Search for the XV Bishop Paused Due to Pandemic

As the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to impact our daily lives and immediate future, the Rev. Cn. Caleb Lee, President of the Standing Committee of The Diocese of South Carolina, has written an update regarding the current search for the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. A copy of his letter can be viewed here.

The text of the letter is below:

April 22, 2020
 
Dear Faithful People of the Diocese of South Carolina,
 
The COVID-19 pandemic is the most unprecedented national and global crisis in any of our lifetimes and it has presented all of us with unique and unforeseen challenges in almost every aspect of our lives. As we are all well aware, the Church is not excluded from these challenges.

Due to various factors outside of our control, the Standing Committee has made the decision to pause the Search for the XV Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina. This decision was made in consultation with The Reverend Dr. Philip C. Linder, Chair of the Search Committee, and our Search Consultant, The Reverend Canon Rick Callaway. We will reassess this decision on an ongoing basis. Rest assured that there is no one more ready to have a diocesan bishop than members of your Standing Committee!

There are many factors that were considered in this decision. However, our primary reason for making this decision was to safeguard the integrity of the discernment process for possible candidates, the Search Committee, and the diocese. We are not the only diocese with this challenge. There are currently 18 dioceses that have had to modify or postpone part of their search process because of COVID-19.

The good news is that our excellent committee is in full agreement with this decision and are at a point in the process where a pause can be easily managed. By the end of April, the Search Committee will be finished with the Diocesan Profile and all the preparation necessary to begin receiving nominations. Therefore, when your Standing Committee decides to proceed, there will be very little time between that decision and when the Diocesan Profile is published and nominations can be received.

Unfortunately, this means that our current timeline, including the anticipated election at our Annual Convention in November, will have to be altered. Due to the uncertainty of this time we are not able to make a decision about when that will be at this point. However, we plan to proceed as soon as possible.

Our Search Consultant has stated on more than one occasion that our Diocese has one of the most energetic and hardworking search committees with whom he has ever worked. It did not surprise me that he said this. We have great people in this diocese; people who have endured much and yet still rise to unprecedented challenges with grace and unbelievable faithfulness. I speak for your entire Standing Committee when I say that we are very grateful and honored to be serving you during these times, and we remain very excited about our future.  

Faithfully yours,  

The Reverend Canon Caleb J. Lee
President of the Standing Committee

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