Recently retired as Provisional Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in South Carolina, the Right Rev. Charles vonRosenberg will be making his first visit to All Saints by-the-Sea this month. Called to serve the Diocese of South Carolina at an exceptional time in its history, vonRosenberg was elected as Provisional Bishop at a special diocesan convention in January 2013 and was asked to lead the reorganization of the diocese after a breakaway group of clergy announced that it had left the Episcopal church. This is his second retirement as Bishop. He and his wife Annie moved to the Daniel Island community of Charleston, South Carolina in 2011 after he had served for twelve years as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee.

VonRosenberg graduated from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a BA in 1969. He earned his master of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1974. Early in his episcopate, the University of the South’s School of Theology awarded him an honorary doctor of divinity. Ordained as a priest in 1975, he served as rector/vicar of four small churches in and around Belhaven, N.C. He was vicar and rector of churches in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina from 1976 until 1989. For many years he served in the diocese of Upper South Carolina, as rector of the Church of the Resurrection in Greenwood and later as canon to the Ordinary (assistant to the Bishop) of that diocese from 1989-1994. Later he accepted a call to be rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Wilmington, N.C. Bishop vonRosenberg served in the House of Bishops, and ex officio on the board of trustees of the University of the South. He was also was elected to the university’s board of regents.

Bishop vonRosenberg will celebrate Holy Communion at both the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services on Aug. 21. On Aug. 28, the 8 a.m. service will be Holy Communion followed by Morning Prayer at 10 a.m. A social hour with refreshments follows the 10 a.m. service. At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23 and Tuesday, Aug. 30, Bishop vonRosenberg will lead a discussion group on the church porch. All Saints welcomes visitors of all faiths.

All Saints by-the-Sea is on Southport Island on All Saints Road about two miles on your left as you drive south on Route 238 (look for the Episcopal Church sign by the side of the road). Parking is available along Route 238, or if necessary, in the limited number of handicapped parking spaces off All Saints Road. A golf cart will provide transport from the handicapped lot to the church steps. You may also come to church by private boat or by the tour boat Novelty, which leaves Boothbay Harbor from Pier 8 at 9 a.m. Novelty picks up passengers from the church dock at 11:40 a.m. for the return trip. The very beautiful and simple wood chapel is open for quiet prayer and meditation during the week.