Rev. Dr. Susan Hamilton leaves Parkside Church to serve as seminary dean

Filed under News Items, Home Page News on 12/16/2010 by Author: .

Rev. Dr. Susan Hamilton will be leaving her duties as pastor of Parkside Community Church in Sacramento on Jan. 23, 2011, to assume the position of dean of the Sancta Sophia Seminary in Tahlequah, Okla., where she first prepared to be a United Church of Christ minister. Hamilton is a graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary, where she received her Master of Divinity in 1999 and her Doctor of Ministry in 2005.

Dedication to enthusiastic, insightful, and dynamic teaching as a means of nurturing a soul's spiritual journey in life led Hamilton to attain a Doctor of Ministry from SFTS. Reflecting her deep-rooted esoteric interests, her Doctoral dissertation was titled, "Seeking Sophia - Discovering the Holy Feminine."

Hamilton's appointment as dean at Sancta Sophia Seminary marks her return to Sparrow Hawk Village in the Ozark Mountains. She was ordained through Light of Christ Community Church in Sparrow Hawk Village in 1992 after beginning her course work at Sancta Sophia Seminary, which offers esoteric studies and a specialized meditation program with a focus on world service.

Hamilton leaves a legacy of achievement and collaboration after her 15-year tenure at Parkside Community Church. She was responsible for helping build a new sanctuary, a growing congregation, innovative Sunday services, a working infrastructure of strong commissions, a cadre of effective church leaders and an “open and affirming” congregation. Additionally, Hamilton has held many positions of leadership in the Sacramento Valley Association, the consortium of local UCC churches.

Parkside Community Church has a diverse and talented church family who love the church and each other as they band together to meet the challenges of a change in ministerial leadership. The membership takes pride in their church and in living out their faith through extending God’s radical hospitality and working for justice in the community, region and world.

Hamilton leaves an indelible mark at Parkside and Sacramento residents are invited to check out the unique quality of the friendly and dedicated church family. Parkside Community Church is located at 5700 South Land Park Drive in Sacramento. Sunday services begin at 10:30am and child care is available. For more information about Parkside’s program and services, please visit www.parksideucc.org.