Pawleys Island Community Church reopens kids ministry after arrests, leadership turmoil tied to sex offender scandal

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — Pawleys Island Community Church will resume its children’s ministry Sunday as church leaders implement new child protection measures following the arrests of several people connected to the church and its former school.

In an email sent out Friday, PICC said its Kids wing will reopen Sunday for children from birth through fifth grade.

Church leaders said they have been reviewing and strengthening child protection policies and procedures ahead of reopening. PICC said background checks and training have previously been required for volunteers in its children’s ministry, but additional requirements are now being implemented.

The church said it has partnered with MinistrySafe, an organization focused on preventing child sexual abuse. The program includes awareness training, screening procedures, background checks, and monitoring and oversight.

According to the church, all staff members and volunteers serving in PICC Kids on or after Aug. 23 will be required to pass an in-depth background check and complete sexual abuse prevention training.

The changes come after multiple people connected to PICC and Pawleys Island Christian Academy were arrested during an investigation involving registered sex offender Warren Perry, who had been allowed to volunteer on the church and school campus.

The controversy has also resulted in leadership changes at the church and the closure of Pawleys Island Christian Academy.

In a separate update released on Saturday, PICC elders addressed the church’s current leadership structure and acknowledged that members have unanswered questions in recent weeks.

The elders said they have been working to address issues involving legal counsel, construction management, church finances, and church programming.

According to the update, several elders submitted resignations during the week that ended with former Senior Pastor Don Williams’ resignation. The church said those elders later approached the remaining leadership and expressed a desire to help the church move forward.

The church identified Kyn Gdanian, Dana Marsh, Brent McClellan, Ric Hucks, Russ Peterson, Tom Powell, Dale Sander, and Chris Skodras as currently serving as active elders.

Jeff Herwig and John Windham are considered inactive elders but continue to provide counsel and leadership in certain areas, according to the church.

PICC said that without a senior pastor, responsibility for guiding the church falls to its active elders. The church plans to begin the process of selecting up to four additional elders.

The elders apologized for delays and confusion caused by a lack of communication, and said they are continuing to work through the issues facing the church.

* * *

Kyle St. Clair is a Digital Producer at News13. He is from Warrenton, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in July 2026. He graduated cum laude from Coastal Carolina University in May 2026. Follow Kyle on Facebook, X, Instagram, and read more of his work here.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.