Dear Friends,

As you receive this month’s Congregational Letter our Neighborhood Meetings will be underway. Several have taken place (Old Village, Summerville/North Charleston, Belle Hall, Brickyard, Creekside, Old Church) and all have been very well received.

Over these past 11 years we have grown into a large church (3300 members), for which we can give thanks as it opens to us unique mission and ministry opportunities.  However, I always welcome the chance to create environments where we can gather in smaller groups to talk through the life and ministry of our parish.  The Neighborhood Meetings do just that: they provide us the opportunity to meet in a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere as we look at what the Lord is doing and may be calling us to do in the future.

My hope in hosting this series of Neighborhood Meetings is fourfold:

• First, I want to re-present the Mission, Vision and Values of St. Andrew’s and how these work together to give shape and substance to the manner in which we live our common life.
• Secondly, I want to introduce you to the work of our Campus Planning Team and share with you the way in which our Mission, Vision and Values are shaping our campus planning and development.
• Thirdly, I am excited to show you drawings and floor plans of our redesigned campus and new buildings.
• Finally, I want your feedback.  Your prayers and your participation in this process are critical.

A 2-Year Process

Under the leadership of Bill Maddux, our Jr. Warden, our Campus Planning Team (comprised of George Brewer, Chris Biggers, Mitchell Bohannon, Blake & Laura Middleton, Steve Middour, Howard Rambo, and Martha Senf) has met every two weeks, for the past two years for the purpose of evaluating the mission and ministry currently taking place at St. Andrew’s. A part of their evaluative work has been to meet with various ministry leaders to discern current and future space needs. The culmination of their work was a recommendation to the Vestry that we contract the good people at Building God’s Way to develop a master plan for the development of the physical campus of St. Andrew’s.

Over the course of a week this past February the folks at Building God’s Way came to St. Andrew’s to meet with our staff, Vestry, ministry leaders and all of our past Senior Wardens (dating back to 1989). Together we talked about what the next 20 years of ministry might look like and what kind of space and facility needs we anticipate. It was a great week and I look forward to sharing with you the outcomes of that week.

Where We Are

Quite a bit of work awaits us, though.  As you are presented with the material at our Neighborhood Meetings we will be asking you to join the current and past leadership of the parish in prayer and discernment.  We will be asking for your thoughts and feedback concerning the material you receive.  We will be doing a financial analysis of the giving patterns/records and projected capabilities of the parish.  The Vestry will then collect this input, and, working with the folks at Building God’s Way, we will report back to you the collected discernment of this process and any recommendations that have emerged.

Please Join Me

I hope every member will attend a Neighborhood Meeting (listed below), preferably with your LifeGroup. All of the meetings are 7-8 pm and light hors d’oeuvres will provided.

In the family,
Steve

Upcoming Neighborhood Meetings

Tuesday, May 8 – Mount Pleasant, Mathis Ferry Road
Home of Jan Hipp
154 Hobcaw Drive

Wednesday, May 9 – James Island, West Ashley, Johns Island
Country Club of Charleston
1 Country Club Drive

Monday, May 14 – Mount Pleasant, Hwy 41
Dunes West Athletic Club
(Tell the gate guard that you are attending a party at the pool.)
3003 Dunes West Boulevard

Tuesday, May 15 – Daniel Island
Home of Mike and Linda Hughes
171 Beresford Creek

Wednesday, May 16 – City Church
Music Farm

Thursday, May 17 – Snee Farm
Home of Robin and Eddie Gordon
1150 Deleisseline Boulevard

Sunday, May 20 – 12:15 pm
St. Andrew’s Ministry Center
Light hors d’oerves for adults
Childcare offered. Pizza for children

As you know, Rob Sturdy joined our staff this past January with a primary purpose of developing our school of theology.  Our threefold aim is to 1. equip men and women to live distinctively Christian lives in the marketplace; 2. To train and equip church planters; 3. To offer degreed course work for men and women who seek to pursue full-time Christian ministry.  To that end, over these past few months, Rob has worked to develop our partnerships with SPTC, Trinity Seminary, Ashley Null as well as other academic institutions/academics.

I am pleased to announce that the first part of our threefold aim will kick off in September 2012 with the development of The Ridley Institute.

This is Nicholas Ridley.

Nicholas Ridley was born in the year 1500 in Tynedale, Northumberland in England. Ridley lived in tumultuous times. When Ridley was only 17 years old, Martin Luther published his own famous 95 Theses in Wittenberg, Germany, ushering in the Protestant Reformation.

Luther’s simple message was Tetelestai which is Greek for “It is finished.” You see, after hundreds of years of being told that you must earn God’s love through works, Luther rediscovered the teaching of the Bible, that God already loves you, and sent His Son to die for you and take away the sin that separates you from God (1 John 4.10). This wonderful gift is received by faith, not by works so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2.8-9).

The effect this Gospel had was so beautifully stated by H. Bonar, the Scottish Puritan who wrote

“On the word Tetelestai, ‘it is finished,’ as on a heavenly resting place, weary souls sat down and were refreshed. The voice from the cross did not summon us to do, but to be satisfied in what was done. Millions of bruised consciences there found healing and peace.”

