Back-to-School Blessing Bags

Usually this time of year we would come together in excitement and anticipation of the new school year ahead and bless the backpacks of students, bags of preschoolers, and briefcases of teachers. This has definitely been a very different year, and while back-to-school may also look different, God’s promise to be with us remains unchanged. 

We want to share in the excitement as our students step up into a new year even though we can't be together. We’ll be dropping off Back-to-School Blessing Bags to students this week. Please let Jordyn know if there's someone you know of who isn't a member but would like a blessing bag to make sure the church has their address. 

We miss being with you and sharing in the love and light that you offer the world, but know that you are prayed for and loved by your church family at Second Presbyterian. 

Be the light of joy for a new school year, new friends, and new ways of learning. Go into the world and shine bright with kindness, patience, energy and love!

Join a Small Group

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ADVENT DEVOTIONAL SMALL GROUPS HERE.

Craving meaningful conversation?

Looking for closer community in this time of distance?

Feeling compelled to engage the word with a community of believers? 

Join a small group! 

Small groups are the best way to get involved, grow spiritually and build relationships. This is a great way for members, new and old, and friends to join together, get to know one another better and grow in the ways of Jesus. 

Different small groups meet at different times throughout the week. Groups will be engaging but small enough to be manageable if you'd like to meet via Zoom or safely in person. If you’re interested in joining a small group please let us know by submitting the form below.

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A MEN'S GROUP meets Fridays at 6am with options to either Zoom or meet in-person at the church.

A MOMS' GROUP (focusing on podcasts and articles) will begin October 7th on Zoom at 8pm.

A Thursday evening MEN'S GROUP will begin October 8th on Zoom at 7pm.

The Wednesday WOMEN'S GROUP with Sue Henderson is hoping to resume in-person mid-October.

And many other SMALL GROUP offerings are in the works!

Volunteer Opportunities - September 2020

CLICK ON VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION

Lighthouse Student Ministries

John 8:12

Introducing Lighthouse Student Ministries at Second Presbyterian

Lighthouse Student Ministries is a place for students to connect and come to know and shine the light and love of Jesus.

Second Presbyterian Church used to act as a lighthouse for Charleston Harbor and continues to be a place of hope and light in the world.

What's in a name

Online Church is posted on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Watch here.

Find upcoming events and announcements here.

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SERMON SNAPSHOT: Sunday, August 30, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ –

This weekend a lovely couple was married here – safe distance, masks, holiness. In my remarks to the couple I shared some comments by the Swiss theologian, Karl Barth who states that marriage is a call. We’re often more familiar with a summoning to serve to the church, or to the defense of the nation, but he believed that people who married were ‘called’ to each other. They respond, in obedience to God, to a divine command. And in their marriage they become one – a new singular entity with its own identity, purpose and dignity – an end in itself. 

Our text this week catches up with Moses who is on the far side of the desert tending his father-in-law’s sheep and he’s summoned. In fact, he was called through a burning bush that was not consumed. That was the medium for the God of the patriarchs to summon Moses to liberate God’s chosen people. The story is picturebook ‘call story.’ Moses encounters God. God speaks. Moses objects. God assures him he will be with him and Moses is given a sign. The back and forth between Moses and God is entertaining until we think of the times we’ve been summoned for duty for which we feel unprepared or unwilling. But we can take heart that God, who is faithful, promises to be with us. As we encounter hurricanes, pandemics, riots and pandering, God is with us. Words we need to hear.

Tune in –

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

Listen to sermon podcasts here. Click here to view all Second Presbyterian Church videos. Find upcoming events and announcements here.

Find out about service opportunities for those experiencing homelessness

Interested in serving those in Charleston experiencing homelessness?

Please fill out the form below to be notified about donation and service opportunities.

“We are called by God to work together for the glory of His Kingdom, in small ways and in large ways. We must work together to promote justice and equity for all, to treat each other with respect and dignity, to lend a helpful hand to those in need, to live the life of service God calls us to. It has been a blessing to share in that mission with my Second Family for many years and I look forward to it for many years to come.”

-Cathy

a sense of purpose through service

The photo of Caleigh begins our adventure as she gets ready to go.

Hello Second Family,

How we miss you all and long for the day when we will be able to worship and serve together again.  There are many of you who are new members and you do not know me or my daughter, Meredith, but you will when this is over and we resume worship together.  I’ll be calling on you for service at Tea Room in the Spring. We are so happy that you have chosen to be a part of our Second Family and I look forward to meeting each of you.  

