After a six-year hiatus, Mere Anglicanism returned to Charleston, January 26–28, 2023. The conference theme, “Telling a More Beautiful Story: Lessons from C.S. Lewis on Reaching a
Fractured World,” was addressed by world-class theologians and Lewis scholars who presented in person for the conference.

These session presenters generously shared their knowledge and
insights:

• The Rev. Dr. Alister McGrath,Andreas Idreos Professor of Science & Religion, University of Oxford

• The Rev. Dr. Michael Ward, Member of the Faculty of Theology & Religion, University of Oxford

• Dr. Philip Ryken, President of Wheaton College

• Dr. Simon Horobin, Professor, Magdalen College Oxford

• Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, Director, Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics

• Dr. Peter Kreeft, Professor Emeritus, Boston College

• Dr. Jerry Root, Professor Emeritus, Wheaton College

Read it all (page 9).

Mere Anglicanism: The Holy Eucharist ~ January 27, 2023https://t.co/83vGVj8j1M pic.twitter.com/aC4IGxlvIC

— . (@anglican_net) February 1, 2023

The 2023 ADOSC Convention Begins in 10 Days!

Our Diocese will gather at the Cross Schools in Bluffton March 10-11 for our 2023 Convention. This gathering is always a time of connection, inspiration, worship and fellowship! We’ll get an update from the leadership on the state of the Diocese, hear an inspiring message from our Bishop, elect those who will serve in the coming years and more.

As Bishop Edgar noted in a message to clergy and convention delegates, we are streamlining the Convention this year. The Bishop’s address and a video update on the churches in transition will be part of Friday evening’s events. The elections, presentation of the budget and business portion of the meeting will be held on Saturday. Learn more. View the nominations booklet. 

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The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter 'Our Diocese will gather at the Cross Schools in Bluffton March 10-11 for our 2023 Convention' https://t.co/q32upenGLA [Cross Schools Blufton website photo] #parishministry #religion #BluftonSC pic.twitter.com/kL9zGCu31s

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) February 28, 2023

There is also a downloadable option there.

James Tissot, The Pardon of the Good Thief (Le pardon du bon Larron), 1886-1894 #brooklynmuseum #europeanart https://t.co/Vb9QB8koGZ pic.twitter.com/v0djHocGIH

— James Tissot (@artisttissot) February 10, 2023

Listen to it all (download option is there as well).

The Transfiguration
(1516-1520) by Raphael. Christ with his power to redeem, the upper section is symbolic of the pure and symmetrical elements of the universe. On the lower section, the Man and all of his shortcomings, represented by the scenes of chaos and gloom#art @yubartina pic.twitter.com/KOKPgLgSyX

— Miguel Calabria (@MiguelCalabria3) April 17, 2022

During his recent visit to Charleston for the Mere Anglicanism conference, Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) Archbishop Foley Beach preached at the invitation of the St. John’s congregation.

The decision of Archbishop Beach – who presumably would be welcome in the pulpit of any of the three dozen Charleston-area ACNA parishes – to preach at St. John’s Parish Church signaled care for and support of those who had lost properties.

“It was an incredible encouragement to have the Archbishop with us. We are humbled he chose to be with us,” St. John’s Rector Jeremy Shelton shared with me in an interview this week. “It’s been six months for us now and it has been an incredible blessing. It is difficult, for sure. But God is faithful and our congregation is growing in size, faithfulness, and unity. The Gospel speaks much louder than anything else.”

Shelton, who became St. John’s Rector at the time of the property handover, explained that the invitation for Beach to preach came about after a parish staff member suggested it. The Archbishop’s office circled back within a month, suggesting the weekend of January 29.

Johns Island is a formerly rural community that has quickly become a Charleston suburb. The fourth largest island on the United States’ East Coast, it now has a population nearing 30,000, a growth rate of 114 percent since 2000. Named for Saint John Parish in Barbados by the first English colonial settlers, there is a long history of Anglican worship on the island, with St. Johns Parish Church founded in 1734.

