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Ireland Says, "Thank You," to Team from Church of the Cross |
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The Very Rev. Chuck Owens, Rector of Church of the Cross, Bluffton, (along with a team from that parish) is spending time in the Diocese of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh, Ireland, preaching and teaching. The Rt. Rev. Ken Clarke, Bishop of that Diocese, recently sent a thank you note to the Church of the Cross, describing the impact the team’s visit has made among the clergy and people.
The following is the text of the message from Bishop Ken Clarke:
Ireland Says Thank You!
" Apart from my conversion and my wedding day this has been the third most important time in my life"
"An inspiring time!"
"It has asked me questions that previously I had not thought about. It has given me hope that despite small numbers we can still be strong."
These are just a few of the many positive comments from people who attended the Strong Small Churches Conferences in the Slieve Russell Hotel in the Diocese of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh. 100 people attended the first Conference and almost 60 the second. Fr. Chuck, Becky and the team from The Church of the Cross led us brilliantly and gave of themselves and their gifts. Team members shared faith stories which were both moving and inspiring. Fr. Chuck's teaching was probing, insightful, disturbing, real, life-related and grounded in hope.
Another delegate wrote to their Rector and said,
"The Strong Small Churches Conference has opened my eyes more and made me more aware of our situation and where we are presently. It has also given me more reason to be hopeful about what the future could possibly hold for us as we have the resources to be a strong small church with your leadership."
Prior to the Conferences, the Team from The Church of The Cross ministered in several parishes in our Diocese. They shared their faith, Chuck preached the Word and they met with a group of our Readers (similar to lay preachers). They listened. They chatted. They prayed. They asked good questions. They encouraged. They lived out a servant heart. They also enjoyed a few hours off when we visited Crom Castle to be welcomed personally by Lord Erne, who was a Page Boy at Queen Elizabeth's Coronation.
These are important days in the emergence of a new Ireland. I honestly believe there are fresh stirrings of the Holy Spirit in Ireland today. In all of my life I have never known such openness in Ireland. The bad news is that people are open to anything. The good news is that they are open to the Gospel. These are days of opportunity. The fields are ripe for harvest. I thank God for your partnership with us in equipping the Church to see the harvest and become reapers. Weeping may precede reaping as we get right with the Lord. Painful decisions will have to be made. Fr. Chuck has helped us see more clearly some of the issues we need to address, and something of God's exciting vision for His people. This Sunday, 16th September, he will preach at a very special Service when over 1000 people will gather from right across our Diocese of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh.
As Bishop of the Diocese, and on behalf of the people of our Diocese, I want to say a very sincere thank you to the congregation of The Church of The Cross for releasing and sending this team. They have been the most enormous blessing and God has blessed us through them. Thank you for your prayers, partnership and generosity. We are praying for you and please pray for us.
Bishop Ken Clarke
Bishop of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh
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SOS from the Dominican Development Group |
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 The following message was sent to us from The Rt. Rev. Julio C. Holguin, Bishop of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic.
Many persons have been affected by hurricane Isaac. We need you to send an SOS to the friends of the Dominican Episcopal Church, asking them, within their possibilities, to send donations for the purchase of food, beds and other utensils, as well as for the repair of some of the houses that were damages by the winds and rains. Whatever help, regardless of size, will be welcomed.
For example, in La Barquita, Santo Domingo where the Tampa Deanery has worked for four years, 13 members of San Pedro y San Pablo have taken up temporary shelter in the church itself. Several other poor, vulnerable communities where we have churches have also been affected by flooding from Isaac.
Members of our congregations and students at our schools are collecting food and clothing to donate to those most affected by Isaac.
We are praying for the inhabitants of Louisiana and other places in the United States who will also be affected by Isaac.
May God bless all those who in one way or another are demonstrating their generosity towards these victims.
Contributions made out to the Dominican Development Group may be sent c/o DaySpring, P.O. Box 661, Ellenton, FL 34222. Mark the memo “Flood Victims.”
+Julio C. Holguin
Bishop of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic |
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The Well By the Sea Purchases Property |
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 The Well By the Sea in Myrtle Beach, the Diocese’s newest congregation, signed a contract and purchased the former Genesis Christian Missionary Alliance Church located at 211 Forestbrook Road in Myrtle Beach on Thursday, August 16, 2012.
The Well, which began holding services in 2009 and was recognized by Bishop Lawrence as a mission church during the 2012 Diocesan Convention, had previously met in two storefronts in the Market Common section of Myrtle Beach and an elementary school. Currently, The Well meets in a strip-mall in Myrtle Beach.
The Christian Missionary Alliance Church leadership contacted the Well in July of this year to see if they were interested in purchasing the property. The CMA congregation held their last service on July 15, 2012 and the lease for the property the Well rented was coming up for renewal August 1.
Jubilant Priest-in-Charge, Tom Woodle said, in sharing the news, “The CMA folks have basically bent over backwards to accommodate us. With all of this falling into place, can’t you see God’s hand all over this? However, we have come to expect God to move in miraculous ways when we are able to stay out of His way. This will take us from ‘off the beaten path’ to a major intersection between the Forestbrook community and Carolina Forest, in a great facility that will allow further outreach and growth. Just three years ago we were meeting in a donated space where people had to bring their own bag chairs and all we owned was a green trash-can. To now be purchasing a church can only be attributed to the grace and love of God!”
Woodle continued, “We are still working to obtain property in the Market Common area where God originally sent us. We still feel called to that area and are hoping that our first new congregation will be there.”
The building inspector reported that the building is in “Better than Average” shape, with the exception of the five air conditioning systems, which will soon need to be replaced.
The Well will now have a Nave/Sanctuary, two offices, a fellowship hall, youth room, full nursery, double kitchen, four classrooms, a full outdoor basketball court and a fenced-in children’s playground.
They have begun renovations to improve the curb-appeal and transform the building into more of an Anglican church. They plan on having their first service in their new building on September 30.
The property is located on the corner of two main roads in a growing community. |
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Bishop Lawrence Meets with Clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina Following General Convention |
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The following letter from the Rev. Canon Jim Lewis, Canon to the Ordinary, summarizing the July 25 meeting Bishop Lawrence held with the clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina was sent to the active clergy July 30, 2012.
Dear Brother and Sister Clergy,
On Wednesday, July 25th, the Rt. Rev. Mark J. Lawrence met with the clergy of the Diocese of South Carolina at St. Paul’s Church, in Summerville, to discuss decisions made at General Convention 2012 and their significance for us as a diocese. In particular, he shared the address he made to the House of Bishops, while in executive session, announcing his decision to depart from Convention with five members of our deputation.
The central purpose of his presentation to the Bishops was to convey his understanding that with the passage of Resolutions D002 and D019 (making all possible variations of “gender identity and gender expression” protected categories in the canons of the church), and the adoption of authorized provisional rites to bless same gender relationships, the doctrine, discipline and worship of this church have been profoundly changed.
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Bucking National Trend, Diocese of South Carolina Experiences Growth in 2011 |
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At a time when the Episcopal Church is experiencing serious decline, (with a projected loss of an estimated 27,000 members in 2011*) the Diocese of South Carolina experienced growth. Average Sunday attendance as well as membership, communicants, and parish giving all reflect an increase over 2010, according to the parochial reports received from its parishes.
“This growth brings glory to our Lord and witnesses to the faithful ministry of the priests, deacons and laity within this diocese as they share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” said the Rt. Rev. Mark J. Lawrence, Bishop of South Carolina, when presented with the figures.
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