EDUSC Flood Narrative October 6th - 8th

During the day Wednesday, water distribution continued at St. Simon and St. Jude, Irmo; St. Michael and All Angels, Columbia; Trinity Cathedral, Columbia; and All Saints, Cayce. Holy Cross, Simpsonville delivered 1700 gallons of water to St. Simon and St. Jude and to Trinity Cathedral on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, October 7th, All Saints' had a successful water day. The Reverend Patricia Sexton, Rector of All Saints' Episcopal Church, reports they distributed 300+ cases of bottled water. It was collected and delivered by St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church in Aiken, site of our Diocesan Convention only next week. Deacon Jane Hostetter brought a 24-by-24-foot horse trailer from Aiken to Cayce and arrived at about noon. Volunteers from All Saints' unloaded the trailer and distributed the water in several ways: "We gave water to people who came to All Saints', and we also delivered water to AC Flora High School, the Red Cross site at Mt.Tabor Lutheran in West Columbia, and Forest Heights Elementary School, which was running out of water. We were happy to help people in so many different places," says Sexton. Many thanks to the people of All Saints' for participating in the water drive. Below are some photos from their day Wednesday.

Wednesday night began with a prayer service at St. Michael and All Angels, Columbia. St. Michael's has been distributing water since Tuesday and received another shipment on Thursday, October 8th. 

St. Michael's continues to provide water to those in need - they are dedicated to offering water for parishioners but have also delivered water to many place with folks who cannot get out, including St. Lawrence Place, Christopher Towers, Wardlaw Apts., Marion St. Lower and Oak Reed Apts, AHEPA (Pelham Dr.), Medical Clinic, Finlay House, and the South Kilbourne area.

St. Michael's thanks St. Peters and Church of the Redeemer, both of Greenville; The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Dept., Church of the Advent, Spartanburg; Grace Church, Anderson; and Movement Mortgage Co. (Columbia) for delivering water. Also for volunteers from Camden Military Academy; St. John's, Shandon; and Trinity Cathedral, Columbia. If you see the St. John's, Shandon bus driving around town, you know what's on it!

By Wednesday morning, EDUSC had received a very kind and generous offer from The Episcopal Church in South Carolina to come to Columbia next week 

EDUSC and TEC in SC enjoying some time together at General Convention this summer
in Salt Lake City, Utah

to help us with prep for our Diocesan Convention, which will take place October 16th and 17th. Many of us are engaged in disaster relief in the Diocese and yet our 93rd Diocesan Convention will go on next week to ensure the future of our many ministries. We are very much looking forward to working with our friends from Charleston next week.

Teen volunteers ready to go in the "movie room" at St. Martin's

On Wednesday, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields offered Childcare for 1st- through 5th-graders. The Parish Hall was open and staffed to care for up to 50 first- through fifth-graders. The children made banners for first responders, played games and watched movies. This opportunity allowed parents to work despite area schools' being closed.

The St. Martin's Drop-In Nursery was also available as usual for infants who are eight weeks old through kindergarten but offered extended hours to allow families in this hard-hit area to get difficult tasks done.

By Wednesday afternoon we had also received an offer from Forma (Episcoforma), the national association of Episcopal Christian educators, to help our churches in any way possible. Many thanks to Forma for connecting with our deacons organizing relief efforts.

More relief came Wednesday in an offer from McDonnell Tax Services to help anyone in need with tax returns: To anyone who has been displaced by the 2015 flood or suffered property damage: McDonnell Tax Services, LLC will amend 2014 returns or file 2015 returns free of charge. When you are safe and ready, call Rick McDonnell at 803-397-2884 to discuss which option is best for you. Rick's wife, Michelle, is the Director of Children's Ministries at St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Columbia.

Church of the Advent, Spartanburg collected water until Thursday morning. The water arrived on Thursday afternoon. They wrote to their parish: We are planning to pick up a U-Haul truck at 10 am and anticipate being ready to load at 10:30 am. Our destination will be St. Michael and All Angels' in the Forest Acres neighborhood of Columbia - about 100 miles away. 

Here is what we had at 2 pm after a van had made a morning pickup: gallon jugs (220), cases of 24 and 40-pack bottles (165), and 24 of the 37 50-pound boxes of gallon containers generously donated by St. Matthews, Spartanburg. Thank you, St. Matthew's!

