Pastor Ted Hampton was born and raised in rural western Pennsylvania. He attended Otterbein University in Ohio, where he received his BA in history, English, and Greek. After college, he attended U...view morePastor Ted Hampton was born and raised in rural western Pennsylvania. He attended Otterbein University in Ohio, where he received his BA in history, English, and Greek. After college, he attended United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, where he received his M. Div. He has done some postgraduate work in clinical hypnotherapy. Ordained an Elder in the Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1962, Pastor Hampton's first parish assignment was to a three-point charge in Eastern Colorado. He was then called to serve on staff at First UMC in Long Beach, California. Pastor Hampton was senior pastor at the Pioneer Memorial UMC, Monrovia UMC, and Dominguez UMC. In addition to his parish assignments, Pastor Hampton spent several years in Panama, where he taught English to the Guardia National, followed by several years directing a federally funded program for “acting out and drug abusing teens” in Long Beach, California. He retired in 2003. After retirement, he served as interim pastor at numerous churches in the Long Beach District. In 2009, Pastor Hampton joined the Lakewood First United Methodist Church leadership team as pastor of spiritual direction. He retired again in 2012 and now spends his time writing and preaching.view less