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.

View the video above to learn more about the special series for Lent that will be offered by Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and the diocesan staff. The series will be held on Zoom each Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm. For five weeks beginning on February 28, members of staff will be joined with other voices around the diocese to lead an open conversation about what feeds our bodies and our souls. Each session will end with the Evening Devotion found in the Book of Common Prayer. Information on the first two sessions is available below:

February 28 at 6:30 pm: Join the Rev. Cn. Ryan Currie for the first session. He will be joined by Alison Davidow, a member at St. Mark's, Port Royal, to lead an open conversation about what's feeding our bodies and souls, particularly during the Lenten season.

March 7 at 6:30 pm: The Rev. Cn. Ramelle McCall will be joined by Charlinda Gallant of Calvary, Charleston for the second session of this Lenten series.  

March 14 at 6:30 pm: For the third session of the series, Canon Andrea McKellar is joined by Renzi Ricketts, who serves as director of Camp St. Christopher at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center.

March 21 at 6:30 pm: Diocesan Director of Communications Molly Hamilton is joined by Whitney Davis, the Director of Music at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Hartsville, SC, for the fourth session. 

March 28 at 6:30 pm: The Canon to the Ordinary, the Rev. Cn. Philip Linder will lead the fifth and final session of this Lenten series. He will be joined by a member of the diocese.

How to join the meeting on Zoom
When it's time for the session to begin, join the meeting online by clicking this link: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84400184048?pwd=S3hUc3czaGhYVXFDa2Z6UzN0Ky9Hdz09

If needed, the meeting information is as follows:
Meeting ID: 844 0018 4048
Passcode: 629355

The Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has called the Rev. Ramelle McCall to serve as Canon for Leadership in the Diocese of South Carolina, beginning on September 1. The Rev. McCall currently serves as rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Baltimore, Maryland, and also as urban missioner for the Diocese of Maryland. As Canon for Leadership, he will focus his attention on developing congregational vitality and evangelism, advancing the ministries of justice in the public square (furthering the work of racial, social, and economic justice), working closely with the Commission on Ministry to raise up lay and clergy leaders for our diocese, and developing leaders for the next generation, including serving as the key liaison with the Children and Youth Commission.

Bishop Woodliff-Stanley expressed great excitement about the addition to diocesan staff. “Since the first conversation I had with Ramelle, I’ve been excited about the possibility of his joining our team,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “Ramelle brings great gifts to help us build networks and capacity in our communities to strengthen our voice in the public square on pressing issues where the church needs to be present. His experience both as a parish priest and urban missioner will help us raise up strong leaders to build the Jesus movement now and with the next generation.”
 
The Rev. McCall plans to move to Charleston later this summer and looks forward to hitting the ground running when he starts on staff in September. “I’m excited about engaging the wonderful and gracious people of South Carolina and seeing what God is doing with them and how we can all work together into the future,” said Fr. McCall. “I'm excited about the evangelism side of my role and what that looks like, whether that be church planting or how to reimagine new spaces and worship in a unique setting.” He also looks forward to bringing a voice toward racial injustice and the opportunity to work with the youth of our diocese.

Fr. McCall brings a wealth of experience and a strong belief in the importance of building relationships to his new role. “I bring not only parish experience, but also experience in community organizing, bridge building, networking, and simply finding ways to engage people in ministry,” said Fr. McCall. “I like to meet everyone where they are to build a mutual relationship, with God playing a key role.”

Relationship building has been key throughout his ministry. “One thing I've learned as a leader is to never underestimate putting in the time and constant intentionality in building relationships,” said Fr. McCall. “In my experience, it doesn’t happen immediately, it takes time to build that relationship and truly build trust and mutual respect—and I know I have to earn that. Once that's earned, then you're able to move forward on the particular work all sides wish to accomplish. I've learned to be very patient and very pastoral in every particular relationship, knowing that while there's an urgency to act, it does take time to discern how you want that action to be done.”

