Dorchester County voters have approved a new one-cent education sales tax that will help fund school construction, renovations and other improvements in Dorchester School Districts Two and Four.

With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, unofficial election results showed 31,643 voters, or 59.96%, supported the referendum, while 21,128 voters, or 40.04%, voted against it. The tax is expected to take effect April 1, 2027, and will remain in place for up to 15 years.

Read it all.

(WCIV) Dorchester County voters approve one-cent education sales tax https://t.co/L8ksJ4XiDY 59.96% supported the referendum, while 21,128 voters, or 40.04%, voted against it #southcarolina #midtermelections #lowcountrylife #taxes #politics #midterms2026

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) November 4, 2026

Democrat Nancy Lacore, a former Navy Admiral who was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is projected to win in the traditionally red House district in South Carolina against Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report shifted the race for Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R) 1st District seat from “lean Republican” to a “toss-up,” as Lacore out-fundraised Honeycutt, a Charleston County Council member. Mace unsuccessfully ran for governor in the Palmetto State earlier this year.

The Democrat notched just under 50 percent of the vote, while Honeycutt trailed with just over 48 percent, with all votes tallied as of early Wednesday.

Read it all.

Nancy Mace’s former very red South Carolina house seat (where we are) goes narrowly blue https://t.co/IgcdQYD2gJ 49.7 to 48.6ish #midterms #elections #southcarolina #houseelections #midterms2026

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) November 4, 2026

Clergy Retreat November 9-11
Pray for our clergy as they gather in Flat Rock, NC, November 9-11 for a time of rest and renewal. Dr. Jerry Root, professor emeritus at Wheaton College, as well as a visiting professor at Biola University, Talbot Graduate School of Theology, and Moody Bible Institute, will be the keynote speaker.  

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/eWQMzo9Rgx #acna #parishministry #southcarolina #faith #lowcountrylife https://t.co/QHrkV4P5Vt

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) November 3, 2026

Twenty vocational deacons gathered with Bishop Edgar at the Cathedral on September 26 for their annual Deacons’ Day. Bishop Edgar spoke on 1 Peter 3 stressing the value of sharing their personal testimony in ministry. “He pointed out that testimonies often have a greater impact on seekers and nonbelievers than doctrine or teaching,” said the Rev. John Davis, who serves as a deacon at St. Helena’s, Beaufort. “Testimonies remind people they are not alone on their spiritual journey. They humanize ministry, build relationships and provide strong evidence of God’s continued work in the world.”

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/qf1accJdCb ‘Twenty vocational deacons gathered with Bishop Edgar at the Cathedral on September 26 for their annual Deacons’ Day. Bishop Edgar spoke on 1 Peter 3 stressing the value of sharing their personal testimony in ministry.’ [Anglican Diocese of SC] #parishminsitry #southcarolina #ordainedlife

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 8, 2026

 For 275 years, St. Michael’s Church has towered above Charleston as the city grew and transformed around it.

Its 186-foot steeple has long served as a navigational landmark, lookout and witness to some of the defining moments of the city and nation.

The narrow wooden steps — each worn in the center by centuries of foot traffic — wind up the brick-lined steeple, above the church’s eight bells, to the top.

It’s not just the ascent that takes one’s breath away, it’s the reward of a 360-degree view of the city.

“I often come up here to write my sermons,” said the Rev. Al Zadig Jr., rector of St. Michael’s since 2007.

Read it all.

It’s survived wars, hurricanes, an earthquake and nearly three centuries of Charleston history. Now, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church is marking its 275th anniversary. https://t.co/w2sJ4iiUsM

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) October 7, 2026

The communiqué also announced the failure of negotiations between the church’s Court for the Trial of a Bishop, Edgar’s diocese, and the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. The two dioceses were attempting to conduct a panel inquiry into the court’s troubled private proceedings during the trial of the Rt. Rev. Stewart Ruch, who was acquitted of episcopal negligence last year.

“Despite good-faith efforts on all sides, the parties were unable to agree on protocols for the panel’s work that would both address the questions raised by the two dioceses and satisfy the Court’s interest in protecting its independence. This effort has therefore concluded,” the communiqué said.

On October 1, the standing committee of Edgar’s diocese called the communiqué’s explanation “insufficient” and published documents detailing correspondence between the panel, the court, and the denomination’s Executive Committee.

According to those documents, negotiations broke down between the court and the six-lawyer panel—including chancellors from the dioceses of the Living Word, Canada, South Carolina, the Gulf Atlantic, and the Mid-Atlantic, and the Rev. Canon Andrew Rowell, chair of the province’s governance committee—when the court declined to provide access to the record of the Ruch trial after failing to gain the consent of Bishop Ruch and both sides’ counsel.

“We are ready to complete the task requested of us, but we are unable to do so without access to the Record of the Trial Court in the Ruch matter. We express deep concern about the practice of closing trials to the public without clearly articulated reasons,” the panel wrote in an August 21 letter to the Executive Committee.

South Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic had been prepared to challenge the court’s view of its independence earlier this year by bringing resolutions to the Provincial Council’s June meeting that aimed to compel the public release of the trial’s transcripts.

Edgar withdrew the resolutions before they came to the floor in favor of attempting the negotiated inquiry, but noted the diocese might reintroduce them to the Council in the event of failure. The Council’s next meeting is scheduled for June of 2027, though special meetings may be called by the archbishop, a majority of the Executive Committee, or by any fifteen Council delegates.

Read it all.

ICYMI on the ACNA Ruch trial review: the chancellor panel, which was drawn from a variety of dioceses, was denied access to the transcripts and trial record and could not move forward without that access. https://t.co/JU5UtpAaGU pic.twitter.com/GjsTslmtPm

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) October 2, 2026

(To Be Shared as Helpful)
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We are writing to you today in response to the Provincial newsletter that was sent out on September 28. The very last issue addressed in this email under the heading of “Follow-up from Provincial Council” was the chancellor-led inquiry that ended prematurely. The following timeline sets yesterday’s announcement in its proper context and reveals an ongoing issue with transparency in our province.