After a wonderful conversation with Cress, he asked that I share with you a mission opportunity that Meredith and I have been enjoying for several weeks.  Through Second’s weekly mailing, I discovered an invitation to serve those experiencing homelessness in the area who have been exposed to COVID-19.  My first concern was how does one serve without fear of exposure to self? So Meredith and I talked and decided to see if it fit our criteria for safety and for being of service. We discovered that it is the easiest and one of the safest ways to serve.  

The City of Charleston provides food delivery to the homeless population affected by the virus and they need volunteer drivers to deliver the food.  There is a central pickup location and 2 delivery locations.  This experience of simple joy takes about an hour of our time, such a small sacrifice.  Armed with masks and a cheerful attitude, we have found our way to be of service without worry.  We have been delivering food once a week for the the past month and have been so blessed by this simple act of service.  Meredith and I are so anxious to get going on Wednesday morning, loading Caleigh into the car, and heading into town, knowing that we will make a difference for someone in need. It helps us to make sense of what is going on around us.  Instead of feeling helpless and useless, we have a sense of purpose, small but mighty!  

We have discovered other ways to serve as well, as one of our delivery locations is the Navigation Center that helps to transition those currently experiencing homelessness to housing and jobs, or just to provide a place of security and basic needs.  They accept all donations of clothing and toiletry items, feminine hygiene products; all of these very small ways to help someone feel valued and not forgotten.

I would encourage any of you who want a safe way to serve to consider this opportunity.  You can get all the pertinent information here or from the church office or through the City of Charleston Department of Housing and Community Development.  If anyone would like to talk to me (Cathy) or to Meredith, please feel free to call.

We are called by God to work together for the glory of His Kingdom, in small ways and in large ways.  We must work together to promote justice and equity for all, to treat each other with respect and dignity, to lend a helpful hand to those in need, to live the life of service God calls us to.  It has been a blessing to share in that mission with my Second Family for many years and I look forward to it for many years to come.

Missing you all and praying for good health and safety for each of you!

Blessings,

Cathy and Meredith

Our first stop is for food pickup at One80Place where cheerful staff load our deliveries.

Then we are off to make our first delivery at the Navigation Center where we have discovered a more extensive mission.

So many people are served by the Navigation Center and this gentleman is one who graciously agreed to be photographed.

They are all so grateful for any help given. Our last stop is a local motel housing homeless COVID patients.

The Navigation Center serves to help transition those in Charleston experiencing homelessness into housing. That means starting a household from the ground up. They accept all donations: clothing, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, any household items, furniture, etc. Meredith and I dropped off our first donations today. We are so blessed to be able to help.

We were so excited to discover this opportunity in our Second Snapshot. Maybe some of you will consider donations to the Navigation Center or to volunteer with the City’s efforts to help those experiencing homelessness. When volunteering to deliver meals with the City, food is left at the door and no contact is required.  Meredith and I have, however, had brief introductions to some of our recipients, at a safe social distance.

Simple ways but BIG REWARDS. God gives us ways to serve that we never expected.  He just asks us to SERVE, to be His Light to the world.

-Cathy

We discovered that it is the easiest and one of the safest ways to serve.

It helps us to make sense of what is going on around us. Instead of feeling helpless and useless, we have a sense of purpose, small but mighty! 

#Give828 to support Race4Wanza

August 28 is #Give828, a national day of giving uniquely designed to support organizations doing vital work to uplift Black communities. We encourage you to take the opportunity to donate to keep Tywanza's legacy alive through the Race4Wanza fundraiser, created to serve youth from 4th-12th grades with tutoring, mentoring, college tours, and scholarships.

Give here to support the local community through TyWanza’s legacy foundation.

The Doulas' Dilemma

Online Church is posted on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Watch here.

Find upcoming events and announcements here.

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SERMON SNAPSHOT: Sunday, August 23, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ –

I have a dear friend from college days with whom I‘ve pretty much kept in contact over the years – from coast to coast through careers, marriages, children. Claire’s birthday is two days after my wife, Rebecca’s so from year to year it’s on the radar. 

Claire had moved back to Texas to help her family as each parent passed. I reached out and she didn’t answer. I googled and was surprised to find she was living in Australia with her Australian husband and has founded an organization that provides people with information, practical steps to take if they have been given a terminal diagnosis. Claire is now a certified End of Life Doula and Patient Advocate. This came up as I prepared to engage our text this week, Exodus 1:8-2:10 – the story of the birth and youth of Moses. Such a familiar story with all the elements of a movie. It actually was a Disney animated film – The Prince of Egypt!

