Dear Sisters in Christ,
Praying your Thanksgiving was filled with many blessings. I know mine was with the marriage of our first born which took place in our home. He and his wife were filled with love and could not have been more pleased with the manner in which their nuptials took place. Blessings upon blessings. And now, "Happy New Year"!! Advent is upon us and a time of expectation and patience as we await the birth of Christ and his coming again.
Much is happening in the new year in our Assembly as well. Regional meetings approach rapidly at the end of January and February. All Saints' Church, Hilton Head, is hosting our second meeting on February 3rd and St Matthews, Darlington will host the February 17th meeting. We are still awaiting a host for our January 20th meeting in the middle sector of our Assembly. Please let me know if your Chapter can host one of this gathering.
These regional meetings are a wonderful opportunity to gather with Daughters in your area without having to travel a great distance. PLEASE take advantage of these opportunities to catch up with the business of the Assembly and enjoy fellowship. And then, register for our Spring Retreat Hope in the Holy Spirit, April 12-14, with our Speaker Sherry Schuman. We have invited our Sisters from the Upstate Assembly to join us so register early as our room space at Camp St Christopher is limited. A registration form is on our Assembly website (www.doksc.org) and will be available at the Regional Meetings. Registration will be available for our Upstate Sisters following the completion of our Regional Meetings.
For those who attended our Fall Assembly, you will remember we did not hold elections because our officer slate was not complete. We will hold elections electronically (online) on Saturday, April 28, 2024. Nominations are still open if you wish to nominate a Daughter for any of the four elected positions (President, 1st VP, 2nd VP and Treasurer) and will remain open until April 1, 2024. Note that the nomination form and qualifications/duties links are below.
As a note of explanation, according to our ByLaws, each Chapter is allotted four delegates and four alternates for the election. A Daughter must be in good standing, which means current in her dues, to serve as a delegate. Chapter Presidents, please make sure you have elected (or appointed) delegates for the election and submit those names to me and our Registrar Bobbie Puckett. Though any Daughter is welcome to attend the online meeting, only delegates are allowed to vote. If you are not a delegate and still wish to attend you will also have to register. There is no fee for registration.
Officer’s duties
The Triennial celebration, A New Day Dawns, is rapidly approaching June 26-30, 2024, in Louisville, KY. Room reservation information is available and open on the National website (www.doknational.org). Event registration will be open January 2, 2024. We are the host Province and with that comes many opportunities to volunteer. One of those opportunities are the Welcome Bags given to each registrant and every Province IV Assembly is asked to donate to the bags. St Paul's Conway has very generously donated Prayer Squares. The Assembly Advisory Board elected to include a tea bag from Charleston Tea Plantation (the only Tea Plantation in the country). We are negotiating with them to determine at what level they will participate with us. Any monetary balance will be disseminated among the Chapters and DAL's. You will hear more about these opportunities at the Regional Meetings but please set the date aside and plan to attend.
It is with a very heavy and sad heart I announce the resignation of our long-time Chaplain, the Rev'd Janet Echols. She has served our Assembly well and we all owe her a debt of deep gratitude. Well done good and faithful servant!
Wishing you all an expectant and comfortable Advent season and a blessed Christmas. I look forward to seeing you all in the secular New Year at one of our Regional meetings.
FHS,
Kester Heaton, President
SC Assembly, DOK