February 20, 2026 – The ADOSC Standing Committee sent a letter to the Executive Committee of the ACNA expressing certain concerns about the lack of transparency in the proceedings and Final Order  in the ecclesiastical trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch. The letter includes a request for the release of the complete transcript of the trial and pretrial proceedings, with appropriate protections of the identities of abuse victims or victims advocates.
March 20, 2026 – Executive Committee responds to the ADOSC Standing Committee letter that it does not have the power to compel the Court to action. In response to our request for the release of the transcript of the trial and proceedings They make no further recommendation, except to contact the Clerk of Court directly.

“The Executive Committee is unable to order the release of trial transcripts, video recordings, motions, and other court documents, as you requested. The Court for the Trial of a Bishop is an independent body elected directly by the Provincial Council and is not under the jurisdiction or direction of the Executive Committee.”

May 4, 2026 – In an email, the Clerk of Court denies the Standing Committee’s request for access to the transcript, and says the College of Bishops will receive the transcript and has the authority to distribute it further.

May 5, 2026 – the Provincial Dean, Provincial Chancellor, and members of the Executive Committee meet with the Standing Committee of the ADOSC and encourage the submission of two resolutions to the Provincial Council regarding the release of the Ruch Trial transcript and the release of the final report of the ongoing Lathrup Investigation. Subsequently, two resolutions are submitted and also endorsed by the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic.

June 18, 2026 – At Provincial Council, an agreement is reached between the Rt. Rev. David Bryan, President of the Court, with the Rt. Rev. Chip Edgar and the Rt. Rev Chris Warner, Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, to withdraw the two resolutions in exchange for the formation of a Chancellor’s Panel to conduct a third-party mediated inquiry of the Ruch proceedings. During Provincial Council, the motions are withdrawn and the inquiry is announced.

“I want to say that I fully support this proposed action. Please understand that the court in no way wants to hide its work. In fact, I think Bishop Chip’s algebra teacher would be pleased that we showed our work to the entire College of Bishops. And they’ve been able to review the full transcript. What we’re concerned about is protecting the dignity of the people who participated in the proceedings and honoring the commitments of confidentiality which we had with all of the people that participated in those proceedings. I’m very thankful that we have worked out a way to approach these issues relationally to come together and to have the opportunity to ask questions and to answer questions that I pray will build trust in our province.” – Bp. David Bryan, remarks during Provincial Council, Afternoon Session.

August 21, 2026 – The established Chancellor’s Panel writes to the Executive Committee and the Bishops involved in the agreement stating they could not conduct their work because the Court will not execute the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the work of the Chancellor’s Panel, and will not provide access to the transcript.

“At the end of July 2026, we were provided information indicating that the Court for the Trial of a Bishop will not execute the proposed MOU or provide us access to the Record of the Trial Court in the Ruch matter. As of this writing, that remains our understanding. Accordingly, we are unable at this time to complete the task requested of us.” (see below)

August 24-26, 2026 – Bp. Bryan asks Bp. Ruch and both parties’ counsel to consent to the Chancellors’ inquiry. On all accounts, consent is not granted. Bp. Bryan declares the inquiry is over. (see below)

August 29, 2026 – Despite Bp. Dobbs’ involvement in the establishment of the MOU, Bp. Dobbs and the Executive Committee write to all involved stating they have no oversight over the inquiry and that they understand the issue is closed. – Email from Ms. Deborah Tepley (see below)

September 28, 2026 – The Provincial Office reports that the College of Bishops was informed that:

“…despite good-faith efforts on all sides, the parties were unable to agree on protocols for the panel’s work that would both address the questions raised by the two dioceses and satisfy the Court’s interest in protecting its independence. This effort has therefore concluded.” (see below)

 
With great concern for our province and with hope for greater transparency, we believe that the provincial announcement about the end of the Chancellor’s Inquiry is an insufficient explanation. The encouragement, endorsement, and subsequent announcement of an inquiry by agreed upon and experienced diocesan chancellors with access to all records was a sign of hope for transparency. With its retraction, we are left wondering how trust will be built unless there is follow-through. Before the Ruch trial concluded, the court itself volunteered to “issue its findings and all of the evidence that supports those findings in an order, appropriately redacted where necessary to protect vulnerable individuals” (Response to Resignation Letter, July 23, 2025). We ask only that they would keep their word. Yet we do not lose heart, for we are convinced that all things are possible through our Lord Jesus Christ. Please join us in prayer for the Anglican Church in North America, the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, and our shared mission for the spread of the Gospel.

  With unwavering hope,

  The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina.

Executive Committee Response, March 20, 2026

Bp. David Bryan, remarks during Provincial Council, Afternoon Session, Thursday, June 18 2026

Chancellor’s Panel Status Report, August 21, 2026

Email from Bp. Bryan, August 26, 2026 

Email from Ms. Deborah Tepley, August 29, 2026

College of Bishops Recap email, Sept 28, 2026

A Clergy Update from the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Standing Committee https://t.co/HXIKcHdUJD #acna #ethics #duprocess #justice #transparency #accountability TK pic.twitter.com/AtymQy8foR

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 1, 2026

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with renewed hope and deep gratitude to our Lord Jesus Christ that I announce to you that the Anglican Church in North America’s College of Bishops have sentenced Bishop Edgar to a censure with no accompanying pastoral admonition. There are no restrictions to his exercise of his episcopal office and, this action puts to rest the official  response of the Province to the [shared eucharist and] Chapel dedication at Porter-Gaud. Thank you for your prayers and concerns for Bishop Edgar. We now return our hearts and focus to the Gospel mission that is our primary calling.

