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Bartolomé Estebán Murillo, "The Nativity" (c. 1670)#Art pic.twitter.com/rh8f6g4g6G

— Campbell F. Scribner (@ScribnerUMCP) December 24, 2025

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'Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost'

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and reassures him, a scene from today's Gospel, by Wilhelmina Geddes, 1920, a studio piece now in the Stained… pic.twitter.com/UmWF9nRGcj

— Simon Knott (@SimoninSuffolk) December 21, 2025

In this final week of Advent, as I’m trying to focus my heart and mind on the glorious celebration of Christ’s birth, I’m finding my thoughts diverted away from the incarnation to issues concerning the recent verdict and order in the trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch. 

I know many of you are in the same place. I get it. 

There are plenty of questions and concerns about the way the trial was handled, what was and was not included, and what was implied in the order. Those of us in diocesan leadership are attending closely and have already been working on how we might respond. 

That said, while the administrative and canonical challenges of our province are significant, we have to remember that they are not “the main thing.”  

As we come to Christmastide, I am urging you—as your bishop—to set these concerns aside for a brief season….

Read it all.

The Bishop of the #Anglican Diocese of #southcarolina–'There are plenty of questions and concerns about the way the trial was handled, what was and was not included, and what was implied in the order. Those of us in diocesan leadership are attending closely and have already been… pic.twitter.com/mKB4EVKT2F

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 19, 2025

MEMORANDUM
December 12, 2025
RE: Presentment of Archbishop Steve Wood

Members of the Anglican Church of North America:

Concerning the Presentment of Archbishop Steve Wood, in accordance with the standards established in and required by Title IV, Canon 4, Section 6, and following other pertinent Canons, the Board of Inquiry finds that there is probable cause to present Archbishop Wood for trial for violation of Canon 2 of this Title and has duly recorded its vote and judgment that the following three charges should be considered in the trial:

• Violation of Ordination Vows (Canon IV.2.1.3);
• Conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, including the abuse of ecclesiastical power (Canon IV.2.1.4); and
• Sexual Immorality (Canon IV.2.1.6).

This letter shall serve as our public declaration of the same. 

In Christ,
Chairman, the Board of Inquiry

ACNA NEWS: Abp. Steve Wood will go to trial. The Board of Inquiry has found probable cause to present him on charges of violation of ordination vows, conduct giving just cause for scandal or offense, and sexual immorality. pic.twitter.com/I5wt4JbNdM

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) December 12, 2025

Bishop David Bryan Steps Down as Assisting Bishop of the ADOSC

Following the recent developments in the Provincial Office, Bishop David Bryan has been named Acting Bishop of the Diocese of the Carolinas and, as a result, has resigned as Assisting Bishop for the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. Bishop Edgar had invited Bishop Bryan, with whom he had had a 30+ year relationship as friends and colleagues, to serve on our staff beginning in January of this year. “I’m sad about this on behalf of our diocese,” wrote Bishop Edgar in a note accepting Bishop Bryan’s resignation. “We will pray for you and the Diocese of the Carolinas. I’m grateful for you and your service to us in the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, and for our friendship over the years.” Bishop Mark Lawrence, our Bishop Emeritus, will continue assisting with visitations, and, along with Bishop Edgar, will cover those scheduled for 2026.

Read it all.

You may listen directly here:

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Or watch the video here:

You may listen directly here:

Or you may download it there.

A Powerful Retreat Weekend for St. Alban’s

The St. Alban’s Retreat, which was held earlier this month, ended, as it usually does, with baptisms in cold mountain water and creekside first communions. Fifteen men and women were baptized this year by the Rev. Dr. Rob Sturdy, St. Alban’s Chaplain. “I’m more than thankful to be able to work with these exceptional young people and to share with them the authenticity, integrity, love, and grace of Jesus,” wrote Rob. “Thanks to everyone who helps make it possible!”  Please pray for our new brothers and sisters in Christ as they venture home for Thanksgiving, that their fire for the Lord brings new faithfulness to the people they meet along the way and that their families would notice the changes in their hearts in profound ways.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/XimswopSVR (Saint Alban's retreat Photos, Anglican Diocese of SC) #parishministry #lowcountrylife #citadelchaplain #religion #faith pic.twitter.com/qNFyXVgsR9

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) November 25, 2025

(Received by email this morning; KSH) To:  The  Anglican Diocese of South Carolina
 

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yesterday, Bishop Edgar sent a letter to the clergy of our Diocese expressing his support for those who brought a Presentment against Archbishop Steve Wood. Bishop Edgar also sent a letter to the College of Bishops. urging the senior bishops tasked with calling for an inhibition of the Archbishop to do so.

