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As the
only statewide ecumenical agency in South Carolina, SC Christian Action
Council respresents a partnership of 16 denominations and 21 regional
judicatories, including 4,500 congregations.
The
Council serves as a catalyst for:
- Social justice through
public policy advocacy;
- Christian Unity and
inter-religious dialogue through relationships, collaborations and
events;
- Racial and cultural
healing by building bridges of trust and understanding.
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In memoriam...The Right Reverend James C. West
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It is
with much sadness that we report the death of James C. West, Bishop
Ordinary of the Diocese of the Southeast of the Reformed Episcopal
Church.
Bishop
West was a faithful supporter of the Council and of many ecumenical
endeavors. He was always eager to advance Christian Unity, yet never
wavered in his service to the Church's prophetic tradition.
Bishop
West was born in Berkeley County, the son of Mrs. Louise J. West and the
late Rev. Peter L. West. He was married to the former Miriam Brown; they
have two children: James C. West, Jr. or Charlotte and Candace L. West of
North Charleston.
He was
a graduate of Claflin University (Orangeburg), the Reformed Episcopal
Seminary (Philadelphia), and was awarded the honorary Doctor of Divinity
degree from Cummins memorial Theological Seminary (Summerville).
Always
an educator, Bishop West taught in the public schools of Williamsburg and
Berkeley counties, serving as Assistant Principal of Macedonia High
School and Principal of the Macedonia Adult Education Program. He also
served as a Professor at Cummins Memorial Theological Seminary and as
President of the Seminary from 1988 until his death.
Bishop
West was a fourth-generation clergyman. His great-grandfather, the Rev.
Lewis West, his grandfather, the Rev. Charles West, and his father, the
Rev. Peter L. West, all preceded him in the ministry of the Reformed
Episcopal Church. Going a step beyond his forebears, he was consecrated a
Bishop of the Church in 1984 at St. John's Church, Charleston, where he
served as Rector for 22 years.
He was
a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the Philip Simmons Foundation,
the Charleston Preservation Society, the Foundation for Hospices
(Sub-Saharan Africa) and the Charleston and Summerville Ministerial
Associations, among many other activities.
Bishop
West was active in the wider Anglican Communion and in other ecumenical
activities. He served on the Board of SC Christian Action Council for
many years, and hosted the most recent gathering of judicatory executives
from the member denominations of the Council.
We
extend heartfelt sympathy to Miriam, Jay and Candace, as well as to his
diocesan and church families.
Click
here to view the obituary.
Click
here to learn more about the
Reformed
Episcopal Church.
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SC Bishop to become President of AME denomination; SC to
host national meeting of Bishops
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The
Right Rev. Preston Warren Williams II, Presiding Bishop of the 7th
Episcopal District, which encompasses all of South Carolina, will be
invested in June as president of the African Methodist Episcopal Church's
Council of Bishops. He succeeds Bishop Gregory Ingram, Presiding Bishop
of the 10th District.
Bishop
Williams previously presided over the 17th Episcopal District that is
comprised of Central Africa including the Democrat Republic of the Congo
(Zaire), Zimbabwe, Zambia, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda and Malawi.
South
Carolina is honored to host the General Board and Council of Bishops,
which will meet in Charleston June 25-29. The Rev. Mr. Joseph Darby,
Pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in Charleston, hopes that people of all
faiths will take advantage of this historic moment.
"We're
pleased to welcome the AME Church to one of the denomination's strongest
Episcopal Districts. I do hope that those of all faiths take the
opportunity to visit as a learning experience in our diversity as people
of faith."
Rev.
Darby also noted the honor of Bishop Williams' investiture. "Bishop
Williams has a vision for Christian Education and for servant
leadership. I'm sure that he'll serve ably in his tenure as President
of the Council of Bishops."
The AME
Council of Bishops, which includes the denomination's 21 bishops, is the
executive branch of the church and has general oversight of the church
between General Conferences, which meet every four years.