“Our neighbors are from Minnesota, New York, Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania,” Shelton, who hails from Kentucky but has lived in South Carolina for nearly 20 years, tells me of his own residential subdivision on the island. “They are coming from everywhere.”

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Of the eight @anglican_sc parishes ruled by the South Carolina State Supreme Court to lose control of their properties to the Episcopal Church, several are now in new homes and are thriving. #anglican https://t.co/XSzx7N61tJ

— Jeff Walton (@jeffreyhwalton) February 8, 2023

Listen to it all (download option is there as well).

In the Gospel, Jesus is talking to us: “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” Each one of us is called to be “salt” and “light.” pic.twitter.com/9Zeb6Cwq3x

— Abp. José H. Gomez (@ArchbishopGomez) February 5, 2023

“Threats to Religious Freedom in the U.S.” with
Dr. Paul Marshall, February 14

Dr. Paul Marshall, Wilson Distinguished Professor of Religious Freedom at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University will be offering  a public lecture at St. Philip’s Church, Charleston on “The Biblical & Theological Roots of Religious Freedom” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14. All are invited to attend, and to have the opportunity to meet the cohort of participants in the 10th  Anglican Leadership Institute. Learn more.

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Today's art: The Prophet Micah – Jan van Eyck https://t.co/Lc6MpvSEfh pic.twitter.com/XhmAwhup34

— Art and the Bible (@artbible) March 19, 2021

You may read more all about it there.

Peter Kreeft presenting this morning at Mere Anglicanism on C.S. Lewis as prophet. He lists Lewis’ Abolition of Man as one of the greatest books of the 20th Century, appealing to moral choice. #anglican pic.twitter.com/rR5MuiYzRy

— Jeff Walton (@jeffreyhwalton) January 27, 2023

There is also more there.

Today's pick: Caravaggio: St John the Baptist (1604) https://t.co/4GpRchR5GI pic.twitter.com/n9obXdpmzL

— Art and the Bible (@artbible) May 7, 2021

St. John’s, Florence, Creates New Magazine
for Parish News

St. John’s, Florence, raised the communications bar in the diocese with their new magazine.This September, they, transitioned their newsletter from Publisher to Canva and they’ve had great feedback.  “Our newsletter came to life!” says Ginnie Raines, Communications Director. “In Canva we use an 8.5×11 booklet format and editable template. Members and staff send in articles and photos we’ve taken are added in (stock photos when needed) to the template.  After it’s all together, Canva offers a downloadable digital flipbook option through Heyzine.  We send this out first by email and everyone also receives a copy in the mail.  The publication is printed bi-monthly.” View the magazine.

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Bishop Chip Edgar welcomes men to the 2023 Christian Men's Conference, February 24-26. The theme for this year's Christian Men's Conference is Faith in the Home | Beacon of the Light. Learn more and register at https://t.co/laRWKSmFOB. pic.twitter.com/73QxLfh3JQ

— Anglican Diocese of SC (@anglican_sc) January 17, 2023

‘She also served in ministries of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, including Daughters of the King and Cursillo, and served on the Commission on Ministry for over 35 years.’

One of those years on the COM was way back in the 1980’s when I came through the process.

What a servant and what a legacy, she will be greatly missed!

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The Rev. Chris Warner was elected on October 15, 2022 during an electing synod of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic (DOMA) to be the successor to Bishop John Guernsey who is set to retire in February 2023. Bishop-elect Warner is scheduled to be consecrated on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at The Falls Church Anglican in Falls Church, Virginia.

Warner is formerly the rector of the Church of the Holy Cross, Sullivan’s Island/Daniel Island, South Carolina. Prior to serving as Rector at Church of the Holy Cross, he served as associate rector there. He also served as rector at St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center in South Carolina and as curate at Trinity Episcopal Church in Columbus, Georgia. He married Catherine in 1993, and they have three adult children ages 27, 24, and 23.

After he received the news of the consent from the College of Bishops, Warner reflected: “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. It is an honor to be joining the College of Bishops; I look forward to serving the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, and I’m excited about the future.” When asked about how he will fill the big shoes of retiring Bishop John Guernsey, Warner responded, “I’m going to try and wear my own shoes because it will be too difficult to fill his. I’m glad he will be around for a while to ease in the transition. I’m coming from outside the diocese, so I need to get to know the staff and clergy throughout in a familial way.”

