The Rev. Will Berry Called as Rector of St. James, Charleston on James Island
At the request of the vestry of St. James Episcopal Church in Charleston (on James Island), Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley has called the Rev. Will Berry to serve as the next rector of this historic church of our diocese. Father Will has served as associate rector for families and formation at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Charleston since August 2023 and intends to begin his time with St. James on Maundy Thursday, April 2, 2026, with the official welcome celebration after Easter morning worship on April 5.
The bishop shared her joy about this call with the people of St. James. “I could not be more delighted to call The Rev. Will Berry to serve as Rector of St. James,” said the bishop. “Father Will’s work with families and youth, his experience in a congregation and serving on a multi-clergy staff, his musical gifts and his grounded spirituality are the strengths needed for the next season of growth at St. James. Will has an entrepreneurial approach to helping St. James grow and become even more deeply embedded in the James Island community. I look forward to seeing how the Holy Spirit will work in this next chapter of their life.”
In announcing the call to their membership, St. James’ senior warden highlighted the reasons why the vestry believed Father Will was the right person to lead the next chapter for the congregation. “His gifts for pastoral ministry, leadership, and his deep commitment to justice distinguished him from among several highly qualified applicants,” said Senior Warden Steve Johnston. “The vestry’s support for this call was both enthusiastic and unanimous.”
Ordained to the priesthood in 2019, prior to joining the staff at St. Stephen’s, Father Will served for three years as priest-in-charge at the Church of the Resurrection in Lexington, Kentucky. Earlier in his ministry, he served as associate for young adults and families at Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington and as ministry assistant and missioner at St. Mary’s House, the Episcopal chaplaincy to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
As was noted in the church’s announcement, Father Will “is a warm, outgoing, and compassionate priest—and a lover of music who plays multiple instruments.” He is married to Caitlin and they are parents to a four-year-old son. In sharing the announcement of this call with the people of St. Stephen’s, Father Will shared his gratitude to the congregation, noting he will take what he has learned with him. “Your mission to be a house of prayer for all people continues to extend beyond St. Stephen’s campus, and I will absolutely be carrying your spirit of inclusion, hospitality, and justice with me as I enter this next season of ministry,” said Father Will.
The history of St. James Episcopal Church dates back to the early 1700s, and the church is located in the heart of James Island, across Camp Road from the campus of the Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community. Father Will succeeds the Rev. Taylor Smith, who moved out of the Charleston area in January, after serving St. James since November 2022.