Diocesan News
Featured photo
Good Grief, Upper South Carolina, it's the Great Pumpkin!!
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Bishop Henderson holds an episcopal pumpkin bearing his likeness. The pumpkin, a gift from the people of St. Simon & St. Jude, Irmo, was carved by Jim Hayes.
Bishop Henderson publishes new "Mitre Chat" on the episcopal election
Mitre Chat No. 6
“Which nominee does Bishop Henderson support?”
I haven’t decided. At present I have no choice. Please believe
nothing you hear, see, or read that implies or states that I
have.
Beloved, I don’t read blogs—not necessarily because of lack of
interest. I don’t read them because I don’t have time, and
because so many of them are more energy-draining than objective
and accurate. However, it has been reported to me that at least
one blog receiving much attention asserts that I am so
determined to control the choice of the next bishop that I not
only have a choice, but am attempting to force that choice on
the diocese. The assertion goes so far as to claim actions on my
part which are absolutely untrue.
I pray that I’m not prideful about most things—but one of the
things I have been proud of is the distance that I have kept
from this calling process. The truth is that at this moment I
couldn’t name all of the nominees without looking at a list.
Like most I am still in the discernment mode—that is, I pray
that “most” of us continue in that mode, driven in our
decision-making process by mission, not issues.
God may be calling any one of the nominees to be our next
bishop. Our task, as so faithfully and clearly explained to us
by the co-chairs of the calling committee, is to determine which
of the nominees we believe God is calling—by immersing our task
in prayer. So, like you, I will be praying—studying the
information we have from and about the nominees—praying—watching
again the visual presentations the nominees
prepared—praying—attending the “get acquainted” sessions with
the nominees in Columbia and Greenville—praying—studying the
ordinal in the Book of Common Prayer so as to be ever mindful of
the exact ministry of a bishop in a diocese and in the larger
Church—praying—and in dialogue with others charged with the
ministry of choosing the next bishop—and praying. It is God’s
will and God’s vision and God’s mission for the Church in Upper
South Carolina which we seek to discern as we decide the
nominee(s) to support.
But there will be no endorsement from me, as I have maintained
since I announced my decision to resign—perhaps you will
remember that I did so under the heading, “Don’t ask; don’t tell”. For one thing, Beloved, I know enough about the history
of episcopal calling processes to know that an endorsement by a
resigning bishop can be nothing less than the proverbial “kiss
of death”. And—I write this with a smile on my face—I know the
clergy and lay people of this diocese well enough to recognize
that I couldn’t control the election if I wanted to—nor do I
believe any one person could or should. But—again—the truth is
that I have not progressed sufficiently far in the discernment
process to have a choice.
So, let us continue our prayerful discernment together, praying
also for each nominee and his family.
Faithfully yours in our Lord from the one blessed to be your
bishop,
+Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr.
USC VII
Congregations welcome new rectors
St. Thaddeus', Aiken, and St. Simon & St. Jude, Irmo, mark new beginnings
The celebration at St. Thaddeus'
By Ginny Peterson
On October 1, 2009, The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr., was present at St. Thaddeus' on the Feast of Remigius, Bishop of Rheims, for a Celebration of New Ministry. The parish family and other ministers in the Aiken and Augusta area and clergy of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina welcomed the Rev. Grant Buchanan Wiseman as the 18th rector of the church.
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The Rev. Grant Wiseman stands behind his mother the Rev. Heather Buchanan Wiseman as she administers Holy Communion at the new rector's installation(Photo: Steve Peterson; click to enlarge) |
Among those making presentations to the new rector along with Bishop Henderson were Mr. Frank Wise and Mr. Robert McClure (senior and junior wardens), the Rev. Joseph Whitehurst (Dean of the Gravatt Convocation and Curate at St. Thaddeus'), Mr. Marko Zatovic and Mr. Stefan Zatovic (Mead Hall Student Body President and Vice President), Mrs. Gail Butler (representing the Stephen Ministry), Mrs. Jan Waugh (Care Team Leader), Mrs. Mary Peebles (Usher Chairperson) and Mrs. Judy Allen (Altar Guild co-chair), Mrs. Janine Hepner and Mr. David Hepner (representing the Lectors and Intercessors).
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The Revs. Grant and Heather Buchanan Wiseman pose with our bishop (Photo: Steve Peterson; click to enlarge) |
Joining Fr. Wiseman in his ministry in Aiken are his wife Heather, who is teaching Spanish at The Westminster School in Augusta, Georgia, and their twin daughters, Abby and Audrey, who are attending 4th grade at Mead Hall Episcopal Day School. Heather Wiseman’s family also includes members of the clergy.
The people of St. Thaddeus' feel very blessed to have the Wisemans in our midst and are eager to have Fr. Wiseman’s leadership to guide us as we live into our mission statement of “Loving God … Serving Others … Living Our Faith”.
The celebration at St. Simon & St. Jude
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Bishop Henderson welcomes the Rev. Mark Abdelnour to new ministry at St. Simon & St. Jude ( click to enlarge) |
The Rt. Rev. Dorsey F. Henderson, Jr., was celebrant, and the Rev. Canon J. Philip Purser, rector of St. Francis of Assisi, Chapin, preached.
Among those making presentations to the new rector were St. Simon & St. Jude parishioners Mr. Roy Talbert, Mr. Jim Wallace, Ms. Cai Armstrong, and Ms. Donna Newton, and Midlands Convocation dean the Rev. Canon Charles M. Davis, Jr., who gave Fr. Abdelnour a copy of the diocesan Constitution and Canons. A combined choir of adults and youth performed the music. (You can listen to the anthem here!)
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The new rector blesses his bishop and his flock (Click to enlarge) |
Ordination to the priesthood, December 4—All invited!
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God Willing |