Convention Videos

Click on the videos above to view important moments from our 235th Diocesan Convention. Or find them all on our Diocesan YouTube page at this playlist.

Convention Election Results

The 235th Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina was held November 6-8, 2025, at Christ Episcopal Church in Mount Pleasant.

The following nominees were elected to serve the Diocese:

Standing Committee (Three-year terms*)
Clergy: The Rev. Julia Madden, the Rev. Fred Thompson
Lay: Barney Forsythe, Jane Hart Lewis; and *Christine Jennings was elected to fill the unexpired term of Peter Gaillard, which ends in 2027.

Deputies to the 82nd General Convention in 2027(two-year terms)
Lay Deputies: Deb Harris, Vermelle Simmons, Andrea McKellar, Veronica Hinkson
Lay First Alternate: Mark Whitehouse
Lay Second Alternate: Jan Schumann

Clergy Deputies: The Rev. Adam Shoemaker, the Very Rev. Michael Shaffer, the Very Rev. Wilmot Merchant II, the Rev. Michael Crandall
Clergy First Alternate: The Rev. Eric Bash
Clergy Second Alternate: The Rev. Bill Coyne

University of the South Trustee (Three-year term)
Lay: Helen Britton

Diocesan Convention Schedule & Important Information

Thursday, November 6
2:00 pm    Registration opens at Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant
4:00 pm    Call to Order followed by Plenary Session
5:20 pm*   Opening Eucharist: The Rev. Carter Heyward, preacher
6:30 pm     Reception

*Please bring non-perishable food items to drop off at the sanctuary to donate to those in need as we approach the holiday season
    
Friday, November 7
8:00 am    Registration continues 
9:00 am    Morning Prayer followed by Plenary Session
                   Keynote Address: The Rev. Luther Smith
12:00 pm  Lunch
1:00 pm    Workshops
2:00 pm    Booksigning opportunity with special guests
2:30 pm    Plenary Session
5:00 pm    Festive Reception with Music

Saturday, November 8
8:30 am    Registration continues 
9:00 am    Morning Prayer followed by Plenary Session and Panel Discussion
12:00 pm  Convention adjourns

Elections at Convention
The Convention will hold elections for the following positions: 

Standing Committee: 2 lay members and 2 clergy members (3-year terms);

General Convention Deputies: 4 Clergy Deputies, 4 Clergy Alternates, 4 Lay Deputies, 4 Lay Alternates (The 82nd General Convention will take place July 3-July 8, 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona);

Trustee, Sewanee: University of the South: 1 lay member (3-year term)​

Read the Nominations Report (listed with Convention Documents on the right side of this webpage) for more information about this year’s nominees.

Notes on the Venue
​The convention will take place in the parish hall, church, and other spaces at Christ Episcopal Church. Registration will take place on the church porch and in the narthex. Our evening receptions will take place on the lawn and courtyard between the parish hall, church, and school buildings. There will be a tent over the dance floor and food stations. Attendees are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather.

Parking
Parking is available around the church campus, and attendants will be on hand to guide you in the right direction. Handicapped parking will be reserved to the left-hand side as you approach the buildings. All others are asked to turn right toward parking around the back of the church. Attendees are encouraged to carpool.

Preconvention Meetings

Zoom link for Preconvention Meetings AND the Meet the Nominees session on November 3 – CLICK HERE TO JOIN

A “Meet the Nominees” session has been scheduled for Monday, November 3, at 6 pm on Zoom. The meeting will be an opportunity for delegates to learn more about the candidates running in the convention elections. Click here to join the Zoom meeting

Two Preconvention Meetings (formerly known as deanery meetings) will be held prior to convention. These meetings will include all clergy, delegates, and alternates for the convention, as well as other interested members of the diocese. Attendance at one of these meetings is important for all delegates, as they are an opportunity for discussion of proposed resolutions, the 2026 budget, and an introduction of nominees for diocesan offices. Meetings are held online through Zoom. You are welcome to attend the one that is most convenient for you.

