Bicentennial Celebration

Second Presbyterian Church was established in 1809

See the Photographs

Window Project - As a congregation celebrating its Bicentennial, as a downtown church in a historic city, and as a church family, we are uniquely positioned for many opportunities. These opportunities are spiritual, logistical and philanthropic, and each of us will more than likely seize several of each over the Bicentennial Celebration period.

It's rare when all of these things come together at once, but that is the case with our Celebrating 200 Planning for Another 200 historic window project. As stewards of the incredible structure in which we worship, it is our privilege to contribute to have these beautiful architectural assets refurbished to their appropriate splendor.

To learn more about how you can make a difference in this project and leave a lasting tribute for your family, please contact Bud Hay or Greer Polansky.

Adopt-A-Grave

“The Bicentennial Committee began a project to beautify our graveyard in celebration of our 200 years as a church. Our graveyard is a testimony to those who have walked before us. People have been asked to “adopt a grave”. This means identifying a grave and keeping the area around it clean and trimmed. The work would begin on 9 November 2008 and hopefully will continue throughout the coming years. Virginia Harding oversees this effort and as you can see from the photographs has made it a productive and fun project for all who chose to adopt a grave, plant daffodils, or just come and work. She can help you find the grave you might like to support. We have a yard crew which mows and does basic trimming, but they cannot give the care each grave needs. So we do need your help in keeping our commitment to the saints who kept this church alive for 200 years. If you would like to help with this effort or to make a contribution:, please contact Virginia Harding, 843-343-2939 or Nancy Bryant 843-723-9237.

Bicentennial Cross-stitch

This beautiful work of art by Robbie Staubes is the only original and copyrighted cross-stitch pattern of the church.

Want to make something special for someone? Jenni King Moore Cross stitch graphs of Second Presbyterian Church are available for purchase. Cost is $10. Proceeds go to the Bi-Centennial Fund.

Bicentennial Cards are available in the fellowship hall following church.

The cost $20. All proceeds from the donations will go towards the Bicentennial Finale Celebration!

A New Hymn by Mary Edna Fraser & Julia Harlow

This special composition was commissioned for the Bicentennial Finale service on Sunday, April 26, 2009. It was premiered during that service: the congregation sang the melody, accompanied by organ and brass choir. The words for the first three verses were written by Mary Edna Fraser. The melody, harmonization and words for the fourth verse were composed by Dr. Julia Harlow. The name of the hymn is "Wragg Square", which is the name of the park in front of the church. Several other famous hymns are named for their locations, e.g. Regent Square, Duke Street, Bunessan. If you did not hear it, you might want to acquire a copy from Dr. Harlow. It was a lovely piece and hopefully will be performed again and again over the next 200 years.."

A Special Edition of the 2nd Pres Cookbook

is now available for purchase in the church office for $15.

2009 is a very special year for us here at Second Presbyterian Church.

