Upper South Carolina's Bishops

Advent 2009

Crosswalk The official publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

inside 3

What does it take to make a bishop?

A look at some historic bishops whose lives and ministries helped shape the episcopacy

6

A grace-full 15 years Celebrating the ministry of the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr.

8

Choosing well Two writers reflect on what matters in the search for Upper South Carolina VIII

10

Our next bishop Meet the nominees for eighth bishop of Upper South Carolina

Cover photo by John Bethell

Visit our diocese online

www.edusc.org

Upper South Carolina’s bishops

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

A ROUND THE D IOCESE 87th Convention celebrates mission and ministry, honors Bishop Henderson, looks ahead

U Crosswalk

Official Publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 1115 Marion Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 803.771.7800/800.889.6961 803.799.5119 fax dioceseusc@aol.com Crosswalk E-mail Address phill@edusc.org Bishop The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr. Executive Assistant to Bishop Henderson Ms. Jane B. Goldsmith jgoldsmith@edusc.org Canon to the Ordinary The Rev. Michael Bullock mbullock@edusc.org Director of Ministry Development The Rev. d’Rue Hazel dhazel@edusc.org Assistant Dean, School for Ministry Ms. Roslyn Hook rhook@edusc.org Canon for Finance and Administration Ms. Julie Price jprice@edusc.org Director of Finance and Insurance Ms. Cynthia Hendrix chendrix@edusc.org Canon for Communications, Editor of Crosswalk Ms. Peggy Van Antwerp Hill phill@edusc.org Canon for Liturgy, Leadership Development and Formation The Rev. L. Sue von Rautenkranz suevon@edusc.org Director of Information Technology Ms. Bethany Human bhuman@edusc.org Archdeacon and Senior Pastoral Assistant to the Bishop The Ven. Frederick C. Byrd fbyrd@edusc.org Assistant to Archdeacon Byrd Ms. Bonnie Blackberg bblackberg@edusc.org

2

Visit us on the Web www.edusc.org

nder the thematic banner “Celebrating Upper South Carolina,” the 87th Diocesan Convention met October 16-17 at the Carolina First Center in Greenville. The last diocesan convention convened by our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr., who will retire on December 31, it was a bittersweet event marked by reflections both serious and lighthearted on the journey together, past, present, and future.

The business of changing lives

Day one of convention was devoted to the business of the diocese, including the long-awaited announcement of nominees for eighth diocesan bishop, and topped off by a gala banquet and “roast” honoring Bishop Henderson (see related articles on pages 18 and 19).

Day two, with its emphasis on “changing lives,” featured guest preacher the Rev. Mike Kinman, former executive director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation; 25 hands-on workshops focused on our diocesan goals of health, mission, formation, and outreach; and a gathering of congregational displays depicting the many ways lives have been changed during Bishop Henderson’s 15-year ministry.

Convention elected individuals to serve on Diocesan Executive Council, Ecclesiastical Court, and the Board of Trustees of the University of the South. (See the story on page 18.) Two resolutions—one encouraging the diocese to hold the convention business session on a weekend day and the other designating the first Sunday in February as “Gravatt Sunday”—were adopted, and the proposed Statement of Mission, totaling $2,702,500, was approved.

“Done and left undone”

Noting as “a footnote to our common reality . . . that my tenure as a diocesan bishop is drawing to a close,” in his address to convention Bishop Henderson turned his attention to “’things done and left undone.’” Addressing the latter, the bishop pointed to an underlying tendency “to do our own thing, both congregationally and individually”—an attitude that has prevented Upper South Carolinians from taking “full ownership as One Body of the very mission outreach projects which we ourselves have established as priorities,” including our ministry in Cange, Haiti.

This same attitude has hindered the passion for “changing lives” that is often reflected in church growth. “[W]e need,” the bishop said, “to recapture a dynamic sense of being spiritual entrepreneurs. To put it in blunt terms, the Episcopal Church in Upper South Carolina must grow.” “Now is the time,” he said, “to take what we believe to heart and put it into action. God-inChrist has given us what we need; say ‘thank you’; and—and— share the gift!”

Reflecting on “some of the things—only some—that we have accomplished,” Bishop Henderson celebrated our “remarkable sense of stability as a diocese”; the development of a commission-based infrastructure which “encourages, supports, and strengthens mission at every level of the Church, starting with the individual”; a “dependable and sustainable commitment” to our established priorities of health, formation, mission, and outreach, all grounded in our ongoing diocesan Healthy Church Initiative which is devoted to “developing congregations as places where more and more people come into relationship with God.”

Looking ahead

“Tip-toe anticipation”— thus Bishop Henderson described the atmosphere as convention-goers awaited the announcement of nominees for eighth bishop of Upper South Carolina, which was made at the end of business day by Search Committee co-chairs Suzi Clawson and Bill ThomaBishop Henderson listens as nominees son. Five nominees, representfor eighth bishop of Upper SC are announced. ing, in Clawson’s words, “a spectrum of choices . . . largely in balance with the results of the diocesan survey,” were put forth and information on petition nominations was offered. (See the article on bishop nominees on page 10.)

Equipping the saints

Convention’s second day, which unfolded in the context of an extended service of Holy Eucharist, began with the Liturgy of the Word and ended with the Liturgy of the Table. In between convention-goers had the opportunity to attend two of 25 workshops Participants in the “Kinesthetic offered on topics rangSpirituality” workshop on convention’s ing from “Global Povday two prepare their materials. erty and Your Congregation” and “Principles of Congregational Growth” to “Kinesthetic Spirituality” and growing a year-round church flower garden.

—continued on page 18

Meet the nominees for the eighth bishop of Upper South Carolina on pages 10-11.

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A BISHOP? Historic bishops of The Church of England and The Episcopal Church

By Philip H. Whitehead

W

hat does it take to make a bishop? The catechism says that the “ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.”

What follows are thumbnail sketches of bishops past who have exemplified in their lives and ministries extraordinary qualities and abilities that have helped define the bishop’s work and role, and, over the years, exerted a profound impact on the journey of the Church.

314 A.D. Eborius of York, Restitutus of London, Adelphius of Colchester Attended the Council of Arles in Southern Gaul convened by Constantine I

T

he major contribution of these bishops from Britain was to take their place in the councils of the Church and to represent the Roman-Celtic roots of what was later understood to be the development of the Ecclesia Anglicana, the Church of England, prior to the arrival of St. Augustine, first archbishop of Canterbury.

First third of the 6th century–604 A.D. Augustine of Canterbury Gifts: Administration, physical stamina, Benedictine discipline, flexibility, loyalty

A

ugustine was sent to Kent, England (among the Angles), in 597 to reconvert England to Western Christendom. According to the historian Bede, Augustine consecrated a Roman basilica in the town of Canterbury as his first church and followed the orders of Pope Gregory I to divide England into two ecclesiastical provinces: London and York. The wisdom of the pope combined with the loyalty of Augustine to the pope’s directives allowed the newly formed Church to have a Roman-Celtic-British indigenous character.

Augustine was a reasonably good administrator. Victory and success were measured in terms of baptisms and the advancement of Christianity into southern England. We are always surprised when we hear that Augustine, with the support of Queen Bertha and a growing number of missionary priests, realized many of Gregory’s hopes for the Church in England in just seven years. Augustine died in 604 A.D.

1489–1556 Thomas Cranmer Gifts: Liturgical theorist, contributor to the richness and beauty of prayers in Anglicanism; determination in offering worship and Scripture in the vernacular and creating Thomas Cranmer in 1547, a systematic reading within the liturgy of the entire Bible

T

homas Cranmer was a priest and eventually, in 1553, became archbishop of Canterbury. In this position he recognized that he was in the service of the Henry VIII, playing a significant political role in the annulment of Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and in the marriage of Henry to Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn’s daughter, Elizabeth, was Cranmer’s goddaughter. Cranmer’s accomplishments were many, as he supported Protestant reform. He is the author of the first Book of Common Prayer (1549), which is an expression of his desire to make corporate worship a lively and understandable spiritual experience.

1729–1796 Samuel Seabury Gifts: High-church proponent and missionary to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New Jersey; parish rector; chaplain to British troops; determined supporter of apostolic succession; advocate of dividing General Convention into the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies (to limited lay prerogatives); promoter of theological compromise

S

amuel Seabury, in 1784, after theological and political maneuvering, was the first Anglican clergyman to be consecrated a bishop in the Episcopal Church by three bishops in Aberdeen, Scotland. Seabury sought consecration to the episcopate for the benefit of the growth of the body of ordained priests in America. His skill in promoting theological compromise was essential to establishing the episcopacy in the United States. The Church of England in America was not officially called the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America until the second meeting of General Convention, in 1789.

Samuel Seabury in 1785, by Ralph Earl

1789–1870 Jackson Kemper Gifts: Dedicated to the expansion of the Church in frontier territories, serving as missionary bishop of Indiana, Missouri, and the Northwest; vitally interested in education and recruitment of priests; committed to Church growth and to crossing social boundaries and opening interests in cultural awareness

J

ackson Kemper was born in Pleasant Valley, New York. He graduated from Columbia College and studied privately for the priesthood under Benjamin Moore and John Henry Hobart. Hobart was rector of Trinity Church, New York, and founder of General Theological Seminary. The impact of Hobart’s personality, liturgical gifts, and interest in education challenged Kemper to emphasize education and missionary work. Kemper became the first missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church. He provided the first three deacons, who were celibate monks, for the founding of Nashota House seminary and eventually, when he became bishop of Wisconsin, played a part in founding Racine College.

Kemper is credited with founding seven organized dioceses, each with its own bishop.

—continued on page 16

by Gerlach Flicke

3

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

Upper South Carolina’s

The Rt. Rev. Kirkman George Finlay (1922-1939)

The Rt. Rev. John James Gravatt (1939-1953)

The Rt. Rev. Clarence Alfted Cole (1953-1963)

The Rt. Rev. John Adams Pinckney (1963–1972)

The Rt. Rev. George Moyer Alexander (1973–1979) The Rt. Rev. William Arthur Beckham (1979–1994)

4

Bishops I-VI

The Rt. Rev. Kirkman George Finlay (1922–1939)

The first bishop of Upper South Carolina, the Rt. Rev. Kirkman George Finlay, was consecrated at Trinity Church (now Cathedral), Columbia, on January 20, 1921.

His ministry was marked by an emphasis on local rather than foreign mission, especially in rural and industrial areas and with young people and minorities.

In the words of one commentator, “He fought long and hard for right and justice over fear and prejudice” in the segregated world in which he lived.

Bishop Finlay established the mission church of St. Barnabas, Jenkinsville, and led the diocese in assuming joint control of Voorhees Normal and Industrial School. He established Crosswalk’s predecessor, The Piedmont Churchman, was instrumental in expanding Kanuga through a judicious land purchase, ministered to Upper South Carolinians throughout the Great Depression, and gradually won recalcitrant Episcopalians to the use of the 1928 Prayer Book.