Trinity Cathedral has continued its efforts at providing water, as well as aid to parishioners and those in the community in need. Trinity parishioners, as well as those of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields and St. Michael and All Angels living in Forest Acres suffered devastating damage from the flood. Dean Timothy Jones wrote to his parishioners on Thursday:

The Men of Trinity developing strategies for flood relief at the home of Dr. Walter Edgar

Dear Trinity Family:

I continue be moved by the response of our parish to those whose homes have been flooded. As I've walked among the households that have been severely affected, I have witnessed sadness, weariness, great compassion, deep faith, and glimpses of hope. 

Trinity Youth on the way home from their youth trip to Awanita Valley Christian Retreat Center in Marietta, SC. They were delayed coming home until Monday, and decided to pick up water at Ingles on the way home.

We have come together in an outpouring of compassion. At least 100 of our parishioners, youth and adults, have worked as volunteers on site. Others have helped in behind-the-scenes ways. Thank you. Continue to pray and reach out. If someone comes to your mind, consider at least making a phone call. Note these developments:

• Along with the immense and immeasurable help being giving informally, we have also been organizing. Thanks to the leadership of Walter Edgar, 600 Trinity families living in or near flood areas have received a check-in call. The calls were made by volunteers from Daughters of the Holy Cross and the Men of Trinity... 

• We are in touch with lawyers who can offer legal advice relating to insurance and FEMA paperwork. Please call or email as mentioned just above. Trinity member Walker Williams of The Cavalry also can offer clean-up and restoration advice at 454-8200.

Trinity Youth writing messages
of hope and love on the water
they purchased at Ingles.

• Get the word out to those who may need help. We are here to serve! Trinity comes together to do remarkable and magnificent things. We've seen it again in these last few days.

Warmly in Christ, Dean Timothy Jones

Holy Innocents', Atlanta

Holy Innocents', Atlanta, of which EDUSC's own (fomerly) Michael Sullivan is the rector, got right to work when they became aware of the disastrous flooding in SC. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School is a parish school, founded in 1959 by Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church in Atlanta, near Sandy Springs. They are the largest Episcopal day school in the country, serving 1,364 students ages three through 12th grade. Michael gathered his student community, who worked very hard on this endeavor of love. In addition, his post on FB about getting a truck mobilized the church and school community, resulting in two large trucks and a bus filled with bottled water for SC. The water arrived in Columbia on Thursday, October 8th, delivered from Grace, Anderson to St. Michael's, Columbia. Many, many, thanks to Holy Innocents' Episcopal Church and school. We are grateful beyond measure for your support, love and hard work.

Loaded up in Atlanta. Michael Sullivan, Rector of Holy Innocents', Atlanta
is pictured second from the left. Others pictured are students from Holy Innocents' Episcopal School, as well as volunteers from both the school and the church

The crew after unloading at Grace Church, Anderson. A job well done!

Jay Reid unloading at Grace Church, Anderson

Final destination - St. Michael and All Angels, Columbia!
The Reverend Deacon Margaret Jennings Todd is coordinating
deliveries of water to so many in need.

On Thursday evening we received a lovely picture from our Charleston friends of a banner in the undercroft of Trinity Church, New Orleans. It was sent to them and they sent it to us in the hope of giving us all a smile.

EDUSC Flood Narrative

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

The Deacons of EDUSC are coordinating efforts to get clean water to residents of Columbia in need from the severe flooding that began early Sunday morning. Several of our churches are serving as drop-off points. At this time, only water and money are needed, as these serve the immediate need. Once the efforts to provide as much clean water as possible are accomplished and once the water has receded in the city streets, Deacons Al Hipp and Fergie Horvath will assess the needs of the community regarding shelter, clothing, furnishings and other needs and will make information available on how we, as the Church, can help.

Please note – Governor Haley has declared it unsafe for you to be out on the roads today. Also, there is no water available in most stores at this time. Please do not venture out in an effort to help, but instead share this on Facebook, tell your friends and neighbors who are in need and give them the following contact information. The Deacons have arranged for trucks of water to be delivered to our drop-off points. Information regarding the availability of emergency supplies at our drop-off points will be updated periodically on the EDUSC website and via social media.

The Reverend Deacon Fred Walters was swept off the road early Sunday morning on his way to church. Fortunately, he rolled down his windows before the power went out in his car. He was able to swim and received help from folks in the neighborhood.

The video below is of the Forest Acres neighborhood where many communicants of EDUSC live. Businesses were ruined and homes badly flooded. One of our churches very nearby, thankfully, is safe but for a few leaks.

