[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will convene and chair a special meeting of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina Convention on Jan. 26 at Grace Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Jefferts Schori will celebrate and preach at Eucharist at 9:30 am.  The special meeting follows; the slated agenda items include the election of the Rt. Rev. Charles Glenn vonRosenberg as provisional bishop and then the election of clergy and lay people to serve in diocesan leadership positions.

Among the invited guests to the special convention are the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, president of the House of Deputies; Angela Daniel of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina and president of Province IV; Bishop John C. Buchanan, Diocese of Quincy; Bishop Dabney Smith, Diocese of Southwest Florida; Bishop Andrew Waldo, Diocese of Upper South Carolina and Bishop George D. Young, III, Diocese of East Tennessee.

The special meeting was called following the announcement by the former bishop and some diocesan elected leaders that they were no longer affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The Presiding Bishop accepted the former bishop’s renunciation on Dec. 5, 2012.

The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina is composed of 24 counties in eastern South Carolina. Currently, nearly two dozen parishes and missions and six worship communities have indicated their intent on remaining with the Episcopal Church; others are expected to attend the special convention.