When Bishop Finlay died suddenly in 1938, Presiding Bishop Henry St. George Tucker praised the “wise, sacrificial, and devoted leadership” that “carried Upper South Carolina . . . not only through the pangs of primary organization, but also through the depth of national economic depression, and onto firm ground—[where Bishop Finlay] laid the foundations of the future.”

The Rt. Rev. John James Gravatt (1939–1953) Consecrated on May 5, 1939, just as World War II was breaking out in Europe, the Rt. Rev. John James Gravatt devoted the first years of his episcopate to concerns that grew out of the conflict—clergy called as military chaplains, laypeople serving in the armed forces, and ministry to those who remained at home.

Following the war, Bishop Gravatt initiated eight active college ministries and called a youth worker to diocesan staff. With others, he was seeking a suitable location for a diocesan camp when, in 1947, Mr. St. Julian Cullum made a gift of 100 acres of land between

Batesburg and Aiken—a property christened Camp Gravatt and first put to use in the fall of that year. During Bishop Gravatt’s episcopate Columbia’s Heathwood Hall Episcopal School was also established.

Despite the preoccupations of the war years, during the decade 1940–1950 the diocese experienced significant growth. When Upper South Carolina was formed in 1922 there were 33 parishes and missions and 6,662 baptized members. At Bishop Gravatt’s retirement in 1950, the diocese was home to 58 congregations and 13,200 baptized members.

“Few men,” in the words of a tribute to the retiring leader, “have attained such holiness of life, such abounding courtesy and goodness of heart as did Bishop Gravatt.”

The Rt. Rev. Clarence Alfted Cole (1953–1963) At his first Diocesan Convention, in the spring following his consecration on October 22, 1953, Upper South Carolina’s third bishop, the Rt. Rev. Clarence Alfred Cole, remarked: “This diocese is a stable, strong, efficiently organized instrument of God’s use, ready to move forward into a new era of creative evangelistic action.”

And move forward Upper South Carolina did. Under Bishop Cole, seven new congregations were formed; college ministry expanded to 15 campuses; and a mobile chapel traveled around the diocese.

The Diocesan School of Theology for Laymen trained lay readers and other ministers, a foundation for theological education was established, along with a diocesan Christian education resource center, both an archdeacon and a Christian ed consultant joined the bishop’s staff, and four new buildings went up at Camp Gravatt.

Bishop Cole died in office in 1963. At a memorial service the Rt. Rev. Matthew George Henry, bishop of Western North Carolina, said: “When he became your bishop, he gave his whole self, his body, mind, and soul to the serving of and the strengthening of this diocese.

Nothing can sum up his greatest gift, that of personal relationships. Our praise and thanks are to God who . . . called Clarence Alfred Cole to the office of bishop.” continued on page 17

Crosswalk

FROM THE

Advent 2009

Bishop’s Desk

Photo: John Bethell

I

t’s been suggested that I prepare a reflection on my experience as bishop—in 1,000 words or less! For one thing, it’s too soon; I need time and distance before I am comfortable even to attempt such a task with any sense of objectivity. For another, how can one effectively cover 15 years in such a limited space? So I shall limit myself to the expression of an early expectation and compare it to the reality of the life of the Church we eventually shared, you and I, in this blessed diocese.

My conversion to Anglicanism occurred in The Episcopal Church, rooted in the so-called Catholic Revival, or Oxford Movement, which began in England in the mid-19th century and quickly spread to parts of the Church in the United States.

To summarize only briefly (and inadequately!), the Oxford Fathers focused their attention on the holiness of God expressed in glorious sacramental worship (all seven!) on the one hand, and upon what became known as the “social Gospel” on the other.

These English clergy and their American counterparts restored Holy Eucharist as the central act of their worship, began wearing Eucharistic vestments, placed candles on the altar, and utilized incense and Sanctus bells to enrich their worship (all of which caused great scandal!). But the concomitant to expressing God’s holiness in liturgy was considered to be personal holiness, which includes personal spiritual growth and continuing the work which constituted Christ’s ministry on earth—putting the Gospel to work in the world: “to bring good news to the poor . . . proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the . . . Lord’s favor.” This “social Gospel” (which was applied largely in the worst urban slums) resulted from the conviction that our Lord—indeed, that all of Holy Scripture—calls for justice and care for all people; that if one truly loves God, one necessarily loves and strives sacrificially to meet the needs of one’s neighbor—the Great Commandment.

On the day of my election, the Bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida (in which I had previously served) announced to his convention, “Upper South Carolina has just elected Dorsey Henderson as its bishop. That’s like the Pope being elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention!” Now that is truly an exaggerated view of both priest and diocese, but you get the point—how did this Anglo-Catholic priest become bishop of what was essentially a low-church diocese (liturgically, not theologically).

So I admit it—one of my hopes—only one, but a significant one—was to focus time and energy on growth in our personal holiness and to deepen our commitment, personally and as the diocesan family, to the social Gospel. (I soon gave up the idea of inspiring an “upward movement” in worship ritual.) That would have included a widespread passion for spiritual direction, the development of a daily rule of life for all of us (preferably the Rule of St. Benedict)—and (dreamer of dreams!) to culminate with a widely acclaimed designation of Blessed Benedict as the patron saint of our diocese.

One might summarize my hopes as the intention to focus on “meat and potatoes Christian religion.” But, alas and alack, such was not to be the case—at least not without distraction. Thanks to committed clergy and lay people in our midst, we have made significant strides. For example, we studied our life together, identified our challenges and our resources, and rewrote our Constitution and Canons, reorganizing the diocesan structure in order to identify our mission and facilitate our ministry. We developed a long-range plan for Christian formation, for evangelism, for outreach, for ministry with and by the younger members of our family, for communication—for the overall mission and ministry of the Church.

We created a spiritual vision statement, in which we pledged to strive “To love with the heart of Christ, to think with the mind of Christ, and to act in the world as the Body of Christ.” We created a School for Ministry to equip both lay people and aspirants for Holy Orders for ministry, and designed a process for development of our financial Statement of Mission “from the pew up,” rather than one imposed from

“on high.” We created a process for the discernment, preparation, and ordination of deacons—completely realigning the ordination process for both effectiveness and a more pastoral approach to diaconal and priestly formation. And we launched our commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment with a glorious diocesan-wide celebration we dubbed the “Great Gathering”—attended by over 3,200 people from across the diocese.

But, unexpectedly, events beyond our control led us to redirect a significant part of our energy. Would we maintain our commitment to our Lord’s High Priestly prayer to the Father (that we be one for unity and mission), or would we permit doctrinal differences (legitimate as they may be) to divert both our energy and our passion into another direction? In other words, would we be mission-driven, or issue-driven?

Would we continue to develop our commitment to be united as “One Body” with “One Mission,” which is “Changing Lives” in the Name of Christ—or focus on issues which, as Bishop Claude Payne writes in Reclaiming the Great Commission, are not likely to be resolved in our lifetime—issues which tend invariably to divide rather than unite? Would we be stable in developing healthy congregations—and therefore a healthy diocese—or would we allow ourselves to be derailed by anxious voices?

Resolving these decisions and the commitment to stability, unity, and mission took more of our energy and creativity than I would have preferred, leaving us with less time for providing the leadership and influence in the matter of spiritual formation.

Luckily, many of you, individually and as congregations, did this on your own, for which I rejoice. But my dream of focusing solely on “meat and potatoes Christian religion” and Anglo-Catholic spirituality, although taking some root, was not to be fully realized.

On the other hand, perhaps—just perhaps—what I considered to be our call was not the reason God called us to be together over these years. Perhaps our call was to grow in other ways—to learn to strive to maintain the via media of traditional Anglican Christianity and Anglicanism’s broad umbrella of inclusiveness over a wide diversity of Christian faith and practice. Perhaps the call—all along—was not to my vision of an Anglo-Catholic haven, but to take up the cross of constancy and stability which the entire Church is called to bear in our time—however one would otherwise describe or define that cross—and yet to be faithful to Christ’s commission to “Go . . . make disciples . . . baptizing . . . teaching. . . .”

From the Catechism, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 855 Q. What is the ministry of a bishop?

A. The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.

I have a favorite prayer, offered frequently—whenever I reflect on the ministry of a bishop, and how—or whether—I have been faithful to it and to my consecration vows. My prayer is that God will bless the decisions I make and the actions I take— and those decisions and actions of mine which He cannot bless, He will redeem.

As we move forward in our life as the Body of Christ in Upper South Carolina, however transitional, let us continue our prayers that all that we do shall be to the Glory of God, to the benefit of God’s people, and to the spread of God’s Kingdom—and in the Name of Him whose body, love, and mission bind us together: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Faithfully and affectionately in His Holy Name,

Upper South Carolina VII

5

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

CELEBRATING THE MINISTRY OF

By Peggy Van Antwerp Hill

A

deep and abiding commitment to mission and a profound love of Christ and his Church—these are surely the hallmarks of Bishop Henderson’s 15 years of ministry among us. Time and again, in ways tangible and not, he has reminded us that our mission as the Body of Christ in Upper South Carolina is none other than the mission of the Church, that this mission, in turn, is none other than the mission of Jesus himself: “Go . . . and make disciples.” This is the main thing.

The “main thing”

The “main thing,” our bishop is fond of saying, “is to keep the main thing the main thing”—no matter what.

This unwavering focus he has modeled in his own life and nurtured in ours in a variety of ways. The threads that run through the sermons, addresses, and pastoral letters of the past 15 years invariably hold this charge before us: “Christ’s Body,” he says, “is who we are, and Christ’s mission is what we do.” Our diocesan “spiritual vision statement,” as he calls it, exhorts us “To love with the heart of Christ, to think with the mind of Christ, and to act in the world as the Body of Christ.” Our “blueprint for mission” is to be “One Body” with “One Mission,” which is “Changing Lives.”

Keeping the main thing the main thing, our bishop has often assured us, is a matter of our individual personal holiness and our corporate spiritual health. These depend on a “deep rootedness in the holy basics”—continuing study of Holy Scripture together with an understanding of the principles and attitudes that have shaped Anglican practice. This is the solid foundation that inspires what the bishop calls our “passion for souls” and anchors what must be an ironclad determination to focus on mission, not issues.

The Healthy Church Initiative

In 2007, as he began to anticipate his retirement, Bishop Henderson reminded us again of our priorities, framed in his address to Diocesan Convention that year as “Four Goals for a Seamless Transition”—Health,

Helping to keep our diocesan focus squarely on mission is the Healthy Church Initiative, launched in May 2006 thanks to a generous gift to the diocese for use at the bishop’s discretion.

Recognizing that the congregation is, as Bishop Henderson put it, “the ‘front line’ of the Church” and “the platform from which transforming mission springs,” HCI is based on the fact that every church has unique gifts and a unique need, which, if met, will help that congregation move forward in mission.

In the three plus years that the initiative has been under way, many congregations have participated or begun to engage, first under the direction of diocesan consultant Tony Watkins and now with the guidance of a team of trained Upper South Carolinians. Through the initiative, congregations learn to identify their unique and specific mission goals and then to devise a strategic plan for meeting them.

