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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.
| A New Feature! |
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How many of you could name the 16 denominations
that compose the SC Christian Action Council?
(Without looking at our webpage?)
It's hard to keep track of them all. What a wonderful
difficulty that is--to know that so many different
expressions of the body of Christ are working
together in Christian Unity that we can't even name
them!
But wouldn't you like to know something about each
denominational partner? We think you will. So with
the this issue of Christian Action we begin to
profile the leaders of the denominations and their
representatives to the SC Christian Action Council
Board of Directors.
See the next article for our first profile--The Right
Reverend William J. Skilton, Bishop Suffragan of the
Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and current
President of South Carolina Christian Action Council.
We are in the process of designing a small set of
questions to ask each Board member and
denominational leader whom we may profile.
What would you like to know about the Bishop of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston (Robert Baker)
or the Executive Presbyter of Foothills Presbytery
(George Wilkes) or your denominational
representative to the Board?
If you have a pertinent question you'd like
included, send your suggestions to
sccac@bellsouth.net. We can't promise to include
every question, but we'd like to know what you'd
like to know!
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| Meet the Council's President: Bishop William J. Skilton |
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The Rt. Rev. William J. Skilton serves as Bishop
Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina
and is the current President of South Carolina
Christian Action Council.
Bishop Skilton was born in Habana, Cuba; is married;
has two daughters and boasts of five grandchildren.
He graduated from the Military College of South
Carolina (The Citadel) in 1962 (BS in Education) and
from the School of Theology of the University of the
South, (St. Luke’s) in June of 1965 (L.Th.). He was
ordained Deacon in July, 1965 in the Diocese of
South Carolina and Priest in January 1966 in the
Diocese of the Dominican Republic (Iglesia Episcopal
Dominicana).
Bishop Skilton served as Missionary Appointee serving
in La Romana, Dominican Republic from 1965 - 1972.
Working in the midst of the revolutio and unrest, his
work was primarily in the field of education with a
mission congregation and a school. In 1966 he
founded el Liceo Episcopal Todos los Santos (high
school) which continues to offer quality education.
The Skiltons and their two daughters returned to the
US in 1972 having been a part of the election and
consecration of the first Dominican Bishop. He has
served churches in the Dominican Republic and in
Grahamville, Bluffton, North Charleston, and
Charleston, South Carolina.
Bishop Skilton also served as Campus Minister for the
Diocese of South Carolina with primary responsibility
for St. Alban's Chapel, the Citadel and The College of
Charleston. In 1974 he was made Canon Chaplain
of the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul in
Charleston.
Assuming the position of Rector of St. Thomas’,
North Charleston in 1988 he served there until his
election to the Episcopate in 1995. He was
consecrated as Bishop on March 2, 1996. Three of
the co-consecrators were Cuban Bishops as were
three from South Carolina.
As Suffragan Bishop, Bishop Skilton's responsibilities
include overseeing the Diocesan involvement in world
mission, social ministries, college ministries, clergy
deployment, the process for ordination and the
development of Hispanic/Latino ministry.
He serves and has leadership in numerous Boards and
Commissions!
Bishop Skilton has long supported the vision and
mission of SC Christian Action Council. He became
President in 2004 and has served with
conscientiousness and care.
We asked Bishop Skilton why ecumenism is important
and what motivates his participation. He said:
"I have always said that the greatest Sin of the
church is found in its divisions and brokenness.
Our witness to God's presence in Christ and the
proclamation of His Good News is deeply affected by
our inability to live into the unity that he calls
for...so that the world may believe.
'What does it say to the world when we can't even
gather to share the cup and the bread at a common
table....? I'm in this work because as a Christian, I
am not offered a choice....it is basic to who I am
called to be and the message I am called to proclaim."
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| Community News and Events |
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March 7: 3rd Annual Advocacy
Day.
12:30-4:30 p.m., Casey Center, Lutheran Theological
Southern Seminary, Columbia. See article for
more information or email jsibley@sccouncil.net. Click here for a flyer. You can
register at the door.
March 8: Children's Advocacy Day.
Sponsored by Voices for SC's Children. Click here for more information.
March 12: Greenville Worships
Together. United Ministries' 9th Annual
Community Worship Service will be held at 5:00 p.m.
at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Dr. Luther
E. Smith, Jr. Professor of Church and Community at
the Candler School of Theology of Emory University,
Atlanta, Georgia, will be the keynote speaker. Please
contact Cindy Roddey at 864.232.6463 or click here for more
information.