• Tuesday, October 21 at 1 pm – Click here to join the Zoom meeting
• Monday, October 27 at 6 pm – Click here to join the Zoom meeting

If you were unable to attend these meetings and would like to review a recording to prepare yourself as a delegate, please email a request to convention@episcopalchurchsc.org.

Convention Documents

Call to Convention

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina will be hosted by the Peninsula Deanery at the Christ Episcopal Church, Mt. Pleasant, November 6-8, 2025. From the earliest days of the diocese until its most recent, the Spirit has been working in our midst to direct us through the tests and trials of our times toward a more just and more joyful future. Inspired by the words of the prophet Isaiah, we commit ourselves to contemplate the new things of God and to take up the work of this year’s convention theme, “A New Season.”

Guest Speakers
We are delighted to have two very special guest speakers to accompany us in this endeavor. The Rev. Luther E. Smith, Jr., Ph.D., will be our keynote speaker, and the Rev. Carter Heyward, PhD, will preach at the convention eucharist. Both speakers will also offer workshops and participate in a panel discussion with Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. The speakers’ latest books will be available for purchase at convention, thanks to the Gifts of Grace Cathedral Bookstore.

Dr. Smith is professor emeritus of Church and Community at the Candler School of Theology of Emory University. He writes, teaches, and speaks extensively on issues of church and society, interfaith cooperation, child advocacy, congregational renewal, Christian spirituality, and the thought of Howard Thurman. He is an ordained minister of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, cofounder of the Interfaith Children’s Movement, cofounder of the International Community School, and Coordinator for the “Pan-Methodist Campaign for Children in Poverty.” His latest book is, Hope Is Here! Spiritual Practices for Pursuing Justice and Beloved Community. Dr. Smith will already be known to many in the diocese, as he was one of the guest speakers at our clergy retreat and his book was commended by the bishop for reading during Lent.

The Rev. Carter Heyward is an Episcopal priest, professor, theologian, activist, and writer, known as a pioneer in the areas of feminist liberation theology. At a time in which neither the Episcopal Church—nor any other part of the world-wide Anglican Communion—would ordain women as priests, Heyward was ordained on July 29, 1974 along with 10 other women at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia, a group that would come to be known as the “Philadelphia Eleven.” As a professor at Episcopal Divinity School, Heyward’s primary teaching concentrated on 19th century Anglican theology, feminist liberation theology and theology of human sexuality. Throughout her vocation she has sought to transform consciousness, proclaim the possibilities for women to be priests, for LGBTQ+ people to be theological, and make way for new approaches to connecting the divine to intimacy, justice, and activism. Her primary work these days is with her local chapter of the NAACP. Heyward’s latest book, her eighteen published work, is The Seven Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism, which the bishop also commended for Lenten reading.

Important Information
Diocesan convention this year presents opportunities to do the necessary yearly work for our diocese and to gather the Episcopal community of eastern South Carolina at our annual “family reunion.” This year’s format continues in an expanded model, including worship, workshops, business, and fellowship. 

Two Preconvention Meetings (formerly known as deanery meetings) will be held prior to convention. These meetings will include all clergy, delegates, and alternates for the convention, as well as other interested members of the diocese. Attendance at one of these meetings is important for all delegates, as they are an opportunity for discussion of proposed resolutions, the 2026 budget, and an introduction of nominees for diocesan offices.
This year, all preconvention meetings will be held online. You are welcome to attend the one that is most convenient for you.