“Imagine your congregation transformed. Imagine it as a place of profound community, of spiritual growth, of miraculous expectation, and of personal transformation. . . . Imagine this congregation, and then bring it into being.” This, in Bishop Henderson’s words, is the heart

In the beginning: The newly consecrated bishop of Upper South Carolina with then Presiding Bishop Edmund Browning, February 3, 1995.

Haiti’s Bishop Duracin precedes Bishop Henderson in procession in February 1997 on the occasion of the dedication of the Children’s Medical Pavilion at Cange (photo: Pam Steude).

Four principles

6

Mission, Formation, Outreach—four keys to our continuing journey as “a diocese driven by a passion for Christ and Christ’s Kingdom,” four principles by which we reaffirm our commitment to “the main thing.” “As long as we keep our focus on the main thing,” Bishop Henderson said in that address, “God will take us from where we are to where He means us to be.”

What follow are some—only some—highlights, landmarks, and snapshots from a ministry that has nurtured, challenged, and guided us for 15 enriching years.

of HCI. It is also the heart of the bishop’s vision that brought the initiative into being.

Structure for Mission Based on an extensive listening process undertaken when he arrived in Upper South Carolina, Bishop Henderson early in his ministry appointed a Select Commission on Constitution and Canons to present recommendations for restructuring the diocese. The reconfiguration, adopted by Convention in 1997, combined three groups—the policy-making entity Bishop and Council; the Standing Committee, serving as an ecclesiastical council of advice; and the Trustees, charged with fiscal oversight— into a single body, Diocesan Executive Council (DEC). Benefits of the shift, our bishop has pointed out, include greater efficiency and transparency and—most important—enhancement of “our ability to live into our spiritual vision statement” calling us to love, think, and act as Christ.

Hand in hand with the restructuring went the reorientation of perspective encapsulated in the designation of the diocesan budget as a “Statement of Mission” and the diocesan “quota” as the “episcopal pledge.” Within Christian community, Bishop Henderson told Diocesan Convention in 1996, “the budget is more than mere numbers.” It is a “Statement of Mission, incorporating those ministries which we, together as a community, choose as the most important to the spread of Christ’s Kingdom.”

It must be developed from the pew up if it is to reflect what “we, by consensus, perceive to be God’s call to us.”

The six diocesan commissions put in place in 2005, with their emphasis on local needs and grassroots involvement, are tasked with ensuring that mission priorities set at the convocation level by delegates to Convention are supported by the SOM. “This is a giant step forward,” Bishop Henderson said, “in streamlining the diocesan structure for mission.”

Bishop and friends at the 2002 diocesan Great Gathering (photo: Roger Hutchison)

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

Bishop Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr.— Leadership with soul Formation Christian formation “from the womb to the tomb,” spiritual health for all people, immersion in the “holy basics”—our bishop has insistently, tirelessly called his flock to these. Whether refashioning our annual convention as an extended celebration of the Holy Eucharist interspersed with the business of the diocese or laying the groundwork for new diocesan programs, the goal has been the same: “a constantly growing knowledge and a comfortable familiarity with Holy Scripture, the Tradition of the Church, and Reason,” for everyone, of every age.

It should come as no surprise that Bishop Henderson, soon after arriving in Upper South Carolina, had the Benedictine motto “Ora et labora” (Pray and work) set into the tile flooring at the entrance to Diocesan House and that the Benedictine rule—“my personal choice,” says the bishop—has shaped any number of diocesan retreats and small-group experiences. Neither should it give us pause that, in the turbulent years following General Convention 2003, Bishop Henderson saw as “a ‘silver lining’ to the clouds over the Episcopal Church” a revival of interest in the “meat and potatoes” of the Christian faith and Anglican tradition.

Among our bishop’s most ambitious formational undertakings has been the Diocesan School for Ministry, which welcomed its first students, on two campuses, in fall 2003, two years after an 11-member task force had completed a feasibility study and offered recommendations on core curricula and other essentials. The goal of the school is to provide formational opportunities for lay persons seeking personal growth or training and licensure for specific ministries; continuing education for clergy; and, in certain circumstances, academic preparation for ordained ministry. Its mission is “to inspire, equip, and empower disciples to make disciples and change lives.”

Since its inception the school has continued to grow

Bishop Henderson preaches at the first School for Ministry graduation, 2005 (photo: Bob Chiles)

and adapt to the needs of Upper South Carolinians. Some things will always remain the same: the school, in the words of one student, is “a great learning environment, a wonderful community, and, above all, a laboratory for transformation.”

Youth Ministry In 1999, Bishop Henderson appointed a Youth Ministry Task Force charged with making recommendations for more effective diocesan programming for young people. Among the task force recommendations were the addition of a full-time youth minister to the bishop’s staff; the centralization of diocesan programs “under one roof ”; the creation of programs focused on leadership and spiritual development; and the expansion and enhancement of congregational youth ministry throughout the diocese.

In the fall of 2001, Bishop Henderson called a fulltime youth missioner who implemented a calendar of events focused on spiritual growth and offering young people the opportunity to assume leadership roles in the development of those events. This design has made it possible to reach increasing numbers of young people because the program draws from congregations throughout the diocese. Youth from Upper South Carolina, because of their involvement in diocesan programs, have been chosen to represent us on design teams for Province IV and the Episcopal Church. In addition, one young Upper South Carolinian served as a member of the Official Youth Presence at General Convention 2009.

Congregational youth ministry has grown and matured through regular consultations with the youth missioner, who supports local churches in a variety of ways, including assistance with the evaluation of existing programs and the development of new ones and advice about curriculum, resources, and youth-ministry positions. continued on page 14

The camera catches Bishop Heenderson in a thougthful moment(photo: John Bethell)

By Frederick C. Byrd

I

have had the privilege of participating in four Episcopal ordinations. In the liturgy of each one the bishop elect was admonished to be a faithful pastor and a wholesome example for the flock of Christ; to be faithful in prayer and study of Holy Scripture in order to have the mind of Christ.

We heard those admonishments on February 3, 1995, as our seventh bishop began spiritual and pastoral leadership of our diocesan family. Over the past 15 years we have grown spiritually as our bishop lived into these striking words at his consecration.

The risks of a turbulent Church

The limitation of space prohibits my giving full expression of the sundry ways our bishop has blessed us through his leadership, pastorally and spiritually, but a few years ago in my Lenten study I ran across an apt illustration. Lee Bolton and Terry Deal in Leading with Soul exclaim that today’s stressful and turbulent world (and Church) compounds our risk of shrunken souls and spiritual malaise. Albert Schweitzer called this “sleeping sickness of the soul,” meaning that we fail to listen to our inner voice, the promptings of the Spirit, therefore stunting spiritual development.

A consistent rallying cry

Our bishop through his passion for souls, his life of prayer, his teachings, and his wholesome example has kept us grounded and moving with enthusiasm and zest so that malaise might not stunt the spiritual development of our diocese.

He kept us on track and on message with a rallying cry that was consistent and unambiguous: “Let us not be distracted from our mission of loving with the heart of Christ, thinking with the mind of Christ, and acting in the world as the Body of Christ. Let us hold fast to the basics of our faith, our core beliefs.”

We can move forward into the next decade a blessed diocesan family with joyful and thankful hearts for our bishop’s legacy: leadership with soul, changing lives.

I am proud and honored to have served as Bishop’s Henderson’s archdeacon and I am proud to call him a friend.

The Venerable Frederick C Byrd is archdeacon emeritus of the diocese.

7

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

C HOOSING W ELL thoughts on searching for the eighth bishop

Remembering who & why we are

By George I. Chassey

A

s we move forward toward choosing a bishop for this part of God’s Church it may be well to refresh our understanding of and remind ourselves as to the purpose of the Church as revealed by Holy Scripture and tradition. Holy Scripture and tradition set forth four purposes of the Church: liturgical—worship; missionary—outreach; doctrinal—teaching; and pastoral care. The fourfold purpose of the Church then is to worship God in thanksgiving for His innumerable blessings, in particular for the gift of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior; to proclaim the gospel of Good News in Christ; to teach and maintain the faith; and to administer the means of grace.

Liturgical purpose

Worship is endemic to the Judeo-Christian tradition. Jesus is witness to that fact.

He began his ministry in the synagogue in Galilee. Following the 40 days in the wilderness Jesus returned “in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” The Gospel according to Luke continues, “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath Day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah” (Luke 4:14).

The Acts of the Apostles gives testimony to the primacy of Christian worship: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2: 42).

In the midst of World War II, the Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple said in an address on the BBC, “The world will be saved from political chaos and collapse by one thing only: that is worship.” Then he continued by defining worship: “To quicken the conscience by the holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination with the beauty of God; to open the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God.” That is as true today as it was in 1944.

Missionary purpose

The second purpose of the Church is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ by word and deed in response to the Lord’s command, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28: 19–20).

The Church, by word and deed, is to win souls for Christ that they may be saved by him forever.

—continued on page 11

Discernment, calling & the redemption of human free will

By J.B. “Jack” Hardaway IV

W

hat if God doesn’t have a road map for our lives? What if there is no certain task or career we are meant to fulfill? No specific person we are called to meet or marry or search out to be priest or bishop?

Often the discernment of God’s will is depicted as some sort of puzzle or map that we have to figure out in hopes of finding hidden information at the end the task, the prize at the bottom of a box of Cracker Jacks.

8

What if God doesn’t have a road map for our lives?

What if there is no certain task or career we are meant to fulfill? No specific person we are called to meet or marry or search out to be priest or bishop?

A divine gift

There is another way of understanding discernment and calling, indeed the entire odyssey of being human. Instead of finding where we fit into the cosmic puzzle of God’s plan, the human odyssey is more faithfully understood in the context of choosing well and how we become capable of doing so.

The human will, that part of us that is our essential defining character, where our actions, thoughts, and decisions come from—the human will is broken, bound, enslaved, and limited by the powers of sin and death; the human will is fallen. The entire drama of salvation, incarnation, the passion, resurrection, Pentecost, judgment, and re-creation is best understood as the redemption of the human will, the setting free of the human will to choose well once more, no longer to choose poorly.

Choosing well then becomes an act of divinely gifted and restored freedom, of choosing that which is best for all, choosing what fulfills all relationships and commitments rather than diminishing and withering them. Only in freedom are we capable of choosing in love for one another and indeed for all creation. The broken will is a broken freedom and a broken love that ultimately always chooses that which brings death and diminishment rather than life and flourishing.

—continued on page 16

Q A

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

&

with our Search Committee co-chairs

As the Bishop Search Committee neared the end of their eight months of intense work, Crosswalk talked with cochairs Suzi Clawson (Good Shepherd, Columbia) and Bill Thomason (Christ Church, Greenville) about the process from beginning to end.

CW: Give us some quick background to put your committee into context with regard to the three groups working on our behalf toward the election of our eighth bishop—Standing Committee, Search Committee, and Transition Committee. Who does what?