Faithfully,

Shay +

The Very Rev. Shay Gaillard
President Standing Committee   

Reminder to all that the ACNA College of Bishops begins its meeting today, where they will decide how to sentence both Bp Chip Edgar (who consented to discipline) and Bp Derek Jones (who was convicted last month and has made no appeal): https://t.co/BOy9Ukki3r

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) September 21, 2026

Stephen Arscott Named Diocesan Lay Coordinator for Cursillo

Stephen Arscott, a member of Holy Comforter, Sumter has become the new Diocesan Lay Coordinator (DLC) for our diocesan Cursillo community. Stephen’s Cursillo journey began at Cursillo 170 in the summer of 2013, which he attended with his wife, Melissa. Since then, Cursillo has been an important part of their lives and their walk with Christ. Over the years, Stephen has served in numerous roles on Cursillo teams and committees, including serving as Ultreya Rector for Santee and, most recently, leading Cursillo 191. Stephen received his BS in Business Administration from the College of Charleston. In 2006 he purchased Sumter Lighting and Home, a residential lighting and home decor business. He and Melissa have three adult children. In a wonderful Cursillo connection, Stephen’s priest, the Rev. David Booman, was actually his roommate at Cursillo 170! Read the announcement. 

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/CjlCMIee3l #parishministry #lowcountrylife #faith #ACNA #communication pic.twitter.com/ExisNjZ7b1

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) September 23, 2026

 What is happening?

On October 23, 2025, The Washington Post reported that Archbishop Steve Wood, leader of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), is the subject of a formal presentment—a canonical complaint alleging sexual misconduct and other violations of church canons.

Summary of Allegations

• The presentment, filed October 20, 2025, centers on claims by Claire Buxton, a former children’s ministry director at St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
• Buxton alleges that between 2021 and 2024, Wood made inappropriate comments and gestures toward her, culminating in an unwanted advance in April 2024, when he allegedly attempted to kiss her.
• She also reported receiving about $3,500 in unsolicited payments from church funds over a 13-month period.
• Additional accusations in the presentment include plagiarized sermons, bullying of staff, and misuse of church resources.
• On November 7, 2025, The Washington Post reported that a second woman had come forward with allegations of sexual harassment, and the presentment was amended to include her affidavit and additional testimony from former colleagues.

Wood has stated he believes the allegations “lack merit” and has expressed trust in the ACNA’s canonical process.

2. What is the ACNA doing about it?

Upon receiving the presentment, ACNA initiated its disciplinary process, referring the case to a Board of Inquiry to determine whether an ecclesiastical trial is warranted.

November 4, 2025, the ACNA reported that Archbishop Wood took a voluntary, paid leave of absence from his roles as Archbishop and Bishop of the Carolinas. Bishop Ray Sutton, Dean of the Province, was appointed to oversee the Archbishop’s duties during the investigation. To help ensure objectivity in the proceedings, Bishop Sutton formally recused himself from all matters pertaining to Archbishop Wood’s Board of Inquiry and any subsequent disciplinary process, according to the ACNA.

Bishop Sutton appointed Bishop Julian Dobbs, who is serving as Dean of Provincial Affairs, to form a three-member panel of bishops to represent Bishop Sutton in any action he may be required to take in the disciplinary process against Archbishop Wood. This newly formed panel will review and approve the composition of the Board of Inquiry (BOI) to ensure its impartiality, and receive its report.

Wood also announced his retirement as rector of St. Andrew’s, describing it as previously planned.

November 16, 2025, Bishop Julian Dobbs, with the written consent of the five senior diocesan bishops of the College, determined by date of admission, Bishop Julian Dobbs inhibited Archbishop Stephen D. Wood from the exercise or ordained ministry in the Anglican Church in North America, in accordance with the canons of our Church. This inhibition does not determine guilt or innocence, nor does it pre-judge any allegation or any step that may follow. The canons provide for the imposition of an inhibition when it is determined to be in the best interests of the Church to do so. The inhibition document may be found here: [link to inhibition document].

As stipulated in the Constitution of the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, Bishop David Bryan, as Bishop Suffragan, is now assuming the duties of Acting Bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas for the duration of this period.

The ACNA has emphasized that Archbishop Wood is accountable to the same canonical standards and disciplinary process as any other leader accused of misconduct.

Read it all.

The Anglican Church in North America (@The_ACNA) has never put a sitting archbishop on trial.

That changes next week when the trial of Steve Wood begins. He faces charges of sexual immorality, abuse of church power and violating his ordination vows.https://t.co/9dP3rILsAF

— Roys Report (@ReachRoysReport) September 4, 2026

You may listen directly here:“>

Or you may download it there.

Or you may watch it there:

Evangelism doesn’t have to be awkward.

Sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to say the perfect thing, know every answer, or somehow convince someone to believe.

But people aren’t projects, and you’re not the Savior. Jesus is.

Love the person in front of you. Listen… pic.twitter.com/wVILpVNWJe

— Daniel Adams (@TSNLDAN) September 10, 2026

CHARLESTON, SC — At long last Archbishop Steve Wood goes to trial for allegations that could derail his future hopes and aspirations and lead to a future of ignominy and shame. Exonerated, he will go back to leading a denomination struggling over the ordination of women and distrust by a growing number of laity disillusioned by his leadership. He faces a split among his fractious military chaplains, unresolved lawsuits and much more. 

No archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America has ever stood in the dock of his own church. Wood is the first. The denomination that was born in 2009 out of a flight from the Episcopal Church — a flight undertaken in the name of holiness, orthodoxy, and the plain reading of Scripture — now finds itself asking whether it can hold its own primate to the standard it once demanded of Canterbury. That is the real question the six-day trial in Charleston will answer, and it is far larger than the fate of one man. 

