Second Presbyterian

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What a week!

The sermon and children’s sermon are now both posted below. Scroll to the bottom for sermon notes.

Pastor Cress Darwin delivers a message for the week of April 26, 2020.

Stay home, stay healthy and let’s flatten the curve! Sermon videos will be posted online for 10:30 a.m. on Sundays as we worship together from home.

Children’s sermon with Sarah Craven


SERMON SNAPSHOT: Sunday, April 26, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ –

What a week! Lightning strikes the Bell Tower, the death rate from the coronavirus tops 50,000 in our country, Charleston was pummeled with 5 inches of rain last night and electricity was just reconnected to the church campus five days after the lightning strike. And yet…yes, Sunday’s comin’:)

What curious times we live in.

Our text this Sunday has the elements of a great tragedy. Plot and character are the two most important elements, according to Aristotle. What could be more compelling than a small town carpenter’s seemingly illegitimate son claiming divinity, wrenching ‘disciples’ from their homes and family obligations; offering redemption and restoration to an oppressed and cowered people; surrendering to arrest, torture, humiliation and execution, only to rise! And to encounter, incognito, two heart-crushed devotees heading home in utter defeat, reporting the sad tale, “…but we had hoped.”  (Luke 24:13-35).

Remember, dear friends, we’ve read the end of the book. But for those who could not, or who have not read the Bible, can we find hope as well in this scripture for our inspiration these days?

Answer: Yes!

Let’s gather again online this Sunday at 10:30. We’ll discover together God’s revealed message for this day, for these days, of natural assault and confusing rhetoric. We’ll be reminded that the God who lives is our paraclete, our advocate, our inspiration and companion on the road back to Emmaus- back to work, or back to home-tutoring 3rd grade math.

With great anticipation in these challenging days – 


Interested in becoming a member of Second Presbyterian? Email Cress for more information.

In consultation with the Stated Clerk of Presbytery and in light of the current mandated guidelines, we are unable to hold a congregational meeting at this time. The Session has set the Congregational Meeting for May 31st.

The bell tower was struck by lightning the afternoon of Sunday, April 19. The Steeple Fund campaign for the current renovation continues and, considering the damage from the fire, the need to raise money is now even greater.

Help us bring the Second Church tower back to its former glory, so it can continue to be a beacon for Charleston. Donate today to the Steeple Fund.

Bell tower progress updates (and lots of photos) can be found here.

SUPPORT YOUR CHURCH WHILE YOU PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING! Many of us are ordering online right now and you can support Second Pres any time you shop on Amazon! Choose to support “Second Presbyterian Church” at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will automatically donate to Second Presbyterian with each purchase you make. Remember to check out and place your final order via smile.amazon.com (and not the app) each time you shop to activate the donations.

Please text the number 81010 with the message '@2pcchurch' to sign up for church text messages so that you are made aware of pertinent announcements and church-related news. If you didn't receive a text this week regarding the fire, then you aren't yet signed up! Please take a moment to sign up right now so that you're connected in the future. Please contact Jordyn or Sarah if you need help signing up.

MUSC's Psychiatry Unit has reached out offering ways to help patients feel less isolated.
Because of all of the extra measures we have had to take to ensure our patients stay safe with this pandemic, that means many of them are not able to receive any visitors at all, and now they feel more isolated than ever.
Would you be willing to send something to a patient? Something small like a word puzzle book, cards, coloring book, or even a teddy bear can go a long way to just simply let them know someone out there is thinking about them.
Simply send something via their Amazon Registry.
If you would prefer to send us something directly, please send to:
MUSC Institute of Psychiatry, Jessica Carter
67 President St MSC 861
Charleston, SC 29425

One80 Place is in need of volunteers!
They have openings this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. If you are able, please sign up and help serve those who need us most right now!
Sign up here: one80place.volunteerhub.com/
Or donate white rice to meet their "need of the week".
Wish list: one80place.org/wish-list/
Find it on Amazon: bit.ly/Wish-List-One80
Find it at Walmart: bit.ly/2NSDx7O