SC: Most concisely described, the Diocesan Executive Council, acting in its capacity as Standing Committee, appointed the Search Committee and Transition Committee, commissioned us, and stepped aside to let us do our work. After the election, the Standing Committee will be responsible for obtaining the consents from other dioceses that are a prerequisite to our new bishop’s taking office. The Search Committee was charged with receiving nominations, screening nominees, and, ultimately, identifying four to six nominees to present to the Diocesan Convention on October 16 and to be voted on at the reconvened Convention on December 12. The Transition Committee is charged with introducing the candidates to the diocese in “walk-abouts” on November 21 and 22, caring for the candidates during the period between October 16 and December 12, planning the consecration, and caring for our bishop-elect while he is in the transition process.

CW: How was the Search Committee chosen and what

guidelines were used to ensure the geographic, demographic, and theological diversity reflecting our diocese?

SC:

The Standing Committee made the choices from nominees offered by each convocation as well as their own personal nominations. The result was a broadly diverse committee, representing all convocations, five clergy and ten laity, a balance of women and men, a full range of liberal to conservative viewpoints, and a full range of liturgical styles.

CW: Tell us about how the Search Committee worked.

Were there subgroups? Was there such a thing as a “typical meeting,” or were there elements common to every meeting?

SC: The Search Committee began each meeting with a meditation and prayer, frequently offered by our committee chaplain, Bishop Charles Duvall. At the beginning of the process, we met in Clinton once a month. In August, we met almost once a week as our work intensified and we prepared to make on–site visits to our remaining nine candidates the weekends of August 28-30 and September 11-13.

The Search Committee had five subcommittees: Survey and Profile, Screening, Interviews and Visitations, Education, and Communication. The subcommittees met and otherwise communicated frequently between Search Committee meetings. Each subcommittee with outstanding tasks reported at each Search Committee meeting, and the entire Committee discussed the progress made and remaining steps to be taken. All of the subcommittees worked very hard to keep us on schedule.

characteristics in our new bishop and priority of issues facing us provided a very viable roadmap. We believe this roadmap was equally valuable to our committee and to those nominated. Most important to all of us on the committee was the collegiality and agreement on issues, especially our common judgments as we worked our way through the screening processes, which could only have been a product of prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.

CW: Beyond the qualifications and characteristics out- CW: How would you describe the responsibilities of lined in the profile, can you tell us something about the criteria the committee used to evaluate applications submitted? Did you, for example, use a template to guide the screening process? How was it developed? What essential criteria and/or concerns did it address?

Upper South Carolinians “in the pews” with regard to the search for our next bishop? And what one thing would you like to say to those who will be delegates to the convention electing our eighth bishop?

SC: Each committee member developed his or her own

SC: The responsibilities of Upper South Carolinians in the pews, delegates, and clergy are:

approach to wading through a massive volume of paperwork. Included were submissions by the candidates, publicly available information (largely from the Internet and publications), and, later in the process, a synthesis of information gathered in interviews and checking of references. One of our committee, Al Sloan from Grace Church, Anderson, proposed a screening technique through which our five three-member on-site visitation teams each identified the candidates deemed best and least suited for our diocese. After tallying these results in a step–by–step process, we found virtual unanimity in both our August 1 and 15 screenings, which chose 18 and then nine candidates to go forward. The final slate was chosen after all the remaining nominees had been visited and interviewed along with local church and community leaders. One nominee dropped out of the process after the on–site visitations. As a last step, all the remaining eight nominees met with the entire committee prior to the selection of the five nominees. We believe all committee members left each of these meetings confident that good and reasoned choices had been made.

CW:

•first, to pray, pray, pray, that God will guide the hearts and minds of those who shall vote in the election for bishop of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina; •to educate themselves about the role of a bishop, beginning with the Ordinal on page 511 of The Book of Common Prayer; •to learn about the nominees and discuss them with each other and delegates to convention prior to the December 12 election; •to review carefully our diocesan survey and profile as they seek prayerfully to match a potential new bishop with the needs of our diocese; and •finally, to pray, pray, pray, that God will guide the hearts and minds of those who shall choose our eigth bishop that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for His people and equip us for His ministries.

Information about the nominees, and additional suggestions for convention delegates to consider in preparing for the election can be found on the Search Committee Website, www.bishopsearch.edusc.org, under the link “resources – education for delegates.”

Thinking back over the months you worked managing the diocesan survey and profile, accepting nominations, and screening applicants, were there any surprises—pleasant or unpleasant? What one thing would you like to tell Upper South Carolina about your “search experience”?

SC:

Only pleasant surprises. The interest from inside and outside the diocese resulting in the nomination of 55 candidates, while overwhelming at first, provided a wonderful body of nominees. The similarity of responses to our diocesan survey from all sizes of congregations as well as the commonality of desired

Search Committee co-chairs Bill Thomason and Suzi Clawson at work (photo: Janet Tarbox)

9

Advent 2009

Crosswalk A time for prayer and discernment

Six nominated for eighth diocesan bishop At Diocesan Convention on October 16, the Search Committee announced five nominees for eighth bishop of Upper South Carolina. A sixth petition nominee completes the slate. Additional information about the nominees, including resumes and responses to questions posed by the Search Committee, is available on the Bishop Search Web site, www.bishopsearch.edusc.org.

The nominees themselves provided these bios to Crosswalk.

The Very Rev. John B. Burwell

The Very Rev. John B. Burwell grew up in Rock Hill and has stayed in South Carolina. Married for 33 years, he is rector of Holy Cross, Sullivan’s Island, Daniel Island and I’on, South Carolina, where he has served for 22 years. There he grew what was a contentious and struggling 75-member congregation with a budget of $55,000 into a united and influential resource parish with more than 1,800 members and a $2.2 million budget. In 2005, while still rector of Holy Cross, he was asked by his bishop to serve as rector of an additional parish to reverse a decade of decline. In 18 months their average Sunday attendance doubled, giving increased by $150,000, and a $100,000 renovation was completed while Fr. Burwell was still serving at Holy Cross. At the same time (2006) a second location of Holy Cross was opened, which gained 350 new members by 2009.

Fr. Burwell has been active in leadership on all church councils, having served as past president of the Standing Committee, chair of the Commission on Ministry, and chair of deputations to last five General Conventions (1997–2009). He has been dean of the Charleston Deanery since 1995. Fr. Burwell authored the diocesan leadership program and led leadership training weekends in five states. He taught the theology of stewardship to dozens of parishes and mission, usually increasing participating church NDBI by 15 to 20 percent.

Fr. Burwell describes himself as “energetic, encouraging, genuinely relational, and openly welcoming to everyone.” He believes the bishop’s office exists for the good of the congregations and would like to (and with God’s help, could) change lives by building up Upper South Carolina.

The Very Rev. Dr. Philip C. Linder

Now beginning his 50th year, the Rev. Dr. Philip C. Linder was ordained to the priesthood in 1985, and has served both small and large parishes in Long Island, Atlanta, and Upper South Carolina. He was called as dean of Trinity Cathedral in 1999. Dean Linder has a Doctorate in Psychology from the Graduate Theological Foundation, Oxford, England, and Indiana; a D.Min. from Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia; an M.Div. from the General Theological Seminary, New York; and a B.S. in Education from Villanova University, Pennsylvania.

Perhaps because of having been raised with much less than many others, along with the Gospel mandate, Dean Linder is strongly committed to the Millennium Development Goals and outreach. He presently serves on the boards of Harvest Hope Food Bank, Salvation Army, and the Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation, Uganda. Seven years ago Dean Linder began the Columbia week at Camp Bob, Kanuga, a summer camp experience for 80 underserved children. Under Dean Linder’s leadership more than $225,000 has been raised for the diocese’s commitment to ministry in Cange, Haiti.

Dean Linder has been married for 27 years, and he and his wife, Ellen, have three children: Gabrielle 26, Conrad 23, and Philip Jr. 20.

He is an artist with a passion for teaching, writing, sports, and seeking to serve Christ and the people of God.

The Rev. Canon Dr. Neal O. Michell

The Rev. Canon Dr. Neal O. Michell is canon to the ordinary with the Diocese of Dallas. He previously served as canon for strategic development. A former practicing attorney, Canon Michell served churches of various sizes in the dioceses of West Texas and West Tennessee before coming to the Diocese of Dallas. He has served as a consultant in congregational development and led vestry retreats and workshops, focusing on vision-casting and leadership development. He is the author of How to Hit the Ground Running: A Quick Start Guide to Congregations with New Leadership and Beyond Business as Usual: Vestry Leadership Development, and is currently working on The Practice of Leadership.

He received his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Texas, Austin; J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center, in Houston; M. Div. from the School of Theology, University of the South, at Sewanee; and D. Min. in Church Growth from Fuller Seminary. His doctoral dissertation is “Contemporary Anglican Worship in a Postmodern Era.” He has also participated in short-term mission trips to Ukraine; South Africa; Mexico; Siguatepeque, Honduras; and helped establish a church-planting team in Danli, Honduras.

He and his wife Varita have four adult children.

10

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

The Rev. David F. O. Thompson

The Rev. David F. O. Thompson was born in Cumberland, Maryland, and lived there through the completion of high school, at which time he went to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to attend Salisbury State College, where he met his wife, Virginia. They were married before his senior year at the General Theological Seminary.

His first experience as an ordained minister was at St. Margaret’s in Annapolis, Maryland, and two years later he became rector of St. Matthias’ in Baltimore. The desire to earn an S.T.M. took him back to General and upon the completion of this degree, he and his wife moved to North Augusta, South Carolina, where he has served as the rector of St. Bartholomew’s since 1985. The Thompsons have four young-adult sons ages 18 to 23, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and a grand-dog.

Fr. Thompson has been active in various ministries, including Cursillo, the Youth Ministry Task Force, Evangelism, Diocesan Executive Council, Examining Chaplains, Bishop’s Interview and Discernment Committee, and deputy to General Convention. He also served as chair of Upper South Carolina’s Great Gathering.

The Rev. W. Andrew Waldo

The Rev. W. Andrew Waldo has been rector of Trinity Church, Excelsior, Minnesota, since 1994. He was born in Douglas, Georgia, and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, the second of six children in an Episcopal clergy family. He received his M.Div. from Sewanee, M. Mus. from the New England Conservatory of Music, and B.A. from Whittier College, and is a graduate of Indian Springs Preparatory School, Helena, Alabama.

Previous clergy positions include curate, Grace Church, Manchester, New Hampshire, and rector, St. Mark’s, LaGrange, Georgia. He currently serves on the Minnesota Diocesan Council and Constitution and Canons Committee. His previous service includes Standing Committee, Liturgy and Music Commissions (Minnesota, Atlanta, and New Hampshire), and Diocesan Board of Examining Chaplains.

He is a member of the Spiritual Faculty of CREDO, a national clergy wellness initiative of the Church Pension Group.

Fr. Waldo is married to a Minnesota native, Mary Halverson Waldo, a musician and teacher. They have three sons: Jonathan (Amber), James, and Benjamin. They reside in Shorewood, Minnesota. His recreational interests include biking, music, history, and model trains.

