Dr. Charles Henry Carlisle, 95, of Due West, husband of the late Jean Todd Carlisle, his wife of 68 years, died Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at the Abbeville Area Medical Center. He was born in Newberry to the late Hubert Toland and Ora Askins Carlisle. He was preceded in death by his brother, Toland Carlisle, and his sisters, Virginia Ouzts, Edna Levy, and Martha Wingard.
Dr. Carlisle earned his Bachelor of Science at Newberry College and Master of Arts in history from the University of South Carolina. He was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Newberry College and the Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Erskine College. After graduating from college, Dr. Carlisle served as Principal of the Williston-Elko High School for a few years.
In 1947, Dr. Carlisle began his career at Erskine College as a history professor before becoming Vice President of Business and Finance. He retired in 1989 with 42 years of service. A charter member of the Abbeville Rotary Club, Dr. Carlisle had nearly 60 years of perfect attendance. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow, the Rotary’s highest honor.
Dr. Carlisle had a deep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and lived a life of service in the church and community. He was a faithful member of the Due West ARP Church where he served as an elder for many years as well as on various boards of the denomination. He was elected Moderator of the Synod in 1972 and again in 2000. During his first term as Moderator, Dr. Carlisle shared his vision for the church to minister to the elderly through establishing retirement homes. His vision became a reality with the opening of the Due West Retirement Center, now known as The Renaissance. In 1999, the Center recognized his service when the newly constructed nursing center was named in his honor. Dr. Carlisle also served as a Gideon and belonged to the Abbeville Camp, supporting the worldwide distribution of the Bible. His life verse was Proverbs 3:5-6.
Dr. Carlisle not only had a love of history but a passion for researching and preserving family ancestry. He and his wife, Jean, travelled extensively, leading tours to many corners of the world, including multiple trips to Scotland. Most of all he was a devoted father and grandfather, always enjoying time with his family. He is survived by his son Charles Todd Carlisle and his wife, Margaret, of Essex Junction, VT; two daughters, Lucille Slater and her husband, Rev. Greg Slater, of Columbia and Catherine Hardy and her husband, Rev. Steve Hardy, of Iva; seven grandchildren, Charles Hardy and his wife, Alyssa, Stephen Hardy and his wife, Brittany, Todd Hardy, William Slater, Carol Slater Rogers and her husband, Brandon, Andrew Carlisle and his wife, Ashley and Elizabeth Carlisle Anderson and her husband, Josh; and six great-grandchildren.
A private graveside service will be held in the Due West ARP Cemetery with Rev. Calvin Draffin officiating. Due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, we will follow the CDC and state recommended guidelines of social distancing.
Memorial contributions, in memory of Dr. Carlisle, may be sent to the Due West ARP Church, PO Box 397, Due West, SC 29639 or to the Bonclarken Conference Center, 500 Pine Drive, Flat Rock, NC 28731.
Nicole McCoy, wife of Rev. Phil McCoy, pastor of First ARP Statesville, is in the ICU at Iredell Memorial Hospital. They suspect she has the Coronavirus even though the test has not come back yet. She is very sick and in urgent need of prayer.
In an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19, the ARP Center in Greenville, SC, will be temporarily closed to the public. 
The whole world is in the throes of a coronavirus pandemic that is spreading death, illness, economic turmoil, unemployment, isolation, panic, and fear. In such desperate times, the people of God should humble themselves and pray to almighty God for His grace, mercy, and love to heal us, restore us, and relieve us from this crushing burden of disease.
“How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4). It’s a great question, isn’t it? Those exiled Israelites did not hide their harps under the bushes, or the hollows of the rocks; rather they hung them up in plain view, that the sight of them might affect them with their deplorable change of circumstances. Yet, (dare I even say this?) perhaps they were at fault even in doing this; for praising God is never out of season.
Weekly giving in many of our churches’ is suffering because members are not able to gather, or have lower attendance under the Covid-19 restrictions. To help mitigate delayed, or reduced giving for those churches that do not have online giving capacity, we will create a custom online giving account with no set-up charge to benefit your church and serve your members through May 31st.
After consultation with the Moderator-elect, medical experts, and members of Synod’s Executive Board and in consideration of the coronavirus pandemic, in keeping with our Form of Government 12.9, which reads,
Word has been received of the sudden passing yesterday of Col. Oliver Johnson, a member and former Clerk of Session at Bethel ARP Church in Winnsboro, SC. Oliver served as the Chairman of the Old Brick Church Commission. Many improvements at the OBC have been accomplished under his leadership. Please pray for the Johnson family at this time of their loss. No details have been finalized.