At the same time, a new study led by scientists at NOAA, the University of Hawaii and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration showed that Charleston will hit an inflection point in 2025, ushering in a decade of even more tidal events because of the compounding effects of sea-level rise on top of the quirks of the moon’s orbit around the Earth.

On a call with reporters on July 14, NOAA oceanographer William Sweet said that the Southeastern United States, in particular, has consistently outstripped tidal flooding projections of late. In 2019, for example, persistently swollen oceans swamped the coast from Florida through the mid-Atlantic. Charleston’s flooding tally from 2020 to 2021 was also double what federal scientists had forecast the year before.

Read it all.

Charleston had a record-breaking amount of significant tidal flooding from May 2020 to April 2021, according to officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://t.co/ibDQVMSZfn

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 15, 2021

The Wedding Dress; And Why I Tithe….
By Susan Clarkson Keller, St. Philip’s Church, Charleston

I began tithing sometime after college, when I began my first job. Despite being a young believer, I understood that tithing was a way to show God how much I trusted Him to provide for me.

Then a speaker came to St. Philip’s in the mid-1980s, whose message greatly impacted my thinking about giving. I was challenged not only to tithe, but to see everything I had as God’s and to realize what a blessing it would be to give more and more to the work of the Kingdom, in and out of the church. I decided then to start tithing my gross income… which was a big step for me. Since that time, I have experienced the faithfulness of God in providing for me in some truly remarkable ways….

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of South Carolina Enewsletter https://t.co/nPK8Lq6dwY #parishministry #anglican #religion #southcarolina #communications pic.twitter.com/akya2tigla

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) July 14, 2021

Audio only:

For decades, there were few detailed accounts or photos of rare, white-skinned alligators in coastal South Carolina.

But a Clemson University researcher who found six such American alligator hatchlings in the Lowcountry in 2014 has published what is believed to be the most detailed account of such a discovery to date.

Thomas Rainwater was working as a wildlife toxicologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Charleston when he and other biologists found the six rare hatchlings in an undisclosed location in the Lowcountry.

Someone had notified Rainwater and the other researchers after stumbling across them by accident.

Read it all.

For decades, there were few detailed accounts or photos of rare, white-skinned alligators in coastal South Carolina.

But a Clemson University researcher has published what is believed to be the most detailed account of such a discovery to date. https://t.co/lvqLd3v0v6

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 10, 2021

I appreciate your prayers. The parish website is there.

State health officials are concerned that the COVID-19 Delta variant will continue to spread quickly in South Carolina because of the large unvaccinated population.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is reporting 10 identified cases of the Delta variant in the state, although more are likely present.

This variant is more transmissible than other strains of the virus and carries a greater chance of severe disease, DHEC said.

Dr. Jane Kelly, assistant state epidemiologist, said more than half of the new confirmed coronavirus cases in the nation have been the Delta variant.

“The best thing you can do to protect yourself from the Delta variant is to make sure you’re fully vaccinated,” Kelly said. “Encourage your friends and family to get the shot as well.”

Read it all.

State health officials are concerned that the COVID-19 Delta variant will continue to spread quickly in South Carolina because of the large unvaccinated population. https://t.co/gZVeofuFcW

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 7, 2021

One of the most obvious priorities with helping someone transition out of homelessness is finding them a place to live.

But what happens when they move into a space with nothing but a crate full of clothes and rent money?

“The difference between having a bed or not really changes your whole day,” said 18-year-old John Michael Stagliano, a lifelong Summerville resident.

Stagliano is also the founder of Home Again, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying furniture and household items to families leaving former conditions behind and moving into new homes.

It all started with Stagliano volunteering at a Summerville homeless shelter where he learned the needs of the residents didn’t end with them simply moving out of the shelter.

Read it all.

John Michael Stagliano is the founder of Home Again, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying furniture and household items to families who are transitioning out of homelessness and moving into new homes.https://t.co/vnnILrFdAJ

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 2, 2021

Tune in to AXS TV July 7 at 6:30 p.m. to see the season premiere of “If These Walls Could Rock,” a new series featuring musical performances in historically significant venues along with conversations surrounding the history and meaning of the venue in which the artists perform. In the opening show, July 7, Performer Ty Taylor reflects on his experience performing at the Old Brick Church in conversation with the Rev. Hamilton Smith (Rector of St. Thomas, Mt. Pleasant) and the musical duo Finnegan Bell (Shane Williams and Warren Bazemore) which leads worship at St. Thomas. The connection was made through the STAC House shows, the critically acclaimed songwriter series hosted by St. Thomas which Finnegan Bell created and curates.

Watch a video conversation with the lead singer of Vintage Trouble, Ty Taylor.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/AVaJY4W4gl #parishministry #religion #anglican #lowcountrylife #music #hometours #creativity pic.twitter.com/h2CDVRZWhV

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) July 2, 2021

She’s zeroed in on the moments deputies grappled with him after deploying the pepper spray and Tasers.