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On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America seated two bishops and consented to the election of two bishops-elect. Learn more here: https://t.co/wUN3FXcceX #Anglican

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) January 12, 2023

The Nativity (1888) by Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898). #Art #Jesus #Mary #Bible #PreRaphaelite pic.twitter.com/kRyTujSK32

— The Long Victorian (@longvictorian2) December 24, 2018

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. For members of our church who were out of town or unable to attend our worship service yesterday, I want to share with you the great good news about what God, through many channels and means, has brought about.

I and the Vestry are overjoyed to announce that we have completed the purchase of land for the purpose of one day building a new church for Christ Church Anglican. The purchase of this land, located in the heart of north Mt. Pleasant within the Carolina Park developmental footprint across from Costco on Faison Road, was made possible by what I am confident is the largest single gift in Christ Church’s history – $3.2 million – by a family in the congregation, who wish to remain anonymous. Wonderfully, the donors did not ask for any say in the site selection, but desired that the Vestry seek and select the land, under its own timetable and criteria, knowing that this gift was available to them whenever, in the short or long term, suitable land was eventually found (the decision to purchase this land was unanimous by the Vestry). In addition to the incredible generosity of this gift, I and the Vestry are humbled and inspired by the spiritual maturity and practical wisdom inherent in the manner in which this gift was given. We praise God!

I said “…through many channels and means,” and certainly that is so. Much credit goes to our Senior Warden Jeff Gum, who has effectively spearheaded the search over a several month period, always in close consultation with me and the Vestry. We partnered with an outstanding realtor whose hard work and professional knowledge has guided us at every step. During our due diligence we first gathered input from the clergy, the staff and the Vestry about our ministry needs and wants, and then engaged both a local engineering firm and an architecture firm (a local architect who specializes regionally in church design) to help us determine if this site could accommodate our needs. Our work has involved individuals in the congregation with specialized knowledge or expertise, as well as other professionals in the community and town administration who could help answer our questions about a myriad of issues from wetlands to soil analysis to parking codes and much more. Among the many hours dedicated to this project, perhaps the most important has been the time spent by the Vestry prayer team, lifting to God our need, our search, and our discernment. I am grateful for and give God praise for everyone who has worked to bring us to this moment.

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Amazing news!! We are rejoicing Christ Church Anglican, Mt. Pleasant! In God's grace & with the gift from a generous parish family they have purchased land for a new church! Praise be to God! Go to our Facebook page to watch the video to learn more! https://t.co/74o2LU9diZ #ADOSC pic.twitter.com/q3MRQiTfMm

— Anglican Diocese of SC (@anglican_sc) December 20, 2022

Greek Icon of the Second Coming pic.twitter.com/otBDFV3NQu

— Youssef Chahine 🇱🇧🇻🇦 (@Youssefkchahin1) March 29, 2022

Listen to it all (option to download is also available).

“It has been 2½ years,” said advocate Michael Luciano as he tried to work a tab into a slot of the sculpture. At the first in-person World AIDS day event since the pandemic began, there is a clear need for more education and awareness of a disease overshadowed by COVID-19 in recent years.

Testing for HIV and services plummeted at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 as facilities shut down, people stayed home and others lost their jobs and their health insurance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report Dec. 1. Testing dropped off 32 percent nationwide and new diagnoses fell 26 percent. There was a partial rebound by the third quarter of 2020 as facilities reopened and people ventured back out, and fortunately many patients were able to stay connected to care and continued to receive their anti-retroviral therapy, the report found.

Now, service levels are almost back to pre-pandemic levels, said Hayley Berry, a pharmacist with the Ryan White program at Medical University of South Carolina.

“We’re getting there,” she said.

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Overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of new HIV cases are declining across the U.S. and South Carolina but are still highest among young people who may not be aware of the disease's history and ongoing risk. https://t.co/Qbk8EV5HTx

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) December 12, 2022