Church News
Upper SC's Hispanic community is flourishing in the Upstate and Midlands
Recent celebrations in Greenville & Columbia churches
St.
Francis, Greenville, in transition, with renewed dedication to
Hispanic ministry
By Elizabeth Gandolfo
At the heart of the Christian faith lies the paschal mystery, in which God calls and carries us forth from pain to joy, from despair to hope, and from death to new life. While we all experience this mystery in varied ways in our everyday lives, the people of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Greenville are in the midst of a special "Passover" from death to new life this spring. Despite concerted efforts at growth and a tireless commitment to living the Good News, the longstanding, English-speaking congregation at St. Francis has been gradually diminishing in numbers and financial solvency. As a result, the English-speaking congregation has made the decision to dissolve in June and move on to other area churches. Needless to say, this is a time of great pain, grief, and mourning at St. Francis.
Meanwhile, the congregation at St. Francis opened their doors to the Hispanic community over three years ago and has since experienced incredible growth in its ministry to our Spanish-speaking sisters and brothers in the Upstate.
Just a little more than three years ago the Spanish-speaking congregation began with three members over three Today an average of about 200 come together for worship at the Spanish-language Eucharist, at which Fr. Robert Taylor, the diocesan missioner to the Hispanic community, presides. On the occasion of Bishop Henderson’s visit to St. Francis on Sunday, May 13, the church overflowed, with more than 350 people in attendance.
 |
 |
|---|---|
Confirmation at St. Francis |
Receiving First Communion from Bishop Henderson |
Bishop Henderson presided at a special Spanish-language Eucharist that Sunday, during which 45 children received their First Communion. In addition to the children’s First Communion, 16 teens and 4 adults were confirmed and 7 adults were received into the Episcopal Church.
After the service and countless photos with the bishop, the congregation moved into the parish hall for a luncheon celebration. Bishop had this to say about the experience: "My visitation to St. Francis has excited me as much as—or more than—anything else I've done lately. Our Spanish-speaking sisters and brothers bring many gifts to the Church, so we are blessed by them and by God through them. I wish everyone could experience what I experienced on Sunday."
All in all, May 13 was a day of great joy, hope, and new life for the entire St. Francis family. While this is
a difficult time for the English-speakers who are experiencing the grief of moving on from their beloved parish, it seems clear that the grace of resurrection is at work. We hope that all those who have ever been a part of the parish family at St. Francis know that their presence and their work will endure in the Hispanic ministry taking place at the parish today and, by God’s grace, for many years into the future. Without them, this ministry would not have been possible. May God give us all the grace to recognize the resurrection at work in our midst.
St. Mary's (Santa María), Columbia, celebrates new traditions at Pentecost
By Marlise Guillerault
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Columbia took the traditional idea of reading Scripture for for Pentecost Sunday in several tongues to a new level this year.
The whole Eucharist service was celebrated in both English and Spanish. The congregation of La iglesia episcopal de Santa María normally gathers at 12:30 while those who attended at the 10:30 service are finishing their coffee time. On Pentecost Sunday the Spanish-speaking congregation was invited to join the English-speakers at the 10:30 Family Eucharist so that everyone could be together for the Annual Parish Pentecost Picnic held immediately after the service.
 |
 |
|---|---|
Pentecost Picnic at St. Mary's |
In the center, Alfredo "Fred" Gonzalez, mover & shaker at Santa María. |
The service bulletin was bilingual, and as the service progressed, the prayers and readings alternated between the two languages with a translation available for those whose ears were not opened to the current spoken Word. The hymns chosen for the service, verses sung first in one tongue and then in the other, came from the “Wonder, Love and Praise” addendum to the Hymnal, which has a healthy selection of bilingual music.
In 2004, St. Mary’s parishioners opened their doors and their hearts to those members of the Hispanic community who missed having a liturgical church home. The response has been encouraging with multitudes of baptisms and confirmations. This summer will be the third anniversary for this congregation, developed under the guidance and hard work of Alfredo “Fred” Gonzalez and his wife Luisa, both long-time members of St. Mary’s. Fred Gonzalez is currently studying for the priesthood. The Rev. Ann Pilat, deacon and Hispanic missioner to the Midlands, works from the Hispanic office at St. Mary’s. The Rector, the Rev. J. Blaney Pridgen III, has enthusiastically encouraged the growth of this ministry.
As the Hispanic congregation is assimilated into the life of St. Mary’s parish family, everyone is able to be part of Christ’s Great Commission and to take the Gospel to the whole world—even right here at home.
St. Paul's, Fort Mill receives award from York Place
Urges congregations to join them in adopting a cottage
By Lizann Lutz
 |
|---|
Photo by Kathy Grier, public relations director at York Place. From left to right, Lynn Smalt, St. Paul's vestry member, The Rev. Sally Franklin, Nonie Richardson, John Shiflet. Click photo to enlarge. |
From rolling up sleeves, to sprucing up and repairing, to reaching out to children in need, St. Paul's, Fort Mill, has earned a top service honor from York Place, the Episcopal Church Home for Children, York, SC. During the recent Founders' Day festivities, the York Place Board of Trustees gave the Henry Richardson Leadership and Service Award to the church for its friendship and hard work. Last year St. Paul's pledged its outreach efforts to York Place, a residential treatment center for children with emotional problems. The church's outreach committee decided to "adopt" Hart Cottage, a group home for six to eight girls, in various ways.
First, the church began raising money for the Hart Cottage Fund, which helped with the repair costs and with the needs of the girls. One group provided upkeep repairs to the home itself—repairs to the kitchen, putting in landscaping, fixing a shed, and having a fence repaired. "We had people with all sorts of home repair experience. We worked together and tackled some of the wear and tear repairs that active homes have," says Lynn Smalt, one of the repair crew. "Others were good at planting flowers and trimming bushes, making the outside look pretty. It has been a wonderful experience because so many people are helping by using their talents." Another group, the ECW, provided holiday fare during Valentine's Day and Christmas and got clothes for the girls for back to school and Easter. And the girls are able to have haircuts and manicures, periodically.
St. Paul's fund drive for Hart Cottage allowed the young ladies to be hostesses at a Christmas party for everyone at York Place. The funds also provide allowances to help them manage money.
The Richardson Award remembers long-time Board of Trustees member Henry B. Richardson who was known for his dedication to York Place and its focus of providing high standards of excellence for children and their needs.
"Working with York Place is a really good fit," says Chris Krafft, a member of the vestry at the time York Place was chosen as the outreach project. "There are a variety of talents. Almost all of us at St. Paul's can be involved with Hart Cottage in so many ways. State funding for the girls is tight and the cottages, like our homes, can always use sprucing up. Hart Cottage has become part of our family, and we plan to continue."
Most of all, St. Paul's members know the outstanding reputation of York Place for healing and restoring young lives. The parish has invited York Place President John Shiflet and other staff members to speak at St. Paul's, sharing the stories of helping young people be restored. "The hard work and initiative of St. Paul's members have made this ministry a success," says Franklin. "We have had such a wonderful experience that we encourage other churches to adopt one of the five other cottages at York Place. Because this relationship is so meaningful to so many of our members, we definitely want to continue for a long time. We hope other churches will adopt a cottage."
Contact St. Paul's at 803.547.5968; York Place by calling 803.684.4011.