Ridley discovered this “heavenly resting place” for himself in 1529 and boldly proclaimed the Gospel in England as the Bishop of London until 1553. In 1553, Ridley was imprisoned by “Bloody Mary” for refusing to renounce his Gospel convictions. As was common in that day, Ridley was sentenced to be burnt alive for holding the Gospel faith.

On October 16, 1555, Ridley was tied to the stake with his friend, cousin, and fellow laborer for the Gospel, Hugh Latimer. Ridley, for fear of the pain he was about to endure began to tremble greatly. Latimer comforted him with these words:

“Be of good cheer, Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day, by God’s grace, light up such a candle in England, as I trust, will never be put out.”

Lighting the Fire Today

Master Ridley lit such fire in his own day and the question we propose to you now is how might you light such a fire in your own day? You may not be called to lose your life as Ridley did, but each generation of Christians is nevertheless called to give their life away.

The aim of the Ridley Institute is to honor Nicholas Ridley’s dying thought, that through God’s grace his labors and suffering might light a Gospel flame that would never be extinguished. The Institute seeks to spread the flame of the Gospel by recruiting, equipping, and deploying the very finest Christian leaders formed in the Gospel centrality of the Anglican Tradition.

Where do I fit in?

You can participate in the Ridley Institute in one of three ways:

1.  Taste and See: Twice a year the Ridley Institute will offer 10-week introductory courses in Theology open to the general public. Our core courses are Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology, Worldview, and the Christian Life.

2.  Take a Certificate Course: Beginning in the Fall of 2012, individuals will have the opportunity to acquire a Certificate in Christian Leadership for the Marketplace. Our certificate course is an intellectually and spiritually rigorous nine month course aimed at equipping Marketplace leaders to succeed in business and influence the city with the Gospel.

3.  Become a Ridley Fellow: Ridley Fellows receive monthly training in theology, Christian spirituality, and small group leadership dynamics. Ridley Fellows assist Institute faculty in administering the core courses offered by the Ridley Institute.

The Certificate Course

Beginning in the Fall of 2012, the Ridley Institute will launch our first certificate course. The Certificate for Christian Leadership in the Marketplace is aimed at Marketplace Leaders who seek to be better equipped to influence the marketplace through successful business practices married with sound Christian theology and spirituality. The Certificate for Christian Leadership in the Marketplace takes place over two semesters and will require five hours of on site participation per week. The Certificate in Christina Leadership in the Marketplace consists of:

• Four Core Courses: Biblical Theology, Systematic Theology, Worldview, Spirituality
• Leadership Training: Intro to Christian Leadership (Fall Semester), Leading for Influence in the Marketplace (Spring Semester)
• Ministry Experience: Participants will receive real world ministry experience by participating in evangelistic and prayer initiatives of St. Andrew’s
• Learning Huddle: Each participant will be expected to participate in a Learning Huddle for theological reflection and prayer.

Taste and See Courses

Fall 2012 – Winter 2013

Fall 2012: Systematic Theology
Systematic Theology is the study of Christian Theology around fairly standard categories such as the God, Revelation, Salvation, the Church, etc.

Winter 2013: Christian Spirituality
This ten-week course will focus on how Christians come to faith and sustain and mature in their faith through the power of the Holy Spirit and the continued proclamation of the Gospel.

For His Glory,
Steve

Providing a Safe Environment for our Children

I’m guessing you have been as disturbed as I have over these past few months as we’ve seen horrifying stories of child abuse play out on both local and national levels.  As a church that has given so much time and energy to the development and practice of healing ministries (especially healing prayer) we know all too well the damaging and destructive nature of sin committed against these children.

As a proactive response St. Andrew’s hosted a parents meeting this fall to educate and equip our families.  We also took the opportunity to review our practices and training.  For well over a decade St Andrew’s has required background checks and training in child/youth protection for all of our staff and for our volunteers who work with children.  But, I’m aware that new and better training and practices are always being developed.

Working with a variety of people and agencies we initiated a thorough review of our practices and training.  The good news is that the evaluation showed we did pretty well – affirmed by the fact we’ve never, thanks be to God, had an incident occur at the Day School or in our Children’s/Youth Ministry.  The better news is that there were opportunities to improve both training and practice.

So, over the past few months we have initiated several improvements.  Specifically, with regard to training we have:

• Invited Darkness to Light in to train/retrain 35 staff and volunteers who work with our children and youth.
• We have reviewed our employee handbook and clarified reporting procedures for our staff.

Additionally, we evaluated our practices and our facilities and discovered opportunities to improve those areas as well. Specifically, we have:

• Installed automatic locks on the inside doors leading into the Deep End from the downstairs lobby.
• Installed a lock on the stairwell door at the far end of the Deep End hallway (near the doors leading out to the playground).
• Arranged for a new, streamlined security check-in system for children participating in the Deep End.
• Arranged for video security cameras to be installed on both the Deep End and Youth Ministry hallways.
• Arranged for the uniformed police officer who directs traffic before and after the service to patrol more of the building, especially noting the Deep End and youth hallways and entrances.
• Relocated a Deep End staff person to a check-in location at the inside entrance to the Deep End.  The staff person will remain stationed at the entry doors for the entire service.

