An ordination is cause for celebration, not only for the ordinand and his or her family and friends but also for the individual’s church, diocese and Church—universal.
This past fall, five clergy were ordained to the priesthood. Take a moment to read through these introductions, get to know, and celebrate the newly ordained.
Published May 20, 2021
The Rev. Chip Bateson – Rector, Reconciliation Anglican Church, Ambridge, PA
Ordination to the Priesthood: December 3, 2020, Reconciliation Anglican Church, Ambridge, PA
Where I’m serving: Rector, Reconciliation Anglican Church
Family: My wife, Mara, and I have been married for 26 years. We have 23-year old twins, Chad and Eddie.
My route to ordination: I was a residential homebuilder for 25 years in Horry County, SC, partnered with my dad. I finished my career as a builder working for D.R. Horton in Myrtle Beach. During that time, I served in local ministries at Resurrection Surfside, and Diocesan ministries such as the Men’s Conference and Cursillo. I started in seminary as a distance student but finished my last five semesters in residence.
You’d be surprised to know: I have seen every single Star Wars movie in the theater the year it was released, with my Dad. It is a fun streak.
One item on my Bucket List: I would like to take Mara to the Holy Land.
Favorite free-time activity: Solving puzzles and riddles, playing and listening to music
How I recharge spiritually: I often spend a day in silent retreat reading through one book in the Bible. There are times when I go to a quiet place near water and just rest.
The Rev. Bill Clarkson – Vicar, Holy Apostles, Barnwell
Ordination to the Priesthood: November 22, 2020, Holy Apostles, Barnwell
Where serving: Vicar, Holy Apostles
Family: Wife, Katie, Children: Alex (25), Sam (23)
My route to ordination: I was a Veterinarian, with a house call practice in St. Matthews / Calhoun County, for the nearly 30 years before being called/sent to seminary. At the same time, I was an active lay person at St. Matthew’s, Fort Motte and served on Vestry, in Cursillo, Kairos, Faith Alive, on Diocesan Council and Standing Committee.
You’d be surprised to know: I have gone through times when I enjoyed wood carving, and watercolors. I have a science background as a veterinarian, but my undergraduate degree was in Forestry and Natural Resources from Sewanee.
One item on my Bucket List: I would love to go to Hawaii; not the big cities but the jungle, waterfalls, and reefs.
Favorite free time activity: Most common is cutting grass on our farm, but favorite is golf.
How I recharge spiritually: I recharge spiritually in small personal relationships, one on one, or with just two or three people. My favorite partner is my wife, Katie, but I also get recharged in pastoral relationships within my congregation. I love “relational” ministry.
The Rev. Tom Hample – Chaplain, ALG Senior; Associate, Holy Trinity Windermere, Charleston
Ordination to the Priesthood: December 10, 2020, Cathedral of St Luke & St Paul, Charleston.
Where I’m serving: I am serving as the corporate chaplain for ALG Senior/ Affinity Living Group, a senior living provider with communities throughout the southeast. I am also serving as an Associate Priest at Holy Trinity Windermere Church.
Family: My wife, Kelli, works as a Development Associate for the Anglican Relief and Development Fund, a position she began while we were at seminary in Ambridge PA. We have two adult sons, RJ and Tommy, who are 23 (yes, twins), and a 13-year-old daughter, Elizabeth.
My route to ordination: I worked for nine years at St. Christopher Camp & Conference Center. Like so many others, my time at St. Christopher played an important part in hearing from God and discerning a call to ordained ministry. Also important in my journey was my time establishing and leading a street church/ministry in Charleston.
You’d be surprised to know: Once upon a time, in land far off, I practiced law. One Item on my Bucket List: To visit the Holy Land with my wife, Kelli.
Favorite Free-time activity: Spending time at home with my family and cycling.
How I recharge spiritually: Time in the Word, and outdoors, and physical activities. My favorites are cycling, sailing, anything on the beach or water, backpacking, doing laundry and cleaning the house (Kelli wishes!)