We, the Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, stand with our Bishop in full support of the victims [of an ungodly and deeply dysfunctional process and allegedly of misbehaviour delineated in the presentment]. We, too, urge the College of Bishops to inhibit Archbishop Wood. While he has placed himself on a leave of absence, such leave can be ended at his discretion. An inhibition—though not a statement of guilt or innocence—protects the integrity of the inquiry and ensures that the process needed to seek the truth can proceed without interference.

Some have asked what the Standing Committee has done so far and what our next steps will be. Below is a summary of our actions:

What the ADOSC Standing Committee Has Done

1. Tuesday, November 4: In executive session with Bishop Edgar, Canon Jim Lewis, and our Diocesan Chancellor, Ben Hagood, we reviewed the allegations in the Presentment and heard from Bishop Edgar regarding his role in the process. Together, we affirmed our commitment to support the victims in every way possible.
2. During the Clergy Retreat, Bishop Edgar addressed the clergy directly. Because our lay members on the Standing Committee were not present for that conversation, on Thursday, November 13, we met by Zoom to bring all members—clergy and lay—up to date on these matters.

Agreed-upon Next Steps

1. Next week: We will meet with the ADOSC clergy involved in the Presentment, to hear firsthand how we can best support them.
2. To the Diocese: We issued this letter to express our unified support for our Bishop and for the victims [of an ungodly and deeply dysfunctional process and allegedly of misbehaviour delineated in the presentment].
3. To the College of Bishops: We will be sending a letter urging them to correct the false narrative that has circulated regarding the victims, and to not only inhibit Archbishop Wood but to issue a godly admonition.

We ask you to keep all who are involved in your prayers—especially the [alleged] victims, those caring for them, and all who bear responsibility for leadership and discernment in this difficult moment.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all,
The Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina

The Rev. Mary Ellen Doran, President
The Rev. Jeremy Shelton, Vice-President
The Rev. Jamie Sosnowski
The Rev. Corey Prescott
The Rev. Bill Clarkson
Mrs. Lindsay Dew
Mrs. Shirley Wiggins
Mr. Robert Kunes
Mr. Ben Dixon
Mr. Terry Jenkins
Mr. Bobby Kilgo

The Latest Edition of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/rkmkTXtE32 #parishmninistry #communication #faith pic.twitter.com/WNcxbnlLzk

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) January 21, 2025

Read it all.

Bp Chip Edgar of ACNA's Diocese of South Carolina writes: "The frequent charge, heard from the highest levels in the ACNA, that the complainants had gone to the press [first] is not true. … I’ve asked the College for a unified, public apology for these disparaging statements." https://t.co/YjJKIoYVHx pic.twitter.com/fflutyYSj1

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) November 13, 2025

Hope to be back Thursday

On the evening of November 7, the ACNA announced that Sutton recused himself from the Wood matter “to ensure the utmost objectivity in these proceedings,” and that Sutton had appointed the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs to appoint, in turn, a three-member panel of bishops to “review and approve the composition” of the already-selected Board of Inquiry.

“If the Board of Inquiry has already been impaneled, we have every reason to believe that Bishop Sutton was involved, [and] we have no reason to believe that such a board is trustworthy,” Miller told TLC. “As eager as we are to see this move quickly, a new board, organized without the involvement of the archbishop’s staff, nor of Bishop Sutton, will have to be appointed.”

“There’s no good moving quickly if you’re headed in the wrong direction,” he said, adding that Sutton’s recusal and the three-member panel’s future review of board members would be a “step in the right direction” if the panel members were known.

In addition to these new charges, the complainants’ cover letter criticizes communications by the ACNA’s provincial office and by some individual bishops that suggested the complainants took their allegations to the Post before attempting to use the canonical disciplinary channels of the church.