Bicentennial Thank List

For attending bicentennial planning meetings: Ethel Nepveaux, Larry Gale, Peggy Gale, Cyndi McLean, Debra Luhn, Sallie Schuh, Diane Balister, Kingsley Moore, Cassie Jaffe, Mia Maness, Eric Keller, Rebecca Darwin, Ginny Harding, Lorraine Jeter, David Hinson, Cathy Hinson, and Robert Luhn
Congregation: For submitting 248 ideas, for participating with the Congregational brainstorming supper on July 15, 2009, for participating in all bicentennial celebration activities
For making announcements about bicentennial events: Eric Keller, Larry Gale, Caley Jacobs, Kingsley Moore, Mia Maness and others
Session: For reviewing monthly minutes and supporting the celebration goals
All that set up, took down, and planned the kickoff on November 2, 2008, including worship service and pot-luck picnic
Two hundred folks that participated in the kickoff
Members of Lime and the Coconuts, led by Mary Edna Fraiser, for their music at the kickoff
Ani Lees for designing the decorations and then decorating for the kickoff
Ginny Harding and Eric Keller for organizing the Sunday to honor Veterans on November 11, 2008, including flag distribution
Peggy Gale for her organization, leadership, and research for the six month lecture series from November 2008 through April 2009
Victoria for her music as a part of the six month lecture series
For giving lectures as part of the bicentennial lecture series: Pat Mellen, Eric Keller, Mary Edna Fraiser, Larry Gale, Waring Howe, Lanneau Siegling, Diane Keller, Eric Keller, Jan Hiester, Colin Kerr, Adger Smyth, Harlan Green
Holton Siegling for preaching as a part of the celebration on November 30, 2008
Anna Straight for preaching as a part of the celebration on February 8, 2009
Nike Kern for her part in designing the bicentennial logo
Julia Harlow for organizing the family Christmas caroling in the church neighborhood on December 21, 2008
Carol Howe, Diane Balister and Cathy Hinson for organizing the bicentennial recipe book, which will be at the Seconds Please Tea Room 2009
All those that contributed to the bicentennial recipe book
Larry Gale for photography throughout the celebration period
Larry Gale for collecting members’ pictures and creating presentations of the pictures
Bud Hay and Greer Polansky for their work for the Adopt a Sanctuary Window project to restore and repair the sanctuary windows
Kingsley Moore for creating the Adopt a Sanctuary Window advent-calendar-style poster to display the windows as adopted
SC Poetry Society of South Carolina for hosting an open mic meeting dedicated to spiritual poetry in honor of the bicentennial on January 9, 2009
Congregational Care Committee, led by Sara Gouldon, for giving this year’s annual oyster roast a bicentennial theme on February 28, 2009
Care Teams, led by Debbie Smith, for delivering bicentennial magnets and invitations to bicentennial events
Cyndi McLean, Pam Luhn and all others involved in the Every Member has a Ministry for initiating the ministry coupled with the bicentennial theme of commitment and community on March 1, 2009
Erskine Clarke for speaking at Second Sunday lunch on March 8, 2009
Julia Harlow for featuring music by the bicentennial composer, Felix Mendelssohn as well as others throughout the six month celebration
Julia Harlow, Jack Cleghom, Second Presbyterian Church choir, Harborview Presbyterian Church choir, and instrumentalists for presenting Elijah on April 5, 2009
Colin Kerr for dedicating a Talks on Tap to Secession from the Union in honor of the bicentennial on April 14, 2009
Virginia Street for involving the youth in the bicentennial celebration and making them aware of the significance of the celebration
Kingsley Moore for researching and putting together the time capsule
Kingsley Moore for designing many signs and artwork for the celebration
Cassie Jaffe for creating and updating a tri-fold for the entry to the church for us to know what bicentennial events were coming next
Cassie Jaffe for initiating all of the plans for the finale celebration
Diane Ballister for keeping up the bicentennial information on the church web site
Kingsley Moore for making available the cross stick of the church created by her mother, Jennie King Moore
Sue Henderson and the Kindergarten Parents’ Guild for creating the bicentennial note cards with drawings of the church by Second Presbyterian Kindergarten (SPK) children
Sherri Jacobs and Colin Kerr for creating the bicentennial magnets
Margaret Brice for continued encouragement as well as research and writing about folks from our church
All that set up, took down, and planned the finale celebration on April 25, 2009
One hundred, thirty folks that participated in the finale
Sixty-five folks that played in the Charleston Community Band for the finale
Joel for arranging the finale flowers for the finale
Sherri Jacobs for choosing and getting the birthday cake for the finale
Kelly King for providing the face painting for the children at the finale
Colin Kerr for passing out invitations to the finale to residents around the church neighborhood
Kingsley Moore for creating and bringing the guest book for the finale
Sue Henderson for helping with the decorations for the finale
Cassie Jafee for creating the finale program for the finale
Cassie Jafee, Cyndi McLean and Mia Maness for sitting at the welcome table during the finale
Larry Gale for creating and presenting the finale picture presentation
Stockton Jacobs for contacting the City of Charleston about parking for the day of the finale
Stockton Jacobs and Larry Gale for taking pictures of the finale event
Nancy Bryant for allowing the use of her tent as the cake tent during the finale
Cress Darwin for being the Master of Ceremonies at the finale
ReJeanna Walters for sharing her Art Through the Eyes of a Child project at the bicentennial picnic on April 25, 2009
Colin Kerr for presenting the time capsule at the finale
All those that brought extra food to the finale picnic in order to share with others
Debbie Smith for arranging transportation for folks that may otherwise not have been able to attend the finale
All that planned, implemented and participated in the finale worship on April 26, 2009
Julia Harlow and Mary Edna Fraiser for writing the music and verse to the bicentennial hymn
Worship and Music Committee, led by Peggy Hay, for planning the finale worship
Walter Cook and Walter Hickman, both past preachers of the church, for participating in the finale worship service
Youth for participating in the finale worship
Kurt Taylor and his family for designing the bicentennial commemorative coin distributed after the finale worship
Molly McDougal for putting together the reception following the finale worship
All that participated through prayer, deed or money to the celebration of our church’s bicentennial: Community and Commitment

A special Thanks to our Bi-centennial Committee

Jodie Almeida, Chair

Diane Balister

Larry Gale

Peggy Gale

Cathy Hinson

David Hinson

Julia Howe

Cassie Jaffee

Lorraine Jeter

Eric Keller

Debra Luhn

Cyndi McLean

Kingsley Moore

Ethel Nepveaux

Michael Onofrey

Shea Onofrey

Greer Polansky

Sallie Schuh