Forest drive#SCFlood
Posted by Christopher Aakjer on Sunday, October 4, 2015

Drop off points for clean water are as follows:



COLUMBIA/FOREST ACRES - St. Michaels and All Angels – please contact The Reverend Margaret Jennings-Todd at 803-414-4582. WATER AVAILABLE NOW - 12:30 pm, Tuesday - 6408 Bridgewood Road, 29206. www.smaae.org.

COLUMBIA/DOWNTOWN - Trinity Episcopal Cathedral - WATER AVAILABLE NOW - please contact Rusty Miller at 803-466-0702. The church office is open now and has coffee, power and availability to charge phones and laptops. There is plumbing, but no drinking water until the shipment arrives this afternoon. All are welcome. Trinity Cathedral is helping with home clean up, as well.


IRMO - St. Simon and St. Jude, Irmo – please contact The Reverend Mark Abdelnour at 803-315-2084 or The Reverend Deacon d’Rue Hazel at 803-603-1510.

WEST COLUMBIA - All Saints', Cayce - please contact The Reverend Patricia Sexton, Rector, at 803-318-0833 or The Reverend Deacon Dianna Deaderick at 803-622-6509. Water available on Wednesday. More details to come.

For congregations (in and outside of the diocese) that want to send disaster relief assistance, please contact The Reverend Deacon Al Hipp at 864-449-6362 or The Reverend Deacon Fergie Horvath at 864-316-4333. They will be working with local authorities to schedule pick-ups, drop-offs, etc.

Churches in the Foothills Convocation, please contact Al Hipp at 864-449-6362. Piedmont and Catawba Convocations, please contact Fergie Horvath at 864-316-4333 .

Notice - if you are on social media, please LIKE us on Facebook and on Follow us on Twitter @eduscnews. Information about the #scflood is flowing rapidly on social media, often with minute-by-minute updates from our local news reporters and our churches. 

Heartbreaking scenes from the home of Trinity parishioners

The Reverend Canon Bob Riegel and his wife, Keren, posted a plea for help on Facebook early Sunday morning and were rescued by boat from their home in one of the flooding Columbia neighborhoods.

The Riegel's flooded neighborhood after water had receded. Photo credit Buffy Farnsworth

From Bishop Charles vonRosenberg and The Episcopal Church in South Carolina 

Prayers For Those Affected by Storms and Flooding

As people continue to experience the devastating effects of record rainfall and flooding, please continue to pray for all those who are being affected in South Carolina and beyond. Here is a prayer suggested by Episcopal Relief & Development for times of natural disaster. 

O God, our times are in your hand. In the midst of uncertainty lead us by your never-failing grace as we seek to be agents of healing and hope. Walk with us through difficult times; watch over us in danger; and give to us a spirit of love and compassion for those who suffer and mourn. And finally, remind us that you have promised never to leave us so that even in the valley of the shadow of death your love may be felt, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From EDUSC - Bishop vonRosenberg and The Episcopal Church in South Carolina have been in touch with their parishes and have found, blessedly, that very few communicants were affected by the #scflood other than suffering minor damage in their homes. TEC in SC are now in the process of reaching out to other denominations. Bishop Waldo and Bishop vonRosenberg are in communication on how we can be of help to each other. Many thanks to Holly Behre, Director of Communications of TEC in SC, for sharing the word on social media about the water collection work of the Deacons of The Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina.

The First Water Arrives - St. Simon and St. Jude, Irmo, 5 pm Monday

Many Thanks to the Deacons and Communicants of Upper SC for Their Efforts (update as of 9 pm Monday night)

An update from Deacon Fergie Horvath, St. Christopher's, Spartanburg

We have just pulled out from St. Michaels and All Angels. Today, the Spartanburg Co. Sheriff's deputies, head chaplain, deputy trainees, and New Spring Church volunteers have delivered approximately 6000 bottles of water.

• St. Simon and St. Jude: ~1800 bottles (And they had more from another source)

  

  From St. Michael and All Angels

• St. Michael and All Angels: ~2300 bottles 
• EOC (Emergency Operations Center):~ 2500 bottles

Al Hipp is collecting water from the Foothills convocation. The Piedmont convocation will be collecting this week as well. Please continue to pray for these churches and their ministries and for first responders, Chaplains being part of that group. Pray for the people of Columbia. Pray for the low country. Pray for SC. Pray.