Every viewing seems to lead to more questions, like when Jamar, her youngest son, spotted bandages on Jamal’s legs as deputies moved in on his cell.

She wonders how he received those injuries. She knows her search for accountability isn’t over.

Amid the questions and the grief, amid the loss of the son who clung closest to her side, Amy Sutherland takes comfort in one fact — her son’s final moments were spent calling out to his Lord.

“Hallelujah,” he could be heard in deputies’ body camera video. “Hallelujah.”

Read it all.

This story brought me to tears. @GregoryYYee does a wonderful job conveying Jamal Sutherland's humanity. Nice work, my friend. https://t.co/YGAV0VVdW4

— Angie Jackson (@AngieJackson23) June 25, 2021

Read it all.

The Rev. Kyle Holtzhower has accepted the call to become the Rector of Christ-St. Paul's Church Yonges Island SC https://t.co/eC5Vku90mD #parishministry #anglican #southcarolina #lowcountrylife pic.twitter.com/BgrNKUh1JM

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 24, 2021

The bells tolled at 9 p.m. in downtown Charleston and the crowd stood in silence as they listened to the pastor dressed in black read nine names.

The Rev. Clementa Pinckney, Myra Thompson, Ethel Lance, Cynthia Graham Hurd, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Susie Jackson, DePayne Middleton Doctor, Tywanza Sanders and the Rev. Dan Simmons Sr. — nine names, nine lives whose loss on June 17, 2015, irrevocably changed the Holy City.

At least 50 people gathered at 8 p.m. on June 17 in front of Emanuel AME Church on Calhoun Street to remember those names, marking the sixth anniversary of the racially motivated mass shooting that continues to scar the Black community.

“I’m so grateful that you are here to remember,” said Marlena Davis, a church member.

Read it all.

Local paper front page #motheremanuelmassacre #remember #history #race #religion #parishministry #biblestudy #southcarolina #lowcountrylife #death #history #motheremanuel #charlestonsc pic.twitter.com/byCP9aHJ7U

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 18, 2021

As we mark the sixth anniversary of the massacre inside Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church on Thursday, we’re pleased to see significant progress on a memorial that will honor the lives lost and those forever altered on that tragic day. It will be the most tangible acknowledgement to Emanuel’s victims; we hope still more is done.

The Emanuel Nine Memorial, which will completely remake the grounds around the church on Calhoun Street, promises to be one of the most important things built in the city this decade. Work on the ambitious $17.5 million project is closer than ever after the city agreed to contribute $2 million to the Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation, which also will create an endowment to maintain the site and new initiatives to advance social justice and combat racism. Those initiatives will begin later this year, around the same time construction starts on the memorial.

The Rev. Eric S.C. Manning, Emanuel pastor and co-chairman of the foundation, said he is humbled and thankful for the support the city and Charleston residents have shown, adding that the city’s contribution “will ensure that the memory of the Emanuel Nine will never be forgotten, the resilience and strength of the survivors will continue to be celebrated, and the messages of forgiveness, love and grace will draw all people together.”

Read it all.

"We urge our state and federal leaders to do more to keep firearms out of the hands of those whose criminal conduct and mental illness show they pose a danger," the editorial board writes.https://t.co/Y3bIyor6Pn

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) June 17, 2021

So Singleton asks everyone to stand, to find “someone who doesn’t look like you,” to give that person a hug and declare “I love you.”

He knows it might be awkward for many, but the statistical odds are in his favor. Nearly 5 percent of U.S. adults are coping with depression; around 11 percent are dealing with forms of anxiety, according to government statistics.

He was one of them. On June 17, 2015, when he was 18 years old, he received a phone call informing him about a shooting at Emanuel AME Church, where his mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was an assistant pastor involved in Wednesday night Bible study.

His father, who struggled with alcoholism, was not around much, so it was Chris who was forced to grow up fast and care for his two younger siblings. He took his responsibility very seriously.

“I was pretending to be Superman,” he said.

Read it all from the local paper.

From P&C: Chris Singleton draws on Emanuel AME tragedy to share lessons of hope and empowerment https://t.co/w8Kv4Ta1Mh #chsnews

— Sam Tyson (@SamInteractive) June 17, 2021

The National Weather Service reported five lightning strikes on the Peninsula Saturday night, and one such strike reportedly landed near the corner of Church and Market Streets. More than likely, since the location may be approximate, “near the corner” may just be the tallest landing spot in the area: the St. Philip’s steeple.

The steeple bells were damaged beyond repair, as were three of the four video cameras used for streaming and parts of the air conditioning units. But the damage was not limited to the church building itself. The electrical current reached the Ministries Hall (church office building), knocking out one desktop computer and three phones (and temporarily knocking out the entire phone system), along with some PoE (power over ethernet) ports and the network card of the production printer used for the inSPIRE and bulletin preparation.