As a part of our revamped security the doors to the Deep End hallway (at both ends) will be locked and will remain locked on Sunday mornings beginning March 31.

Katie Arndt, our Children’s Ministry Leader, will be communicating specific information regarding new procedures to our parents and other primary childcare providers, repeatedly, over the next few weeks.

Our children are a treasure entrusted to us by our Lord.  Your ongoing assistance in ensuring St. Andrew’s to be a safe place for our children to grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord is appreciated.

Blessed by our Men’s and Women’s Leadership

Over the past month the men and women have had the opportunity to gather for their respective retreats.  +Terrell Glenn, our former rector, returned to lead the men as they focused on the theme, “Be Present.”  The weekend included teaching, ministry and an opportunity for 80+ men to have a mini hike experience at Brookgreen Gardens.

The women gathered again at Hilton Head for their retreat entitled, “Knowing You.”  They were led by our own Dwight Huthwaite.  They, too, had opportunities for teaching, workshops and ministry.

What has impressed me most, though, is the overall level of excellence our men’s and women’s ministries have attained.  That is directly attributable to Cassie Dodds and Kurtz Smith.  It’s hard to believe that before they stepped into their roles as staff ministry leaders neither were employed by a church.  Cassie was a stay-at-home mom and Kurtz was a business owner.  Both, though, said “yes” to the adventure of connecting men and women to the presence and power of Jesus Christ.  The consequence is that we not only have thriving ministries but also, literally, hundreds of men and women have been trained and released into ministry and leadership.

I hope you’ll join me in expressing your gratitude to both Cassie and Kurtz for their fine and faithful leadership.  Many of us have not had church experiences outside of St. Andrew’s.  Let me tell you, we are blessed – at many levels.

Easter

As you know, Easter at St. Andrew’s is a special event; from the beauty of the old church to the excitement of our service at Boone Hall.  Well, Easter is right around the corner.

One “tradition” that has developed at St. Andrew’s over the years is the practice of inviting the spiritually disconnected people in our lives to join us in the celebration of Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Soon you will be seeing signs going up around town, as well as postcards being mailed to households.  These are opportunities for you to draw attention to the One Day that changed the world and initiate a conversation that could, literally, alter the eternal destination of someone’s life.

Easter, particularly at Boone Hall, is also an opportunity to serve our community.  Depending on the weather, we could have as many as 4500 people from around the Charleston area attending this service.  Think about that, 4500 people coming to our doorstep.

We need a few hundred volunteers.

We need folks to set up, park, greet, usher, pray, and decorate.

Will you help make the day ready for them?

In the family,

Steve

Dear Friends,

I think that the most enjoyable aspect of ministry for me is the “front row seat” I have as I watch our Lord transform the hearts and minds of the men, women and children who are a part of St. Andrew’s.  And, honestly, I am always humbled as I see this process of transformation happen.

As we wind down the calendar year and prepare to remember again that great story of Christ’s descent I am particularly reminded of the many ways in which we have engaged and grown as a parish over the past year.  There are many ways to measure spiritual growth: from faithful participation in worship, to serving the body and the community to caring for one another.  To give you a snapshot of what I’ve witnessed, here are a few highlights from the past year:

• We performed 45 weddings
• We baptized 75 people
• We performed 16 funerals
• We confirmed 43 young adults
• We added 25 new LifeGroups
• We have 858 folks involved in LifeGroups
• 450 kids participate in our Children’s Ministry offerings during the week and weekends
• Our youth ministries have seen a 100% increase in high school (“Impact”) participation and an 80% increase in middle school (“Basic”) participation
• Our Men’s and Women’s Ministries saw 1056 men and women participate in their ministries this year and new leadership huddles were launched
• We added an “Alpha in the Workplace” offering downtown and saw 41 businessmen/woman participate
• 103 imprisoned men participated in the Alpha Course at the Navy Brig
• 401 people participated in the Alpha Course at St. Andrew’s, Mt. Pleasant
• We sponsored and led 9 international mission trips
• 15 months since its start-up and City Church has grown to an average Sunday attendance of 352 people
• We brought Jessica Smith on board as our fulltime Associate Worship Leader with specific responsibility for the worship at City Church
• We’ve seen a 10% increase in attendance at our Goose Creek church plant and an increase in their Children’s Ministry from 6 to 16 kids.  Men’s and Women’s Ministries have been launched in Goose Creek as well as the Marriage Course and we are seeing lives being redeemed and restored
• Our new medical clinic in Goose Creek is seeing an average of 15 patients per week
• We prepared and delivered 51 Thanksgiving meals through the Goose Creek church plant
• We helped spearhead the Convoy of Hope and other community outreach events
• We partnered with the Charleston Police to run “Camp Hope” which met at Sanders-Clyde Elementary and served 75 middle school families on the lower eastside of Charleston

One other observation from this front row seat of mine has been of the continued and faithful giving demonstrated by so many within this parish.  I learned a long time ago that once an individual encounters the transformative presence of Jesus Christ, and the work of His Spirit in their lives, generosity is a natural consequence.

