Not all South Carolina congregations share the opinions of their bishop.
While some of the congregations in the SC Lowcountry area publicly agree with Bishop Lawrence, Erin Moody of the Beaufort/Port Royal Reporter writes of at least one differing understanding:
The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina circulated the letter to his Lowcountry congregations Sunday, condemning the actions of the national Episcopal church on same-sex blessing and gender issues and said he would open talks this week about the future of the diocese in the U.S. church….
All Saints Episcopal Church on Hilton Head Island, staked a more moderate stance, but the Rev. Richard Lindsey, the church’s rector, said the congregation will comply with Lawrence’s views.
“I stand solidly behind the (national) Episcopal Church,” he said. “That’s not to say I’m not loyal to my bishop, but I tend to disagree. … We will honor where he stands because we are part of his diocese and he is our bishop.”
The church’s website states it is a “welcoming, inclusive” church, and Lindsey said he was not surprised with the General Convention’s decision because it is the direction the national church has been headed for more than a decade.
“This is the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “The real issue is about how we read scripture, about how we interpret God’s Word today. God has given us indications we need to have a broader understanding of creation and a broader understanding of how humans are formed.”