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CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR TURNS 25!

On November 20, 2005, the Church of Our Saviour on Johns Island celebrated its 25th anniversary with a festival eucharist celebrated by Bishop Salmon.   Past Rectors of the Church, including Father Ladson “Punchy” Mills and Father Colton Smith, were there to celebrate.  To most South Carolina Episcopalians, a 25-year anniversary may not seem very significant, but for one of this Diocese’s newest congregations, this was an event to celebrate!   Our Saviour’s mission “at the crossroads” of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns Islands is to “know Christ and make Him known on these islands,” and as we moved into our second 25 years, we were committed to continue and strengthen that ministry!

Most Lowcountry Episcopalians know that the first Anglican Church in South Carolina was founded in 1670, when the Parish of St. Philip was established in the Carolina colony.  More than a generation later, the Parish of St. John was established in 1734 to serve the sea islands to the south of Charleston.  St. John’s has faithfully served these sea islands ever since.

Early in the 1970’s, with the development of the resort areas of Kiawah and Seabrook Islands at the southern coastal end of Johns Island, the need for a place of worship was recognized by the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina.  In 1976, under the sponsorship of St. John’s, a congregation began to meet at the Chapel of Palms at Camp St. Christopher.  Through the care and dedication of The Reverend Richard Belser, who at that time was Rector of St. John’s, and with the assistance of dedicated laypersons of St. John’s and summer seminarians, the chapel’s congregation began to grow.

In 1979, seminarian Ladson F. Mills III acted as the summer minister at the chapel, and upon his ordination in 1980, Father "Punchy" Mills was assigned to the new congregation as Vicar of the mission.  Several names for the new mission were considered, and Father Punchy suggested “Our Saviour,” the name of his home parish in Rock Hill.  The mission was officially established as The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour at the founding service for the new mission parish on November 20, 1980. The spelling “Saviour” was chosen to emphasize “our” Saviour.

The need for a larger facility became a necessity and in 1982, the Church purchased nine acres of property along Bohicket Road (now Betsy Kerrison Parkway), just outside the entrances to Kiawah and Seabrook.  The multipurpose building was completed in May of 1986 and officially dedicated in October of that same year.  August of 1986 brought John R. (“Jack”) Dover, III to the Church as Priest Associate. 

With the departure of Father Mills in March of 1991, "Father Jack" served as interim Rector.  In December of 1991, The Reverend Dr. Colton M. Smith, III became the Rector.  The Reverend Marilyn Powell joined the staff in the fall of 1992 as the Deacon coordinating the outreach ministries and assisting with liturgical and pastoral services.  Then in 1997, a Parish Hall with a first-rate kitchen, a new nursery, and three classrooms were added to the Parish Hall.

Under Father Smith’s leadership, Our Saviour saw an increase in the ability to minister both to its congregation and to the greater community with the additional physical space. The Neighborhood Learning Center was established primarily to meet the educational needs of a large segment of the population on Johns Island. Marilyn Powell retired in 1998, and in 1999, Bill Anderson joined Our Saviour as Deacon to assume her responsibilities for the outreach ministries. Our Saviour entered into a powerful ministry partnership with St. James AME Church on John’s Island.    Our Saviour was recognized nationally as one of two Jubilee Centers in our diocese for mission and ministry with the poor of Johns Island.

The Rev. Dr. Colton Smith retired in 2001, and the Rev. Dr. Alfred T. K Zadig, Sr. served as interim rector until 2002.  In the spring of 2002, the Vestry called Father Patrick Finn to become Rector of Our Saviour. An 11:00am contemporary service with Holy Communion was added to Sundays.  More people were confirmed in 2003 than any other year in the history of Our Saviour.  There was even a baptism in the ocean.  Many exciting new programs began and  Our Saviour’s Outreach flourished.  The ministry to Camp St. Christopher grew, and several of their staff are active members at Our Saviour. Our Saviour hired an Associate Rector late in 2004, the Rev. Marshall Huey, to respond to the needs of the growing congregation. [Rev. Huey is now Rector at St. Andrews.] In 2008 Father Finn resigned to become a full time Chaplin with the U.S. Air Force Reserves. The Reverend Robert Horn served as a Interim Rector until the Vestry called Reverend Michael Clarkson as Our Saviour's new Rector in May 2008.

Many people in this Diocese have experienced the love of Jesus Christ at Church of Our Saviour.  Whether as a full member, a visitor to Kiawah or Seabrook, a Cursillo participant, or a part-time resident, Church of Our Saviour wants to be your Church home when you are here.