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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.
| 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!)
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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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