The court will not make it easy to watch. The proceedings, seated September 7 through 12 with extension dates reserved for September 21 through 26, are closed to the public. The Court for the Trial of a Bishop, presided over by the Rt. Rev. Ryan Reed, has given each side fifteen hours — no more — to lay out its case, examine and cross-examine witnesses, and argue before the bench. 

The Charges

Wood answers three formal charges: violation of his ordination vows; conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power; and sexual immorality. They are among the gravest a bishop can face, and they carry, on conviction, the prospect of deposition. 

The Allegations

Behind the three charges lies a presentment that ranges wider still.

The case broke into public view in October 2025, when The Washington Post reported that Wood had been accused of sexual harassment during his long tenure as rector of St. Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina — the flagship parish he built over twenty-five years and the platform from which he rose to the archbishopric. Claire Buxton, a divorced mother of three who served as the parish’s children’s ministry director, alleges that Wood began behaving inappropriately toward her in the fall of 2021, showered her with attention and with money — more than three thousand dollars, she says, drawn from church funds — called her by a pet name, and, in April 2024, attempted to kiss her in his office. 

A presentment — the canonical instrument by which charges are brought — was filed that same month by a group of Wood’s former colleagues, among them four presbyters and seven lay people. It carried not only Buxton’s account but allegations that Wood bullied his staff and plagiarized sermons. In November it was resubmitted to add the account of a second woman, who said Wood had pressured her into situations that made her uncomfortable and had invited her to drink with him, and to add the claim of the province’s former communications director that Wood had conspired with other senior leaders to tilt the church’s investigative machinery in a “bishop-friendly” direction. 

Wood has denied the allegations, declining to comment on the most recent.

Read it all.

The Anglican Church in North America (@The_ACNA) has never put a sitting archbishop on trial.

That changes next week when the trial of Steve Wood begins. He faces charges of sexual immorality, abuse of church power and violating his ordination vows.https://t.co/9dP3rILsAF

— Roys Report (@ReachRoysReport) September 4, 2026

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Steve Wood, will face a church trial starting on Monday (Sept. 7). It’s the young denomination’s first trial of a sitting archbishop.

He faces three charges: violation of ordination vows, abuse of church power and sexual immorality.

“Our young Province finds itself in a challenging and uncomfortable season,” Julian Dobbs, who has taken over the archbishop’s duties, wrote in an email to the denomination on Tuesday. “Our unity, fervor, and faith are surely being tested.”

Read it all.

(RNS) — ‘Our young Province finds itself in a challenging and uncomfortable season,’ Julian Dobbs, who has taken over the archbishop’s duties, wrote in an email to the denomination on Tuesday. ‘Our unity, fervor, and faith are surely being tested.’ https://t.co/eyrrP5OR4I

— RNS (@RNS) September 8, 2026

The Rt. Rev. Chip Edgar, bishop of the ACNA’s Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, has been canonically charged with misconduct a week after he apologized for publicly dedicating a school chapel together with his counterpart in the Episcopal Church.

“I share this with heaviness of heart but in obedience to the truth Christ calls us to proclaim,” wrote the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, acting primate of the ACNA, in an announcement of the charges against Bishop Edgar on September 2.

On August 18, Edgar had joined the Rt. Rev. Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, in dedicating St. Timothy’s Chapel at the Porter-Gaud School in Charleston. The bishops, who both sit on the board of the independent Episcopal school, blessed the chapel’s furniture and distributed the Holy Communion to the mixed congregation. Photos of the event circulated widely and prompted a wave of public criticism.

The following week, Edgar expressed regret that his participation alongside Woodliff-Stanley had caused “anger and pain.” In response, Dobbs denounced the event as an occasion of “great offense,” adding that the denomination’s College of Bishops would consider the matter further at their next meeting in September.

Instead, formal charges were filed against Edgar by August 30, according to a September 2 letter from his standing committee. Dobbs’s same-day announcement stated that “the seriousness of the situation led a complement of Bishops” to file the charges, which Dobbs did not describe, but which the standing committee said accused Edgar of conduct giving “just cause for scandal or offense” at the chapel dedication.

Read it all.

New for @Livng_Church: ACNA Bishop Chip Edgar has accepted charges of "scandal or offense" made confidentially after joining his Episcopal counterpart in blessing a school chapel.https://t.co/3k15eoVR5S

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) September 4, 2026

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tuesday morning at 8:45 a.m., Bishop Edgar submitted a letter to Bishop Julian Dobbs, Dean of the Province, indicating voluntary submission to discipline in the matter of the Porter-Gaud chapel dedication. On Sunday evening, Bishop Edgar was notified that a Presentment had been submitted to the Province charging him with just cause for scandal or offense in violation of the disciplinary canons of the ACNA because of his conduct during the dedication service on August 18. Bishop Edgar confessed to the truth of the charge in the Presentment, stating that he should not have participated in the dedication service in the manner that he did.

The College of Bishops will determine the punishment for Bishop Edgar at their meeting in Plano, Texas September 21-25, 2026. This disciplinary notice was posted to the website of the Anglican Church in North America today, and we wanted you to be aware of this fact.

We, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, are in support of Bishop Edgar, and his voluntary submission to discipline is a reminder of our need for the mercy of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We invite the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina to pray for our Bishop, our Diocese, and the College of Bishops during this difficult time.

