Azalea Season is Better Than Ever!

For years, decades really, I have driven by this church in Summerville on the way to my church. 

In March and April, it has some of the best azaleas around. Keep reading for photos of azaleas at my house and at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. 

After my Mass ended nearby, I decided to park near this church and walk around the grounds. The service was still going on inside so I was careful to keep my distance and be quick and quiet with my photography. 

 

This is St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Built in 1857 to replace the church built nearby in 1830, it is one of Summerville’s oldest and most historic houses of worship. 

It has ties with the Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site in that the church formed there in 1717, St. George's Parish Church, evolved into St. Paul's. At the park off Dorchester Road can be seen what remains of the church and its bell tower. 

St. Paul's Anglican is Summerville’s oldest extant church with the second oldest congregation. Summerville Presbyterian has the oldest congregation. 

I think it is safe to say that St. Paul’s has the most beautiful and abundant azalea bushes of perhaps any church in the Charleston area. 

Back at Flowertown!

Back and better than ever! Canceled in 2020 and pushed to October last year, Summerville’s annual Flowertown Festival this year is back where it belongs for its 49th edition. 

The popular three day event is a right of spring passage (spring welcoming actually) here in the Lowcountry. Some 250,000 people are expected and the weather should be ideal as it was Friday when we were there. Sunny in the low 70s, not windy = perfect walking and shopping conditions! 

Big Talk at Summerville Church on My Graveyard Research!

It was a treat and honor to be the guest speaker Friday, June 25 at Bethany United Methodist Church in Summerville. About 50 members of the church’s Happy Hearts group attended their first get-together in more than a year due to the pandemic. 

My general theme was “How the Holy City Became So Holy.” I’m deep into writing a new book about Charleston’s 14 existing old churchyards, including the KKBE synagogue’s Coming Street Cemetery. Many thanks to Dot and Dick Prevette for the invitation and to Danny Trump for the audio-visual assistance. I can be contacted regarding my books and future such presentations at birdseyeviewspublications@gmail.com.