The Rev. Jeff Jacobs – Associate to the Rector, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Summerville
Ordination to the Priesthood: November 30, 2020 at St. Paul’s Anglican, Summerville.
Where I’m serving: Associate to the Rector, St. Paul’s
Family: Wife, Kristin,
Children: Uriah age 3, Eden, age 6 months.
My route to ordination: I was called to the priesthood via prophecy and vision in the summer of 2002. The subsequent year, I was called to North Africa. After graduating from college, I spent two years in North Africa, where I met Kristin. We moved back to Summerville to be married and to discern the call to the priesthood. We spent the next two years in the discernment process while I worked for a medical supply company, Sage Services Group. After these two years of discernment and three years of seminary, I was ordained to the priesthood. Kristin and I are glad to announce that we were recently accepted as candidates to move to North Africa with SAMS where I hope to continue to serve as a priest.
You’d be surprised to know: Kristin and I have a secret code language.
One Item on my Bucket List: Spend a week in the Jotunheimen Mountains of Norway.
Favorite Free-time activity: This year, it has been backgammon.
How I recharge spiritually: In nature, in solitude, in quiet. Alternatively, in family worship nights with Kristin.
The Rev. Zach Miller – Assistant to the Rector, St. Helena, Beaufort
Ordination to the Priesthood: December 5, 2020, The Parish Church of St. Helena, Beaufort
Where I’m serving: I am serving at St. Helena’s as an Assistant to the Rector. I am in our regular preaching rotation and assist with various teachings at the church. I also work part-time at Holy Trinity Classical Christian School where I teach 7th Grade Old Testament and Greek II.
Family: Single
My route to ordination: During my first year of college, I began to sense God was calling me to ordained ministry. This sense of calling only continued to grow, and so, after graduation, I reached out to Chris Warner who set up an internship to let me get my feet wet in ministry as I continued to seek the Lord’s guidance. With this internship, I was able to help with a nursing home communion service, serve as a youth intern, and lead worship for one of our church’s campuses. As I served in these capacities, God made it abundantly clear that he was calling me to the priesthood, and so, in the summer of 2017 I was sent to Beeson Divinity School for my formal training, and three years later on December 5, 2020, I was ordained as a priest.
You’d be surprised to know: I am a triplet with two sisters (Clair and Hannah). I also have an older brother who is also ordained as a priest and serves in Statesboro Georgia (Drew).
One Item on my Bucket List: I would love to go on an overnight sailing trip. So far, I have only done short, day trips, but I would love to sail somewhere far enough away that it would take several days to get there, perhaps even sailing across the Atlantic one day.
Favorite Free-time activity: Whenever I’ve got the time, I love to go sailing. How I recharge spiritually: I generally recharge spiritually by reading the writings of the early Church fathers. I find that their writings have a certain quality to them that makes it evident that they were written from a heart steeped in worship and prayer, and I find the devotion of these writings contagious. Otherwise, I spiritually recharge by going on a long prayer walk.
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Published January 26, 2021
Five vocational deacons were ordained by Bishop Mark Lawrence at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul, in Charleston October 17, 2020.
“What struck me,” said the Rev. Nelson Weaver, when the Bishop laid his hands on him during the service was, “Wow! The diocese recognizes the calling I received truly is from God and how important the ministry I have is to first responders.” Weaver, who is a Fire Chaplain, is “very humbled and honored to be an ordained clergy to serve them.”
Reflecting on the ordination, Bishop Lawrence said it was “A moving, albeit masked and socially distanced, ordination of yet another class of dedicated vocational deacons, who have been tutored by Canon Mike Malone and the able staff of diocesan clergy, who give of their time and expertise to help equip those raised up from within our congregations and called by God to this ordained ministry of servanthood.” View an ordination photo album at https://adosc.pixieset.com/ordinationofvocationaldeacons/
Claudia Carucci – St. Helena’s, Beaufort
Ministry Focus: Ministry in assisted living facilities, Stephen Ministry, Bereavement Ministry
Family: Widow, two adult children and one precious granddaughter, Eloise (one and a half)
Favorite Movie or TV Show: The Crown
Favorite/Least Favorite Food: Cheese/Sauerkraut
One Item on Your Bucket List: Touring Scotland
An Adventurous Moment: Traveling to Uganda on a mission trip
Proud Moment: Watching my son receive his MBA from UCLA, and my daughter her MSW from Columbia University last year
Free Time Activity: Foraging for edible mushrooms
Music or Sports Event: Going to the US Open Tennis Tournament or any of the classical music performances at Spoleto
How You Recharge Spiritually: Living on a dirt road in a quiet neighborhood, I like to leave all electronic devices behind and take a long walk. It’s a time to be present before the Lord. The sights and sounds and smells are all reminders of God’s love and provision for me.
