BEAVERCREEK — Hawker United Church of Christ welcomes its new senior minister Rev. David J. Williamson.

Pastor Williamson, 56, came to the Miami Valley from Hermitage, Penn., where he served for 10 years as pastor of Saint Paul’s United Church of Christ. He is originally from New York City and is a graduate of Hofstra, American, and Yale Universities. He has also served congregations in Connecticut and upstate New York, and has been very involved in ecumenical organizations.

A former Army chaplain, Williamson has been a chaplain for fire departments in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, and received the 2015 Ed Stauffer – Founder’s Award from the Federation of Fire Chaplains. He has also been a chaplain for the Connecticut State Police and the Hermitage Police Department, and is certified as a senior chaplain by the International Conference of Police Chaplains. In addition, he has been named a Certified Crisis Chaplain by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, and holds Certificate of Specialized Training in Spiritual Care in Crises from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

Hawker UCC’s new pastor also served for eight years as the summer camp chaplain for Custaloga Town Boy Scout Camp in Pennsylvania, and has received the Silver Beaver Award for Distinguished Service to Youth, plus the God and Service Award and the Daniel Carter Beard Award. He has a long history of helping Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, and Trail Life members earn their God and Country awards.

Rev. Williamson has been married for over 27 years to the Rev. Julia Williamson, who was serving as pastor of Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church in Ellwood City, Penn., prior to moving here. She is taking additional clinical pastoral education classes at Trinity Community of United Church Homes in Beavercreek. Their son, James, recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and lives in Maine.

Hawker Church invites the public to meet Rev. Williamson 10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings at the church, 1617 N. Longview St.

Rev. Williamson
https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2017/10/web1_Williamson.jpgRev. Williamson

News-Current Report

Story courtesy of Hawker United Church of Christ.