Faithfully,

The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina

The Anglican Diocese of #Southcarolina Standing committee issues a ltr–Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Tuesday morning at 8:45 a.m., Bishop Edgar submitted a letter to Bishop Julian Dobbs, Dean of the Province, indicating… pic.twitter.com/Cll3Yprd7H

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) September 2, 2026

Madison Kuzia Named Chief of Staff

Bishop Chip Edgar has appointed Madison Kuzia to serve as the Diocese’s new Chief of Staff, effective July 15. Madison will continue serving as his Executive Assistant, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the office, leading strategic initiatives, and strengthening the systems that support our ministry. In a note to the clergy Bishop Edgar wrote, “I am confident that Madison’s gifts of leadership, team management, and vision for our operations will have a far-reaching impact, strengthening our team so that we are well equipped to serve you, your congregations, and the mission we share across our Diocese.” Madison and her husband, Elijah, have been married since 2018 and enjoy traveling together, spending time on their family’s farm, and making music.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/9iYyYdfDMf #parishministry #lowcountrylife #faith #ACNA #communication Madison Kuzia Named Bishop Edgar's Chief of Staff [diocesan photo] pic.twitter.com/UwgdeknZjn

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) July 28, 2026

As many are aware, the Final Order from the trial of Bp. Ruch in 2025 (the 71-page document, not the decision itself) left many concerns about how the trial was conducted. After consulting with the Provincial Executive Committee, our Diocese proposed two resolutions to be considered at Provincial Council. One called for the public release of the full trial transcript. The other called for the public release of the final investigation report already commissioned by the Province. 

The two resolutions to the Council, that were the result of the work of our Bishop and Standing Committee with the Executive Committee of the ACNA, were consequently withdrawn without prejudice on the day they were to be debated and voted upon. This withdrawal was not the result of any attempt to thwart the purpose of these resolutions, nor did it represent a lack of resolve on our part. Rather, God opened a door for us to gain fuller access to the proceedings of the Ruch trial through the above-mentioned agreement with the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. We are now in a very favorable position with our chancellor Ben Hagood taking the lead in the inquiry.

Because all of this happened on the ground in Tulsa and Bishop Edgar was the only one of us present, he took the lead in the negotiations. The Standing Comittee President was informed of the opportunity on Wednesday night and was an early part of the decision to withdraw the resolutions. The Standing Committee and Bishop regret the lack of process these deadlines prevented as well as the void of information that existed in the aftermath. We wholeheartedly believe that the work of this inquiry and its release to the Standing Committees of the Province represents a large step forward in our quest for transparency.

With the trial of the Archbishop currently set to begin on September 7, we will again redouble our prayers for the health and welfare of the Anglican Church in North America and our Diocese. 

Read it all.

The ACNA has posted a "Potential Timeline" for what may happen procedurally after the trial of Abp Wood, assuming it goes ahead with its currently scheduled starting date of September 7. pic.twitter.com/tJraKclI2i

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) July 15, 2026

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

Or you may watch it there:

Finally, I wanted to update you on Provincial Council and Assembly with a particular eye towards the Resolutions our Diocese presented to the Provincial Council.

You likely heard that our two resolutions to Provincial Council that came from a meeting of our Standing Committee and the Executive Committee of the ACNA, were withdrawn without prejudice on the day they were to be debated and voted upon. This withdrawal was not the result of any attempt to thwart the purpose of these resolutions, nor did it represent a lack of resolve on our part. God opened a door for us to gain an even fuller access to the proceedings of the Ruch trial through an agreement with the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. We are now in a very favorable position with our chancellor Ben Hagood taking the lead in an inquiry into those proceedings.

This all happened on the ground in Tulsa. It began with an offer that answered what we had originally requested—a review of the courts process. It became a conversation about the nature of the review and how this inquiry would proceed. I kept Shay Gaillard, President of the Standing Committee, informed of these matters, and he offered his counsel and advice. After Provincial Council, I went on a retreat and haven’t had the opportunity to update you until now. I believe, and the Standing Committee has affirmed this, that the work of this inquiry and its future release to the Standing Committees of the Province represents a large step forward in our quest for transparency.

I wanted to send this letter before I leave town so that you would be up to date on these matters. I also want you to pray for the trial of the Archbishop currently set to begin on September 7, for the health and welfare of the ACNA, and for our Diocese.

Read it all.

ACNA legislative news: Bp Chip Edgar (South Carolina), joined by Bp Chris Warner (Mid-Atlantic), withdrew the diocese's 2 resolutions seeking the release of the Ruch trial transcripts & the eventual third-party report on the Ruch investigation. 🧵 https://t.co/lYhxW83zqL pic.twitter.com/NH7xhk0rsG

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) June 18, 2026

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham — South Carolina’s senior senator who in his decades-long tenure rose to the highest levels of influence on the global stage — died the evening of July 11 in Washington, D.C., after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness” that the D.C. medical examiner in its preliminary review later ruled to be a torn aorta.

An aortic dissection is a tear in the body’s main artery. The examiner attributed the dissection to underlying cardiovascular disease, though the official cause and manner of death remain pending while toxicology and microscopic testing are completed.

Graham’s death comes as he was seeking reelection to a fifth term this year and also just days after reaching his latest birthday on July 9. He turned 71.

“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” his office said in a news release shortly before 2 a.m. July 12. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”

Read it all.

The shocking sudden death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., appears to be from an aortic dissection — a rare condition where the main blood vessel tears and ruptures. It is rare and can be treated surgically. https://t.co/ptyfaGemca

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 13, 2026

“So I’m going to try two things just to get your juices flowing. So the first thing I want to do, we’re in Mark, we’re still in the first nine chapters, so we’re mostly in and around Galilee. And we’ve said in chapter 10, he goes from Galilee to Jerusalem, and then chapter 11, he’s in Jerusalem basically to the end.
So it’s got a nice geographical break up, nine chapters, a transition chapter, and then the final five chapters. And if you know Mark, you know that chapter 16 ends very abruptly at the resurrection. And they were afraid, that’s the last word of Mark’s gospel, which people like to change, so they wrote a whole other edition at the end.

The two things that I want to introduce just to get your juices flowing, the first thing I want to do is I want to say something about this word CLAIM. And we’ve talked about Jesus’ authority again and again. So what we’re going to confront today is something very interesting, and it’s kind of an interesting way to go about Mark’s gospel.”