Rockbridge Road bridge completely washed out, just around the corner from St. Michael and All Angels, one of our distribution sites. Photo credit Patterson Graham.

Upstate Churches Collecting Water for Columbia: (update as of 12 pm Tuesday afternoon)

• Many, many thanks to St. Peter's, Greenville, who collected 988 gallons of water that is already on its way to Columbia.
• Also to Christ Church, Greenville, who collected water that has been delivered to Trinity Cathedral.
• And - to the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Spartanburg who is collecting water today and tomorrow to be shipped to Columbia Thursday.

Water from St. Peter's, Greenville. From request, to truck, to arrival at St. Michael and All Angels, Columbia. Photo credits The Rev. Dorian del Priore, St. Peter's, and Morgan Lee, St. Michael's

We are so very grateful to everyone.

Bishop Waldo spent time at today at the St. Michael and All Angels and Trinity Cathedral collection sites after struggling to get back into town Sunday night and Monday morning after being away.

USC Flood Relief Offers to Help EDUSC via Twitter - (update as of 12:30 pm) Tuesday

We received a direct offer from The University of South Carolina relief team to help us! Deacons coordinating efforts will be in touch as needed. Many, many thanks to USC!

Forest Acres Neighbors and WLTX Offer us Volunteer Help - (update as of 12:50 pm)

Prayer Services Begin Tuesday

A Different Kind of Church

by Carrie Graves
Trinity Cathedral, Columbia offers Eucharist at 7:30 am on Wednesday mornings, but on this Wednesday morning, September 23, 2015, more than a dozen Episcopalians from the Diocese of Upper South Carolina attended an altogether different kind of church. 

As if in a narthex on a Sunday morning, dozens of churchgoers gathered, but in the Gallery of the SC Supreme Court, talking happily among themselves despite the quiet tension floating around the room. Many arrived more than an hour early for this “coffee hour” with no coffee. There was going to be a tight crunch on seating.

Those present, although many were clergy of differing theological beliefs, were there to listen, to show support, and to pray for all involved.

We were there for the SC Supreme Court Hearing – The Protestant EpiscopalChurch in the Diocese of South Carolina and Others, Respondents v. TheEpiscopal Church (a/k/a The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States ofAmerica) and the Episcopal Church in South Carolina, Appellants. The Appellants were there to ask that a ruling made after a 14-day trial in July 2014 by Judge Diane Goodstein (stating that The Diocese of South Carolina had the right to break away from the larger Episcopal Church and take its property with it) be overturned.

Although attending an 8:00 am Eucharist just to get a seat at the 10:30 service is not the norm in The Episcopal Church, observers who were gathered in The Gallery poured into the courtroom to sit in on a 10:00 hearing in order to guarantee seats for the 10:30 hearing concerning their Church. The court staff urged everyone to “scoot together” and fill up all the benches. There was not a seat to be had, and the aisles were lined with chairs, ironically reminiscent of an Easter morning service.

Getting settled I put my pocket book under the “pew” in front of me, making sure not to have it interfere with the kneelers – except, there were no kneelers and these weren’t pews. And there were so many clergy (from the entities on both sides of the argument), they nearly outnumbered the lay people. And they were sitting in the pews instead of behind the "altar."

Feeling like I was in a dream (it was pretty warm in the small room with more than 100 in attendance), I looked up at the not-altar and studied the symbol over it that was not a cross or a stained glass window of Jesus. It was the stamp of the SC Supreme Court indicating that it is the highest court in SC. We were in a civil court, not God’s court. 

When the Bailiff stated “All Rise!” we all rose, preparing to sing to opening hymn. But, no hymn. The court proceeded, not processed, straight into arguments for the case preceding the Episcopal Church hearing.

The case began with the Appellants (The EpiscopalChurch and The Episcopal Church in South Carolina) attorney, Blake Hewitt’s, arguments. The justices asked questions regarding the hierarchical nature of and authority in The Episcopal Church, and about the Dennis Canon of 1979, which modified The Episcopal Church's Canons in an attempt to create an express trust in favor of The Episcopal Church should a faction of a local parishes seek to withdraw from the Church. The Episcopal Church maintains that, legally, any officer of any official institution must maintain his/her fiduciary trust responsibility on behalf of the Episcopal Church.

