SOUTH CAROLINA CIRCUIT COURT RULES DIOCESE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND PARISH CHURCHES KEEP THEIR HISTORIC PROPERTY
The Episcopal Church has no legitimate claims to diocesan property, names and symbols.
ST. GEORGE, SC, Feb. 3, 2015 – In a 46 page opinion, South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane S. Goodstein, ruled that The Diocese of South Carolina, The Trustees of the Diocese and 36 parish churches successfully withdrew from The Episcopal Church in 2012 taking with them all their property, including churches, symbols and other assets. The ruling is the result of a three-week trial last summer in which over 50 witnesses testified.
The historic ruling comprehensively resolves the issues surrounding the more than $500 million in property owned by the Diocese and its parishes, which disassociated from the denomination in 2012 after TEC improperly attempted to remove Bishop Mark Lawrence as head of the Diocese.
Mere Anglicanism Draws Record Crowd to Examine Christian Response to Secularism
Details
Written by Joy Hunter
More than 900 attend annual event
CHARLESTON, SC, JAN. 28, 2014 – Internationally known scholars and experts in the field of religion and culture drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 900 to the Charleston Music Hall, Jan. 22-24 for the annual Mere Anglicanism Conference which this year looked at “Salt & Light: The Christian Response to Secularism.”
Bishop NT Wright, one of the world’s foremost New Testament scholars and the leading expert on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, said that Christians had colluded with secularism by letting God be pushed upstairs and out of sight, with Christians holding the view that their purpose lay in being heaven-bound. “That’s not it,” he said. “God rescues us to become rescuers.” “We are put right (justified) so we can help right things on earth.”
Mary Eberstadt, senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Washington, D.C. organization dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to public policy issues, argued that the last 15-20 years has seen the emergence in the West of a new intolerance directed at Christians. Increasingly religious believers are the recipients of rage, ridicule and ostracism. “This hateful rhetoric would have been denounced if those on the receiving end were anything but Christians,” she said. She told of Christians losing their jobs or being pushed out of public life for expressing their beliefs.
“In subtle ways intimidation leads to censorship, censorship to self-censorship,” she said. “Free speech intolerance is everybody’s problem. Push back is way over due.”
The 224th Annual Convention of the Diocese of South Carolina will be held March 13-14, 2015 at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul and the Charleston Music Hall in Charleston South Carolina.
Convention Registration
Convention delegates must be registered by January 30. The cost per clergy and lay delegate is $60 per person. Visitors are welcome, but seating in the visitor gallery is limited. The cost for visitors is $30 per person.
Register here. Note if you do not have an account, feel free to register as a guest.
On Friday afternoon, March 13 five workshops aimed at “Mission and Ministry” will be held at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. The workshops are:
“What is Anglicanism: Conversations on Affiliation,” led by The Rt. Rev. Mark J. Lawrence, XIV Bishop of South Carolina and The Rev. Dr. Canon Kendall Harmon, Canon Theologian of the Diocese; “Cultural Shifts: What is Christian Marriage?” led by The Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll, Retired Professor-Trinity School for Ministry & former President of Uganda Christian University, Author of Two Sexes, One Flesh
“Personal Evangelism” led by Mr. Langdon Stewart, Evangelism Explosion
“Hands-On Mission Locally and Globally,” led by Mrs. Sharon Steinmiller, Director of New Wineskins, Ambridge, PA
“Christian Faith Formation: Anglican Catechism and Confirmation,” led by the Very Rev. Dr. Peter Moore and Mr. Peter Rothermel, Faith Formation Coordinator, Diocese of South Carolina “Engaging Younger Generations in Smaller Congregations,” led by Mr. Dave Wright, Youth Ministry Coordinator, Diocese of South Carolina
Trial Ends: Highlights from the Trial of the Diocese of SC vs. TEC and TECSC
Details
Written by Joy Hunter and Jan Pringle
By Joy Hunter, Diocesan Communications Director and Jan S. Pringle, Public Relations Consultant
The three-week trial of the Diocese of South Carolina vs. The Episcopal Church (TEC) and The Episcopal Church in South Carolina (TECSC) ended July 25, with Judge Diane S. Goodstein, who presided, telling the parties what she wanted from them to assist in her deliberations.
Attorneys representing the Diocese, the Trustees and the Diocesan churches were given 30 days to create a three-page document describing the testimony given in court which explained the procedures they followed to legally separate from TEC, (such as amending their by-laws, giving notice of meetings, properly taking votes, etc.) They were then to send those documents to the Court and to TEC and TECSC whose attorneys will have 30 days to respond in a similar fashion.
In essence, the judge’s last words reiterated what she said throughout the trial: The case will be decided on neutral principles of law, which means that the judge must apply the law to this case as it would any other – making no adjustments because it involves a religious organization. TEC and TECSC have opposed the application of neutral principles; essentially arguing that the judge should defer to their view on the issues since they are a religious organization.