The Rev. Jerre Stockton Williams, Jr.

The Rev. Jerre Stockton (“Stockton”) Williams was born (September 9, 1951) and reared for the most part in Austin, Texas. He graduated from high school in suburban Washington, D.C., during the time his father chaired a federal agency. He attended Amherst College, majoring in religion. His honors thesis analyzed religion in the antebellum South. In 1976 he graduated from the University of Texas Law School, serving as a Texas Law Review editor. For one year he clerked for a U.S. 5th Circuit judge, and then practiced law in Austin, emphasizing business litigation and appellate law.

Fr. Stockton graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1986 and was assistant rector of St. Paul’s Church, Waco, until February 1989, when the bishop requested he become vicar of St. Mary’s Church, Cypress, in suburban Houston. The congregation was experiencing major conflicts, but achieved parish status in 1994. Fr. Stockton then became rector of Holy Trinity, Church, Midland. In January 2002, he moved to his present location, serving as rector of St. Peter’s Church, Kerrville.

Fr. Stockton has been married to the former Leslie Winfield Miller since 1978, and they have two children, Jerre III, 22, and Caroline, 19. His personal interests include working out, hiking, fantasy football, hunting, fishing, travel, and meteorology.

Remembering who we are

—continued from page 8

Doctrinal purpose

The third purpose of the Christian Church, as revealed in Holy Scripture, is to teach how those who claim that Jesus is Lord are to live and conduct themselves as followers of the Lord Christ. “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long” (Ps. 25: 4–5).

Out of Holy Scripture, by and through the sacramental life, the Church has the means of grace to teach the faith. To teach the faith—to send people into the world with the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, to bring into being new worship centers, new communities of faithful followers of Christ—is a necessary requirement to proclaiming the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is God’s expectation of those who proclaim “Jesus is Lord.”

Pastoral purpose

The Church—those who claim Jesus is Lord and follow the example of Christ— is to minister to people and their needs, whatever those needs might be, within the Church family and outside of the Church. “Then they will also answer, ‘Lord, when

was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do to me’” (Matt. 25: 44–45).

As we move forward

It is essential, at this time in the life of this part of God’s Church, as we move forward in the prayerful process of choosing one to be the eighth bishop of Upper South Carolina, to make the four purposes of the Church an intricate part of this momentous decision. We must keep before us the unmistakable fact the Church, following the way of Jesus, is to stand for God’s truth as seen in Jesus Christ, to labor for a just society that stands for the common good, promotes the general welfare of all, and upholds the worth and dignity of human life. History and experience reveal that as the Church is faithful to its purposes it will thrive and grow and will stand as the conscience of the community, bringing as best as can be discerned, by worship, prayer, and study of Scripture, the mind of God into the social order. The purposes of the Church cannot be overlooked in the choosing of one to lead into the future this part of God’s vineyard.

The Rev. Canon George I. Chassey is a retired priest of the diocese and former canon to the ordinary.

11

Advent 2009

Crosswalk Mission Profile

BODY P l A l R l T l S

St. Christopher’s, Spartanburg

By Michelle P. Lovelace Who: St.

Christopher’s Episcopal Church: mission, Piedmont Convocation, 400 Dupree Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307; Average Sunday attendance 76; www.stchrisonline.org; e-mail: stchris@stchrisonline.org.

Vicar: The Rev. Joseph K. Smith.

Where: St. Christopher’s is located on the east side of Spartanburg in the Fernwood residential neighborhood and sits right next door to Spartanburg High School, just up the street from the Cottonwood Park and Trail system. Ease of access to an elegant, modern sanctuary is only the beginning as the entire St. Christopher’s experience invites all to a living, worshiping, serving community.

When: St. Christopher’s was started by the Church of the

Advent in 1961 as a mission–minded response to growth on the east side of Spartanburg. After a brief period as a mission, the church expanded and built gathering spaces. During the planning phase of the new sanctuary, the decision was made to build a high vaulted ceiling over the worship space, creating a windowed steeple. The idea was to allow light to shine outward into the surrounding neighborhood like a beacon. Today, the sanctuary’s steeple continues to be lit to demonstrate that perseverance in offering the Christ light to others is a matter of priority.

In the years since the building of the sanctuary, St. Christopher’s has revealed Christ’s light to many in its dynamic history. As with children between growth spurts, there were quiet times as parishioners put down or pulled up roots, and there have been renaissance periods of tremendous inspiration, adoption of calls, and renewed energies. “Today, St. Christopher’s understands itself to be in existence by grace, with Christ as the central reason for all it does” says Fr. Joseph Smith, new vicar at St. Christopher’s.

12

What:

It has not been difficult for the church’s new leadership to discern what God’s gifts to St. Christopher’s are, or how these gifts would uniquely position it to offer Christian hospitality at its best. Note the campus with its beautiful modern sanctuary, industrial strength kitchen, full-court gymnasium, school-age children’s playground, ample meeting and outreach facilities with current technology and sound. However, facilities do not make a church.

St. Christopher’s is filled with talented and motivated people who know they are called to serve Christ—specifically at St. Christopher’s.

Upon entering the sanctuary, a newcomer finds their steps slowing, their eyes rising up through the some 60 feet of open space, the morning sun pouring in the windows at the peak. No ceilings here to keep out the Holy Spirit or to hinder the rising of prayers and hymns of praise! Once you catch your breath, any seat in the house satisfies and a feeling of expectation remains. The Rite I and II (alternating) services that follow will not disappoint.

Sunday morning worship is at 9:30 a.m. with traditional music and hymnody salted with contemporary worship songs. The adult choir rehearses Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. and is disproportionately blessed with classically trained voices (thank you Anne Denbow, Director of Liturgical Arts). Children’s Chapel for 3 to 6 year olds is during the Liturgy of the Word, allowing these young people to engage with the lessons of the day on their own level. Christian formation for all ages is Sundays at 10:45 a.m.

There are seasonal teachings, Bible studies along with additional adult formation on Wednesday evenings following the weekly Holy Eucharist and healing service. Sunday evening is for teens in grades 6 to 12. At 5 p.m. they meet for lessons that help the teenage mind grapple with faith and God, for dinner and to plan activities which augment their faith lessons, including mission trips, diocesan events, retreats, and service in the local community.

Ms. Raiford Collins’s leadership of the children and youth activities reflects Fr. Joseph’s goals for Christian formation at St. Christopher’s. “We are not making any bones about forming adults and children in Christ. It’s essential to be able to think from a theological perspective in this world, so we take all our classes, formational opportunities, and study groups seriously and generate deep and honest dialogues for that purpose,” he says. “We are a small but growing church so we want to be very intentional about what we do and then do it well. Our plan for going forward is focused on our core values of hospitality, Christian formation, discernment, outreach, and family worship.”

Fr. Joseph’s passion is for the long-term future of the church. One of many chuckles comes from him when he describes empowering others, after which he is delighted to “fade into the background.” He describes his leadership style

as “laid back” but after meeting with him you might find yourself newly energized and ready to get going! A graduate of the University of the South, affectionately known as Sewanee, and having come through St. Matthew’s across town, Fr. Joseph brings a cheerful, inclusive, other-serving tone and a Christ-centric vision of stewarding the gifts of St. Christopher’s.

Matching this intensity and focus is Convocational Deacon Fergie Horvath, who applies her gentle humor and ready insight to building connections between people and churches. Committed to building up the Body of Christ, and preferring to operate from the background, both of these spirited people will tell you that they focus on empowering others to reach their potentials.

Part of Fr. Joseph’s vision for the current renaissance of St. Christopher’s is to invite families to prayerfully consider—and speak with their rectors about—worshiping and serving here for a two-year period, as missioners. It would not be the first time this has been done at St. Christopher’s and other churches as well, and has been rewarding for the missioners and churches alike. “If we are right about God’s will for this church, it will be put on people’s hearts to consider being missioners here, to come worship and become involved in the fabric of the church life.” When asked what his goals are for the number of families he’d like to see, he is clear that he is interested neither in “stealing sheep” nor in limiting God’s will. Families who choose to participate as missioners at would be warmly welcomed and offered a balanced diet of involvement as well as being seen as having adopted a special call from God. In this and many other ways the church is drawing new energy, new activity, new vitality through the doors. The newsletter you receive at the front desk reveals what many are happy to say: St. Christopher’s is lively and well, preparing us to be witnesses to Christ’s light in the world.

Quote: The Rev. Joseph K. Smith: “We are a small but growing church so we want to be very intentional about what we do and then do it well.”

Mrs. Michelle P. Lovelace is a member of St. Matthew’s, Spartanburg.

perspective & courage

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

T HOUGHTS ON A M ISSION T RIP TO H AITI

By Cecile S. Holmes

W

hen I think of Haiti, images not words flash through my brain in a mind-numbing panorama of contrasts. I see the countryside of rolling hills and mountains shrouded in rain-filled mists in late afternoon and bedecked in pink-and-orange sun in early morning.

The hills are majestic, yet they have few trees. Haiti’s rich forests were chopped down two centuries ago, leaving most hillsides raped and shorn of their natural foliage.

Fearful delight

I see the beaming faces of parents as their sons and daughters processed into the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour at Cange on a sultry Sunday morning. Dressed in pearly white dresses, sky-blue socks, and matching ribbons, each little girl walked in beside a little boy. The boys were clad in dark blue pants and jackets, their pale shirts chosen to match the girls’ socks and hair ribbons.

Almost every child smiled shyly. Hands clasped in prayer, the boy-girl pairs bowed before the altar and then to each other.

Joy radiated from parents’ faces at this kindergarten graduation. I couldn’t help but smile, my delight linking me to the hospitable Haitians and to the other 11 Episcopal “missioners” on this spring 2009 Trinity Cathedral trip to Cange with Canon Joye Q. Cantrell.

That same Sunday morning, I also couldn’t help but weep in fear for the children at Church of Our Saviour.

Undeterred by the odds

The vital statistics for surviving to adulthood in Haiti are daunting. Haiti has the highest rates of infant,

under-age-five, and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere. Diarrhea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS are the leading causes of death. The average life expectancy is 47. Poverty, disease, violence, and almost every negative imaginable plague this nation, the poorest in the Western hemisphere.

But those realities have not deterred the Diocese of Upper South Carolina from making and honoring a commitment to Haiti for the past 30 years. The Rt. Rev. William A. Beckham, sixth bishop of the diocese who died in 2005, was a key figure in the development of the partnership with Haiti, which began in the 1980s with the building of a water system at Cange, in the Central Plateau. Even today, getting to Cange—just 30 miles from Port-au-Prince—is a perilous three-hour journey along a rut-ridden, single-lane dirt road.

In Haiti it wasn’t the cold showers or lack of fans and air conditioning that made me uncomfortable.

What jarred me was recognizing just how often I am self-absorbed rather than focused on God’s call to serve others.

Giving to Cange, being in Cange and environs, remains a diocesan priority. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr., has continued our ties with Haiti throughout his episcopate.