Harry R. Easterling, Jr. – St. Paul’s, Bennettsville
Ministry Focus: People. Both churched and unchurched.
Family: Wife, Renee, three adult children
Favorite Movie or TV Show: It’s a Wonderful Life, because if you do not believe it, then you cannot live it
Favorite/Least Favorite Food: Tuna/Liver
One Item on Your Bucket List: Done most of them, but not rushing to finish. Maybe I will become a Walmart greeter. There are people there, right?
An Adventurous Moment: US Army Paratrooper. It lasted three years.
Proud Moment: Becoming a daddy (x3)
Free Time Activity: Learning why Jesus was a carpenter
Music or Sports Event: Music. I love the old hymns set to new melodies.
How You Recharge Spiritually: Walking at sunrise. Music—especially Celtic Worship.
Skip Reitmeier – Holy Cross, Sullivan’s Island
Ministry Focus: Pastoral Care
Family: Wife, Ellin, three adult children, seven grandchildren
Favorite Movie or TV Show: Forest Gump, Twelve O’Clock High
Favorite/Least Favorite Food: Favorite – anything Italian and fattening/Least Favorite– Lima Beans
One Item on Your Bucket List: A visit to Machu Picchu
An Adventurous Moment: A flight in a WWII B-17 bomber
Proud Moment: Birth of each and every child
Free Time Activity: Woodworking, Golf
Music or Sports Event: Jimmy Buffett and Eagles concerts
How You Recharge Spiritually: Quiet hikes in the woods
The Rev. Bill Riggs, Sr. – St. Paul’s, Summerville
Ministry Focus: Prison Ministry
Family: Wife, Gail, three adult children, four grandchildren
Favorite Movie or TV Show: The Last Samurai
Favorite/Least Favorite Food: Favorite – North Carolina vinegar based BBQ with coleslaw, Brunswick Stew, cornbread sticks, and sweet tea/Least Favorite – Broccoli
One Item on your Bucket List: Coast to Coast Canadian train trip with tour of the Canadian Rockies
An Adventurous Moment: Twelve-month tour as Officer-In-Charge, U.S. Navy Seabee Team 0413, Eastern Caroline Islands, U. S. Pacific Territories Proud Moment: Receiving with joy and thanksgiving each of my children and grandchildren into the great adventure of life
Free Time Activity: Hanging out with family and friends
Music or Sports Event: Music event, except when Clemson is playing for the National Football Championship
How You Recharge Spiritually: Through study of Scripture and daily prayer
The Rev. Nelson Weaver – St. Timothy’s of Cane Bay
Ministry Focus: Fire Chaplain for Whitesville Fire and Rescue, Berkeley County, SC
Family: Married to Margaret for 49 years, three adult daughters, seven grandchildren, and Titus and Tabitha, our Ragdoll cats Favorite
Movie or TV Show: British mysteries on Britbox
Favorite/Least Favorite Food: Favorite – Chinese/Least Favorite – Brussels Sprouts
One Item on Your Bucket List: Canada Rail on the Great Western Way from Toronto to Vancouver
An Adventurous Moment: Traveling to Machu Picchu
Proud Moment: When Margaret told me I was going to be a father
Free Time Activity: I’ve heard about free time and I’m hoping to try it…
Music or Sports Event: Clemson Football— Go Tigers!
How You Recharge Spiritually: Time in the outdoors enjoying the work of our Lord’s hand. Mepkin Abbey!