A graduate of Wake Forest Divinity School, Fr. McCall is looking forward to returning to the Carolinas. He sees great potential for our growing diocese, and welcomes the opportunity to be a part of the staff Bishop Woodliff-Stanley is assembling in the first year of her episcopate. “It's an honor to join the staff as Bishop Ruth continues to build her team,” said Fr. McCall.
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Fr. McCall was awarded a Master of Divinity degree from Wake Forest University in 2006 and studied Anglican Studies at Virginia Theological Seminary. He was ordained in 2011 and began his ministry as interim rector at St. Philip’s in Annapolis, Maryland for a year before being called to serve as rector of St. Michael & All Angels in Baltimore, and chaplain to the Maryland Institute College of Art from 2012 to 2017. He has served as rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Baltimore and Urban Missioner for the Diocese of Maryland since 2017. He appreciates good food and enjoys playing pool, exercising, listening to great music, and singing karaoke. We look forward to welcoming him to our diocese in September.

On Tuesday, April 5, Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and Diocesan Staff toured the grounds of McLeod Plantation on James Island where enslaved people were brought from Africa through Charleston harbor in the mid-1800s. The historic site, a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, offers an honest look at life on the plantation through the eyes of the enslaved people who were brought there without their consent, and through whom the fabric of our history and our culture was woven.

The tour was led by Toby Smith and John Gardner (who serves on the Diocesan Commission for Racial Justice and Reconciliation), who shared the stories of the enslaved people who lived on this sacred ground, how they were brought there against their will, forced to labor for the cultivation and processing of sea island cotton, endured unspeakable conditions and inhumane treatment, and yet through it all, maintained and embraced their Gullah/Geechee culture and persevered. The visit also included a close look at a cemetery on the grounds where untold numbers of enslaved people are buried. Efforts are currently underway to identify and properly memorialize this sacred area. Bishop Ruth offered a prayer alongside the cemetery for the bodies of the blessed souls laid to rest there. The visit to McLeod was an opportunity to continue to understand the history of our country and our state as we continue on a path toward reconciliation.

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley said of the visit: "It was a profoundly impactful morning for me. I was so moved to learn that, as constituent member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, McLeod centers its work on the lives of those who were enslaved on the land. The time we spent at McLeod with John Gardner and Toby Smith deepened my commitment to our collective work of justice.”

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has appointed Cecilia Eaton as Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Diocesan Administrator effective Tuesday, February 1, 2022.
 
“Cecilia brings a wealth of experience to this position and an eagerness to continue her service in The Episcopal Church,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “I am delighted she will be joining us and invite you to join me in welcoming her in February.”
 
Cecilia will be responsible for managing the bishop's calendar and travel, and will coordinate with staff to plan and execute diocesan meetings and gatherings including Clergy Conference and Annual Diocesan Convention. Additionally, she will be responsible for Safeguarding Training, maintaining clergy records, and clergy and lay licensing, and will serve as the staff liaison to the Diocesan Council, Commission on Ministry, and the Standing Committee. As diocesan administrator, she will be the diocesan liaison with the Church Pension Group on all pension matters, property insurance, employee benefits and records, as well as records/reports compliance with The Episcopal Church and CPG.

A resident of Charleston since 1997, Cecilia has worked in banking/finance, investment/retirement planning, and office management, with more than 25 years of experience as an executive assistant. Since 2012, Cecilia has been the Executive Assistant to the President/CEO at Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community.

Cecilia succeeds Lauren Kinard, who served in this role since 2013 and ended her employment on December 10. Lauren will continue to provide limited consultation and support for Cecilia as needed during the transition. Katherine Smith, who has been handling some of the duties of this role since the first of the year on an interim basis, will also provide assistance as Cecilia becomes familiar with her new position.
 
Cecilia lives in West Ashley with her husband, Greg, and daughter, Madison. 

Katherine Smith continues on an interim basis until Cecilia begins. If you need assistance from the Diocesan Office or need to schedule time with the bishop, please call Katherine in the office at 843.259.2016 or email her at [email protected]. ​