The Rev. William J. Keith, Father Wil, came to Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church on July 29, 2012. As God intended, there was meaning in our call to him as our Rector. Father Wil is the first Rector our church has called in our brief history as a Parish, and our call was Father Wil’s first as a Rector. We had much to celebrate at his Institution and at our Celebration of Ministry on August 29, 2012.

A lifelong Episcopalian, Father Wil grew up in a small church in Asheville, NC, serving proudly as an acolyte for the greater part of his youth. In 2002, he received a B.A. in philosophy and religion from Appalachian State University, and was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests in the Episcopal Church after graduating from the School of Theology at Sewanee.

Prior to coming to Holy Cross Faith Memorial, Father Wil served four years in parish ministry: three years as an ordained minister and one year in youth ministry. During this service, he began a Young Adult Ministry with focus on parenting, newcomers, and marriage enrichment. He also created a comprehensive confirmation curriculum for 37 high-school aged youth and 10 adults.

Father Wil is committed to outreach, a ministry for which HCFM is known. At his prior parish, he was involved with a homelessness prevention agency as well as a community home for adults with disabilities. He also comes to us with a variety of credentials including Education for Ministry (EfM) mentor, Safeguarding God’s Children trainer, and Disciples of Christ in Community (D.O.C.C.) presenter and facilitator.

Father Wil has come to Holy Cross Faith Memorial with a passion for advocacy in the community, outreach within and outside of our church, an energetic and meaningful Christian education program, and a profound spirituality reflected in worship, fellowship, teaching, preaching, and following Christ.

With deep gratitude for answering our call to join us at Holy Cross Faith Memorial, we welcome Father Wil, Amanda, Lily, and Willow to our faith community. God brought Wil and his family to us and we are blessed in their presence.

I was born in Los Angles, California and raised in Maryland.  In 2006 after years of coming to South Carolina my husband Bob and I moved ‘home’.  My family is from South Carolina originally and we decided it was time to come back.  I have retired from my ‘other life’s work in the field of addiction and social ministry. I love the beach, reading warmer weather.  Most of the time you will find my husband Bob on the water fishing. We have two boys, Joe and Rob and a beautiful, wonderful granddaughter Autumn.

After three years of formation with the College of Preachers and the Diocese of Maryland in conjunction with the University of the South, I was ordained a deacon on June 5, 2004 by The Rt. Rev. Robert W. Ihloff.  The Deacons primary role is to bring the needs of the world to the church and bring the church to the world.  A deacon is a servant-leader who helps folks to live into their Baptismal Covenant using their God given gifts.  A deacon’s role is to teach, preach, work in pastoral care and assist in worship.

I continue to look for the many blessings God has bestowed on us at Holy Cross Faith Memorial.

Born and raised in Maryland, I vacationed regularly at Myrtle Beach with my family. I fell in love with the area and in 1989 a job offer led me to make the move to South Carolina. I arrived just 2 weeks before Hurricane Hugo hit the area but even that didn’t scare me off. I met my husband, Bobby, when we both worked for the Horry County Police Department. He was an officer and I was a dispatcher. Bobby, a native of Georgetown County, has since moved on to open his own accounting business as well as an Apple Computer store. Our two children, Aaron – 22 and Allison – 18, were both born in Conway.

I have been blessed to be a regular on the HCFM/Baskervill campus since 1998 when I became the Property Manager at St. Elizabeth Place. In June of 2007, after almost a decade at St. Elizabeth Place, I moved “up front” to assume the role of office manager for Holy Cross Faith Memorial. In a nutshell I am usually the first point of contact for visitors or callers to HCFM. Some of my duties include supervising and performing office functions, managing the parish database, preparing and editing church publications and bulletins, and I also serve as bookkeeper for the church. Early in 2012 I became re-assigned to perform oversight of the operations at St. Elizabeth Place as well.

Serving at Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church and its outreach ministries has become a way of life for me. I have grown to love the church and the parish and cherish the time that I have spent here. God truly blessed me when he led me here.

Church music has been significant in my life for as long as I can remember. I was always fascinated by the church organist’s ability to play with both hands and feet, while directing musicians and singers at the same time. I was very fortunate to have studied organ and church musicianship with Harold Abmyer who was a protégé of Dr. Clarence Dickinson, a founder of the American Guild of Organists and the School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary and organist of Riverside Church in NYC. I began studies to become a music educator but took another career path in hotel management. My first and only full time organist’s position until now was at the Ferry Farm Baptist Church where I met my lovely wife Beth. Once married, we moved to begin careers in Washington DC and she hesitantly joined my beloved Episcopal Church. Over the next twenty five years we were blessed with three sons; George, Spencer and Jack and a busy life in Charlotte NC. All the while, God was providing opportunities to learn from some of our church’s most talented musicians at Historic Christ Church Alexandria, Christ Church and St. Martin’s Church, Charlotte. After my appointment as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and our move to Pawleys Island and Holy Cross Faith Memorial, I ask God to put my talents to work for his glory, and here I am. I am pleased to serve as treasurer of the Grand Strand Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, to have performed with the Indigo Choral Society and Long Bay Symphony, and very honored to be finally realizing my musical potential at HCFM.

My name is Lee Shelton Rutherford. I am the Sexton for Holy Cross Faith Memorial and the Maintenance Supervisor for St. Elizabeth Place. I specialize in many different skills including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and flooring. I have spent a number of years in the construction trades. If I am not able to get it done from my bank of knowledge, I will take the time to read up or ask someone who knows. I also have sales experience as well as managerial skills in the security industry as well as in the hurricane protection industry. This is where I picked up my people skills. I am able to delegate jobs when necessary and take care of jobs that don’t require delegating. I have been known in years’ past as the “go to” guy, Mr. Fix It, or the House Doctor.

I am truly happy and blessed to have a great family! My two best accomplishments in this life are my son Shelton and my daughter Daisy. We reside in Pawleys Island, South Carolina and enjoy the coast with all it has to offer.

Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly, Leave the rest to GOD!