Tuesday, October 21 at 1:00 pm
Monday, October 27 at 6:00 pm

Preliminary Schedule of Convention

Thursday, November 6
2:00 pm    Registration opens at Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant
4:00 pm    Call to Order followed by Plenary Session
5:20 pm    Opening Eucharist: The Rev. Carter Heyward, preacher
6:45 pm     Reception

Friday, November 7
8:00 am    Registration continues 
9:00 am    Morning Prayer followed by Plenary Session
                   Keynote Address: The Rev. Luther Smith
12:00 pm  Lunch
1:00 pm    Workshops
2:00 pm    Plenary Session
5:00 pm    Festive Reception with Music

Saturday, November 8
8:00 am    Registration continues 
9:00 am    Morning Prayer followed by Plenary Session and Panel Discussion
12:00 pm  Convention adjourns

Elections at Convention
The Convention will hold elections for the following positions: 

• Standing Committee: 2 lay members and 2 clergy members (3-year terms);
• General Convention Deputies: 4 Clergy Deputies, 4 Clergy Alternates, 4 Lay Deputies, 4 Lay Alternates (The 82nd General Convention will take place July 3-July 8, 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona);
• Trustee, Sewanee: University of the South: 1 lay member (3-year term)

A note about Diocesan Council: The Constitution & Canons Committee, in consultation with the Bishop, members of the Council, and the regional deans are considering a proposal to amend the canons this year so that 1) each regional dean will serve as a non-voting member of Council; and 2) two voting members will be elected by deanery convocations–one lay person and one clergy. Should this amendment pass, the 235th Annual Convention will not elect members of Diocesan Council. An informal poll of delegates will be conducted during the preconvention meetings. If there is no clear consensus in favor of the proposal at that time, the Nominations Committee will work to recruit nominees willing to be nominated for Council from the floor of the convention and stand for election should the amendment fail.

All nominations must have the approval of the person being nominated, and be received by the Secretary of Convention by  Tuesday, October 7, 2025 in order to be included in pre-convention materials. Nominators must be members of the Convention (lay delegates or members of the clergy). A Notice of Election and Nomination Form will be available online here on our convention webpage.

Resolutions
Members of the Diocese are invited to submit resolutions for consideration at the Convention. Please follow the format and guidelines described in the Notice of Submittal of Resolutions. All resolutions are to be received by the Secretary of Convention by emailing them to convention@episcopalchurchsc.org no later than Tuesday, October 7, 2025 in order to be included in pre-convention materials. Resolutions affecting the Constitution and Canons will be submitted to the Committee on Constitutions and Canons and should be received by the same date.

Registration Procedures
Each Parish and Mission is asked to register online, and register all their lay and clergy delegates and alternates at the same time. Clergy who are not directly affiliated with a delegation and visitors may register individually. The Online Registration Link can be found on this convention webpage at this link.

The cost of registration is $165 per person for delegates, which includes the Thursday reception, Friday lunch and Friday reception (heavy hors d’oeuvres). Payment may be made online or sent to the Diocesan Office by mail. There is no fee for those attending the Thursday night Eucharist only. Late registrations after the deadline will be an additional $20 per person. 

Registration for delegates must be received no later than October 7 and for all visitors by October 25.

All canonically-resident clergy serving in a parish are expected to attend the annual diocesan convention. If an unforeseen urgent parish or family event prevents you from attending, please write a letter to Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley and send it to Betsy Pritchard at bpritchard@episcopalchurchsc.org.

Hotel Accommodations and Guest Lodging 
Clergy and delegates are responsible for making their own arrangements for lodging, if needed. Two area hotels are offering special conference rates for our group: the Holiday Inn Express & Suites at at 1104 Stockade Lane; and the Hampton Inn & Suites Charleston-Mt. Pleasant-Isle of Palms at 1104 Isle of Palms Connector.

If you need financial assistance, please contact the Diocesan Office. 

We look forward to seeing you at convention in November. 

Peace in Christ,
The Right Reverend Ruth Woodliff-Stanley
​Bishop

Diane Wilson
Secretary of Convention

VISITORS
Everyone is welcome to register as a visitor at our Convention! You do not have to be a member of one of our churches. If you’d like to come hear our speakers, share in worship and fellowship, or just learn more about us, we welcome you.