User:Stratmacalf/sandbox

Born on 10th November 1973 in Zimbabwe to Alec and Ann Smart, Warwick Sean Smart was the youngest of four sons. He came to faith at the age of 19 while at university. His first charge was Pinetown United Church, Durban - Congregational and Presbyterian. There he energised the congregation to renovate their dilapidated property themselves since they could not afford to pay for repairs. Soon he had a crisis centre in full swing to help hundreds of victims of crime and rape prevalent in the area. Within three years it was a thriving congregation with two ministers, a capable leadership and a congregation eager to serve others.

From this blue collar congregation he went to St Columba's adjacent to Pretoria University in the diplomatic and parliamentary district. Money was not the challenge there, but involvement. The response was slower but attendance at worship soared and he communicated as readily with its members as with those of a different background in Pinetown.

He married Andrea on 15th December, 2001 and their first child, Nicholas, was born in 2006. By this time, Warwick was exploring the possibility of moving to Ireland.

Despite being trained and highly qualified, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland felt that he needed a period of acclimatisation to Northern Ireland culture and society. He received a call to be the minister at First Presbyterian Church, Ballymoney, where he was installed on 30th June, 2009.

Warwick wrote this on his own web page: "I was born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa. I am an Irish citizen (thanks to a Granny form Castlerock) which made moving to Ireland easy.

“I grew up in Plettenberg Bay on the South-East Coast of South Africa. I was raised in a non-religious home and first attended church while reading law at university. I came to faith and was baptised (aged 19) in a non-denominational campus church. I think that being a local church pastor is the best job in the world. I serve First Presbyterian Church Ballymoney, one of the oldest Presbyterian Churches in Ireland. It is a great church filled with wonderful, sincere, folk trying to make sense of what it means to follow Jesus.” "

Robert Walker tells this story about Warwick: We were Warwick’s first Wedding in the Church in Ballymoney, having set a date with the previous Minister over a year beforehand. We had to have frequent regular meetings at the Manse to arrange the details, with Warwick assuming his position in July, and our wedding in August. We had to discuss Wedding plans, and what the legalities of the Service were, rules stated by the Government, and by the Church.

He frequently interrupted our meetings and lessons, giving us stories and anecdotes. One that always springs to mind is when I absent mindedly wore a short sleeve shirt to the Manse, and left my lip piercing in. During the lesson he was having musings on the Church and how we interpret the Bible when he turned on me with a piercing stare.“I like your tattoos, and your piercing. Most people in the Church frown on these and quote ‘Your Body is a Temple!’. I would say to them ‘And Temples are decorated’. When I first started my training to become a Minister do you know what I did? I went out and had my Tongue pierced. I have a Tattoo you know, it’s my favourite Bible verse written in Hebrew.” At this point he leans across the table with a sparkle in his eye “The only people that have seen it is the person who did it, my wife and the Rugby team I used to play with. If you want to see it you’ll have to marry me!”

At Warwick's funeral service, Reverend Ron Savage (minister emeritus of Stormont Presbyterian Church) said this of him: "He had the knack of getting under the skin of hypocricy and pretence; of ruffling the culturally subverted church, ministers and members; of mocking meaningless piety; and speaking the horrible truth rather than the easy half truth."

The legacy of Warwick's short time at First Presbyterian Church Ballymoney is demonstrated in various aspects of church life - the church continues to raise funds for the David Livingstone Memorial School in Zimbabwe there is a Warwick Smart memorial trophy for a golf competition organised by the golfing society at the church, and some of Warwick's sermons remain available on iTunes via the First Ballymoney website. --Stratmacalf (talk) 09:58, 27 August 2012 (UTC)