​The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has three seminarians attending schools of theology this fall as they prepare themselves on the path toward Holy Orders in The Episcopal Church: Christan Basel, Lauren Kay, and Charles Jenkins. This month we are sharing an update on each of them, along with their contact information. Please keep our seminarians in your prayers!

Christian Basel is at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA. He writes: 

I arrived at VTS to start my junior year just two short days after my last Sunday at Grace and began intensive classes in Biblical Greek that same week. The summer term at VTS was relatively quiet and allowed me to meet all my classmates and many of the faculty and staff around campus, as well as to get acclimated with the area and the rhythm of life at seminary. Now that the fall semester has started, things have picked up considerably with the rest of the students returning, a full worship and class schedule, and many activities.

For the first quarter this fall, I have been taking classes on the Old Testament, New Testament, and Liturgics, in addition to continuing Greek. In the second quarter of this fall, I will pick up Church History, Intermediate Musicianship, and a class on Iconography & Spirituality, along with Old and New Testament classes.

VTS is a place that reflects the whole Anglican Communion, with students from around the United States and several other countries. I have enjoyed the rhythm of daily worship with my peers in a variety of forms and am on one of the student worship planning teams for the fall. An important part of my first year is exploring the many local Episcopal churches on Sunday mornings. I have been to several different parishes, each with their own unique traditions and customs, and am thankful to see the full breadth of the Episcopal Church and its worship practices. There is such a great feeling of excitement and expectation in visiting so many different parishes, as I will be interning in one of these parishes next year.

Although I miss Charleston and South Carolina deeply, Alexandria is a wonderful city with so much to offer and even has its very own King Street. Being so near to Washington, D.C., is truly a blessing. It is such an enriching experience to be close to so many wonderful sights and opportunities, and there is always something guaranteed to see or do on Sunday afternoons after church.

South Carolina is always in my prayers and I look forward to sharing with all of you my experiences at VTS and all that I will learn and grow in to.
Peace!

Christian Basel
​[email protected]
Virginia Theological Seminary
3737 Seminary Road, Box 207
Alexandria, VA 22304

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has three seminarians attending schools of theology this fall as they prepare themselves on the path toward Holy Orders in The Episcopal Church: Charles Jenkins, Christan Basel, and Lauren Kay. This month we are sharing an update on each of them, along with their contact information. Please keep our seminarians in your prayers!

Charles Jenkins is at the School of Theology at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He writes:

Greetings, fellow Episcopalians in South Carolina, from Sewanee! I wanted to share with you all a little bit about my journey back to seminary so far. I recently moved from Charleston, SC, to Sewanee, TN, in order to pursue a post-graduate degree in Anglican Studies to round out and to enhance the prior theological education I received at Trinity School for Ministry about 10 years ago.  

I was fortunate enough to have graduated from Sewanee as an undergrad back in 2004, so it is truly wonderful to be back on the mountain and in the midst of all those who make up the School of Theology here in Sewanee. This place is like an Episcopal Disney World! I am taking some awesome classes this semester that will better prepare me for ordained ministry back in The Episcopal Church in South Carolina.  

I am taking Pastoral Liturgics, Pastoral Theology, Pastoral Spanish, Foundations of Christian Spirituality, and a class on the Atonement (a study of the reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus). It’s a rigorous undertaking, but I am soaking in every moment of every day up here, whether it be in the multiple daily services in our school’s chapel, or while preparing for and sitting in class, or even just sharing fellowship with fellow students, faculty, and community members.

This place is a holy place, it is a place where a passion for the Gospel and a passion for the Church exude from every facet imaginable. It is a true honor and privilege to be granted this time in this place. I am blessed beyond measure to cary the name and to represent The Episcopal Church in South Carolina up here, and I appreciate all of the prayers and words of encouragement many of you have extended to me thus far.  I would love to hear from you if you feel so inclined!  

Charles E. JenkinsJenkins
[email protected]

385 New College Drive, Apt 1
Sewanee, TN 37375
843.830.5475

The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has three seminarians attending schools of theology this fall as they prepare themselves on the path toward Holy Orders in The Episcopal Church: Lauren Kay, Charles Jenkins, and Christan Basel. This month, we'll share an update on each of them, along with their contact information. Please keep our seminarians in your prayers!

Lauren Kay is entering her third (senior) year at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. She writes:

This summer, I spent several weeks with the Episcopal Church at Standing Rock, on the North Dakota side of the reservation. Primarily I served with youth, supervising Native youth workers for three weeks, and serving as an adult leader during two of the church’s summer camps.  Supervising visiting mission groups fell to me a few times as well. “Other Duties as Assigned” perhaps best describes my summer experience!  I also had the opportunity to visit reservations in South Dakota and meet and learn from several Episcopal clergy serving with Native communities in the Dakotas. As often is the case, the more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn.
​
As I head into my senior year at Seminary of the Southwest, I have some new things going on! In addition to my Austin field education at St. George’s, I will serve with Trinity by the Sea in Port Aransas, TX once a month. Port Aransas was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey.  Serving with Trinity by the Sea will allow me to learn more about being a parish in a long-term disaster recovery situation.

Also, I will be working as our Dean and President’s research assistant, providing me a neat window into what it is like to write a focused Biblical commentary.  I am excited for all that the year holds, and I thank you for your prayers as I wrap up my time at seminary this year!

Lauren Kay
[email protected] 

Mailing address: 
3007 Duval St Apt 308
Austin, TX 78705