The Rev. Joseph Smith Named Dean of the West Charleston Deanery

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has appointed the Rev. Joseph Smith, rector of the Episcopal Church on Edisto (soon to be formally known as St. Francis), Edisto Island, as Dean of the West Charleston Deanery. Fr. Smith succeeds the Rev. Dow Sanderson, priest-in-charge of Good Shepherd, Summerville, who has fulfilled the role with grace and devotion since February 2022.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the Rev. Dow Sanderson for his steady, pastoral leadership of the West Charleston Deanery,” said Bishop Woodliff-Stanley. “He has truly been connective tissue, quietly yet effectively tending to needs and providing guidance to me and to the clergy in his deanery. I am grateful and delighted that Father Joseph Smith has agreed to take on this ministry. He brings a wealth of experience in a season when we will be increasing the role of our deaneries as we live into our strategic plan together. I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”

The West Charleston Deanery includes the churches in our diocese located in Summerville, North Charleston, Johns Island, and Edisto Island. Learn more about our deaneries on the diocesan website at this link. Many thanks to both of these priests for their ministry in our diocese!