A paranoid tyrant turned on innocent people. Escalating oppression. Irrational, cruel decrees. Civil disobedience. A princess’ casual trip to the river to bathe leads to an encounter with a tiny ark whose cargo was destined to lead a nation to freedom. All because two doulas – midwives – refused to obey directives that ran counter to their faith. 

I thought of Siphra and Puah, and Claire and the way God calls individuals to care for God’s people at moments of passage to and from this life, across millennia. In the midst of great darkness we may achieve great things as conduits of God’s love and light. But we must remember and remind each other and share God’s inexhaustible, serendipitous grace. 

See you Sunday for Online Church –

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

Listen to sermon podcasts here. Click here to view all Second Presbyterian Church videos. Find upcoming events and announcements here.

Be Known and Nurtured at Second Pres

Second Presbyterian is a church community where you will be known and nurtured. Have a prayer request? Please let us know here. Interested in joining Second? Find more about becoming a member here.

Find upcoming events and announcements here.

And get connected! Join a small group. There are many ways to be involved and to offer your time, talents, and resources in service to others. Please reach out to our Director of Community and Communications Jordyn Pritchard to get connected.

Straight Talk

Online Church is posted on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Scroll down for sermon notes.

Click here to listen to sermon podcasts. Click here to view all Second Presbyterian Church videos.

Have questions? You are encouraged to ask questions for a mid-week sermon discussion post. Yes, we really want you to ask questions!

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SERMON SNAPSHOT: Sunday, August 16, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ –

This Sunday we engage the Letter of James. Why? Because James addresses issues that are just as prevalent and relevant for these times as they were when Jesus’ half-brother wrote 2000 years ago.   

This letter is seen by many to be the most practical text, encouraging our perseverance through trials, putting our faith to the pavement – walking the talk – recognizing the power of our words, and embracing powerful, faithful prayer. 

As the churn chugs along, the election heats up, the pandemic perseveres, school starts - or doesn’t, what we say and how we say it is paramount! 

A media titan died this past week – Sumner Redstone. (Sure sounds like an important man!) He cobbled together companies that grew to dominate media and entertainment. He is credited with coining, “Content is King!” You be the judge. There are so many platforms, devices, channels, and services to supply with … something that it seems folks are willing to put out and put up with anything.

But for us – we who would follow the Christ and endeavor to be the builders of the Beloved Community, content does rule. It’s life and death and we are the conduits of God’s saving truth. 

I tell you, there’s joy to be had even in these days. Let’s position ourselves for it. Let’s share it.

See you Sunday for Online Church –

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

Volunteer opportunities can be found here →

Currently, Covid-19 cases are trending downward in Charleston county, which is great news. However, our insurance company requires that daily new cases numbers must decrease for 14 consecutive days. While the overall trend is downward, we have not had more than 3 consecutive days in a drop in the number of new cases, so therefore the church must remain closed at this time.

Read the full update here →

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An update on the progress of the lightning strike and masonry repairs is now available. Read the full report that was given to Session from Russell Smith, our Contractor, regarding the substantial progress in the repair of fire damage and restoration of the tower.

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“Churches must provide a moral compass for the nation by getting outside their buildings, engaging in the communities and shaping public policies... towards justice, peace and reconciliation for all people.”

The Presbyterian Week of Action is coming up August 24-30, in which we are given the opportunity to study and act on what we learn and understand. Some events this week will be live online events, and others will be resources to engage you at your convenience, whether it be a recorded video you can watch or a list of suggestions for the Day of Service.
The PC(USA) church affirms that all Black Lives Matter. Furthermore, Second Presbyterian is a "Matthew 25 Church" and in an effort to do the “hands & feet” work the Lord ordains, we must act and bear witness to the gospel in these crucial times.

Learn more about the initiative here →

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We are usually busy hosting the downtown Hands of Christ distribution this time of year. While hosting in person won't happen this August, Hands of Christ is working with the school district to offer a contactless distribution in the coming weeks once schools are back in session.

Sign up to help us serve downtown and peninsula elementary and middle school students again this year!

Sign up to volunteer here→
Find out more here →

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The City has reached out asking for volunteer drivers to help care for our neighbors without housing right now. A volunteer driver is needed for each day of the week for both available options. Please consider volunteering. Contact Christopher Jardin at jardinc@charleston-sc.gov or 843.607.8570 for more information.

FIND OUT MORE HERE →

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For the last three months, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided the opportunity for us to look more deeply at the future of international medical missions. And as Yogi would say – that future looks much different today than it ever has before.

