▁a ▁United ▁Method ist ▁minister . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 6 — while ▁studying ▁at ▁W off ord ▁College ▁in ▁Spart an burg , ▁South ▁Carolina — he ▁received ▁his ▁Epis cop al ian ▁confirm ation . ▁He ▁went ▁from ▁W off ord ▁College ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁South , ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Div inity . ▁He ▁was ▁ord ained ▁de acon ▁in ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Upper ▁South ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁and ▁then ▁a ▁priest ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁cur ate ▁at ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁Advent , ▁Spart an burg ; ▁de acon - in - charge ▁of ▁Inc arn ation , ▁G aff ney , ▁and ▁A ton ement , ▁Black s burg . ▁ ▁There after ▁he ▁took ▁on ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁St . ▁Peter ' s , ▁Char l eston ' s ▁re ctor , ▁where ▁he ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁chap lain ▁to ▁The ▁Cit adel . ▁ ▁Des iring ▁to ▁further ▁his ▁education , ▁he ▁moved ▁from ▁Char l est own ▁back ▁to ▁S ew ane e , ▁Tennessee ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Sac red ▁The ology , ▁which ▁he ▁received ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁he ▁began ▁serving ▁on ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁The ▁School ▁of ▁The ology ▁of ▁the ▁University