| Ed with Misty
|
Tap Dancing Eddy
|
MORNING
STAR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
"Charting
a course for new life in Jesus Christ"
| Ed with Misty
|
Tap Dancing Eddy
|
Rev. Ed wanted to share two final messages with us. The first one is Rev. Ed's, message on grieving. Which is viewable online by selecting the title HOPEFUL MOURNING or if you prefer it is also a printable word document Hopeful Mourning.doc.
The second is LETTING GOD LEAD IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND ADVERSITY which is also available as a printable word document LettingGodLead.doc.
Published in the Ocean County Observer 01/27/04
BERKELEY -- The Rev. Dr. Edward S. Hamilton, 64, died on Saturday, Jan. 24,
after a courageous battle with cancer. Along with his wife, the Rev. Dr. Myrlene Hamilton, he was founding co-pastor of Morning Star Presbyterian Church in Bayville. In addition, he had served as interim co-pastor of Hope Presbyterian Church of Lakewood, interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Belmar and interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Matawan. In addition to his work in the church, he served the community as a certified domestic abuse counselor and an anger management specialist. He was the founder and director of the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Ocean County, which sponsors educational groups for batterers. In that capacity he was the keynote speaker on numerous occasions on the topic of domestic violence and served on a number of panels as an expert in that area.He worked on a volunteer basis for the Brick Municipal Court counseling with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and making sentencing recommendations to the presiding judge. He served as a member of the Berkeley Township Municipal Alliance; the Board of Ocean Mental Health Services Inc.; the International Conference of Police Chaplains; the Ocean County Emergency Response Committee; the Ocean County Mental Health Board; the Ocean County Domestic Violence Working Group. He was a certified Field Traumatologist, Critical Incident Debriefer and Manager, and a Compassion Fatigue Therapist. He was the police chaplain for Berkeley Township and Ocean Gate.
Prior to moving to New Jersey, he served as police chaplain for the Yuba County (Calif.) Sheriff's Department. Born in The Dalles, Ore., Ed received a B.S. in Psychology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. Prior to entering the Presbyterian Ministry, he worked in a variety of occupations, including purchasing (Boeing, Precision Castparts and Texas Instruments) and sales. He graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., with a Master of Divinity Degree in 1985 and a Doctor of Ministry Degree in 1996. Before moving to Bayville, he and his wife served Presbyterian churches in Alaska, Oregon and California.
Ed was known for his sense of humor, his direct and honest approach to life, and his ability to connect with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Those whom he counseled credit him with helping them make significant life-changing decisions and helping them to alter dysfunctional behavior patterns. Those who experienced his leadership in the churches he served looked to him as a mentor and as one who, because of his own commitment to Christ, was able to help others in their journey with God.
His friends will remember his love for the outdoors, especially fly fishing, and hunting with his Labrador retrievers. He will be greatly missed by his clients, his parishioners, and his family and friends.
Surviving are his wife Myrlene; his daughters Kim of Tulare, Calif., and Tami of Tulare, Calif.; two grandchildren, Caleb and Sarah of Tulare, Calif.; his brother, William of Tacoma, Wash.; and "adopted" family members Mark, Anne and Andrew Hamilton.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Morning Star Presbyterian Church Building Fund or the American Cancer Society.
