The Very Rev. Charles E. Owens
Church of the Cross
110 Calhoun St. PO Box 278 Bluffton, SC, 29910
thepadre@thechurchofthecross.net
(843) 757-2661 Business
(843) 757-2663 Fax
The Very Rev. Dr. Charles E. Owens III (Chuck) is a grassroots believer who knows first-hand the struggles and challenges of everyday life. He is a real world disciple having spent over thirty years as an educator and independent school headmaster prior to entering full-time ministry. Married for forty-three years, he and his wife Becky have two children and five grandchildren. Father Owens discerned a call to ministry, read for Orders, and was ordained a deacon by the Rt. Rev. Edward L. Salmon, Jr., South Carolina XIII, in January 1994 and priest six months later. He served for two and one half years as Curate at the Church of the Redeemer in Orangeburg, South Carolina, before being installed as Rector of The Church of the Cross in Bluffton, South Carolina, in August 1996. In addition to countless seminars and ongoing professional programs, his education includes a B.S., M.Ed, and D.Min. During his half century in the Anglican Church, Father Owens has served in various lay leadership roles at the parish and diocesan levels. As a priest he has been a member of the Diocesan Council, the Commission on Ministry, the Board of Trustees of York Place and the South Carolina Christian Action Council. For the past ten years he has served as the Chairman of the Congregational Development Committee and as Dean of the Beaufort Deanery. Father Owens has led many retreats to include: the Diocesan Men’s Conference, the Diocesan Couples’ Conference (with Becky), and numerous Cursillo Weekends. With the full support of his parish, Father Owens travels regularly and extensively in and out of the Diocese of South Carolina facilitating leadership, discipleship and stewardship at both the parish and diocesan levels, most recently establishing ongoing relationships with the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh in Ireland and the Diocese of Fredericton in Canada. In 2012 he keynoted the Canadian Anglican Cursillo Triennial in Ottawa and began conducting mission events in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, and speaking in the Leadership Stream of the New Wine Conference in Ireland. He has also developed and conducted two conferences focused on strengthening small congregations throughout the Emerald Isle (Strong Small Churches) – these conferences are now being offered on a continuing basis in Ireland and elsewhere. He regularly hosts teams of lay and clergy leaders at The Church of the Cross. Relentless in his faith, Father Owens is a gifted teacher and preacher of the Gospel who unashamedly challenges others to grow in their personal relationships with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Under his leadership, The Church of the Cross has experienced phenomenal growth, built a second campus and Christian school, and has now embraced a vision for a virtual campus ministry committed to reaching and connecting formerly churched believers who now find themselves without access to orthodox Christian fellowship, teaching and worship.