Who would have thought that this recession would have lasted four years?  And yet, we have been able to give witness to the reality of a different economy – God’s economy.  Over these past four years we have continued to meet our financial commitments to our local and international mission partners (we’ve actually increased our support for missions in this time frame).  We have planted a new church.  We have helped launch a new diocese.  We are adding (by faith) a new staff member next month (The Rev’d Rob Sturdy).  All of this possible because of what God has done in the lives of men and women like you, and your faithful response to His extravagant grace.  It is a humbling thing to see and a more humbling experience to be your pastor.

One last word, December is a critical month for us with regard to giving.  In fact, 15% of our total giving happens this month alone.  As we come into the end of the year offerings are running about 2.5% behind budget (a $3,000,000 budget).  Will you help us to finish the year strongly?

With the end of year happening over a weekend our finance office will close at mid-day on Friday, December 30^th, and, it will reopen Tuesday, January 3^rd.  If you send your year-end contribution through the mail please ensure that it is post-marked by December 31^st so that you will receive credit for your 2011 taxes.  Or, you can drop your checks, dated no later than December 31^st, in the slot through the Finance Office door anytime prior to their return.  For those who wish to give stocks or transfer other assets, you may contact Lynn Mitchell directly at 843.284.4322. And, of course, online giving can happen at any time.

With prayers for a blessed Christmas and New Year,

I remain faithfully yours,
Steve

Dear St. Andrew’s Family,

It is with pleasure that I write to inform you that The Rev’d Rob Sturdy has accepted an invitation to join the staff team at St. Andrew’s where he will have primary responsibility to oversee and develop our School of Theology as well as our ongoing church planting efforts.  Many of you will know Rob from his time with us as a Citadel Cadet, or as a New Wine speaker.

Rob was raised in Daphne, Alabama and first came to the Charleston area in 1999 to attend the Citadel.  Rob graduated from the Citadel in 2003 with honors.  While a student at the Citadel he served as 1st Sergeant Lima Co. (Junior Year), Chairman of the Honor Court (Senior Year), and received the John O. Wilson ring.

After graduation Rob married Stephanie (College of Charleston, 2002) and together they left for Oxford University where he received his theology degree.  Rob will complete a second masters degree (in theology) from Reformed Theological Seminary this spring and will, by God’s grace, pursue a Ph.D.

Rob was ordained by Bishop Salmon in 2006 and served one year as Associate Rector at Trinity Church, Myrtle Beach.  After his rector’s departure, and an interim period, Rob became the Rector at Trinity Church in the winter of 2008.  During Rob’s tenure as Rector, Trinity has grown by 10% each year and they planted a new church in October of 2010.

Rob and Stephanie have two children, David (4 years old) and Genevieve (10 months old).  Rob will assume his new ministry responsibilities with us January 1, 2012.

Please join me in prayer for the Sturdy family in this time of transition.  And, pray, too for the good people of Trinity Church who say goodbye to a beloved rector and family.

With gratitude for the Lord’s continued kindness and generosity to this parish,

Steve

Rob writes:

Beloved in the Lord,

My family and I are eager to return to St. Andrews, where we had the privilege of worshipping and serving during our college years.  We are excited to get to know you (again!) and to serve alongside you as co-laborers in the vineyard of our great God and King.  We join you at a critical time for Christianity in North America, and in particular the Anglican Communion.  In the midst of this uncertain time, I’m convinced that God has given a strong and certain vision, grounded in the centrality of the Gospel, to St. Andrew’s and her leadership.  It is in support of this vision, and these leaders, that my family and I eagerly come to serve with you.  I look forward to seeing you all this coming January,

With much love and anticipation,
Rob Sturdy

You may contact the Sturdy family effective immediately at RSturdy@WeAreStAndrews.com

Dear Friends,

Hard to believe it’s fall. But it is. And with the fall comes a new season of ministry.

We have several unique offerings beginning in the weeks ahead (in addition to the year-in, year-out, offerings of ministries like The Alpha Course, the Men’s Hike and Drawing Near to God) and I want to make sure you know about them. Each serves to fulfill our mission of “connecting people the presence and power of Jesus Christ.” As I recently explained to our new members class, the process we employ to help folks grow in their faith and in knowledge and experience of Jesus Christ is one of inviting, embracing, equipping and sending. Familiar words, I hope to you. Take a look, I’d love to have you join us for any, or all, of them:

Fall Missions Conference: “That the World May Know”

I am delighted to announce that Jackie Pullinger will be joining us as the keynote speaker on Friday night, October 7th – Saturday morning, October 8th. Jackie is legendary in the missionary community and her story is told in the best-seller, “Chasing the Dragon.” She has spoken around the world and we are blessed to have her. Equally, I am delighted to be co-sponsoring this conference with Water Missions International and Palmetto Medical Initiative. Both are fantastic locally headquartered International Mission Agencies and you will be blessed to make their acquaintance.

