Five Years

By: Graham Doel, June 25th, 2008

It seems to be the thing to do to reflect on five year anniversaries (here and here).

Last Sunday was a double anniversary for me. It was 5 Years since we moved into a house that needed rather more doing to it than we thought.. Louise and I also celebrated our 12th Wedding anniversary (I think we remembered about midday).

A week on Sunday it will be the fifth anniversary since my induction to the pastorate in Morecambe. The last years have been a personal journey for me. I have had moments of feeling the need for a total career transformation and have investigated retraining as a plumber. At other times I have known that that I’m doing the right job. Today is a right job day. Not just because someone who gave me a hard time at a meeting almost apologised, but because I am happy that among other things the Morecambe, Sunday Night Project is helping the church to think differently about community and life.

Other things have happened in the last five years that are worthy of note, some good things, other rather sad things:

• Libby was born.
• Alice and Isaac Started School.
• Both my Maternal Grandparents have been ill and subsequently died.
• I have passed the post as a fully qualified minister (bizarrely enough, I’m going on a “Ministry Refresher Course” this year).
• I have begun post graduate research into Church Planting Approaches in the Baptist Union.

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3 Responses to “Five Years”

1. Pauline Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 11:33 am

   Hi Graham
   I was amazed to read this latest page on your ‘blog’! As a relative newcomer to the church,I can assure you that you’re in the right job! God has given you a unique gift - if I could put my finger on it I would - but I know that in our difficult move from the Methodist Church to Stanley Road Baptist, God used YOU personally in so many ways.
   Continue to be your own quirky self Graham - it’s how God made you!
   Every blessing
   Pauline

2. Graham Doel Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

   I had not realised that I had sounded quite that negative! I was trying to say that I have had “Moments”. I suspect that everyone has those moments.

   For me the things that help to remind me that I am in the right place and doing the right job are:

   • The Unanimous decision of three different church meetings, in two different locations commending and calling me into ministry.
   • The continuing conviction that the message of Jesus can change and impact peoples lives, even though the wrapping we sometimes put around the message is poor.
   • And the way in Morecambe, five years have seen various people come to understand the message in a new way, and the way in which the core group of the evening service have embraced the new approach.
3. Pauline Says:
   July 10th, 2008 at 7:53 pm

   Amen

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