Members of two key leadership bodies of the diocese (Diocesan Council and Standing Committee) gathered in retreat earlier this week at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center along with Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and diocesan staff. The majority of our Trustees were unable to attend this meeting and will gather at a later date. The gathering…
Participants in the latest diocesan-wide offering of Sacred Ground, concluded the session with an in-person event at the Historic Calvary Episcopal Church in Charleston on Saturday, February 28. The session was facilitated by members of the diocesan Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission. Sacred Ground is a program sponsored by The Episcopal Church that promotes racial reconciliation…
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announced yesterday that St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Charleston has been awarded a $500,000.00 grant through the organization’s fourth annual Preserving Black Churches program. Grants were awarded to 33 historically Black churches totaling $8.5 million. The $500,000 grant to St. Mark’s will be used…
February 18, 2026 Dear Diocesan Family, As we approach Holy Lent in the middle of Black History Month, I want to take a moment to remind us all of the courage upon which our diocese is anchored. Our diocesan Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission has done outstanding work convening conversations and written materials chronicling the lives of…
Happening #8 was a huge success last weekend! Hosted by St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center, the amazing youth staff, led by Rector Addy Lanz, shepherded 11 youth participants in a joy- and music-filled retreat where they enjoyed the mountain top and prepared for the work that awaits all of us when we return to our everyday life….
Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has appointed the Rev. Jordan Trendelman, rector of Holy Communion, Charleston, as dean of the Peninsula Deanery. The bishop expressed her gratitude for this transition. “In his short time here, Jordan has quickly become a trusted colleague to Peninsula clergy and lay leaders,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “I am grateful he has accepted this…
The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers, who served for a number of years on the staff of former Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, came to Charleston on Thursday, January 29, to share her new book, Church Tomorrow? What the ‘Nones’ and ‘Dones’ Teach us About the Future of Faith. She wrote the book to address the decline of…
Bishop Ruth Woodliff Stanley was one of 154 bishops of The Episcopal Church that signed a letter concerning recent actions of federal agents in Minnesota and across the nation. The letter is shared below, after a brief statement from Bishop Ruth as to her “why” for joining this effort. January 31, 2026 Dear Friends of…
Dear Friends in the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, In his message on Sunday, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe said “like Jesus, we live in frightening times.” He reminded us of the importance of rooting our lives in “Christ’s ministry of justice, reconciliation, and love.” As events have unfolded in communities across the nation, particularly in…
Submitted by Taylor Skardon The Liz Alston Racial Justice & Reconciliation Book Study was formed in 2016 by the Rev. Callie Walpole in response to the massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church. The purpose of the study was to better understand the perspectives of those of different races and use that knowledge to promote racial justice…
Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley preached the following sermon on January 22, 2026 during the board meeting for the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) in New York City. The Most Reverend Sean Rowe, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church, was the celebrant of the service. Unraveling the Tale In recent weeks, I’ve been reminded how important…
A Reflection from Bishop Ruth in the Week of Dr. King’s Birthday In recent weeks, I have been reminded of the spiritual necessity of slowing down. I was given that gift on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where the landscape itself resists haste. Walking where generations have walked, praying where centuries of prayers have risen,…
