book on spiritual journey For almost 20 years Doug Hickerson has written newspaper human interest stories and essays about people and issues in Brockport and the greater Rochester area. Now the Brockport free lance writer has published a book telling his own story of a faith journey over a lifetime. In his book, The Kingdom of God and the Yellow Barn Church, the author at 68 tells of some wide-ranging life experiences beginning with his boyhood, when God's kingdom seems irrelevant to him; through adolescence when a Protestant-Catholic conflict arises in his family; and into adulthood when he becomes curious about spiritual paths to God beyond the traditional Church. While in his mid-50s, he starts a spiritual journey, delving into New Age philosophies and exploring other religions. His journey ends at the evangelical "yellow barn church" in his hometown of Brockport where he awakens to the Kingdom of God. Hickerson has lived in the Brockport area since 1975. He served as assistant vice president for student affairs at SUNY College at Brockport for eleven years. He was executive director of Monroe County Special Olympics for several years before retiring in 1993. He received the Faith in Action Award from the Greater Rochester Community of Churches for work on several peace projects in the Rochester area in 1997. He is a member of the Leadership Rochester organization and a trustee of the Western Monroe Historical Society in Brockport. He holds an Ed.D. Degree from Penn State University and the M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He and his wife, Dianne, have been members of Christ Community Church for over a year. The church, in an original barn building at the end of Coleman Creek Road in Brockport, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its founding on July 4 this year. The book (iUniverse, $11.95, paperback) goes on sale June 18 at the Lift Bridge Book Shop and the Mes-Sage Christian Book & Gift Shop, both on Main Street in Brockport. Submitted material June 18, 2006 |
