Hurricane Helene Update
We continue to recover from the storm. Our offices are closed the week of September 30 and perhaps the following week, too. Fr. Josh invites those who can safely come to the Parish Hall for Evening Prayer on Wednesday, October 2, at 4:00pm to reconnect and 4:30pm for the short worship service. Church is scheduled for 10:00am in the Parish Hall on Sunday, October 6. The Parish Breakfast, Blessing of the Animals, and Newcomers' Class originally scheduled for that day are canceled.
Charleston Rediscovered:
Claiming Our Spiritual Ancestors, Both Enslaved and Freed
This spring, the Travel Ministry of St. John in the Wilderness will take you on a pilgrimage to rediscover our roots in Charleston, South Carolina. We will travel the same route forged by our church's founders as they made their way to the mountains from the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Our tour stops include Magnolia Gardens & Plantation, Old St. Andrew's Parish, the International African American Museum, Downtown Charleston, and more. The focus of this trip will be history: the agricultural, economic, and social circumstances that have led us to where we are today. Along the way, we will learn about the longest serving rector in our parish’s history, The Rev. John Grimke Drayton, and the role he played in the struggles of oppressed peoples for liberation. We hope this pilgrimage will shape participants to claim as part of the spiritual family of St. John in the Wilderness the enslaved and freed black people whom Rev. Drayton owned, ministered to, and became church with during his lifetime.
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We are excited for Charleston Rediscovered to be an intergenerational pilgrimage where children and adults can learn together. Parents will be able to adapt our schedule as needed for their families. We will also be including conversations and reading ahead of time to prepare for experience.
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We will stay at Sheldon Farms on Wadmalaw Island, where we will have both indoor and camping accommodations. Because this is a pilgrimage retreat, we will do our best to accommodate single and double room preferences. Prices include lodging, activities, and meals, except for Thursday and Sunday night dinners.
$200
Cost to Camp in the Field
(Per Family;
Tents, RVs, and Trailers Permitted)
$300
Cost to Stay Inside
(Per Adult)
$400
Cost to Stay Inside
(Families with Children)
Scholarships are available. Children are welcome. You can find a rough itinerary at the bottom of this page.
Please contact the Parish Office with questions. Click the button below to register by February 1!
Proposed Itinerary
The following itinerary is subject to change. Registrants will receive a final itinerary and other important information after registration for this trip closes on February 1.
Thursday,
March 7
Participants will travel to Sheldon Farms on Wadmalaw this day. We anticipate an early departure group and a group that will leave late in the day.
Friday,
March 8
Today we will venture to downtown Charleston to learn about the history of the city. In the afternoon, we will visit the new International African American Museum. We will have dinner at Sheldon Farms.
Saturday,
March 9
We will spend today at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, where the Rev. John Grimke Drayton lived and worked with around 45 enslaved people and, later, with freed people who helped with the gardens. We will have lunch at Old St. Andrew’s Parish’s Tea Room.
Sunday, March 10
​This morning we will worship at Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston. After lunch, we will visit Old St. Andrew’s Parish again for a tour with Paul Porwoll, parish historian and author. We will leave for the mountains in the mid-afternoon.