As an added feature our own Chris Brooks is coordinating a ministry fair to run concurrently in Sams Hall in which 30+ local outreach missions and agencies will be present – a perfect chance for you to be introduced to local ministries you (and your LifeGroup) can be involved in. More information can be found on the St. Andrew’s website.

School of Theology

I am delighted to announce that the fall semester of our School of Theology will begin Tuesday, October 4th. Many of you will remember our friend, Amy Orr-Ewing, who has preached on several occasions at St. Andrew’s. Amy is the Director of the Oxford Center for Christian Apologetics (at Oxford). Recently they hosted a course entitled, “Foundations of Apologetics” which had been recorded on DVD and we have obtained a copy of that DVD. The speakers are first-class and the weekly topics will be:

Conversations that Count – presented by Michael Ramsden
Truth & Reality – presented by Stuart McAllister
The Existence of God – presented by Alister McGrath
Establishing a Worldview – presented by Ravi Zacharias
The Trustworthiness of The Christian Scriptures – presented by Amy Orr-Ewing
The Uniqueness of Christ – presented by Joe Boot
The Trinity and Apologetics – presented by L. T. Jeyachandran
Pluralism: Do All Religions Lead to the Same Goal? presented by John Lennox
Faith, Reason, and Integration – presented by John Lennox
God, Evil, and Suffering – presented by Ravi Zacharias
Seeing & Exploring Cultural Connections – presented by Stuart McAllister
Reasoning From The Scriptures – presented by Michael Ramsden

This promises to be one of the best courses we’ve offered. Each evening will begin with Todd Scofield catering our dinner. The talk will follow dinner and I will be leading the discussion following the talk. I hope you will join me. If you would like to know more, or to register, please contact Nancy Sapakoff at (NSapakoff@WeAreStAndrews.com or 843.284.4324)

Worship Arts Ministry

One of the great blessings at SAMP is our Worship Arts Ministry. Dwight in the Ministry Center and Mark in the Historic Church continually bless this parish with the excellence of their offerings and planning. This fall is no different.

Jeremy Riddle and band are coming to St Andrew’s on September 28 for a special evening of worship. This will take the place of our normal Wednesday Worship gathering and is open to the general public. Jeremy is the author of several songs that we sing regularly at St. Andrew’s, like Stand In Awe, God of the Redeemed, and As Children, as well as Sweetly Broken and God of all Glory that have both received plenty of airplay. Previously a Youth Pastor at the Anaheim Vineyard, Jeremy is now the Worship Community Pastor at Bethel Church, Redding CA, where he leads worship and oversees the more than 200 people who are part of the worship ministry at Bethel. The worship concert starts at 7:00PM and tickets are available at Common Grounds or online.

If you’ve not been to the Wednesday Evening Worship in a while, you might be surprised at how it has developed and deepened. The service is held each Wednesday at 6:30PM in the Ministry Center (concurrent with Basic Middle School). All through the fall our theme will be on the Holy Spirit (complementing the Sunday sermons series). With plenty of worship, ministry, teaching, and participation, we are looking forward to this season to experience God’s dynamic presence and grow together in the things of the Spirit and learn to walk in them beyond the gathering place. We will continually allow for prophetic and healing ministry; teachings will remain brief to allow for as much worship and ministry as possible. We will also dig into the gifts of the Spirit, look at how the Holy Spirit guides us and speaks to us, and experience the Holy Spirit as Comforter and Healer.

Simple Changes Yields Substantial Fruit

Lastly, I wanted to highlight the changes that have already born fruit in our Middle and High School Ministries.

Last Spring Dave Libbon, our Student Ministries Leader, began a significant re-evaluation of the entire youth programming at St. Andrew’s. This re-evaluation included conversations with the students and parents and focused on how we might best serve our youth and our families.

Here are some highlights from our youth ministry kickoff events

• The Family Pool Party Kickoff had 175+ youth in attendance – they ate over 200 burgers and dogs in 2 hours.
• The Father Son Surf and Camping Trip, which is done in partnership with Kurtz Smith and the Men’s Ministry, is packed this year with 30 Fathers and Sons gearing up for a weekend of surfing, camping, and growing in their faith.

“Basic” (Middle School) moved to Wednesday 6:30-8.00 pm Kickoff was last week with 40 students and 15 leaders. The band Phillip Holladay brought in was “I Anthem” they will also be joining us on the Basic Road Trip Retreat September 23-25th.

• Basic we has been averaging 50+ Middle School students, some of which were invited by friends, and a new 3 piece worship band.
• Basic Small Groups will be starting soon so please be on the lookout for information.