Read it all.

One in five South Carolinians has a mental health diagnosis, according to a new report, and while notable improvements have been made, the state remains poorly equipped to treat everyone who needs help.

A group of South Carolina’s health leaders at the S.C. Institute of Medicine and Public Health and the S.C. Behavioral Health Coalition took stock of the last six years regarding progress in the state’s mental health care and published a report advocating for widespread change in treatment for people with mental illness and substance use disorders within schools, hospitals, jails and prisons.

The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated the state’s mental health problems. For one, fatal overdoses from opioids were up at least 20 percent between 2019 and 2020, and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control says the deaths accelerated during the pandemic.

Read it all.

One in five South Carolinians has a mental health diagnosis, according to a new report.

While notable improvements have been made, the state remains poorly equipped to treat everyone who needs help. https://t.co/L1op5anki6

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) June 7, 2021

Pringle Franklin recently interviewed Pastor Matthew Rivers of St. John’s and his wife, Henrietta. Watch the video below to learn the vision he and Henrietta have for St. John’s and how God rescued Matt from a self-centered life and opened his eyes to true love (Hat tip: Saint Philip’s, Charleston).

Memorial Day always presents those of us fortunate enough to live in (or visit) Charleston with a host of great options. Warm weather’s arrival makes beach trips appealing. Spoleto Festival USA cranks up with a host of concerts and shows. And of course, there are too many sales, special events and cookouts to mention.

But amid all the fun, we should remain mindful of this holiday’s somber roots. We should fly our flags — at half staff from dawn to noon, then high until sunset — and pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. to honor the sacrifices of those who have fought and died for the freedoms our nation enjoys.

One special opportunity this year will unfold at Hampton Park. After the 3 p.m. moment of silence, the Memorial Day Band Concert for Piccolo Spoleto will follow. But this Memorial Day event isn’t being held there simply because it’s a spacious, attractive park that can handle a crowd, though it certainly is. The location was chosen to emphasize a long-overlooked but recently resurrected chapter of Charleston’s history.

In essence, the park is arguably where the nation’s first Memorial Day event was held on May 1, 1865, just a few weeks after the grueling, costly American Civil War finally came to an end.

Read it all.

Black people recently freed from enslavement may have organized the first #MemorialDay, say historians.

In 1865, Black residents in Charleston, SC held proper burials for Union soldiers put in a mass grave by Confederate captors — a year before the first annual commemoration. pic.twitter.com/0HFcXiozb4

— AJ+ (@ajplus) May 31, 2021

Curt Austin doesn’t like to stay in his hometown on Memorial Day weekend.

It has been eight years since his son, Pfc. Barrett Austin, took his last breath at a hospital in Germany after being wounded by a roadside bomb in the Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan.

The 20-year-old was the only soldier in the four-person Army vehicle convoy who died in the attack.

Since his death in 2013, Curt and his wife Yolanda continue to receive an outpouring of support from the community. It’s appreciated, but it’s also what makes Memorial Day difficult each year. It’s that buildup of seemingly constant reminders from the media, politicians, radio ads, furniture stores and even strangers on the street that create a storm of painful memories around the solemn holiday.

Read it all.

Local paper front page #memorialday pic.twitter.com/ZbNJPTB5CV

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) May 31, 2021

“The day was bittersweet,” said the Rev. Tripp Jeffords, Rector of St. Paul’s, Summerville, speaking of the Renewal of Vows Service held at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul, Charleston, May 18, 2021. “Knowing this was the last renewal of vows under the fine leadership of Mark Lawrence brought with it a bit of sadness.”

The service, which is held annually, will be the last one at which Bishop Mark Lawrence, who has served as the Diocesan Bishop since 2008, will preside. He will be retiring early next year.

At the same time, the service was joyful. For many, this was the first-time since the COVID-19 pandemic began in which those vaccinated were able to gather without masks or social distancing.

“It was an amazing day of worship for me,” said Jeffords. “To see fellow clergy and laity all together, singing to the glory of God, gave me chills.”

“It was great to be back together,” adds the Rev. Canon Todd Simonis, Diocesan Canon for Church Planting, and Associate Rector at St. Helena’s, Beaufort. “You get used to seeing people virtually for so long it was great to be able to give them a hug.”

In his sermon, the Bishop reflected on the encounter between Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14 where prior to Elijah being taken up to heaven Elisha asks for a “double-portion” of Elijah’s spirit. During the encounter Elisha picks up the cloak which had fallen from Elijah as he was taken up to heaven.

Read it all and take the time to listen to the sermon audio when you can.

#SouthCarolina #Anglican #Clergy Gather in Person for the Renewal of Vows Service, the last time with Bishop Mark Lawrence https://t.co/razMpelYI8 #parishministry #religion #lowcountrylife #scripture #history #worship #encouragement pic.twitter.com/bGRlmV0A0K

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) May 25, 2021

The sermon starts about 30 minutes in.