The
General Board, which is the administrative body of the church, also meets
at the seat of the meeting of the Council of Bishops. This is the 50th
year of the General Board, currently chaired by Bishop Richard Allen
Chappelle, Presiding Bishop of the 12th District. Bishop McKinley Young,
Presiding Bishop of the 11th District, will succeed Bishop Chappelle.
Find
out more about the meetings at the AME
website.
(Portions
exerpted from the Greenville News. Thanks!)
Read the
Greenville News article.
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Community News and Events
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June
4-7: SC United Methodist Church Annual Conference.
Claflin University. Click here to view the conference
program.
June
8-11: Yearly Meeting Sessions, Southern Appalachian Yearly
Meeting and Association (Quakers). Click here
for more information.
June
18-25: SC District Camp Meeting, Church of the Nazarene.
20th Anniversary Family Camp Meeting! Click here
for more information.
June
24: Family Health Advocacy Training, Hold Out The Lifeline. Click
here for a flyer.
June
24-29: AME General Board and Council of Bishops Meeting. Charleston
Area Convention Center. Calendar of events may be found here.
October
20-22: 2006 National Weekend of Faith and Action on the Death
Penalty. NWFA is an opportunity for faith communities, interfaith
groups, human rights activists, and others to examine the death penalty
from a faith-based or values-based perspective. Register
on-line or request more information from khoule@aiusa.org.
Have
other South Carolina community news? Let us know at sccac@bellsouth.net.
We
include information on community events as space and time allow; and,
only in accordance with the mission and policies of SC Christian Action
Council. We do not accept unsolicited articles.
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Comings and Goings
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Here's
a sampling of April activities for the staff of SC Christian Action
Council.
June 3:
Funeral of Bishop James C. West, Summerville. (Brenda, Julia)
June
20: Board meeting, Columbia. (Brenda)
June
21-24: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly, Atlanta, GA.
(Brenda)
June
26: Investiture of Bishop Williams as President of AME Council of
Bishops, North Charleston. (Brenda)
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Across My
Desk...
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Last
month at the Council's Annual Meeting, we focused on anticipating the
crisis which could ensue should we experience a pan-flu (world-wide
influenza) epidemic; and the moral and ethical preparations we as Church
should make.
Dr.
Anthony McCallum, Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Columbia,
challenged us during our Ecumenical Worship with his sermon: Reclaiming
Our Identity in a World Filled with Crisis. Then we learned from
denominationally related disaster response folk, the medical community,
and the the Department of Health and Environmental Control some of the
questions we should be asking and ways to address individual, family,
congregational, and community concerns.
Dr. L.
Wayne Bryan, former Council Executive Minister, prepared a list of
web-based resources which you will find helpful:
The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
DHHS
has an essential
check list for preparation.
The
Center for Disease Control's pandemic site. Good material on
background and planning.
SC Dept. of Health and Environmental Control's (SCDHEC)
Pandemic Influenza Preparedness website.
PREPAREDNESS
is
the key. Preparations which include our neighbors and those in our
society who are most vulnerable are the only ones worthy of leaders and
congregations who serve our Lord and teach his commandment that we are to
love our neighbors as ourselves.
Yet,
life often challenges us in ways that defy preparation. Last week, the
Council was given one of these challenges. The Right Reverend James
"Jim" West, Sr., Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the
Southeast of the Reformed Episcopal Church was taken from us suddenly.
You probably have already read about his death in the accompanying
article.
I wish
to add that he was a friend and supporter of the Council, its Board, its
staff, and especially of this Executive Minister. I wasn't prepared to
say good- bye to my friend. But I must. I will remember his smile, his
commitment to unity, and the love he had for his God and his Church.
Sometimes
we aren't prepared. Yet when we can look at the trends of the day and
down the road see the need, then Holy Spirit will guide and equip us as
we seek to be prepared for whatever crisis comes so that we lift high our
Lord and Savior as our model for a ministry which demands justice
(preparations) for all....
...and
that's the view across my desk.
Brenda
Lynn Kneece Executive Minister
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