“Impact” (High School) moved to Sunday mornings we’ve averaged 65 students in attendance with 6 leaders and a few hundred doughnuts! (all of which were eaten)

• Impact has 7 small groups from last year including a Tuesday morning before school “Prayer and Pancakes” small group for School of the Arts and Academic Magnet High School students.
• We are launching 3 new groups in the next few weeks also. One will be for Seniors who are working through that unique season of life before heading to college and another will specifically be for young ladies.
• High School Alpha starts on September 12th and we already have a neat groundswell of students interested in exploring their faith.
• The Impact Fall Retreat is October 21-23rd

Another wonderful development in the Youth Ministry has been an internship program that has come about through a partnership with Wando High School. We currently have 2 Wando students doing an internship with us and the possibly of a third starting next semester.

For all of this, may we say, “Thanks be to God!”

In the family,
Steve

In London on July 27, the Rev’d Dr. John Stott departed this world at the age of 90. I would expect that for many American Christians, his name and the news of his death would have been unknown. And that is unfortunate. So, last week when the Post & Courier asked if I would write an article describing the influence John Stott had upon my life I was pleased. I am equally pleased to share those reflections with you.

I met the Anglican clergyman 27 years ago the same way millions of people around the world have, through his books. In the following years I would have a handful of opportunities to speak with him in person.

That first encounter, though, was arresting, and it would introduce me to more than a quarter-century of interaction with this man and his work. At the time I was a college student working my way through school in a local bookstore. I was questioning everything I had previously known to be “true.” And, I had grown dissatisfied with the Christian faith of my youth. While stocking shelves with new titles I came across a two-volume series entitled, Involvement. In them an unknown (to me) author named John Stott explored the twin dimensions of social and relational responsibility of the Christian in a non-Christian society. At the time my experience of the Christian faith was one that was based on emotional appeal and had personal moral improvement as a central theme and goal. Yet, now, here in my hands I discovered a very different framework of Christian thought and life, a framework that included transformation of the world brought about by God’s people engaged in mission modeled upon Christ’s mission.

That simple happenstance, finding and reading a book by an author previously unknown, led me down a path of discovery – both of my faith and of a man.

So, who was John Stott? I suppose there are many ways to define a man and obituaries around the world have tried these past two weeks to capture the life of this remarkable person. You can Google those. He was born, raised and lived most of his adult life in central London. He was both curate and rector of one congregation, All Souls Langham Place (the church of his childhood, ministry and “retirement”). He chaired the drafting committee that produced the seminal document, “The Lausanne Covenant,” outlining global Christian responsibility and commitment. He’s written more than 50 books and in 2005 Time Magazine named him one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Timothy Dudley-Smith and Roger Steer have both written very different but equally wonderful biographies of the man.

Stott’s lasting influence upon me has been significant. Drawn to the devotion that permeates his writing I have turned to his work again and again for insight and clarity. Of the many influences I could mention, these have had the greatest impact:

First, and most significant, Stott held unswervingly to the priority and power of the Word of God. Perhaps more than any other person in the last half-century, he restored confidence in the authority of the Bible and the centrality of Scripture in preaching and teaching.

Secondly, his confidence in the trustworthiness of Scripture encouraged an intellectual curiosity. He was intellectually rigorous. He didn’t shrink from difficult texts. He didn’t dismiss paradox. He didn’t excuse apparent contradictions. Instead, they became the fodder for inquiry. One of the greatest gifts he gave me was his example of a mind fully engaged and fully alive in the pursuit of the knowledge of God.

Thirdly was his discipline of prayer: Each day was saturated in prayer. His early rising and leather notebook stuffed with papers and prayer lists are legendary. As a rule he awoke at 5 a.m. and began each day with a long period of time in prayer as his prayer list often had hundreds of names and ministry needs on it.

Finally, I was struck by his humility. I was nervous about meeting this man whose books I’d read and whose works I’d quoted in sermons and papers. However, when he greeted me, he expressed such sincere interest in me, asking after my seminary experience and my faith, that it seemed he was the one privileged. His genuine interest in others and his pointing to Christ rather to himself deeply affected me.

For me and for many, John Stott was, in the words of one of his colleagues, “a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else.”

In the family,

Steve

PS – I would be happy to recommend a variety of Stott’s books to you, depending on your interest, just let me know. In the meantime, I’d suggest these to give you a sense of his writing: Basic Christianity (a beloved classic for over 50 years), Why I Am a Christian (similar to Basic Christianity except personalized), Understanding the Bible (a wonderful introduction to the Bible), The Cross of Christ (perhaps his greatest work), Your Mind Matters: The Place of the Mind in the Christian Life or The Radical Disciple (his last book written released earlier this year). All are available through our bookstore, Common Grounds.

It has been a fascinating few months.

Fascinating in what way? Well, many, I suppose. Let me highlight four developments/events in particular: The Radical Experiment, Fishin’ for a Mission, the Diocese of the Carolinas and the Ministry Center experiment.

The Radical Experiment
On several occasions I’ve been asked by people who do not attend St. Andrew’s, and several who do not even live in the State, how the Radical Experiment is going at SAMP.

