Bishop’s Son-in-law, Jason Hamshaw to be Ordained May 26; Prince George, Winyah, Episcopal Church, Georgetown

Jason Hamshaw stands out. It isn’t just the height of the 6’5” 31-year old, who is set to be ordained a transitional deacon in the Diocese of South Carolina at a service in Prince George Winyah on Tuesday, May 26 at 6 p.m. It isn’t his soft-spoken English accent. Hamshaw was born and raised in London, England. Nor is it simply his family connections. Hamshaw is married to Chelsea Lawrence, the youngest daughter of Bishop Mark and Allison Lawrence.

Hamshaw stands out, and has for some time, for his out-spoken passion for Jesus Christ and for leading others into a deeper relationship with Him.

“I’ve always been fairly visible about my faith,” says Hamshaw. “God got a hold of me young. Growing up in England helped in some ways because it’s not considered a good thing to be a Christian. I was bullied for bringing my Bible to recess. Kids would pick on me. But at the same time my public faith seemed to be a strength for other Christians at the school.”

At age 11 he began helping with children’s ministry and by the time he was 13 Hamshaw was leading his own Bible Studies.

“By around age 15 I had three or four Bible study groups I was leading and when I was 16 I started three Christian Union groups in my high school. I was always involved in evangelistic missions, talking to people on the streets about Jesus. He’s given me this passion in the clearest way. It’s a hard world. There’s a real enemy out there and the only solution is Christ.”

While a teenager Hamshaw read the testimonies of Christian martyrs and the Scripture verse Philippians 1:21 – “To live is Christ, to die is gain,” made an impact. “I used to think and pray, ‘Lord, I would die for you!’” says Hamshaw. “And I would hear Jesus say, ‘Yes. You’re willing to die for me, but are you willing to live for me?”

“When I’ve gone astray I’ve felt God’s crook bringing me back,” says Hamshaw. “I have strong convictions and long for deeper intimacy with God. I know when it’s there and when things are not right, there’s a deep emptiness.”

Hamshaw attended seminary at the Oak Hill Theological College in London and through a series of mission trips he established a friendship with the Rev. Andy Morgan who was the then-youth minister at Prince George, Winyah. When Morgan was transitioning into a job as assistant Rector he told Jason that the youth ministry position would be opening up. Within two weeks of finishing seminary Hamshaw found himself interning and then a year later youth minister at Prince George.

Hamshaw bumped into his wife-to-be, Chelsea Lawrence, for the first time when he had taken the Prince George youth group to Brookgreen Gardens’ ‘Night of a Thousand Candles.’ Chelsea was there, on a separate visit, with her parents, the Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina and his wife, Mark and Allison Lawrence.

“I had heard Allison was praying about setting me up with one of her daughters,” says Hamshaw. “And her mother had been telling her about me on that same trip (to Brookgreen Gardens.)

“We had recently had our confirmation,” says Hamshaw, “so when the kids saw the Bishop they all shouted out to him. I told them not to bother him, but we all stopped and talked.

“When I saw her, God put it in my heart – ‘Could this be my wife?’”

Their first date was an arranged group event with Chelsea’s mother, the Fueners (the Very Rev. Paul Fuener, Rector of Prince George’s and his wife, Becky) and the Rt. Rev. FitzSimons Allison (the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina) and his wife, Martha, all attending.

“We dated for six months before becoming engaged,” says Hamshaw. “We connected and then pursued each other in front of the youth group, trying to be role models for how it can be done.”

Now married for 5 ½ years the Hamshaws have three sons, Benjamin (4), Mark Peter (3) and Lawrence Simon (8 months).

Asked if being the Bishop’s son-in-law puts more pressure on him, Hamshaw laughs, “It’s more a privilege,” he says. “It’s a blessing to have his wisdom. Mark and Allison are both great role models for our children. That’s a great blessing. It’s also a great blessing to see the fruits of being married to someone from a Godly household, reaping the benefits of growing together with Chelsea’s maturity. I hold leadership very highly and I greatly respect my Bishop, who also holds the office of Father. Of course there is pressure, good pressure, but none compared with that of God, my highest authority. But I find great comfort in the verse “perfect love casts out all fear,” which I have found to be true.”

Though evangelism is a passion for Hamshaw, when he moved to the United States, he sensed a greater call toward pastoral care.

“As God’s moved me more into a shepherding role in working full time in ministry there’s been a shift. Instead of just going out, I’m sensing a deep love for his people and coming amidst them, caring for people and leading them deeper into His word (the Bible).”

Hamshaw feels the weight of the upcoming ordination. “I’m looking forward to greater fulfillment in this journey of God’s call to Christian leadership. The big thing really though is living into the office that Jesus laid out as the Good Shepherd and modeling that for people so we all can be moving toward Christ together. Seeing God transform lives is an immense privilege and honor.”

The ordination will also be an answer to the prayers of one very special family member. Hamshaw’s maternal grandmother Florie D’Souza, who he describes as a “faithful, prayerful woman” has been “praying for many, many years for a priest in the family.” His ordination is, in part, an answer to that prayer.

The Very Rev. Paul Fuener, Rector of Prince George Winyah, will be preaching at the Ordination. The Very Rev. Mark J. Lawrence, the 14th Bishop of the Diocese, which separated from the Episcopal Church in 2012, will ordain his son-in-law. Clergy from around the Diocese, which has 53 member churches, have been invited to participate in the procession.

The service is public and all are welcome. The church will host a reception afterward.

Download a high resolution image of Jason Hamshaw. Photo by Chelsea Hamshaw