Day Nineteen - Giving the honour to God

A week today I will be sixty-six years old ((Thursday 26th November) and at the end of the month I am stepping down from my position as Minister at North Street, Taunton.

I have been here for over twenty-four years and am thankful for the church for putting up with me and providing for me for all that time, and thankful to God for leading me and sustaining me over that period. I am also thankful for the many kind words and gestures that have come my way in the past few days.

My friend, Chris Bowater, spoke to me about honour. He said that how the church honours people for the past is a factor in how God honours the church in the future.

During my time in Taunton I have had the privilege of being in on the start of some major church initiatives: - Youth for Christ, Street Pastors and the B-1 Group of Churches, where several church leaders meet regularly and enjoy real relationship in working together for the Kingdom.

Each November, we join together one Sunday morning, for a joint service and this year we did so on live link, with different leaders taking part. I was asked to give a brief history of B-1 and afterwards one of the other leaders spoke about my involvement and about wanting to honour me for all I had done.

It was a humbling experience because I have only ever wanted to do what God called me to do for the sake of His kingdom, but I was left speechless when they told me that people from churches all over town had contributed to a gift for me.

It made me wonder if I had honoured people in my past enough, had I told them how much I appreciate what they had done for me.

I am thankful to men and women who have influenced my life and particularly to Gordon Bates, Chris Bowater and most of all, to Janice, my lovely wife!

But above all I am thankful to God for all He has done and for all He will continue to do because there is no retirement in the Kingdom of God and I am sure that as this door closes, another opportunity is about to open up.

Vince Carrington