A timeline in the letter outlines the process the complainants say they followed. Claire Buxton, who alleges that Archbishop Wood made continual sexual advances toward her, alerted one priest of her complaint four days after Wood’s election in June 2024, and another priest a month later, who informed the Rt. Rev. Chip Edgar, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the document said. Edgar’s diocese overlaps with Wood’s Diocese of the Carolinas.

Read it all.

New for @Livng_Church: Complainants say they tried to canonically advance accusations against ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood for more than a year, and question the possibility of a fair hearing while he retains his powers.https://t.co/pDcdtrUhGE

— Arlie Coles (@ArlieColes) November 8, 2025

Valerie Ferebee rummaged through the front seat of her car searching for a pack of cigarettes as she sat outside Tanger Outlets. Everything she and her husband Milton own is in their Ford EcoSport, so it took her a few minutes to find them.

The four-door crossover has been their home for more than a year.

Once she found the Newport Menthol Greens in a side pocket, she pulled one out to light. She took a drag and considered their living situation.

“Disgusting. Degrading. Shameful. Humiliating,” she said. “I mean, I don’t know what word to use … I feel sort of stuck.”

Valerie and Milton are just two of thousands who have been evicted in the Charleston area. North Charleston once had the highest eviction rate in the country in 2016 with more than 3,600 tenants being evicted, according to data from Princeton University’s Eviction Lab.

In South Carolina, evictions are the ‘scarlet E’ that never go away https://t.co/9OutCBsLNF

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) November 2, 2025

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

~Psalm 46.1-3

To All the Faithful of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina:
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This past week news has broken about our Anglican Church—about many issues of alleged pastoral neglect by Bishop Ruch of the Upper Midwest Diocese; and, much closer to home, a piece regarding a Presentment (a legal charge) against Archbishop Steve Wood concerning allegations of pastoral abuse of former clergy, unwanted sexual advances towards a lay employee, and other issues, like plagiarism in sermons—in stories published by Ian Shapiro in The Washington Post.

It is important to say two things about the allegations against Archbishop Wood: first, the allegations come from credible sources. They must be taken seriously, and I am confident they will. Second, at
this stage they remain allegations. The Presentment (the charges) must be validated, and, when validated, a Board of Inquiry will be established. If the Board of Inquiry determines there is probable cause to put the accused to trial, two things will happen: the nature of the charges will be made public—with care given to protect anonymity where needed, and then the case will proceed, with discovery, potential motions, and, ultimately, presentation of evidence and argument before the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. The Canons require expeditious handling in accordance with due principles of fairness, due process, and justice. Due to the nature of these proceedings, there will be times that, from our perspective, look like nothing is happening. Please be patient. Finally, like in American civil law, our Canonical Law holds the accused as innocent until proven guilty. And guilt must be established to the standard of clear and convincing evidence.

With these charges, we have entered a season of storms. Storms that seem to threaten the very foundations of our church, and we ask, what in the world is going on? I want to try to give some perspective, to set these events in a context that, as I have prayed, with groaning in my soul too deep for words, through sleepless nights and challenging days, has helped me make some sense of it, and has been helpful to me in my prayers and in my work.

Years ago, I learned that organizations and institutions go through a series of steps as they grow.
Those steps were described as forming, norming, storming, and performing. I thought of that as I
prayed about the storms in which we find ourselves.

I recall being at Plano, Texas in 2009 when the ACNA was formed. I wish I had seen it then, but looking back I see clearly now. There was a troublesome spirit of pride at work as we Constituted the ACNA. Here was our sin: we were so focused on the evil outside of ourselves, that we couldn’t see the sin within us. I’m thinking of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s famous line from The Gulag Archipelago: “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”

In our norming, then, we were set to make some serious mistakes. I remember laughing about how the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church ran to the hundreds and hundreds of pages; we didn’t need that, we were righteous, we were mission focused, we were on fire for the Lord! We failed to see that evil lurked within us, each and every one. Our disciplinary Canons were short, not too many details, lots of unanswered questions. Did we think we weren’t going to need expansive Canons to guide us carefully through difficult situations toward just outcomes? While I don’t believe anyone actually thought that consciously, I fear that was the effect of our formative pride: the bad guys were “out there,” not “in here.”