Medical Missions Live continues its all-star lineup in July with more highly respected missions leaders that you won’t want to miss.

FIND OUT MORE about the MBF Live Webcasts here.

VISIT Medical Benevolence Foundation here.

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MUSC's Psychiatry Unit has reached out offering ways to help pregnant women and new moms right here in Charleston. They are collecting donations for the women in our community to help with mental health care, child care and provide support for young child education.

Find out specific ways to help here. →

Setting up automatic giving is quick and easy- and allows you to give in the future with just a click or text!

Our online giving system, Realm offers easy ways to financially support our ministries. Whether you want to set up a recurring gift or split your donation among different funds, Realm makes it safe and secure to give online. We hope you take advantage of this convenience.

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PDA is reaching out to our partners in Lebanon to offer assistance after receiving news of the explosion in Beirut. Reports out of Presbyterian World Mission state that Scott and Elmarie Parker, Mission Co-workers in Lebanon, are safe. Please join us in praying for Lebanon.

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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.

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Life is different and can often be described as “upside-down.” My heart goes out to everyone because I know that few have ever experienced shortages, confinement, and a feeling of not being in control. After having spent decades in some of the most impoverished countries where everything is in short supply – especially medicines and good health – I know that life is challenging. We can, however, come through this; hopefully, stronger in faith and more aware of our global neighbors.

I stay in touch with my South Sudanese worshipping community, friends, colleagues and neighbors. They have had much concern for all of us here and are following the news very closely. More importantly, they are praying for everyone. Let us continue to pray for each other and those beyond our borders.

Read full update here →

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One80 Place is in need of volunteers! If you are healthy and able, please sign up and help serve those who need us most right now!
Sign up here: one80place.volunteerhub.com/
Or donate 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

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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 if you need help signing up.

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CHURCH-WIDE TAG SALE

We have decided to delay our tag sale (yard, garage sale), till the end of September or October because of the virus. I now go around my house picking up nicknacks, and saying "bye- bye" I am decluttering. I look in closets and drawers and say to my clothes, "I haven't worn you in a year, so I guess I don't need you "bye-bye". Now I have a few piles and bags for the tag sale. So go around your house, garage, basement, and attic before time goes by and it's too late. I will need volunteers at the beginning of September to help me organize and price things. I will also need volunteers to spread the word, make posters/flyers to post at the college, stores, and churches and to put an ad in the paper. Please call and let me know if you can help out.

Thanks so much,
Dawn McCready
293-921-7819

PC(USA) Week of Action

“Churches must provide a moral compass for the nation by getting outside their buildings, engaging in the communities and shaping public policies... towards justice, peace and reconciliation for all people.”

The Presbyterian Week of Action is coming up August 24-30, in which we will be given the opportunity to study and act on what we come to learn and better understand. Some events this week will be live online events, and others will be resources to engage you at your convenience, whether it be a recorded video you can watch or a list of suggestions for the Day of Service.

The PC(USA) church affirms that all Black Lives Matter. Furthermore, Second Presbyterian is a "Matthew 25 Church" and in an effort to do the “hands & feet” work the Lord ordains, we must act and bear witness to the gospel in these crucial times.

Week of Action Highlight Events

• Tuesday’s Town Hall

• Friday's “Give 828 Day”, a national day of giving focused on Black organizations. If you have not yet had the opportunity to donate to the Tywanza Sanders Legacy Foundation, this would be the day for doing that.

• There is a virtual Justice Rally/March on Saturday, live at the PC(USA) center in Louisville.

• For the "Sunday Day of Service", our project will be to collect school supplies for the Hands of Christ children. If you are interested in participating in this action, call Sarah Mitchell, 843-559-4663, for details.

Learn more about the initiative here. The link will take you to some basic questions church members have asked and a schedule of events for the week.

A Summer Update

Dear Friends in Christ – 

I’m writing this morning to bring you up to speed on a couple of things important to our community and work. 

First, Sarah Craven, our DCE has taken a teaching position closer to her home. She writes:

“Dear friends and family of Second Presbyterian,

It was with great joy that I began my time here at Second last year.  Second is a church that is alive and growing in the Holy Spirit.  Each new member class is filled with people who will only add great resources and faith to this family. However, after much prayer and discernment, it is with great sadness that I resign as your Director of Education.

This decision was far from an easy one and ultimately the decision that was made is the best decision for my family. Although this was a difficult decision for me to make, my family is incredibly excited about our next steps and current direction in our lives.  I will be teaching History at a local school just a few miles from our home.  We know that the Lord has great plans for us, just as He does for you at Second.

