St. John's Episcopal Chapel, Charleston, S.C. -- the resurrection of a success story

Within the existing turmoil, an opportunity has arisen for the Diocese of South Carolina to excel in its mandate of "Home Mission" evangelism, to residents of a "devastated" community, through, St. John's Episcopal Chapel (the African American Family Center for Biblical Dialogue) a unique spiritual and educational evangelistic approach to the unfortunate. St. John's Episcopal Chapel, established 1839, deconsecrated 1959, re-dedicated 2005 and with your assistance, it will be flourishing in 2008.

The African American Family Center for Biblical Dialogue (AAFCBD) is multi-faceted, multi-generational approach to Families in despair. We believe the gift of diversity was intentionally given to us that we may manifest the love of God in and for the world. Our overall hope is to advance work on gender and development and women's human rights by facilitating ongoing, inclusive debates on basic and challenging issues and by promoting ongoing, inclusive debate on emerging and critical issues in the areas of economic gender equity.

We will also build the individual and organizational capacities of our immediate community by providing information, networking and learning opportunities that expose neighborhood to exchange realistic and strategic tools and analyses relevant to their social, economic, and political change strategies.

We will expand the population of organizations and individuals who share AAFCBD commitment to gender equality and social justice by undertaking targeted and ongoing outreach to an ever-widening community of organizations and networks working for gender justice in South Carolina and our region.

AAFCBD is located in the Enterprise Renewal Community (ERC), the poorest, more violent least educated community in the State of South Carolina, the Eastside Community. It is imperative that our story "gets told" and someone who has the sensitivity to step forward to meet our immediate financial and social need.

At present, we are endeavoring to establish a safe haven and training center in the "roughest", most volatile area in Charleston, South Carolina that will:

work toward gender fairness as one tool for seeking reconciliation and harmony in our matriarchal dominated community and in like community throughout the State of South Carolina.

We will:

Support organizations within the community, already engaged in these tasks as they seek to be faithful to their call;
Plant seeds of imagination with others who may want to create new ways of working;
Provide educational resources to support women in public and private entrepreneurial efforts;
Provide a forum for conversation about matters of faith, life, and politics among all age women, as we listen to voices of women in and outside the community, as we shape the work of the future;
Support women in their unique vocational aspirations;
Commit to working with a diversity of persons with a particular awareness of race and class;
Build a county-wide network of women who want to claim the public voice of women, and,
Replicate all of the above through training and education.

AAFCBD is interested in partnering with organizations that are sensitive to the dictates of gender justice and economic development.

St. John's Episcopal Chapel
(Established 1839)

18 Hanover Street
Charleston, SC 29403-5515

P.O. Box 21862
Charleston, SC 29413

Telephone: 843-720-3600
Facsimile: 843-720-3602
Temporary Email: dhw_jr@bellsouth.net

The Rev. Dr. Dallas H. Wilson, Jr., Vicar

The Rt. Rev. Edward L Salmon, Jr.,
Bishop XIII,
The Diocese of South Carolina