual. Members of the Transition Committee will review all questions and determine which questions will be posed to the candidates at the events in April. There will be several online sessions of Candidate Conversations, organized by the four deaneries of our diocese. Details about these sessions will be shared very soon on the Bishop Search Website at this link. Questions may be submitted to the Transition Committee using this link. All questions should be submitted by Saturday, March 20 at 5 pm.  The Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina announced today the slate of candidates who will stand for election as the 15th bishop of South Carolina during a Special Meeting of Convention to be held for the purposes of the election on Saturday, May 1, 2021.
The candidates are (listed in alphabetical order):
Information about the candidates, including brief biographical information, essays and resumes, can be found on the website for the search for the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina at this link. In a letter to the Diocese of South Carolina (click here to read the letter), the president of the Standing Committee, the Reverend Canon Caleb J. Lee, said of the search: “This past year has been very challenging, in more ways than one. Through it all, our incredibly talented Search Committee has been steadfast in prayerful discernment. They selected, from a large and exceptionally qualified pool of candidates, the names presented to you to stand for election. The Standing Committee is grateful for the holy work that has been underway, and we are very confident in the process that has brought us to this point.” The Standing Committee has also announced the opening of the petition process, which allows additional nominees to be added to the slate. More details about the process, including requirements for petition nominees, can be found on the bishop search website at this link. The petition process will close on Monday, February 8, 2021, at 5 pm EST. Members of the diocese will have the opportunity to learn more about the candidates during walkabouts or candidate conversations to be held April 12-14, 2021. The final decision as to whether these events will be offered in person or virtually has not yet been decided. More information will be announced soon on the bishop search website at www.scbishopsearch.org. The Standing Committee has called a Special Meeting of Convention to be held for the purposes of the Election of the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. This Special Convention will take place at 9 am on May 1, 2021, at Grace Church Cathedral. If the Convention is not able to meet in person, the diocese will proceed with a virtual platform. The Diocese of South Carolina announced the beginning of a process that would lead to the election and consecration of the 15th Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina on January 23, 2020. The process was briefly paused at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in August 2020. Learn more about the search for the 15th Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina at www.scbishopsearch.org. Standing Committee Names Bishop Search Transition Committee
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina recently announced the formation of the Transition Committee that will serve in the search for the Diocese’s XV Bishop. According to Canons of the Diocese of South Carolina, the Transition Committee shall consist of two clergy and two lay persons from each of the deaneries with not more than one lay or clergy member from the same parish or mission. The President of the Standing Committee (or another member designated by the Standing Committee) serves ex-officio as a member, as well as the Chancellor or assistant Chancellor. The following are the members of the Transition Committee. Pee Dee/Waccamaw Deanery The Very Reverend Wil Keith, Holy Cross Faith Memorial, Pawley's Island The Reverend Rob Donehue, St. Anne's, Conway Rick Stall (Co-Chair), Messiah, Myrtle Beach Matt Robertson, St. Catherine's, Florence Peninsula Deanery The Very Reverend Dr. Adam Shoemaker, St. Stephen’s, Charleston The Reverend Canon Bryce Wandrey, Grace Church Cathedral, Charleston Erin Bailey, St. Stephen’s, Charleston John Wilson, Grace Church Cathedral, Charleston Southern Deanery The Reverend Denise Trogdon, All Saints, Hilton Head The Reverend Jim Dannals, St. Mark's, Port Royal Nancy Gault, All Saints, Hilton Head Larry Watt, Christ Church, Denmark West Charleston Deanery The Very Reverend Chris Huff, St. George’s, Summerville The Reverend Fred Thompson, The Episcopal Church on Edisto Pat Neumann (Co- Chair), The Episcopal Church on Edisto Jane Orenstein, Good Shepherd, Summerville According to the Canons of our Diocese, the Transition Committee is tasked with the following:
For the latest on the timeline of the search for our XV Bishop, visit the Bishop Search website at this link. After a brief pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the search for the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina has resumed. The Bishop Search Committee is now receiving nominations and applications through October 15, 2020.
While exact dates will be difficult to firmly establish because of the uncertainty of the pandemic, the search will proceed with the expectation of holding a special electing convention in Spring 2021, followed by the Consecration of the new bishop before the end of the year. The period of receiving nominations and applications is now open and will close on Thursday, October 15. The Diocesan Profile has been shared on the website for the bishop search (www.scbishopsearch.org), along with forms for application and nomination. In a time of great uncertainty, the Rev. Dr. Philip Linder, Chair of the Bishop Search Committee, is looking forward to resuming the search. “We are excited to be moving forward, and hope for the careful and prayerful consideration of all who may feel called to serve as the Fifteenth Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina,” said Linder. While specific dates beyond the period for open nominations will not be set at this time, the overall process will continue to follow the timeline on the Bishop Search website. Upcoming events and deadlines will be shared on the website and through Diocesan communications. |
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March 2025
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P.O. Box 20485, Charleston, SC 29413 - 843.259.2016 - [email protected]
- Home
-
About Us
-
Ministry
- Prayer Calendar
- Commission on Ministry
- Title IV Concerns
- Outreach
- Racial Justice & Reconciliation Commission
- Grants for Congregations
- Administrative Resources
- Clergy Resources
- Liturgy & Worship >
- Education & Formation >
- Church Connections >
- Ecumenical & Interfaith >
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- Communication and Evangelism >
- News
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