Women, Join with women from across the Diocese for a one-day away gathering focused on Going Deeper, Saturday, April 30, 2016 at Holy Trinity Windermere in Charleston. Registration will begin at 9:15 a.m. and our program will start at 10 a.m.
Allison Lawrence, wife of the Rt. Rev. Mark J. Lawrence, XIV Bishop of South Carolina, and her daughter Chelsea Hamshaw, wife of the Rev. Jason Hamshaw will be speaking on Going Deeper. Together we’ll explore what it means to go deeper in faith: deeper into scripture which leads us deeper to the cross of Christ and deeper into relationship with one another.
Following their presentation we will have lunch and then share Holy Eucharist together.
The cost of the event is $15 and a nursery is available.
In September, 2015, just one month prior to her ordination to the priesthood and three months prior to her death, the Rev. Martha Horn, Chaplain for the Diocesan Women’s Ministries, led a women’s retreat at St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center on the theme “Shifting Landscapes: from mine to His.” She offered this teaching again in November 2015.
Teaching 1: Who is Jesus? This teaching focuses on the Nicene Creed and three important Christological events that point to the deity of Christ.
Teaching 2: In Jesus Christ we have incarnational identity. This teaching dives into the Gospels of Matthew and John to answer a foundational question: What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ who is incarnational?
Teaching 3: The sovereignty of God and His Landscapes: This teaching defines the word sovereign and outlines God’s landscape through the book of Job. The Rev. Martha Horn concludes her teachings with a lesson about the authority and power of Jesus Christ in each of us.
The Diocesan Women’s Ministries council is growing and working toward our God-given vision and mission:
Vision Statement
To transform the hearts of women through the power of Jesus Christ.
Mission Statement
Equipping women to live out a Biblical model of womanhood from generation to generation by providing a network of resources, Biblical studies, prayer ministry, and mentoring through the transforming power of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Biblical Womanhood: Understanding the "S" Word - Submission
A video series by the Rev. Shay Gaillard, Rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Charleston
In preparation for presenting and living out our mission statement, we, the council members, had to ask ourselves some tough questions. Perhaps the most challenging question was, “What does Biblical womanhood look like?” We get a glimpse of what the Bible says about womanhood from Titus 2:3-5. We could also read Proverbs 31 and catch a different perspective of Biblical womanhood. For us on the council, the most challenging part of Biblical womanhood came down to one word. The “S” word. Submission. It was fascinating to hear how each member of the council defined submission. No two members had the same definition! Evidently, this little word carries a lot of emotions and feelings. It would certainly be easier to sweep it under the rug and not pay it any attention!
Obviously there are some very important connections between Biblical womanhood and this little word “submission.” The council approached Rev. Shay Gaillard, rector at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Charleston, to see if he could help us, the members of the council, understand the Biblical meaning of submission. Not only did he agree to teach us, but he also let us video each of the four different teachings so we can share them with you!
These teachings are for all Christians, not just women. We are all called to submit to our Lord Jesus Christ. We are all called to live lives of submission. It is so critical for us to understand from a Biblical standpoint what submission means. Fr. Shay’s teachings take us from submission in the Godhead all the way through submission in our relationships.
Contact information: Diocesan Women’s Ministries; [email protected] or on Facebook at Women's Ministry of the Diocese of South Carolina
Our council members (listed here), thought it was time to let you know what we’ve been up to and the next steps we believe God is calling us to. There have been questions as to when our next women’s retreat will be. Our next women’s retreat is in its planning and praying stage at this time. Having stated that, bear with us as we briefly try to explain what we mean!
The transformed Diocesan Women’s Ministries (DWM) council is finally walking away from the planning table and stepping out into what God has called us to do. We are stepping away from traditional business-style meetings and meeting women where they are. We believe the council needs to take time and visit each church in the diocese. We would like to meet with the clergy and with women’s ministry leaders and find out what’s available for women of all ages in each church and community. We also want to personally discuss our new vision and mission for the DWM and explain that, with all our hearts, we are here to serve you.
Please keep our brothers and sisters at St. Paul's, Conway, in your prayers. A fire broke out in the attic of their administration building at 11 a. [ ... ]
If your church has Advent, Christmas or Epiphany events (other than those held during regular Sunday morning, or Christmas Eve service times) email us [ ... ]
SOUTH CAROLINA CIRCUIT COURT RULES DIOCESE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND PARISH CHURCHES KEEP THEIR HISTORIC PROPERTY
CHARLESTON, SC, JAN. 28, 2014 – Internationally known scholars and experts in the field of religion and culture drew a record-breaking crowd of more than 900 to the Charleston Music Hall, Jan. 22-24 for the annual Mere Anglicanism Conference which this year looked at “Salt & Light: The Christian Response to Secularism.”
By Joy Hunter, Diocesan Communications Director and Jan S. Pringle, Public Relations Consultant
Following their presentation we will have lunch and then share Holy Eucharist together. 
In preparation for presenting and living out our mission statement, we, the council members, had to ask ourselves some tough questions. Perhaps the most challenging question was, “What does Biblical womanhood look like?” We get a glimpse of what the Bible says about womanhood from 
