South Carolina

The Very Rev. Mark Lawrence was re-elected to head the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, months after his first election was thrown out.

His election as bishop on Saturday must now receive consent from a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and the diocesan Standing Committees within 120 days of receiving notice of the election, according to the Episcopal News Service.

Lawrence, who is currently rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bakersfield, Calif., was the only candidate in the election and was first elected in September 2006 to be South Carolina's 14th bishop. In March, however, Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori declared Lawrence's election "null and void," citing that some of the votes were electronically submitted and did not have the required signatures attached. It was the first time in over 70 years that consents for the consecration of a bishop were denied. more >>

Back from the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting, Dr. Frank Page shows no sign of slowing down in his position as head of the nation's largest Protestant denomination.

"I will not back down, back away, back up from that which I believe God has called me to do," said Page on Monday at Taylors First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., according to WYFF 4 news.

Page was re-elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention at last week's meeting in San Antonio, Texas. He says he's cautiously optimistic about the future of the denomination but indicated it's time to change strategies. more >>

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina has again nominated a conservative bishop whose first election had been thrown out.

The Standing Committee of the Diocese of South Carolina met early this month and agreed to call for a special convention to elect a bishop on Aug. 4 at St. James Church.

The unanimous nomination on June 9 of the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence as the next bishop of the diocese comes by the prediction of some bishops who felt Lawrence should have been consecrated the first time in March. more >>

The United Methodist Council of Bishops is "somewhat immobilized these days" on such big issues as homosexuality, said one of its members recently.

At a semi-annual meeting early this month, retired Bishop Jack Tuell of Des Moines, Wash., said the Council of Bishops should give leadership to the church on the debate over homosexuality, according to the United Methodist News Service.

"[A]lmost any thoughtful plan of leadership would be superior to prudent silence," he said. more >>

The curly-haired Christian star who placed tenth in this season’s American Idol has already been showing his future prospect in the music industry, having his South Carolina-based band already being voted as the top rock group for week 10 in Music Nation’s online video contest.

“Know,” the debut single of former Idol contestant Chris Sligh and his band, Half Past Forever, was picked as the best rock song of the week and now will move into the quarterfinals of the music video competition.

Should the group win the contest, they will receive a professional recording contract with Epic Records and an appearance on Clear Channel's Stripped. more >>