The Rev. Dr. Michael Shaffer - Part-time Interim Rector - joined the people of Calvary on October 3, 2022. Father Michael practiced law as a trial attorney for 33 years before answering the call to the priesthood. Following ordination, he served in the Diocese of West Missouri and Diocese of Olympia, before coming to the Diocese of South Carolina, where he has served as Priest-in-Charge for St. Francis Episcopal Church since 2018. Fr. Michael will continue to serve both the communities of St. Francis and Calvary until the end of 2022, then exclusively at Calvary, as it completes its search for a full-time rector.
Clergy and Staff
The Rev. Marionette Bennett - Deacon- is a Charleston native who lived for many years in Colorado. She was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1996 in Denver, Colorado and served at St. Stephen’s in Aurora, CO. As a deacon, she worked with Hospice, at a battered women’s shelter and as a relief counselor at that shelter. She also worked closely with St. Stephen’s free children’s summer program. In 2020, she returned to Charleston and, in 2021, was licensed to serve as a deacon in the Diocese of SC and at Calvary, her original Church home. She was made Canonically Resident in the Diocese of SC in 2021. Before retirement, Deacon Bennett worked as a Cytotechnologist studying and detecting cellular abnormalities and cancer cells for 23 years and for the US postal Service in distribution for 17 years. She is a dedicated aunt and great aunt to her nephews and nieces. Her vision and hope is to continue serving as the heart and hands of Christ to all she meets and to show God’s love in word and deed.
Sydria Singleton -Organist- (also known as Syderia) has been associated with Calvary since 1991. She served as the Church Secretary from 1991-2014, has been the Church organist on and off since 1995, and our regular organist since 2016. She has taught private piano, organ and voice for thirty-six years, lives in Goose Creek, and has three adult children. She studied Classical Piano under Duo-Pianist Delphin and Romain at the College of Charleston. Syderia works full time as a secretary at James Island Charter High School. She is also a cancer survivor and is, officially, remarkable.
Cheryl Caruthers - Parish Administrator - resides in Mount Pleasant with her husband Larry, sons Logan and Austin, and German Shepard Bodhi. Originally from Western PA and having attended Slippery Rock University, Cheryl moved to Northern VA in 2002 where she soon after met her future husband. The Caruthers moved to SC in November 2021 to be closer to the water and live a slower pace of life. Having transitioned from a Project Manager position to the role of stay-at-home-mom when her first son was born in 2012, Cheryl decided it was time to re-join the outside workforce which led her to Calvary. In their free time her family enjoys boating, wakeboarding, fishing, watching baseball and football (Go Steelers!), beaching, hiking, and exploring their new town – especially the food.