April 30-May 7: Soil and Water
Stewardship Week. Richland Conservation
District wants to help your faith community celebrate
creation and educate about conservation. Resources
are available for Sunday bulletins, church
newsletters, and for educating your congregation on
how to conserve resources and care for creation.
You may contact the staff of the Richland
Conservation District at 803.576.2080, or email
soilandwater@richlandonline.com.
May 18: Anticipating Crisis: A Christian
Response to a Pandemic. SCCAC's 2006 Annual
Meeting. 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Join us for
ecumenical worship, lunch and speakers at St. Luke
Lutheran Church, Florence, SC. Save the date and
watch for more details!
May 21-25: "Rejoice in Hope": 26th
Convocation of Jail and Prison Ministry.
Springmaid Beach Resort, Myrtle Beach. For more
information please contact Paula Loehr at
843.347.5168.
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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| What are the staff members up to? |
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Here's a sampling of March activities for the staff of
SC Christian Action Council--just to give a flavor of
this month's work!
March 2: South Carolina Prepares: Pandemic
Influenza Summit, Columbia. (Brenda) Sisters of
Charity grant workshop, Lexington. (Julia)
March 3-5: Palmetto Friends Gathering, James Island.
(Julia)
March 7: 3rd Annual Advocacy Day, Columbia.
(Brenda, Doris, Julia and many of you.)
March 8: Children's Advocacy Day at the
Statehouse, Voices for SC'S Children. (Brenda)
March 9: Staff retreat, Columbia. (Brenda, Doris,
Julia)
March 12-15: 2006 Bowen Conference, One
Nation Under God: Faith and Reason in an Age of
Extremism, Kanuga, NC. (Julia)
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Across My Desk... |
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Just so you'll know, I have a variety of viewpoints
when looking across my desk. Over the section
parallel to the buildings' rear wall, is a window.
Through the window I see greenery scattered around
and through a small parking area. I see the front
doors of a couple of homes, traffic making its way up
and down Wildewood Ave. and students and staff
walking to and from classes and offices on the
Lutheran Seminary Campus.
Over the section perpendicular to the windowed wall
is a shelf laden with mementos of the people who live
in some of the places in which I've traveled: Kenya,
England, Israel, the Smoky Mountains, and the USA's
great Southwest. On that same wall, I keep a small
bulletin board loaded with brochures, worship
bulletins, message buttons, and other items which
remind me of the opportunities to engage in debates
on vital issues and to worship within the Body of
Christ and within the larger Family of God.
A third angle, directly across from my chair, has me
looking right at the corner!
Now you know, the tangible reality of "across my
desk." The window gives me a view onto the what's-
happening-now-in-this-window's-corner of the world.
People come and go. Some going is purposeful and
some not. Houses are either safe havens or not.
Some people work or not. Some people study or not.
Some people eat or not. Just looking, I can't tell who
is safe or not; purposed or not; fed or not.
The shelf's contents remind me of people who have
been role models and mentors. Of places and peoples
much the same in many ways and much different in
others than those who walk past my window.
The bulletin board's collage of items tells the story of
the Council's work advocating for the common good,
fostering Christian unity, and building bridges of
understanding and acceptance.
The corner is just that: a corner where one can face
the world knowing her back and sides are safe from
attack.
As do you, I have a choice of viewpoints and a
choice of interpretation. My window on the world
could reflect the need for security --everyone locks
his or her car. My mementos could trigger images of
the difficulty and unfairness of life all over the world.
My too-busy bulletin board, could rub salt in
unhealed wounds of battles still raging or lost. The
corner could represent a position of defeat.
At the Council's Board table, the majority of members
represent their individual judicatories with the rest
serving in at-large positions. We could get focused
on the window of "what's-happening-now" or what's
happening to you or to them, or on the scars of
battle, or our inability to affect quick change.
Instead, together we examine a variety of viewpoints
informed by each denominations' position with the
goal of finding common ground on tough issues. We
pray together and listen and talk together to find
that place where together we can stand and work.
When we get it right, when the Body of Christ listens
and hears one another, then we are hearing God in
our midst. When the Family of God listens and hears
one another, it is hearing God in its midst.
The statements of my viewpoint and your
facts and
their theology are secondary to OUR
knowledge that
together WE have found God's place and together
WE have heard God's heart.
Let me tell you, the view from such a place is breath-
taking!...
...and sometimes that’s the view I see from
across my
desk.
Brenda Lynn Kneece
Executive Minister
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