Presbyterians mourn a beloved mentor and colleague

The sanctuary at the historic St. James Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina radiated gratitude, love, joy, and determined faithfulness as those gathered celebrated the life of the Rev. Dr. Donnie R. Woods Sr. on Wednesday. The very mood of the service paid tribute to the man being remembered, as each speaker attributed these same qualities to Woods.

Image

Woods grew up one of 19 children on a farm in rural Mississippi and went on to receive both his Master and Doctor of Divinity degrees from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. For more than two decades, he led Charleston Atlantic Presbytery as stated clerk, executive presbyter, general presbyter, and pastor to pastors. He founded and oversaw the South Carolina Lay School of Theology — now called SC5 School of Theology. Prior to coming to Charleston in 1998, he led churches in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, as well as serving for five years on the staff of Savannah Presbytery.

While the church filled with friends, church leaders, and Woods’ expansive family, several pews worth of clergy colleagues — robed and wearing white stoles — processed in as the service began, a testament to how respected Woods was as a colleague and leader. He retired from his role as general presbyter in 2022 after more than two decades of service in Charleston Atlantic Presbytery. He died on June 28 at the age of 70 after a long illness.

The service of Witness to the Resurrection was officiated by the Rev. Charles Heyward Sr., pastor of Edisto Presbyterian Church, and the former pastor of St. James, which is the largest African American church in the PC(USA). Heyward shared that he had been on the search committee that first called Woods to Charleston Atlantic Presbytery and had also been with his dear friend and colleague as he transitioned from this life to the next.

Heyward called upon those present to mirror Woods’ own trust in God, urging that “if you must weep, weep for joy.” The current senior pastor of St. James Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Brian Henderson, said that he and Woods shared a belief in the gospel promise that “when we close our eyes in this life, we open them in the next,” and in the power of prayer. He went on to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for Woods’ life and comfort for his family.

In between heartfelt musical offerings from the St. James choir — including “The Solid Rock” and “Goodness of God” — more than half a dozen people offered tributes to Woods. These included family, colleagues, seminary classmates, former mentees and students, and longtime friends — an array that highlighted the breadth of his impact in the church and beyond. 

Over and over, speakers lifted up Woods’ calm and gentle demeanor, painting a portrait of a minister who led through empathy, patience, and a willingness to put others’ needs before his own. One person offering tribute joked about the particular smile and posture Woods would take on before “saying something you didn’t want to hear” — and the room erupted with knowing laughter.

The Rev. Alonza Washington, who described Woods as his best friend, shared memories of being at Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary with Woods and their other classmate and friend, the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II.

“Donnie was always first,” Washington said, describing how even in the earliest days, Woods paved a way for others.

Washington also shared words from Nelson, the former Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, who wasn’t able to attend the service. Nelson described how Woods finished all his ordination work in one year, but “stayed to make sure we all made it through.”

Before reading Psalm 23, the Rev. Pat Jones — who considered Woods a dear mentor and friend — shared her own memory of receiving praise from Woods for a Bible study she had nervously offered at a meeting of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, which she now chairs. Jones called Woods “an encourager.”

David Yandle, stated clerk of Charleston Atlantic Presbytery, celebrated the impact of Woods’ leadership, sharing a Resolution of Thanksgiving from the presbytery for Woods’ life and service.

Priscilla Holtzclaw spoke as both moderator of the presbytery and as a commissioned pastor who was educated through the SC5 School of Theology — a passion project for Woods, who served as its dean for 18 years. Holtzclaw described Woods’ ability to see the “unique talent hidden in someone’s soul” and cultivate it. She said that 16 commissioned pastors from his program are now serving churches. She also praised Woods’ deep commitment to diversity, described Charleston Atlantic as “a community he built” that is “united in purpose, love, and respect,” and strengthened by its differences.

She noted that Woods’ commitment to the church — particularly the parts often overlooked or under-resourced — didn’t end with his retirement. Instead, Woods drove weekly to Hampton County to lead worship at three small churches.

Image

Woods was well-loved not only in the communities he served, but also in the wider denomination, a fact made evident by the presence of both Co-Moderators of the 226^th  General Assembly, the Rev. CeCe Armstrong and the Rev. Tony Larson, who together offered words of comfort on behalf of the Assembly, praising Woods’ communication, his alignment to God’s will and his relationships.

While Woods was repeatedly remembered for his calm demeanor, several longtime friends and colleagues made a point of mentioning his strength and conviction, particularly as he faced adversity and racial injustice in the church.

“Even when he was not welcomed into spaces, by your Spirit he stood there anyway,” Henderson told the Almighty in his opening prayer. Later, others described the hostility Woods encountered from those who were resistant to having a Black man leading the presbytery.

When the Rev. Dr. Daniel Smoak, who is white, stepped into the pulpit to offer the eulogy after nearly two hours of music and remembrances, he acknowledged Woods’ particular significance among Black Presbyterians. Bringing some levity, Smoak described himself as “not quite the obvious choice” to eulogize Woods, referencing the countless prominent Black Presbyterians, both present for the service and not, who were close friends of Woods.

Nevertheless, Smoak — the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charleston who worked alongside Woods on the presbytery’s Commission on Ministry — offered a moving reflection on his own relationship with Woods. Describing Woods as a mentor God placed in his life, Smoak shared how Woods taught him to err on the side of grace, find the right people for a job and get out of their way, and use his voice in service to those with less privilege.

Reflecting on the exhortation in Philippians 4 to “rejoice in the Lord always and let your gentleness be known to all, for the Lord is at hand,” Smoak marveled at how Woods was able to maintain his joy through all of the challenges he’d faced in both his personal life and his career. He described with wonder how Woods chose “gentleness instead of bitterness,” describing Woods’ particular gentleness as “patience for those not as far along on their journey.” Asking again how Woods was able to do so and choose joy, Smoak said the answer was Woods’ deep faith that God was, indeed, at hand.

Smoak turned to John’s account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, in which Jesus proclaims, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.”

“Donnie was who he was because of Jesus,” Smoak said, going on to describe how the power of Jesus’ resurrection to overcome death and brokenness was evident in Donnie’s life and in his relationship with God, with others, with Creation and with himself. Imploring the gathered to mirror Woods’ own faith, Smoak closed with a reminder that, through Jesus, nothing can separate us from the love of God and therefore we can trust in the promise of resurrection, that though Woods has died, “yet shall he live.”

A second service, along with interment, will take place on Saturday in Louisville, Mississippi, the hometown of the Rev. Dr. Donnie R. Woods Sr.