“So one of the things that Mark is acutely trying to do, especially at the beginning of his gospel, is to give us an incredibly broad and deep sense of Jesus’ authority. And we’ve talked about this again and again and again. We’ve talked about his authority in chapter four and chapter five and into the beginning of chapter six.
And you’ve got these four stories. So four ends with the stilling of the storm. Five begins with the garrisoned demoniac.
Then you get the story of Jairus’ daughter at the end of chapter five, which is interrupted by the woman with the issue of blood. And she’s healed. And then at the end of chapter five, you get the raising of Jairus’ daughter.
So you have Jesus’ authority over nature, stilling of the storm, peace be still. Jesus’ authority over evil and demonic, the garrisoned demoniac. Jesus’ authority over sickness, which is the woman with the issue of blood.”

“And then you have Jesus’ authority over death itself with the raising of Jairus’ daughter. And the whole point is Jesus Christ is Lord. So when Matthew’s gospel ends, before the Great Commission, I point this out all the time, the Great Commission is, go therefore into all nations and baptize them and teach them all that I’ve commanded you.
You know that very well. But what is often left out is what he says before that, which is, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. And you remember one of my favorite illustrations of the Lordship of Jesus is one of the great Dutch theologians of all time [Abraham Kuyper] who’s speaking at the Free University of Amsterdam, and it’s at a secular university.
And he says in the middle of this lecture, in this very secular place, he says, there is not one square inch of the whole of creation where God does not say, this is mine, this belongs to me. So one of the things about the image that Jesus is being given in Mark is, he has an authority and he makes a claim. And this is the thing about meeting Jesus…the Jesus that you meet in Mark’s Gospel is anything but safe, right? They don’t feel safe in the back of the boat, the Gerasene demoniac doesn’t feel safe, and Jairus doesn’t feel safe with his daughter getting ready to die and then she actually dies. So there’s this huge claim and it’s again and again, Jesus has claim over the, over the synagogue, he has claim over the, my father’s house is being made a den of robbers.
He has claim over the Old Testament scriptures. So Jesus Christ is Lord, but it’s not a neutral Lord. It’s Jesus Christ is king.
One of my favorite lines from the Book of Acts is, these people are proclaiming that, that there’s another king and that everything belongs to him. They’re, they’re proclaiming not that Caesar is king, but that Jesus is king. So they’re, they’re seditious.”

“That was one of the accusations of the early Christians, is these people are completely seditious and undermining the public order, because they’re proclaiming that somebody else, aside from our government, has ultimate authority. And that’s a constant theme. Now, here’s the thing about this morning’s text that’s so important is, what I want to do is just for a second, I want to combine this idea with a counter idea.
And the counter idea is this. So Jesus makes claim, Jesus has authority, Jesus Christ is Lord. So this is a positive affirmation, right?
Okay, now, here’s, this is us, okay? We don’t have any claim. So part of the power of what Mark is trying to portray is, not just that Jesus has a claim over absolutely everything, right, but that at the same time we do not have any claim….

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

Jesus said to the Canaanite woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” -Matthew 15:28 #GospeloftheDay “Jesus and the Woman of Canaan” by Michael Angelo Immenraet (1673) #CatholicArt pic.twitter.com/F3FKNVXoNi

— Lady of Good Counsel (@ofgoodcounsel) August 7, 2019

Wendell Gilliard spent the hottest days of his childhood summers praying for a cool breeze.

Gilliard, a state lawmaker who represents parts of the peninsula and West Ashley in the S.C. House of Representatives, grew up in Charleston’s low-income housing before it had air conditioning. His family would cool off by purchasing a large block of ice and setting it in the middle of a room surrounded by fans and open windows.

“ That was our air conditioning,” Gilliard recalled. “Mom would always say, ‘ You need to stay still and pray for a cool breeze.’   Then, when everybody stayed still in that one room, you would notice the curtain would pick up from the breeze, and everything changed.”

Charleston Housing Authority properties now have air conditioning, but many households across the state still don’t. As South Carolina enters the dog days of summer, heat-vulnerable residents — who are predominantly elderly, those with chronic illnesses and the “homebound,” per the S.C. Department of Public Health — face life-threatening risks.

Read it all.

July through mid-August are historically the hottest time of year in South Carolina. For some households, the dog days of summer can be deadly — a risk that's growing with each passing year. https://t.co/DTeNvoEZck

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) July 9, 2026

The Rev. Mary Ellen Doran, who has served as the Rector of Trinity, Pinopolis for the past four years, is stepping down and moving, with her husband, Keith, to Greenville. In a note to the congregation (sent in April), she wrote, “Over the past few months, Keith and I have been praying and seeking guidance from the Lord as to our next steps. I have been reminded of the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1, ‘For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.’ With his recent retirement, and a number of other events in our lives, we have recently purchased a home in Greenville and will be relocating sometime between the middle and end of June.” Rather than retiring, MaryEllen is “taking some time to be quiet, and to wait upon the Lord for the next ministry he has for her.” Trinity has begun the search process. Please keep the Dorans and the parish in your prayers during this time of transition.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/Or0HM9qESb 'The Rev. Mary Ellen Doran, who has served as the Rector of Trinity, Pinopolis for the past four years, is stepping down and moving, with her husband, Keith, to Greenville' [Diocesan… pic.twitter.com/fGjaHbzEFg

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 23, 2026

Bishop FitzSimons Allison is now in his 99th year. His mind, though not as quick as when I interviewed him in 2022, – “The Lion in Winter” (Allison was 95) – remains profoundly alert to the times in which we live. He is a living witness to nearly the entire arc of the modern Anglican crisis — from the pre-revisionist Episcopal Church through the Singapore consecrations to the founding of the ACNA. Very few people alive can speak to that history from personal experience.