Thank you for the opportunities that you have given us to be a part of your lives. Second has been a place of love and acceptance and we will keep you in our hearts and prayers as we go from this place.”

— Many blessings and prayers, Sarah Craven

In her year with us, Sarah has been instrumental in reestablishing our Sunday School, promoting small groups and building community. Join me in expressing our gratitude and wishing her and her family the best. 

We are excited to continue growing in the ways God is leading us here at Second, in this particular place at this particular time. As we prepare our search for a DCE with a focus on children and youth, we are developing plans to engage the whole congregation in such a way that will meet needs during this time of COVID as well as grow community and disciples. Good things are ahead!

Next, I want to share with you the report that was given to Session from Russell Smith, our Contractor, regarding the substantial progress in the repair of fire damage and restoration of the tower. 

“I’m happy to report much progress has been made on the behind the scenes work required for this project. Although the work that is taking place now doesn’t always provide the feeling of great progress to the observer on the ground, I can assure you it is of utmost importance to the ultimate success of the projects at hand. I look forward to reporting back when we have a permit in hand and a schedule of work to be completed. ”

— P. Russell Smith

Find to full update on the progress of the lightning strike and masonry repairs here.

Second Church Family, we recognize these are challenging times, as are most it seems, but we are favored to face them without fear and in anticipation as we observe the movement and follow the guiding of God’s Spirit.   
 
With joy in being your pastor, 

Update on the progress of the steeple repairs

A quick update on the progress of the lightning strike and masonry repairs

I'm happy to report much progress has been made on the behind the scenes work required for this project. The Church has hired Applied Building Sciences to complete the design work, structural engineering, and material recommendations for this project. ABS is a very capable company in the field of historic repair work and as such, has a large work load. Second Presbyterian is now on their active project list and early last week I spent several hours with 3 structural engineers from ABS in the very top of the bell tower. This was done to accurately record the damage and existing conditions, information which will be a necessity for obtaining our building permits from the City of Charleston. 
 
All subcontractors for the project have visited the site and provided preliminary bids for their specific areas of expertise. I continuously provide the subcontractors with progress updates and inform them of any findings that ABS uncovers. I'm projecting the design work to be finalized in 2-3 weeks and once completed, submittals can be sent to the permitting office. The city engineer, Dennis Dowd, has become personally involved with this project due to it's historic significance and I hope to be able to continue my rapport with the City of Charleston building officials to obtain a permit in a reasonable amount of time. 
 
One other area of work that is moving forward is the fire protection upgrades. The current fire sprinkler system does not have adequate water pressure to feed the topmost sprinkler heads in the bell tower. This was discovered after a sprinkler head in the area of the fire failed to trigger properly. I have spent a great deal of time with Liberty Fire Protection, Inc. to develop a plan that will provide the needed water pressure at a reasonable cost. A preliminary plan has been submitted to the Fire Marshall Division at the City and is currently under review. If approved, this work will be carried out at the same time as the other repairs.
 
Although the work that is taking place now doesn't always provide the feeling of great progress to the observer on the ground, I can assure you it is of utmost importance to the ultimate success of the projects at hand. I look forward to reporting back when we have a permit in hand and a schedule of work to be completed. 

Thanks,
P. Russell Smith
BuildSmith, LLC
51 John Street
Charleston, SC 29403

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The bell tower has been undergoing repairs since January 2020 as part of the vision of the Steeple Fund. Progress updates (and lots of photos) can be found here.

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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 news such as this.

Our Facebook page is updated often! Find us on Facebook as "Second Pres Charleston" and make sure you 'Like' and choose 'See First' under 'Following' to be alerted with church information.

Covid-19 Task Force Update

Currently, Covid-19 cases are trending downward in Charleston county, which is great news. However, our insurance company requires that daily new cases numbers must decrease for 14 consecutive days. While the overall trend is downward, we have not had more than 3 consecutive days in a drop in the number of new cases, so therefore the church must remain closed at this time. Our data is drawn from SCDHEC. 

Photo Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker for The Post & Courier

The number of new cases in Charleston country from the past 14 days: 

July 29 - 131 new cases

July 30 - 79 new cases

July 31 - 130 new cases

Aug 1 - 125 new cases

Aug 2 - 111 new cases

Aug 3 - 108 new cases

Aug 4 - 121 new cases

Aug 5 - 90 new cases

Aug 6 - 91 new cases

Aug 7 - 110 new cases

Aug 8 - 107 new cases

Aug 9 - 54 new cases

Aug 10 - 78 new cases

Aug 11 - 85 new cases