“Gifts of Bread and Water”

Trinity parishioners Emery Clark and Rhett Wolfe atop the mountain at Morne Michel, where the cathedral is building a school.

In January of this year, Bishop Henderson issued a statement telling Upper South Carolinians about the impending water-system crisis in Cange and stressing that faith without outreach is not really faith. He likened the current capital funds drive for Haiti—“The Gifts of Bread and Water Campaign”—to the Christian call to “love with the heart of Christ, think with the mind of Christ, and act in the world as the Body of Christ.”

Noting that at least $1.6 million is needed to avert

the crisis in Cange, Bishop Henderson said the water system built by the diocese to serve 800 is now 25 years old and must currently serve 8,000 daily. Indeed, most of Haiti’s problems are linked to the lack of such basic necessities as potable water.

In addition, unemployment On this Haitan memorial to our sixth bishop the inscription reads: “To the memory of rages with some My Lord William Beckham, who died on estimates putDecember 24, 2005, for his solidarity with ting it as high the community of Cange. Peace to his soul.” as 70 percent. Densely populated, Haiti too often has been plagued by political upheaval, violence, and lawlessness. The resulting uncertainty severely limits access to the essentials that would help the children of Church of Our Saviour grow up safely.

Perspective and courage

Going to Haiti took me way beyond my comfort zone. I struggled to muster the energy to make the trip since it occurred less than three months after the death of my father following a lingering illness and the unexpected death of my husband from a heart attack. I felt emotionally raw, personally bereft, and spiritually unsteady.

My uncertainties paled in comparison to the daily facts of life in Haiti. Going, especially with the other “missioners,” gave me perspective and courage.

In Haiti it wasn’t the cold showers or lack of fans and air conditioning that made me uncomfortable. What jarred me was recognizing just how often I am self-absorbed rather than focused on God’s call to serve others.

I had seen abject poverty in nations as disparate as the United States, Mexico, and Russia through my work as a religion journalist. I had experienced the dissonance bred in hope and sometimes destroyed by church projects gone wrong when Christians, by doing what they thought best, tried to help victims of everything from hurricanes to terrorist attacks.

—continued on page 16

13

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

Celebrating our bishop —continued from page 7 At Diocesan Convention in the fall 2008, clergy and delegates overwhelmingly approved a canon change giving selected young people seat, voice, and vote in convention. Two youth from each convocation, who are confirmed communicants in good standing, are now elected as deputies to serve a one-year term.

MDGs

Diaconate Searching, as he put it in his 1996 address to Diocesan Convention, “for ‘new paradigms’ for our diocese, . . . new methods, new models equipped to be effective in a changed and ever changing world,” Bishop Henderson revived in Upper South Carolina the ancient order of the diaconate, the ordained ministry which symbolizes and models Christ’s servanthood in the world and in the Church. The deacon’s job, it’s been said, is to be “the pebble in the slipper of the Church,” the irritant that reminds the Church that there are needs out there that are crying to be met.

After study by a task force appointed by the bishop, the diaconal program began in 1997, with the first ordinations taking place in 2002. Today we have 12 deacons serving throughout the diocese.

Matthew 25 As part of their ministry, our deacons, along with the lay wardens of the five diocesan convocations, make up the Matthew 25 Committee, tasked with support for domestic mission efforts in Upper South Carolina. One way in which Matthew 25 accomplishes this mission is through a grants program that helps fund congregational and convocational ministries to those among us in need.

Matthew 25 grants have been instrumental in supporting congregational programs that feed the hungry, reach out to low-income families, and minister to those affected by HIV/AIDS and to Spanish-Speaking communities.

Bishop Henderson at convention sporting his 0.7% MDG button

Under Bishop Henderson’s leadership, two successive diocesan conventions, in 2005 and 2006, pledged Upper South Carolina’s support to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight-pronged international initiative aimed at reducing extreme global poverty by the year 2015. “Our involvement in reaching the MDGs,” Bishop Henderson said in 2007, “is a thermometer for measuring our spiritual health and mission accomplishment—and . . . a demonstration of our commitment ‘to act in the world as the Body of Christ.’” Beginning in 2007, 0.7 percent of our annual Statement of Mission funding has been given to international ministries working toward one or more of the eight articulated goals.

Haiti Foremost among our diocesan MDG-related ministries is our long-term relationship with the people of Cange, Haiti, and environs. The partnership began in 1979 when our sixth bishop, the Rt. Rev. William A. Beckham, met the Haitian Episcopal priest the Rev. Fritz Lafontant. Working often with the support of Dr. Paul Farmer, founder of Partners in Health, our diocese has been instrumental in the transformation of Haiti’s Central Plateau, which now includes a hospital, an eye clinic, a dental clinic, an artisans’ center, a 35-acre farm, and a cluster of schools serving more than 1,200 students. In

Hispanic Ministry It’s worth noting that since Bishop Henderson established the Hispanic Ministry Committee in 2000, partnerships with our Spanish-speaking sisters and brothers have flourished at several congregations in the diocese.

Shortly after the committee took shape, the Rev. Robert Taylor began serving Upper South Carolina’s Upstate Hispanic community. In 2004 Bishop Henderson celebrated his first service of Holy Eucharist in Spanish. And today the Spanish-speaking congregations at St. Francis, Greenville, and St. Mary’s, Columbia, are among the most vibrant, active, and growing in the diocese.

14

February 1997 Bishops Henderson and Beckham joined Bishop Duracin of Haiti for the dedication of the Children’s Medical Pavilion at Cange.

Under Bishop Henderson’s leadership, Bishop Beckham’s legacy has continued to flourish, but not without challenge. Most recently our bishop has called upon Upper South Carolinians to help avert the monumental crisis that would ensue should the deteriorating 25-year-old water system at Cange—the very foundation of every lifeenhancing development there—fail. The continued viability of the system, designed and built by Upper South Carolinians in 1985, is dependent upon the success of the ongoing Gifts of Bread and Water campaign, which is overseen by our diocesan World Mission Committee.

In a January 2009 appeal on behalf of the Gifts of Bread and Water campaign, Bishop Henderson reminded us that, once again, “Consistent with our determination to be ‘One Body’ with ‘One Mission’: which is ‘Changing Lives,’ we can make a major, lasting difference in the lives of the people with whom God has brought us together.”

HIV/AIDS One way in which our bishop has manifested unfaltering compassion for the “least of these” is through his support of our diocesan ministry to those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. In the second year of his episcopate, 1994, Upper South Carolina sponsored the first of several HIV/AIDS retreats, welcoming more than 20 participants for four days of learning, reflection, community-building, and renewal. We have for many years offered an annual HIV/AIDS service of healing and have been among the most faithful supporters of AIDS ministry at the provincial level. The efforts of our bishop and other Upper South Carolinians who have championed this ministry have kept before us the sobering fact that, despite advances in treatment, this serious global epidemic continues to spread.

In the words of former diocesan HIV/AIDS Committee chair Peter H. Lee, “What has impressed me most is, that despite Bishop Henderson’s many responsibilities and busy schedule, he has been a consistent and strong guiding force for the AIDS ministry in our diocese even when that ministry is no longer ‘trendy’. When I was chair, he made himself available to meet with us, listened patiently to our concerns, and gave us input and guidance. When we were discouraged, he supported us. He encouraged us to do more and to continue our mission.

Under such stable guidance and support, much of the success we have experienced in the ministry should be attributed to his faithful stewardship.”

Home Works

Working on the water system at Cange

Bishop Henderson’s involvement with Home Works of America (an ecumenical housing repair ministry) began in the summer of 1996 when he attended a week long work session held at St. Paul, Virginia.

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

member of the “Special Commission” and as episcopal co-chair of General Convention 2006’s “Special Legislative Committee,” both of which were appointed by the presiding bishop as part of the Episcopal Church’s response to The Windsor Report.

At that General Convention, working in concert with others, Bishop Henderson proposed resolution B033, calling for restraint in consenting to “the consecration of any candidate to the episcopate whose manner of life presents a challenge to the wider Church.” Although still controversial, that resolution was instrumental in moving deadlocked discussion forward. Reflecting on that experience as the classical Anglican that he is, Bishop Henderson expressed hope, having seen, for that moment, “substantial majorities” brought together by seeking to maintain, in the words of Richard Hooker, the “middle way not as a compromise for the sake of peace, but as a comprehension for the sake of truth.”

A day to remember—The Great Gathering, October 2002, when more than 3,000 Upper South Carolinians came together to celebrate the diocese and renew our commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandment (photo: Don Burns) While there the Bishop worked with youth from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina and the Diocese of Charleston (Roman Catholic) and engaged in roofing and general carpentry. The hours were long and the work was difficult, but the bishop kept everyone’s spirits up with his energy and encouragement. He also blessed those present as he celebrated the Eucharist, provided pastoral counsel, and spoke about the importance of discovering the sacramental dimension of the work they were doing.

His ongoing support of Home Works has had a role in grounding that ministry in a model of outreach that is rooted in the servanthood ministry of Jesus Christ. He has also celebrated the ecumenical nature of Home Works and how it encourages Christians of different faith traditions to find common ground Bishop Henderson pauses during work in New Orleans for their service ministry post-Katrina with colleagues from the House of in the values set forth Bishops (photo: Herb Gunn). in the Gospel. During Bishop Henderson’s episcopate the ministry of Home Works has grown from two summer trips, each a week in length, and a couple of weekend events to eight summer work trips in the southeastern United States, a work trip to Peru, and numerous weekend events that take place in Columbia, Charleston, Aiken, and Greenville.

Oneness in mission

From the earliest days of his episcopate, Bishop Henderson has kept before us the words of the Lord’s High Priestly prayer: “Father, . . . I pray . . . for those whom you gave me. . . . [M]ay they be perfectly one.” That unity for which Christ prayed, the bishop says, is our constant mission. It is, in the words of his 1997 address to convention, “our impelling motivation for action in the

world, but not only in the world—within the Church as well. Holy Scripture is clear: anything which would divide us, whether within the Body of Christ or without, is to be resolved by unity in Christ: all things are to be united.”

Both in the world and in the Church our bishop has worked toward that unity in a variety of ways—in ecumenical endeavors, in civic actions, and in the councils of the Church. He has throughout his episcopate been an active participant in the ecumenical initiative known as LARCUM (Lutherans, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, United Methodists), whose goal is to foster unity among the denominations represented. In 2001 he joined brothers and sisters from the South Carolina Lutheran Synod for a hometown celebration at Trinity Cathedral marking full communion between the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). That same year he lent support to efforts to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Columbia State House.

Perhaps nowhere has Bishop Henderson’s commitment to what he calls “the main thing” been more evident than in his efforts as consensus builder, reconciler, and advocate of the “middle way” in the face of challenges posed by the 2003 consecration of the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson. “[W]e shall not shrink from examining the theological and ethical issues presented,” he told Diocesan Convention. “But we shall examine them as faithful Anglicans: based on Holy Scripture, Tradition, and Reason—because these are the three sources of Anglican authority—Christian authority. Our focus, our very being, shall be rooted in the person of Jesus Christ and the mission he has given us. We shall not be distracted.