  

The Dennis Canon states that “All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish, Mission, or Congregation is held in trust for this Church [i.e., TEC] and the Diocese thereof in which such Parish, Mission or Congregation is located. The existence of this trust, however, shall in no way limit the power and authority of the Parish, Mission or Congregation otherwise existing over such property so long as the particular Parish, Mission or Congregation remains a part of, and subject to, this Church and its Constitution and Canons.”

Neutral principles, the primary argument used by the Respondents attorney, Alan Runyon, applies civil corporate, contract and trust laws to a dispute of this nature rather than deferring to the Church’s internal rules. (U.S. Supreme Court, 1979, Jones v. Wolf)

In 2012, Mark Lawrence left The Episcopal Church, taking more than half of the parishes of The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina with him, as well as the name, diocesan seal and jointly held (by all parishes in the Diocese) diocesan camp and conference center, Camp St. Christopher. The Episcopal Church maintains that only individuals, not groups, can dissociate from The Episcopal Church, which would prohibit a group’s taking property from the Church one wants to leave.

The Diocese of South Carolina and 18 parishes then sued The Episcopal Church to retain more than $500 million in parish properties, Camp St. Christopher and the name and seal of the Diocese.

The justices asked many questions about the hierarchical nature of the Church and the vows that a bishop takes to “conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the [Protestant] Episcopal Church [in the United States of America]” when he or she is consecrated. Justice Toal pointed out that in the July non-jury trial, The Episcopal Church was deemed to be congregational, run by the parishes, which is contrary to the nature of The Episcopal Church.

Groups in other dioceses that have separated from The Episcopal Church maintain that most of their properties and assets were established long before the Dennis Canon by loyal Episcopalians that would not recognize the theological innovations of the modern Episcopal Church.

One final argument on the side of the Appellants was the nature of non-profit corporations, who, by law, are not authorized to change their articles of incorporation to be in direct conflict with the original articles. Since churches are non-profits, one wonders if this argument would hold up in civil court.

After more than an hour, we were dismissed, not sent out to be who we’ve become in the Eucharist or to do the work of Christ in the world. It was just time to go. There was no lemonade on the lawn without lemonade. There was no guidance or message from a sermon. We will have to wait to see how the story ends. We are the continuing story of the people of God. Being in the court setting was a reminder of all that was missing from the “worship,” and of all the reconciliation work to be done in the future. But for now we can continue to pray without ceasing, see God in each other no matter who or where we are, be formed by the Eucharist, and to pray for the Church and its people, rendering unto God what is God’s.  Amen.

“Understanding Jesus Means Understanding Judaism” With Dr. Amy-Jill Levine

by Robin Smith

Friday September 25, 2015, without thousands of people lining the streets, without hundreds of members of press in your face and without thousands of visible and invisible security personnel, Rabbi  Amy-Jill Levine delivered a message at the Lutheran Seminary in Columbia as powerful and important as the Pontiff’s visit to America.

The meeting started with echoes of Pope Francis' style - she came out into the audience to meet and be with the people who had given up an afternoon to hear what she had to say. “Glad you are here. Do you have any questions you want me to answer?” She went from row to row, group to group relaxing the participants so we could “HEAR” what she was going to say. Then she gave a little more than an hour-long presentation, in true Amy-Jill style. Filled with fast-paced rapid fire truisms, common sense, and humor, it was an intense address (normal delivery speed would have made it a two-hour presentation.) With the amount of information shared at the speed of light it will take some time to process what we heard.

With broad brush strokes and without repeating every illustration, I believe she is trying to tell us that we Christians need to look deeper into Judaism, at the truths it has to offer, and discard the stereotypes that have been projected on our Jewish brothers and sisters. The same is true that Jews need to discard some myths and stereotypes of Christians. Many of our Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, AME and other Christian elements have roots in Judaism. Dr. Levine stressed and stresses that the Christian and the Jew, as well as the church at large, MUST listen to each other, understand each other’s roots and have DIALOGUE that builds relationships rather than stereotypes.

Perhaps on a smaller scale Dr. Amy-Jill Levine is offering the same message of mutual understanding among all people that Pope Francis was commending on his visit to the United States.

Dr. Amy-Jill Levine spoke on her most recent book, Short Stories by Jesus. Several groups in our churches are reading it. Check with your local Episcopal bookstore to pick up a copy, newly released in paperback.

Robin Smith lives in Columbia and is a lifelong Episcopalian, artist, photographer, audio-visual pro and teacher of courses on spirituality and photography.