Christopher FitzSimons Allison was born on March 5, 1927, in Columbia, South Carolina, the son of James Richard Allison and Susan Milliken FitzSimons. He attended the University of the South at Sewanee, though his studies were interrupted by service in the United States Army during World War II. He was discharged and returned to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. He then earned a B.Div. from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1952 and a D.Phil. from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1956. He married Martha Allston Parker on June 10, 1950.

Early Life and Formation

Academic Career

Ordained deacon in June 1952 and priested in May 1953, Allison went on to become one of the Episcopal Church’s most respected patristic scholars and Anglican historians. Following his Oxford doctorate, he served as associate professor of church history at the University of the South, Sewanee, from 1956 to 1967, and then as professor of church history at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria from 1967 to 1975.

Parish Ministry and the Diocese of South Carolina

He then served for five years as rector of Grace Episcopal Church in New York City — one of the most prominent evangelical Anglican parishes in the country — before being called to lead the Diocese of South Carolina. He was elected at a special meeting of the Diocesan Convention on May 17, 1980, and consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina in a service attended by approximately 2,500 people at the Gaillard Auditorium in Charleston. The Rt. Rev. John M. Allin, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, served as chief consecrator. He became diocesan bishop in 1982 and served until his retirement in 1990.

Read it all.

Giving thanks for the life and ministry of retired bishop of #southcarolina C. FitzSimons Allison who is (I can’t fully believe it) 99 years old pic.twitter.com/A6CYBFIEV3

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 22, 2026

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

Monday, 15 June 2026
The Commemoration of Evelyn Underhill

To the Faithful of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina,

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Beth and I are in Tulsa as we begin meetings of the College of Bishops today and tomorrow and then Provincial Council meets Wednesday evening through Friday at noon. We have a strong delegation from the diocese—Canon Bob Lawrence, John Benson, and Justin Johnson—making the trip to Tulsa as well, and I write to ask your prayers for us as we head into these meetings. There is also an upcoming specially called Provincial Assembly which will be held as a Zoom gathering on Thursday, June 25. Again, we have a strong delegation for that meeting, including a strong Youth Delegation. The people representing our diocese at that gathering will be clergy delegates, Canon Laura Bowman, John Burwell, Claudia Carucci, Dean Shay Gaillard, Ryan Landes, Cindy Larsen, Canon Jim Lewis, Zach Miller, and Hamilton Smith; lay delegates, John Benson, Janis Breazeale, Anna Bruner, Katherine Cannon, Dr Ashley Bryant Harbin, Joy Hunter, Cathy Jacobs, Justin Johnson, Jessica Smith; and youth delegates, Elliott Arscott, Gabriel Collier, Edward Hart, Ben Shelton, Amelia Cannon, Cole O’Keefe, and Julia Dubay.

Title IV Revisions

There are three significant issues to be dealt with by the Provincial Council, which, if passed there, would go to the specially called Assembly for ratification in order to take effect. The first is the well-publicized and widely discussed Title IV revision, really a complete overhaul, of our disciplinary canons. The result of this process is a set of disciplinary canons addressing everything from making it easier to bring a charge against a bishop or a priest (the current ACNA canons make it unbearably complicated) all the way to clearly defined and canonically required procedures for how the courts must conduct their business. Such canonical requirements, absent until now, contributed to the level of distrust and frustration marking our Province today. I completely support these revisions, and have been impressed with the rigorous and transparent process undertaken by the Province to get us to this point—a year-long process with several cycles of revision and feedback that was open to the entire Province and resulted in thousands of suggestions that were considered and resulted in significant improvements from revision to revision.

Winston Churchill once said, about architecture: “First we shape our buildings. Afterwards our buildings shape us.” Similarly, I am hopeful to see how these new canons will shape us in the days to come into a stronger and more transparent Province.

Title I Changes

A second change, again necessitated by the weakness of our current canonical structure, concerns the succession of authority when an Archbishop is unable to carry out his duties for any reason, health, or, as we have been enduring, inhibition from ministry due to disciplinary proceedings. This change will clarify not only who is next in line to take on the responsibilities of that office, but who is next after that; this is precisely the situation we have recently had to deal with, and our Canons were not helpful. This change will clarify that process, as well as the scope of authority that accompanies the succession, and, again, I am fully supportive of it.

Ratification of the Provincial Constitution and Canons Committee

It’s the third proposal about which I have some concern, and I ask your prayers for God to be at work, guiding all of us who will be voting. This proposal involves changing—more precisely ratifying a first vote of a change approved by last year’s Provincial Council—to our current Governance Task Force (GTF), making it a Provincial Constitution and Canons Committee, ensconced in the Canons, and not simply a policy of the Province. My concern is that this is being done by this Provincial Council—well and good—to be ratified by the specially called Zoom Assembly (mentioned above).

When the College of Bishops voted to hold this specially called Assembly, the understanding was that the purpose of it was simply to ratify the Title IV revisions (again, see above) so they could take effect immediately and correct the many problematic aspects of the current canons. In the past few weeks, this Assembly has been laden with more than that. I worry that we, as a Province, have not had enough  time to reflect on, and perhaps, offer constructive feedback, to these proposed changes. What was the great strength of the process of Title IV revision, has not been as robust for this revision.

Resolutions Proposed By the ADOSC

In addition to these Canonical changes, our diocese has proposed two resolutions for Provincial Council’s consideration and vote. One is a call to have the transcript of the court proceedings in the recent trial of Bishop Ruch released publicly (with necessary redactions to protect witnesses as needed) and the other is to have the final report of the Lathrop investigation—looking into the whole investigative process leading up to that trial—released publicly as well, when it is complete. Our goal in proposing these resolutions is simple: we hope to see trust that has been deeply eroded over the past few years restored in the Province as it continues to navigate challenging waters. 