Period.”

Bishop Henderson, ELCA Bishop David Donges, and Diocese of South Carolina Bishop Edward L. Salmon pose following the 2001 celebration at Trinity Cathedral of full communion between the ELCA and the Episcopal Church (photo: Pam Steude)

An exemplary bishop

At the October celebration banquet and roast honoring Bishop Henderson, special guest Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori called him “a friend, a mentor, and an example of what holy living in this office looks like. I know of no bishop,” she said, “who is more respected for his integrity and for his even and non-anxious presence. It is a great pleasure to say thank you to one of the best examples of bishoping in this Church.”

The faithful in Upper South Carolina couldn’t agree more.

The middle way

In the wake of the 2003 General Convention he hosted forums throughout the diocese and created a diocesan “response group” to foster a listening process among Upper South Carolinians with divergent points of view.

In the councils of the Episcopal Church he served as a

Photo: Paul Palmer

15

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

Thoughts on Haiti

—continued from page 13

“A major impact”

Haiti is different. It is geographically closer to South Carolina. Our efforts are ongoing. Our relationship is certain, our work rooted in what the Haitians themselves say they need.

For Trinity Cathedral, completing a school at Morne Michel—a three-and-a-half-hour hike straight up a mountain —is a priority. Six missioners on our recent trip hiked to see the school. Near the climb’s end, Trinity missioner Rhett Wolfe watched the “outlines of the new school rising through the fog,” deciding that, while the church cannot help everyone, it can “have a major impact.”

went there in the 1980s,” she said, “changed my life, changed my values. I’ve never seen such poverty, nor such joy.” This summer, missioner Lucy Dinkins returned more cognizant of the importance of mission and ministry. “Interacting with Christians in a completely different part of the world gave me a true sense of just how vast the kingdom of God is,” she said.

Missioner Elizabeth Clark came home troubled that so many “Haitians are educated and ready to make their way in the world, but trapped in a country with no real economy to support them.” She hopes diocesan programs to build a vocational school and improve farming will help, but worries that what is being done will not meet the enormous needs. Like Clark, I cannot answer those questions, but I am certain we should keep trying, keep giving, keep praying, and keep going back to Haiti.

We need the Haitians as much as they need us.

Needing each other

Ms. Cecile S. Holmes worships at Trinity Cathedral, Columbia.

When I returned from Haiti, a friend told me about her own experience there. “Haiti changed me when I

Discernment

—continued from page 8

The drama of salvation

So here we are caught up in the midst of the divine drama of salvation, living in the bountiful Spirit of Pentecost and the Risen Lord, yet still on the wrong side of the ultimate and final restoration of fallen creation and humanity. Our freedom is a limited and awkward thing, immature, still learning to walk, we are still in the midst of the Red Sea, the land of bondage left behind, the land of promise somewhere up ahead, and ole Pharaoh’s dogs are nipping at our heels.

Our lives and our choices are where we live out the

What makes a bishop? —continued from page 3 1831–1879 James DeKoven

Gifts: Anglo-Catholic priest, tutor at Nashotah House; influential and impassioned speaker from the floor of General Convention in 1874, offering a plea of behalf of doctrinal comprehensiveness, arguing that both evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics had an important part to play within Anglican tradition

J

16

ames DeKoven was never a bishop. Nominated in three separate elections, he never received sufficient votes to elect him because of his Anglo-Catholic emphasis at a time the Episcopal Church was in the midst of its most serious battle over liturgical and symbolic reform. He was elected bishop by the Diocese of Illinois, but Standing Committees of other dioceses did not tender the requisite confirmations of his election. He is included here because was elected bishop of Illinois and his gifts have had an important impact in the history of the Episcopal Church.

James DeKoven was ordained a priest by Bishop Jackson Kemper and encouraged to enter the mission field. His educational skills were brought to bear at Nashotah House seminary, where he taught ecclesiastical history. He became warden of a local preparatory school for helping Native Americans enter college. He also was warden of the newly founded Racine College in

gift of this becoming freedom, this growing understanding of being agents of choice and change in an ordered cosmos. The discipline and art of discernment, of discerning God’s will, is now the task of not finding the gold at the end of the rainbow, but rather of finding out what it means to be free, and to make choices that are for the good of others rather than contrary to the good, indeed choosing well is what God made us to do, and paid the ultimate cost that we may recover the act of choice.

“[K]eep trying, keep giving, keep praying, and keep going back to Haiti. We need the Haitians as much as they need us.” en us this whole discernment and search process (which is really the entire odyssey of being human) and has said, “Choose well, surprise me.”

Ultimately this experience of searching and discerning God’s will for us as a diocese is part of the redemption of our will. Choosing well is part of becoming the free creatures who choose God in love, and in that love we find the very freedom that is God, the God who alone chooses well, and who has indeed chosen for us to be free.

“Surprise me”

The Rev. J. B. (“Jack”) Hardaway is rector of Grace Church, Anderson.

We are searching for a bishop. What if there isn’t one particular person God has in mind? What if God has givWisconsin. He was the American voice for the Oxford Movement, aimed at restoring high-church principles in the Episcopal Church. Political, administrative, and General Convention issues, particularly those in which ritualism threatened to divide the Episcopal Church, were strenuous enough to bring DeKoven to an early death at 48 years of age.

1862–1929 Charles Henry Brent

Gifts: Ecumenical leader and lecturer who served as first bishop of the Missionary District of the Philippine Islands; president of the First International Opium Commission in Shanghai, 1909; senior headquarters chaplain, American Expeditionary Force, France 19171918, at the invitation of General John J. Pershing; and bishop-in-charge, American Episcopal churches in Europe. Leadership, organizational, and language skills; vital interest in clarifying the work of evangelization by the Episcopal Church

C

harles Henry Brent was born in Newcastle, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Trinity College, Toronto, read for Holy Orders, and entered the religious order of the Society of St. John, the Evangelist in Boston. He worked for ten years in inner-city Boston, wrote extensively, and was eventually invited to give the Paddock Lectures at General Seminary and the Nobel Lectures at Harvard. He was a pioneering figure for the

early stages of Christian unity and presided at the first session of the World Conference of Faith and Order, where significant questions of theology and polity were discussed.

1881–1944 William Temple

Gifts: Advocate for educational and labor reform; leader in the ecumenical movement and an articulate and persuasive advocate for the social Gospel movement in the late 1930s and 1940s

W

illiam Temple, the son of an Archbishop of Canterbury, was himself consecrated Archbishop of York and later, in 1942, Archbishop of Canterbury.

He was initially denied ordination for his suspect ideas on the Virgin birth and the resurrection. He was ordained a priest in 1908 and became headmaster of Repton School, Derbyshire. He was also a member of the Labor Party and author of several books including Nature, Man and God, and Christianity and the Social Order. No Anglican spokesperson was more influential in highlighting the role of the institutional Church in directing and reforming society. Temple stressed that the Church needed to make its voice heard in matters of politics and economy.

The Rev. Dr. Philip H. Whitehead is a retired priest of the diocese who serves on the faculty for the School of Ministry.

Crosswalk Bishops I–VI

—continued from page 4

The Rt. Rev. John Adams Pinckney (1963–1972)

The Rt. Rev. John Adams Pinckney, who had served as archdeacon under Bishop Cole, was elected fourth bishop of Upper South Carolina at a special convention and consecrated on September 18, 1963.

Under Bishop Pinckney Upper South Carolina established a companion relationship with the Diocese of Taiwan, which lasted until 1970. In 1971 a new partnership was formed with the Diocese of Caribou in Canada.

In the late 1960s the diocese obtained title to Still Hopes (now Still Hopes Retirement Community), in West Columbia, which would become the foundation for a long-term ministry to seniors. Soon after, ground was broken for Finlay House, a Columbia high-rise residence for adults 62 and over, and the Church Home for Children at York Place began ministry as a treatment center for children in need of mental-health services.

Bishop Pinckney led during a time when, as he put it, there was “ferment in the world and in the Church” and “especially unrest and dissatisfaction on the part of many lay people over the National Church’s program and direction”—General Convention’s dramatic realignment of spending priorities toward domestic social issues during the period of African Americans’ struggle for equality in the nation and the Church.

At his retirement in 1972 his ministry was described as one marked by “love and compassion as a prophet, pastor and counselor,” by “sound judgment and wise counsel,” “courage and determination.”

The Rt. Rev. George Moyer Alexander (1973–1979)

Prior to his consecration on June 5, 1973, the Rt. Rev. George Moyer Alexander had served as rector of Trinity, Columbia, and as dean of the theological seminary at Sewanee. Of the seven diocesan bishops to date, his was the shortest episcopate. His focus was squarely on evangelism and mission.

Under Bishop Alexander Upper South Carolina participated in Venture in Mission, a program initiated by General Convention as a way to refocus the Church’s energy in missionary activity at home and abroad. Fruits of this participation included expansion of both Still Hopes and Gravatt, launch of a revolving fund for mission development, and funding for recruitment of African American clergy and for support of Kanuga, Voorhees, Sewanee, and York Place.

Bishop Alexander led the diocese in inaugurating Upper South Carolina’s Cursillo program and an annual conference featuring workshops and educational opportunities

Advent 2009

for laity and clergy. In 1977, two years prior to his retirement, Trinity Church, Columbia, officially became Trinity Cathedral.

When Bishop Alexander stepped down because of poor health, he was described as “pastor, scholar, and priest” who served with “faithfulness, grace, and gentle humor.”

Diocesan House in Columbia is dedicated “to the glory of God and in loving memory” of him.

The Rt. Rev. William Arthur Beckham (1979–1994)

Archdeacon under Bishops Pinckney and Alexander, the Rt. Rev. William Arthur Beckham was consecrated at Trinity Cathedral on January 5, 1979. He is perhaps most often remembered for his leadership in launching our diocesan partnership with the people of Cange, Haiti, and environs, which continues to flourish today, but many other achievements and concerns marked his ministry as well.

During Bishop Beckham’s episcopate four new congregations were established, two were reorganized and relocated, one was reorganized and given a new name. More than $35 million went into constructing new churches, parish houses, and education buildings. Still Hopes and Gravatt were expanded, Cathedral College got under way, offering short courses to clergy and laity, an AIDS Task Force and an Earth Ministry were created. Mission efforts in Taiwan and Guam preceded those in Haiti.

It fell also to Bishop Beckham to lead the diocese through the turmoil that followed both women’s ordination and the introduction of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer— “anger, bewilderment, sadness, and pain to be dealt with and pastored,” in the words of one observer.

The Cange partnership, anchored by a water system built by Upper South Carolinians in 1985, today comprises a medical clinic, eye clinic, dental clinic, and hospital, as well as a 35-acre farm, an artisans’ center, and numerous schools. The area has become a model of what long-term commitment and practical solidarity can accomplish in service to the poorest of the poor.