Our bishop, John Guernsey, in fact, asked the question at his visit last month when he was here for confirmation and made mention of it in his sermon.

Why?

Because these folks recognize the potential of the Radical Experiment to not only change individual lives, but also the corporate life of a parish.

At the end of the series many of us committed to the following five actions (with resources noted for each commitment) to be lived out over the course of the next year:

1. Pray for the entire world (Operation World
)

2. Read through the entire Word (Bible in a Year) 

3. Sacrifice your money – beyond the tithe – for a specific purpose (Love Charleston, 
International Missions
) 

4. Spend time in another context (Love Charleston, 
International Missions
) 


5. Commit your life to multiplying community (LifeGroups at St. Andrew’s
)

The point of the Radical Experiment is to return the Christian life to one of simplicity. No complex program. No weekly memorization and special meetings. Just 5 simple commitments to action worked out in your life, your family’s life and your LifeGroup over the course of the year.

Many of our LifeGroup leaders have been meeting with Simon and Brian monthly for encouragement and training. You’ve heard me pass on stories of they way various individuals have taken up the Experiment. So, here’s the halfway check-in question: how are you doing? Do you need a fresh start? What have you done that the church should know about?

Fishin’ for a Mission
We had an amazing time together a few weeks ago at the Fishin’ for a Mission banquet and auction.

Under the leadership of the International Missions Team, and thanks to the countless hours of so many volunteers, the evening was a success! How do I measure success? At least three criteria:

1. Did people have an opportunity to participate in the event?
2. Was there a sense of community (“we’re all in this together”)?
3. Were we able to raise significant funding for our mission partners?

The answer to all three was an emphatic, “yes.”

We had more people participating in every facet: volunteers collecting and registering donations, hosts and hostesses at the banquet, set-up and tear-down crews, advertising, publications – the list goes on. One of my favorite developments was the creative and generous donations that came in for the auction. Everything from an African safari (photo or otherwise), to vacation homes to personal dinners and desserts were offered. I don’t think we’ve ever had as many items up for auction. It was wonderful.

If you were able to join us for the banquet you’ll know that the room was packed. 500+ people came out for the night creating quite a roar of conversation. It was great to see folks talking and laughing with one another. As a church that is spread over three different campus’ and 10 different services it was a unique time for us to gather as one body.

Finally, because of your generosity, we raised $106,735! Every last penny, 100%, of that money will be sent directly to our mission partners scattered around the world.

Thank you!

Diocese of the Carolinas
If you’ve been at SAMP longer than a year you’ll know that we’ve been hard at work helping to create a new Diocese serving North and South Carolina (we have 12 churches clustered primarily around Charleston, Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham). I am delighted to inform you that at the Provincial Council meeting of the Anglican Church in North America (we were represented by Philip Clarke, esq.) two weeks ago our work came to penultimate conclusion: we were formally recognized as a Diocese in Formation. What does that mean? It means that we have drafted the formal document (Constitution) of how our common life will be ordered, and we have chosen representatives from constituent parishes to serve in various leadership capacities. I have been named Vicar General which means I have responsibility for the organizational development of the Diocese over the next year. The remaining steps include the formation of a non-profit/tax exempt organization to handle funding, the development of an administrative system to facilitate our common life and most importantly, the formation and completion of a bishop’s search process. I will keep you posted.

Ministry Center Experiment
Over the past year the vestry has formed several task forces to examine our current needs, work with staff on long-range planning and begin to gather information on how we continue to navigate growth into the future.

One of the ongoing challenges has been the layout of the Ministry Center. With the space oriented on the long axis we have long reached capacity on the number of seats we can accommodate, and, the distance from the pulpit/Table to the last row is about 90 feet.

Blake and Laura Middleton (architects) have been solicited to develop multiple renderings of how we can adjust the room to allow for more seating and create a more intimate setting. As a part of this, we are trying an experiment through the summer. The room has been turned sideways, oriented to the wide axis. This arrangement allows us to accommodate more chairs, and more significantly, allows us to create a much more intimate setting as the last row from the pulpit/Table is now only 45 feet away.

Over the next few weeks you will see all of the New Wine scaffolding, speakers, stage settings and wiring disappear. In it’s place will emerge a dais with the cross, the Lord’s Table and pulpit in the central location (similar to the previous set-up of the Ministry Center). I’m sure other ‘bugs’ will emerge as well. Let me know when they do and I will work to resolve those issues.

Thanks for your willingness to try something new. I think the very first Congregational Letter I wrote when I arrived 11 years ago was entitled, “Constant Change is Here to Stay.” Over these 11 years we’ve implemented quite a number of changes that have allowed us to continue our growth – both numerically and spiritually. I have been blessed by your willingness to try new things and to return to ‘old’ things when an experiment doesn’t work (some haven’t). If the summer set-up is too much for you please remember that we offer contemporary services in the Old Church at both 9.00 am and 6.00 pm every Sunday. In the meantime, I am looking forward to the change. It feels fresh and exciting to have the back rows only 45 feet away rather than 90. Let me know your thoughts.

