The Very Revd Charles “Chip” Edgar will be consecrated as the next Bishop of The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina in a special service at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul in Charleston on Saturday, March 12, 2022.
The service will begin at 10 a.m. with a processional of the Bishop Elect, members of the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America, retired Bishops and clergy of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the Diocese of the Carolinas and the Reformed Episcopal Church.
The consecration will be led by the Most Revd Foley Beach, Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America.
The Revd Dr. Jamey Graham, Pastor of Saint John Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, will be the preacher. Pastor Graham and Bishop Elect Edgar began meeting together and developed a close friendship following the racial unrest in Baltimore in 2015. They have preached in one another’s pulpits and deepened the relationships between their families and congregations in the years since.
A holy and solemn moment in the service will come when the Archbishop, co-consecrators Bishops Mark Lawrence, Steve Wood and William White of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the Diocese of the Carolinas, and the Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church) respectively, along with members of the College of Bishops, will join in the act of consecration, laying their hands on Bishop Elect Edgar saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit for the Office and work of a Bishop in the Church of God, now committed to you by the imposition of our hands; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
During the service the newly consecrated Bishop will be presented with a staff (as a reminder to shepherd the flock of Christ), a pectoral cross, an episcopal ring, and a mitre (head covering worn on solemn occasions).
Edgar’s crozier was made by the Revd Tom Garman, a former Assisting Priest with Bishop Elect Edgar, and is a gift from him and Bishop Mark Nordstrom, Suffragan of the Jurisdiction of Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (ACNA). It is made of magnolia wood and features a medallion of the Jerusalem Cross, the emblem of the Church of the Apostles, surrounded by the words, “Grant that we might love what they (the apostles) believed and preach what they taught.” The prayer, adapted from the Collect for the Feast Day of Saint Bartholomew, holds special meaning to Edgar. He first heard it prayed in 2005 by the Rev. Dr. Jon Shuler. “I have prayed that prayer every single time I’ve preached since 2005,” says Edgar. “It’s not that we ask to believe what the apostles believed but that we would love what they believed. The apostles teaching is the essence of the church’s faithfulness.”
The ring also bears a Jerusalem cross with the words, “The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina” surrounding. It is given by the Venerable Jan Kaneft and her husband, Bill. Jan was Edgar’s first deacon and she will be reading the Gospel during the service.
The Pectoral Cross is given by his former diocese the Diocese of The Carolinas.
Both the ring and the cross are made of silver rather than gold. The Bishop Elect’s wedding band is made of gold. “Beth (my wife) has that pride of place in my life,” said Edgar.
The Church of the Apostles, Columbia will be giving him his Cope and Mitre.
While the service will be open to all, a capacity crowd is expected, and overflow seating will be available where the service will be viewable on a large screen. It will also be streamed online for those joining from other locations. Those wishing to attend the consecration in person are asked to RSVP using the link available at adosc.org. Note that indicating your RSVP does not guarantee seating within the Cathedral. Once the Cathedral is full, guests will be seated in the overflow area.
In looking forward to his consecration Bishop Elect Edgar said, “For years I have been grateful for this diocese and their commitment to the gospel; I’m grateful for Bishop Lawrence and his wisdom as a leader through turbulent years. These days, I am grateful for God’s call to join this great diocese, and I ask the clergy and people to pray that God would provide the necessary grace, wisdom, and endurance for the task ahead.”
Bishop Elect Edgar will be succeeding Bishop Lawrence who has led the diocese since his consecration in 2008.
The consecration service is expected to last approximately two hours.
View the consecration invitation.
Download a high resolution image of the Very Rev. Chip Edgar.
Those wishing to attend the consecration are invited to RSVP using the link below. Note that indicating your RSVP does not guarantee seating within the Cathedral. Once the Cathedral is full, guests will be invited to an overflow area where the service will be viewed via livestream.