Following Bishop Beckham’s death in December 2005, the people of Cange affixed a memorial tablet to one of the schools: “To the memory of My Lord William Beckham . . . for his solidarity with the community of Cange.”

At his retirement in 1994 he was remembered for “his relentless steadiness during turbulent times.” Delivering the eulogy at his funeral, the Rev. Canon Robert Riegel called him “steady,” “forgiving,” “loving.” “His life,” Canon Riegel said, “was a visible sign that communicated to many the glory of God.” —Compiled by Peggy Van Antwerp Hill from accounts in the 50th anniversary pamphlet “A Brief History of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina” and in “An Emerging Paradigm,” the 1994 profile of the diocese written as part of the search for our seventh bishop.

Two who also served Upper South Carolina The Rt. Rev. Rogers Sanders Harris Suffragan Bishop Upper South Carolina 1985–1989

The Rt. Rev. William Franklin Carr Assistant Bishop Upper South Carolina 1990–1994

The Rt. Rev. Rogers Sanders Harris was consecrated suffragan bishop of Upper South Carolina on March 9, 1985. He had served previously at several churches in the diocese, including Good Shepherd, Greer, and St. Christopher’s, Spartanburg. In 1989 Bishop Harris became the third bishop of Southwest Florida.

The Rt. Rev. William Franklin Carr became assistant bishop of Upper South Carolina on May 1, 1990, having served previously as suffragan bishop of West Virginia. He retired in 1994.

17

Advent 2009

Crosswalk

A ROUND THE D IOCESE —continued from page 2

Bishop toasted and roasted at Convention gala

F

ollowing the business of the 87th Diocesan Convention, on the evening of October 16 clergy, delegates, and Upper South Carolinians from throughout the diocese—more than 650 people—came together at Greenville’s Carolina First Center for a celebratory dinner and episcopal roast honoring the Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr., who will retire on December 31.

Laughs and surprises

Special guest—and Bishop Henderson’s first surprise of the evening—was Presiding Bishop the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, who blessed the banquet and later took a turn at the podium to

Bishop Henderson is surprised at the roast by the arrival of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

Bishop and Presiding Bishop exchange words after her presentation.

talk about the retiring bishop.

The roasters were many, including longtime friends of the bishop and longtime colleague Archdeacon Fred Byrd, and they came bearing gifts ranging from scrapbooks and t-shirts to a one-of-a-kind

Six elected to Diocesan Executive Council

zucchetto and purple high-top sneakers. Emcee and head jokester for the evening was the Rev. Michael Flanagan, rector of Holy Cross, Simpsonville.

Love offerings

The last presentations of the evening were of gifts to Bishop Henderson from the people of the diocese—first among them (of course), a rod and reel. Diocesan Executive Council president Robert Clawson then presented three monetary gifts, one a contribution in Bishop Henderson’s honor to the Bishop’s Legacy Fund, established to ensure the future of the diocesan Healthy Church Initiative; another The portrait of Bishop Henderson that now for distribution among the Millenhangs in Diocesan House nium Development Goal–related ministries in the diocese; and the third for some retirement fun for the bishop himself. And finally, on behalf of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. Charles Duvall, retired bishop of Central Gulf Coast who has assisted Bishop Henderson in Upper South Carolina, presented an icon entitled “Jesus calling the disciples.” written especially for the bishop by Church of the Advent parishioner Sue Zoole.

A final gift—this one to the people of the diocese, presented by Transition Committee co-chairs Susie White and Alan Treeter—was a portrait of Bishop Henderson that will hang alongside the portraits of his predecessors in Diocesan House.

New window at All Saints’, Cayce, marks fiftieth anniversary

A

T

he 87th Convention elected six to serve three-year terms on Diocesan Executive Council. They are, in the clergy order, the Rev. Sally Franklin, St. Paul’s, Fort Mill; the Rev. Trey Garland, St. Andrew’s, Greenville; and the Rev. Joseph Smith, St. Christopher’s, Spartanburg. Elected in the lay order are Mr. Ned Badgett, St. John’s, Columbia; Mr. Bill Thomason, Christ Church, Greenville; and Ms. Norah Grimball, Trinity Cathedral, Columbia.

18

s part of their 50th anniversary, October 31 through November 2, the people of All Saints’, Cayce, installed a new stained-glass window in the north side of the church. The window, designed by Charlestowne Stained Glass of North Charleston, is the third and final in a series of windows gracing the sanctuary and telling the story of All Saints’.

Eight saints are represented in the new window, three in full figure, five by medallions bearing the symbols by which they are known. St. Mary, St. Ann, and St. Teresa, corresponding to the three women’s guilds of All Saints’, appear at the top of the window. Below them are the medallions standing for St. Cecilia, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, St. Peter, and St. Paul, each one indicative of a particular ministry at All Saints’.

During the 50th anniversary celebration, on All Saints’ Day, November 1, Bishop Henderson dedicated the window, which was funded by the congregation entirely through memorials and gifts. Rounding out the weekend was a service of Evensong followed by a festive dinner on Friday, October 31, and an All Souls’ Requiem Mass on Monday, November 2.

Crosswalk

Advent 2009

A ROUND THE D IOCESE Grace Church, Camden, finds renewal, direction with the Healthy Church Initiative

By Jim Wiley and Howard Wallace

A common sense of mission

An airline pilot never leaves the runway without having a destination and flight pattern.

Shining a light

T

he Healthy Church Initiative (HCI) provided the means to help our church, Grace, Camden, determine where we wanted to go and how we were going to get there. The leadership of Grace recognized our need to grow, both in spirit and in size, in order to realize our great potential. Like many other churches in our diocese, we are blessed with many talented and faithful people full of desire to build and maintain a vibrant community of faith. HCI helped us create a vision of where we wanted to go and shined a light on the path that will lead us to that destination.

Canon Michael Bullock and Deacon d’Rue Hazel of Bishop Henderson’s staff served as travel agents for our journey. Before we could decide where we wanted to go we had to determine where we were as a church community. Of course, that required a survey. We also utilized average Sunday attendance (ASA) numbers, baptized membership, stewardship, history, and census data. With an ASA of 180, we are

Piedmont Convocation outreach ministry

characterized as a “transitional” church, which we learned was not the happiest place to be. Transitional churches are described as chaotic, stressful on clergy, and poised for growth. Much like the teenage years, the transitional phase of church growth is not a stage one wants to remain in for long. It can be painful.

launches

corporate

On three Saturdays this past summer Canon Bullock, Deacon Hazel, our rector Father Doug Holmes, and about 30 of our church leaders wrestled with the questions of where we are as a faith community, what our core values are, and what our mission will be. We are a diverse and talented group and initially it seemed that consensus might be hard to achieve, much like the atmosphere of the town hall meetings … but without the yelling! But the process invites the Holy Spirit under whose guidance personal agendas fell to the shared vision of the community. The experience molded 30 different hearts into one set of core values shared by all. We now have a common sense of mission and all clearly see the destination ahead.

The feeling at Grace is much like the feeling one has before embarking on a big trip. We are excited and a little bit nervous—after all, the destination is place we have not been before, but with the help of the Holy Spirit we know we will get there. We are a community of Grace, anchored in Christ, living to love and growing to serve.

Messrs. Jim Wiley and Howard Wallace are members of Grace, Camden.

children and their families? That would be the first of its kind, Piedmont Convocation outreach event held throughout July and August of this year.

Pencils, balloons, and face paint

By Fergie Horvath

A

riddle for the day: What has approximately . . .

11,092 pencils 2,840 colored pencils 1,612 spiral notebooks 1,429 glue sticks 1,644 2 pocket folders 1,048 crayons 1,041 composition notebooks 967 pkgs notebook paper 665 pencil pouches 632 3-ring binders 532 scissors 246 pens 185 markers/highlighters …gave gifts of Kleenex and hand sanitizer to more than 125 teachers, and touched the lives of more than 2,000 elementary school

Some of the fruits of convocational outreach

The “Back To School Day” project saw six of the eight churches of the convocation each partner with an elementary school in need, providing children with their own bags of supplies, sorted and packaged lovingly by the members of these congregations.

In all, 130 people from the convocation participated. The schools allowed congregational representatives to be present at their open houses, with the Episcopal churches not only presenting the supplies but giving away balloons and painting little faces and hands as well.

This type of outreach, convocational, is a new concept. This type of diaconal work, convocational, is also a new concept. When Bishop Henderson instituted the concept of shared convocational outreach and appointed the Rev. Fergie Horvath as the first convocational deacon, such had never been attempted. Now six months later, the fruits of convocational outreach are being borne out in the communities of Spartanburg, Union, and Cherokee Counties.

Jesus in the 3-ring binder

So why “do” convocational ministry? We do outreach as a convocation because it helps us to know fellow Episcopalians in our towns. And when more than one church reaches out to the community, it helps raise awareness of the Episcopal Church in these counties. It’s about being the hands, feet, and heart of Christ in a way that shows that this is our main focus in the Episcopal Church. Giving school supplies to children is simply a means to an end. Who knew that one could see Jesus . . . in a 3-ring binder!

The Rev. Fergie Horvath is the deacon serving the Piedmont Convocation.

Please send all Crosswalk address corrections, deletions, and additions to: Trevett’s Mailing Service, 6065 Saint Andrews Rd, Columbia SC 29212 phone: 803.781.3150, e–mail: mail@trevetts.com.

19

Diocesan Calendar

Lent2009 2009 Advent

Crosswalk The official publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Election of a Bishop or other Minister, Book of Common Prayer, p. 818

Photo: Roger Hutchison Dec

Dec

20

3

Fresh Start, All Saints’, Clinton, 9:30 AM

4

Ordination to the Priesthood, George Christopher Roberts, St. Mary’s, Columbia, 7 PM

4-6

Happening #62, The Bishop Gravatt Center

25

5

Diocesan Executive Council Meeting, All Saints’, Clinton, 9:30 AM

Jan

6

Bishop Henderson’s visitation to St. Thomas’, Eastover

8

Catwaba clericus, Harmony House, 12 PM

12 13

Election of the eighth Bishop, Trinity Cathedral, Columbia, 9 AM Bishop Henderson’s visitation to St. Andrew’s, Greenville

17

Reedy River clericus, Redeemer, Greenville

19

DYLC Meeting, All Saints’, Clinton, 10 AM

Bishop Henderson’s visitation to Good Shepherd, Columbia

23-31 Diocesan House closed Christmas Day

7

Fresh Start, All Saints’, Clinton, 9:30 AM

9

Bishop’s Interview and Discernment Committee, All Saints’, Clinton

12

Catwaba clericus, Harmony House, 12 PM

17

Reedy River clericus, Redeemer, Greenville

29-30 Diocesan Recruitment for Young Vocations (DRYV), Holy Trinity, Clemson

30

O God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese to a goodly fellowship of faith.

Bless our bishop, Dorsey, and other clergy and all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Diocese, Book of Common Prayer, p. 817

Committee for Young Adult Ministries, Holy Trinity, Clemson, 1:30 PM

Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina 1115 Marion Street Columbia, SC 29201

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 848 Columbia, SC