With prayers for a blessed and restorative summer;

In the family,

Steve

Dear Friends,

Two significant events are just around the corner.

The first is our Fishin’ for a Mission tournament/banquet and auction. In 2005, several people at St. Andrew’s Church who had traveled to developing countries came together to discuss their recent trips. They all sensed the same longing to share their stories with their neighbors. Out of their desire to tell about what God was doing around the world, the Fishin’ for a Mission tournament was born.

In addition to being able to tell the story of God’s work around the world, the group also wanted to invite their friends, neighbors, and colleagues to partner with them in supporting their international friends. All of the funds raised through the efforts of this tournament will go to expressing the love of Jesus in practical ways.

It’s a big world! In the face of staggering human need and a myriad of Christian agencies and opportunities, how do we decide where we will invest our energies and resources? Primarily, through a network of relationships. These relationships establish our priorities. Therefore, we have developed three levels of mission partnership and engagement which give shape to the manner in which funding and resourcing are determined and distributed. More information about our mission partnerships can also be found on this website.

Last year Fishin’ for a Mission raised over $71,000 this year, as a direct result of our Lord’s grace and the generosity of hundreds of sponsors and donors. 100% of the proceeds will go directly into the mission fields stretching from Central and South America to Africa.

Our banquet and auction will be Saturday, June 4th. Join us and make a difference!

The second event is our annual New Wine Conference.

I am delighted to tell you that Todd Hunter will be our speaker this year! Todd is a bishop in the Anglican Misison in America. His recent book, “The Accidental Anglican” is fantastic (and available in our bookstore, Common Grounds). Our theme this year is “Renovate” and Todd will explore the role of the Spirit in Spiritual formation.

As usual, we will have a number of practical breakout sessions led by some incredible local teachers.

We have changed the programming this year to be all inclusive of every age range. As you may remember, in the past there was no children’s ministry in the evenings, this year, we will offer children’s programming for every session! We’ve also completely restructured the pricing with a special family rate.

I am also delighted to let you know that Simon Guillebaud will be leading the New Wine experience for our Middle and High School students.

More information may be found here.

Friends, these two events are unique and amazing opportunities for us as a church family to grow more deeply together and more deeply in the Lord. Won’t you join me?

In the family,
Steve

On Sunday, April 24th, we will celebrate the most amazing event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

Jesus’ resurrection is central to our faith. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul tells us, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in you sins . . . If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

The glorious reality that we celebrate is this: Christ has indeed been raised from the dead – “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

The resurrection is the deal-breaker for the Christian faith. The resurrection separates Jesus from all the other religious leaders. He predicted it and He did it.

I’ve studied world religions for many years and I’ve never encountered a man like Jesus Christ. And while we may find commonality amongst the world relgions with regard to values and morality, a chasm exists between the self-revelation of God in Christ and the religions that spring from the heart of humanity.

Every time I examine the religious systems of the world they always bottom out with one word: “works.” You must earn your salvation. You must work to be closer to God – through reincarnation, by fasting for 30 days, by making a hajj, by observing the law, or whatever it might be. It all comes down to W-O-R-K-S. All attempts by human beings to put themselves in right standing with God.

Jesus puts Christianity in a completely other category. The Christian story is about what God has done from His side. It’s about God’s search and rescue mission. It’s about God’s restoration of our broken relationship. Jesus Christ claimed to be God and in His face, in His life, we see the kindness of God reaching out to us – before it ever occurs to us to reach out to Him – Jesus is God’s action to find, save and restore us.

This truth is too good to keep to ourselves.

It was this truth the compelled those early disciples – and every true disciple since – to go to every corner of the earth with the Gospel.

Friends, our corner of the earth is Mt. Pleasant, West Ashley, North Charleston, James Island, Charleston County, Berkley County . . . it’s wherever you live.

Easter at Boone Hall Plantation is an amazing celebration. The service is from beginning to end a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. We will rejoice, we will honor, we will worship The One who conquered death.

Easter at Boone Hall is also a time of outreach into the community.

Who will you be inviting?

There will be about 5000 people attending Boone Hall this year. Who will welcome them? Who will extend to them the hospitality of our Lord? Who will help care for their children? Who will ready the tent for the celebration?

If we say we love Jesus but our lives don’t demonstrate the reality of this love our faith isn’t worth a thing. Jesus lived and died for others. Yes, we celebrate Easter and Boone Hall is a wonderful celebration. But we already know Christ. Easter at Boone Hall is also for those who don’t yet know Him.

St. Augustine once wrote: “Without God we can not, without us He will not.” Will you pray for Jesus to be glorified in Mt. Pleasant that day? Will you ask the Lord whom He wants you to invite – and then do it? Will you help set up, greet, minister to the children and take care of our guests? Will His heart beat in your chest? Will His hands reach out through yours? Will you see ”the other” through His eyes? I hope you’ll say “yes.”

To send an evite to your friends click here.

To volunteer to serve click here.

In the family,
Steve