As we head into these meetings, I am aware that we, as a diocese, have not been afforded the luxury, as most other dioceses have, of thinking of these things in the abstract. People in our diocese have been directly affected by the insufficiencies in our current canons and have been negatively affected by them. 

So, I’m writing to ask you to pray, to give you some important insight into what you can be praying about, and to let you know how I, as your bishop, am processing all that we are facing in these upcoming two weeks. Pray that God’s will be done, and that, however the matters are resolved, the witness of the Province to the gospel of Jesus will increase and grow, and that the Church would be strengthened.

Blessings,

(The Rt. Rev) Chip Edgar

Brad Carr Named Licensed Lay Pastor for St. Paul’s, Bennettsville

On Sunday, June 7, St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Bennettsville began a new season when Bishop Edgar formally appointed Brad Carr to serve as their full-time Licensed Lay Pastor. Funding for the position came, in large part, through your gifts to the Thrive Together Initiative. 

Brad looks forward to attending Trinity Anglican Seminary where, beginning in August, he will be enrolled in the church-based MDiv track.  The hybrid program offers most of its course work online, but he will participate in winter and summer intensives on the Ambridge, PA campus. 

Given St. Paul’s great need for a pastor after years without one and given that Brad is uniquely suited to serve in this role, Bp Edgar has approved his doing distance theological education rather than residential education.  

Brad and his wife, Kim, South Carolina natives, grew up in the Pee Dee area and are looking forward to this new season of ministry. They have three children (ages 14, 8 and 6). Look for a story in the upcoming Jubilate Deo. 

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/vOHzkFc7AU [Brad Carr, diocesan photo) #parishministry #faith #lowcountrylife pic.twitter.com/OOAhOwbyFR

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) June 9, 2026

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

3/3 The Holy Trinity censed by angels, a c1400 vaulting boss in the cloisters of Norwich Cathedral. Today's the feast of the Holy Trinity. pic.twitter.com/xURXZIYdZ4

— Simon Knott (@SimoninSuffolk) May 31, 2026

Bishop Edgar described the complainants as “credible and trustworthy” and joined those urging the senior bishops to impose an inhibition, noting that “an inhibition makes no judgment as to guilt or innocence … Rather, it is an acknowledgement that continued ministry in the face of serious charges further damages the reputation of the Church.” The diocesan Standing Committee followed on 14 November with a letter of its own standing with the bishop and the complainants and urging the College to inhibit Wood.

The South Carolina position hardened with experience. On 24 March 2026, Bishop Edgar and the ADOSC Standing Committee wrote formally to the ACNA Executive Committee demanding transparency. The letter, occasioned by concerns arising from the December 2025 acquittal of Bishop Stewart Ruch (a separate ACNA trial in which the court found that the prosecution had not met its evidentiary burden, set out specific demands:

• That “the standard of avoiding any appearance of impropriety” be upheld among all provincial staff in pending and future proceedings;
• That those involved in allowing a court member in the Ruch trial to access prosecution files without the prosecutors’ knowledge or consent be recused from all future disciplinary proceedings, “particularly those involving Archbishop Wood”;
• That a complete transcript of trial and pretrial proceedings, including unedited video or audio, be released;
• That all motions, court rulings, and the three pretrial investigations be made public;
• That the identity and engagement letter of any investigator be disclosed, with appropriate confidentiality protections for victims.

“Those who would deny a public response to valid questions,” the diocese warned, “insisting the province is best served by withholding answers — do so at the risk of destabilizing the very foundation on which their authority rests.” Edgar added: “Lack of trust and mutual suspicion erode our communion and weaken our witness to a watching world. But our communion and witness are strengthened by a commitment to transparency and truth that is above reproach.”

That earlier framing places the present moment in unusually sharp relief. South Carolina has consistently asked for procedural rigour, transparency, and a posture of belief toward the complainants. Bishop Ashey’s lectures — delivered to a general audience the week before a dispositive motion was heard in the trial of his client-of-conscience — were perceived by some bishops as cutting in the opposite direction: prejudging the verdict, attributing improper motives to colleagues, and casting complainants as merely terminated employees.

Read as a whole, the 8 May letter is more than a routine clarification. It is a public acknowledgement, on the record, that:

• No bishops have signed the presentment, contrary to impressions Bishop Ashey himself helped create;
• The five senior diocesan bishops who joined Dean Dobbs’s inhibition did so on the merits, not under social-media pressure;
• The Title IV revisions now before the College are being deliberated on their substance, not from institutional self-protection;
• Predictions of “exoneration” have no proper place in public commentary about a pending bishop’s trial;
• The complainants were not, as Ashey had suggested, simply “terminated employees”;
• His role with Archbishop Wood is volunteer and personal, not provincial, and any judgment on the Archbishop’s compliance with the inhibition belongs to the Dean and the College.

Ashey’s renewed offer to recuse himself from the College of Bishops “until after all procedures with regards to Archbishop Wood are concluded” is significant. He had made the same offer earlier and was declined; the public revival of the offer effectively returns the question to Dean Dobbs and to a College that, in the weeks since the lectures, has had to navigate its own discomfort with the optics of one of its members serving as personal counsel to an accused archbishop while continuing to sit and vote among those who will, in due course, receive the Court’s verdict.

What the letter does not address is the substantive accusation, attributed to Bishop Ashey in The Living Church‘s reporting, that “the province did not forward all of the evidence, including exculpatory evidence, to the court.” If that claim is maintained, it sits uneasily alongside the seven items Bishop Ashey did withdraw. If it is not, it deserves its own clarification.

Read it all.

Bishop Ashey withdraws lecture claims about Wood Trial in letter to ACNA Collegehttps://t.co/3l3JWv1o0q pic.twitter.com/NPamXRmZSZ

— George Conger (@GeorgeConger8) May 27, 2026