Retired priest writes refreshing autobiography

FRAAIUITSIG NEWS - A retired Anglican clergyman in Fraaiuitsig, near Mossel Bay, has written a chatty, informative book about his life.

Reverend Winston Dickerson worked under Archbishop Desmond Tutu for a number of years.

There is an account in the book of how Tutu kindly helped Dickerson when he asked Tutu's assistance in a family matter.

There is a continuous thread running through Dickerson's book, titled Water and the Living Water of Life.

Holy Spirit's leading

It is the importance of the Holy Spirit's leading and the power of the Lord in one's Christian walk. Encounters Dickerson's descriptions of his personal encounters with the Lord and the Holy Spirit on his own and in ministering to others make gripping reading.

The ways in which the Lord has answered his simple, honest prayers for people are truly moving. There are accounts of the manifest presence of the Lord, of healings and deliverance.

Also absorbing are Dickerson's accounts of day to day relations and dealings with members of his congregations.

These interactions were not always easy. Dickerson's book covers periods of his life in East London, Grahamstown, Cape Town and Knysna. He was in Knysna during the fire of June 2017. There are also accounts in the book of trips overseas.

Called

The Lord called Dickerson to full-time ministry when he was working for Transnet in East London. He had experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit and people kept coming to him at work, asking him to pray for them.

The Lord confirmed to him he needed to leave his secular job.

Although he endured hardships as a priest, having to move about 10 times, often into extremely modest accommodation, and he earned a meagre salary at times, what is apparent in the book is the Lord's lavish love for his servants and His supernatural provision for their needs.

In Dickerson's interview with Mossel Bay Advertiser and subsequent emails and WhatsApps, one is struck by his warmth and his love for people. He is exuberant, affable and enjoys laughing.

Friends

Growing up in East London, Dickerson was friends with Ian and Jody Scheckter, who would later become Formula One racing car drivers and he describes his boyhood "racing" escapades with the brothers.

Dickerson's description of meeting his wife Lorna and anecdotes about their courtship are hilarious. Lorna worked all her life.

Her first job was for a veterinary company and then she worked for many years for a medical aid scheme.

Brendan

The couple's son, Brendan, is an electrical engineer and their daughter, Carmel, owns a highly successful Cape Town interior décor company with a number of international clients.

A dedicated family man, one of the most poignant descriptions in the book is of Dickerson's heartache at Brendan having to move to Namibia for work, because he could not find a job in South Africa.

Counselling

Dickerson did a training course in Christian counselling under the respected "giant in the faith", Selwyn Hughes, in Farnham in the United Kingdom.

His account of this is really interesting: how life at Waverley Abbey, where Hughes was based in Farnham, was unhurried. People were not rushed and stressed.

They had time to speak to one another and truly listen to one another. Dickerson got Nicky Gumbel, founder of the internationally-known Alpha Christian course, to come to Cape Town.

Dickerson gave the Alpha Course at Goodwood Methodist Church and arranged for that church to be Gumbel’s church agent in South Africa. Dickerson also set up a medical aid scheme for 200 clergymen and their families in South Africa.

Marginalised people

Speaking about ministering to marginalised people in society, he told the Advertiser: "You don't have to point out people's sin. They are all too aware of it. You have to point the way to the gospel."

He concludes: "I have been a builder, accounts clerk, a priest, a medical aid developer, a writer and a publisher. I have self published. The job of a marketing manager was the toughest job of all. I am no good at selling anything except Jesus Christ." If you would like to purchase Dickerson's book, contact him (082 202 5282 or winlow@ mweb.co.za).