End Times

29 March, 2003 7:21 PM

Tomorrow is my last day at Doncaster CCC - the church where I've been a minister for 2.5 years. I've just finished preparing my last 'sermon' for my time there which I will deliver to both congregations (one morning and one evening) tomorrow.

I've been trying to think of a way in which to describe my time at this church - its hard to sum up that long a period of your life in a few words. But one word does keep springing to mind. The word that describes best what this church has been like for me is 'INCUBATOR'.

Strange I know, but my time at Doncaster has been one in which I feel like I came into it in one form and have come out the other end in another. Whilst there have been some very difficult challenges over this period, in general I feel as thought I've been in a largely warm and encouraging environment where I've been free to grow to a stage where I'm now able to be 'hatched' from the world as I know it into another one -like a chick from it egg.

This church has encouraged me to think outside the box, its allowed me freedom to experiment with alternative worship ideas, its listened to my strange ideas and ways of communicating the gospel, its encouraged my creativity and its not stifled my desire to plant a new church.

For this I am very grateful - many churches would not have allowed me to be like this, they would have been threatened by my questions and take on 'church'. So thankyou Doncaster - my your incubator like ways continue!

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