Those flaws in our forming and norming have resulted in the storming that we now face being much more intense than it might have been. I won’t go into details about these storms, I’ll only say that I think their magnitude serves as a judgment on all of us, especially those of us in leadership. In these storms, is God winnowing, sifting, purging? It’s hard for me not to think so; but I also remember that He chastens those He loves. He wants better from us, ultimately, he wants better for us. Those truths aren’t just for the ACNA, they are for all His people.

I hear bandied about that these storms mark the end of the ACNA, that they are a death blow. Are they? I can’t answer that with anymore certainty than anyone else possibly could. But here is what I do know—with certainty: God is calling us to repentance and reform. Not someone out there, us.

Another thing I do know with clear and certain conviction—we are not called to worry about our future. That is not for us, that is in God’s hands. We are not called to make decisions to try to preserve ourselves. We are called to do what is right in this situation, in this moment, in this storm.

I do think, however, that there are real goods in our common life that, focusing on doing what is right, point toward us coming through these storms and into, at long last, a season of performing, or,
in more biblical language, bearing fruit.

All around the ACNA—just like you all around our diocese—are strong, healthy, thriving parishes. Parishes served by good clergy. Our dioceses are led by bishops who love the Lord and are working hard to do what’s right. We’ve made serious missteps in the past, but much has been learned and many changes have been made. Even now, we are making significant changes to our Canons.

In my conversations with my fellow bishops, the need for repentance and change (change being the
mark of true repentance) is a shared commitment. We are working hard to weather these storms as
we remember that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Brothers and sisters, in this storm season, pray. Pray for the victims. They have endured much up to
this point and will endure more as this process unfolds. Matters like this are fraught with difficulty.
Pray for the Archbishop. Pray for the Church. Pray for repentance and change, wisdom and courage,
and the fortitude to do what is right, no matter the cost.

Blessings,

–The Rt. Rev Chip Edgar is Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina

Chip Edgar Elected Bishop Coadjutor of the #Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina https://t.co/gsHql69b1g #religion #lowcountrylife #parishministry #bishops pic.twitter.com/p7c6QBsfsM

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 16, 2021

David Cumbie of Church of the Apostles, Houston, called to be new rector of Holy Cross, Sullivan's Island #SouthCarolina https://t.co/0ylo4poNBE #parishministry #lowcountrylife #anglican #religion #faith #transition #leadership #marriage #family #children #texas #acna pic.twitter.com/oAsFYduwBZ

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 18, 2023

Dear Friends,

Your Fall 2025 Jubilate Deo is here.  In this issue you’ll:

• Learn about the Bishop’s new Thrive Together campaign.
• Read the standing-ovation receiving sermon given by 11-year-old Daniel Booman at New Wineskins.
• Get an update on restoration projects at three of our historic properties.
• Discover what one of our rectors, Karl Burns, called “silly & sacred.” And more!…

Take the time to read through all the interesting pieces.

(The latest Jubilate Deo) Surprised, Challenged, Moved by New Wineskins for Global Mission Conference By Brett Kucera, Prince George Winyah Anglican Church, Georgetown https://t.co/laOqoXP1rP #anglican #southcarolina #parishminsitry #missions #newwineskins pic.twitter.com/zZiye16Pnm

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 21, 2025

Trinity Anglican Seminary is offering an in-person and live-stream lecture at 7:00 p.m. on October 30 by Dr. Matthew Barrett, Research Professor of Theology. Part of the 2025 John Rodgers Lecture Series, this year’s lecture, “The Legacy of Nicaea & the Future of Anglicanism,” marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and explores the vital role of creedal Christianity in our time. Register here to receive the live-stream link.

Read it all.

The Latest Edition of the Anglican Diocese of #SouthCarolina Enewsletter https://t.co/NrndEYbzzv #parishministry #anglican #news #southcarolina #lowcountrylife pic.twitter.com/BvRsQ1TKc8

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) October 14, 2025

You may listen directly here:

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“Prayer is like breathing. It is the air in which we survive spiritually.” – Elisabeth Elliot

Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. Psalm 55:17#elisabethelliot #prayer #christianbooks #faithful #spiritual pic.twitter.com/PYl0bzoDrN

— Elisabeth Elliot (@EElliotFdn) September 24, 2025

Or you may watch it here: