hamilton smith

Hello St. Thomas’,

After sixteen years of ordained ministry (nine of which have been with St. Thomas), my family, the Vestry, and I have decided this summer is a good time for me to go on sabbatical. To help you understand what that means, I’ve written these answers to the FAQs:

• What is a sabbatical? A sabbatical is an extended period of time away from the normal duties of ordained ministry. It comes from the Hebrew word for “rest”. It is used to describe a time when one stops working in order to regain energy, reflect upon the past, and think about the future. Above all, it is a time to reflect deeply upon God’s promises and find new life in them.
• How long will your sabbatical last? Three months. It begins Wednesday, June 1 and ends Sunday, August 28. I will be returning to full time ministry at St. Thomas’ on Monday, August 29. I will not be exercising full time ministry at St. Thomas’ during this time. This includes Sundays.

  On Sunday, September 25, I will give a report on my time away. This will also be our Annual Parish Meeting!

• Why are you taking a sabbatical now? The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina allows a clergy person to take one after 7 years of serving in the same church or 10 years of ordained ministry. I was unable to take one at my 10 year mark because St. Thomas’ was only three years old. I was planning on taking one the summer of 2021, but I delayed that because of Covid. I also wanted to wait until we had a more permanent place to worship, a volunteer and staff team that was well established, and a clergy person who had the space and experience to serve you while I was gone.
• What will you be doing on sabbatical? I will spend my time doing these three primary things:

  First, I’m going to make up for some lost time with my family. As you can imagine, my family and I haven’t been able to follow a regular rhythm of the week or year. Sundays are a work day as are the major holidays. School Spring Breaks often fall on Holy Week. Thus, we’ve missed a lot of trips and weekend experiences with my immediate and wider family. We hope to do some traveling and enjoy some experiences we haven’t been able to do.

  Second, I will be doing the bulk of my research for my Doctor of Ministry dissertation. In 2015, I was offered a scholarship to pursue a Doctor of Ministry degree at Trinity School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. I began in June 2016, and I am researching the question, “What do non-churched people in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, think about the relevance of the Church in the Secular Age.” The last, but most time consuming, step is to conduct multiple group and individual interviews, analyze them, reflect upon their answers through a Biblical lens, and then write my dissertation. A sabbatical will allow me to dedicate the time necessary to complete this program.

  Third, I will also use this time to enjoy my time with the Lord and reflect on my ministry. I will be following a Scripture reading and prayer plan with the goal of enjoying the Lord Jesus for his sake. I will also be spending days with spiritual mentors listening to their advice. Finally, I will be reading books on ministry that will help me reflect on what I want the next chapter of my ministry at St. Thomas’ to look like.

• What will Sundays look like while you’re on sabbatical? Very similar to how they look now. At my recommendation, the Vestry has hired The Rev. Richard Grimball to lead worship and celebrate communion on Sundays. St. Thomas’ parishioners will be giving their testimonies in the place of sermons. We’re calling this summer sermon series “STAC Stories”. You can find more information about Richard and STAC Stories below. The rest of worship will be unchanged.
• Who will be the primary contact for STAC while you’re on sabbatical? Our Student Minister, Sara Smith, will be the main contact. She will be accessible by my work email: stthomasmtp@gmail.com. You can also call or text her at (843) 412-9430.
• Who do we call if we have a pastoral emergency while you’re on sabbatical? Sara Smith should be your first call. She will assess the situation and point you to someone who can help. Depending on the situation, this may be a Life Group Shepherd, a staff member, a vestry member, or Richard Grimball. Sara and I will be in contact, so I will respond if I deem it necessary.
• Can we contact you while you’re on sabbatical? Of course. While I may be taking a break as your pastor, I’m not taking a break as your friend and brother in Christ.
• How do you feel about going on sabbatical? Mixed emotions! At one level, I’m excited about it. I’m really looking forward to making up for lost family time, finishing my dissertation, and preparing for the next chapter of my ministry with you. At another level, I’m terrified! I love you all very much, and I don’t know what it will be like to not be woven into your lives for three months.

  In my sinfulness, I also don’t trust God with St. Thomas’. I’m afraid of what might happen to it if I’m not constantly tending to it. This April 13, 2022, interview with Baptist Pastor Howard-John Wesley sums up my feelings pretty well! When I get nervous about my sabbatical, I remember it’s necessary for me to serve you at my best. I look to Leviticus 25:1-7. God tells his people to even give the land time off every seven years. Instead of constantly working the land to squeeze every bit of usefulness out of it, let it rest. Let it grow wild. Give it time for the soil to become fertile again. God promises he will provide what God’s people need during the sabbatical year. Trust that he will take care of the land for you.

  What’s true of the land is true of me. I have not given myself a break from the daily and weekly demands of ministry that allows my soil to become fertile again. This can only be done by a prolonged season of deep reading, prayer, and reflection. This will allow me to better serve you for the years of ministry the Lord has in store for us.

God bless you and thank you in advance for your support, Ham