Profile of Colin Ferguson, Preacher and writer of hymns and worship material
***** NEWS *****
Colin's first novel "Inheritance of Secrets" is available on Amazon now
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritance-Secrets-Colin-Ferguson-ebook/
Colin was born in Perth Scotland in 1937 and educated finally at Tiffin School, Kingston-on-Thames. He then spent two years in the RAF, nine years in the Bank of England, twenty eight years in the Probation Service, serving in South London and Holloway Prison before moving in 1979 to Reading as a senior manager. In 1984 he began to specialize in Family work as part of which he worked closely with Social Services and the Police and Education Welfare
Service. His study in this partnership was the basis of his degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Reading. In his work with the Family Courts he was involved in setting up a number of Voluntary Contact Centres and two Family Mediation services. For some years he chaired the local Training Committee of Cruse Bereavement Care. In 1994 he took an early retirement from Probation and retrained as a Family Mediator in Reading. He was also a partner in Reading Family Matters, a training scheme for all agencies. He retired from active participation in 2007 but remains a Trustee of Mediation in Reading and vice-president of the Reading Criminal Justice Associates.
Colin married Janet in 1960 and their four children now include six grandchildren between them. A member and elder of the United Reformed Church in Reading he has been preaching since 1957. In the Church he has served at local, District, Synod and National Level on various committees, including three years as a member of the United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook Committee. Much of his devotional writing, especially the Hymns have been inspired by an annual holiday with the URC Forum and been developed to accompany his preaching. He is a member of the Thames Valley Writing Circle and of the Association of Christian Writers.
Although a writer mainly of poetry for over fifty years, his first foray into being published was in 1992 when Tony Jasper included two of
his poems in the anthology ‘Worship the King’. Since then his work has appeared in many anthologies and he has been a regular contributor to‘Worship Live’.
His first book of worship material was ‘Give me a Voice Lord’ published in 1997 and long since out of print.
Following his retirement/redeployment in 2007 he has produced three more books;-
Sharing Jesus - 50 new hymns set to familiar tunes; now in its second reprint
Seeking Jesus - A collection of prayer, poetry and meditation for the Christian year now on its fourth reprint
Promise - Produced in Summer 2012 and a further collection of new hymns set to familiar tunes.
Spirit in the Melody - Produced in Summer 2013 a new book of hymns to music written for them by Fiona Lloyd and other friends.
Colin's first novel "Inheritance of Secrets" is available on Amazon now
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inheritance-Secrets-Colin-Ferguson-ebook/
Colin was born in Perth Scotland in 1937 and educated finally at Tiffin School, Kingston-on-Thames. He then spent two years in the RAF, nine years in the Bank of England, twenty eight years in the Probation Service, serving in South London and Holloway Prison before moving in 1979 to Reading as a senior manager. In 1984 he began to specialize in Family work as part of which he worked closely with Social Services and the Police and Education Welfare
Service. His study in this partnership was the basis of his degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Reading. In his work with the Family Courts he was involved in setting up a number of Voluntary Contact Centres and two Family Mediation services. For some years he chaired the local Training Committee of Cruse Bereavement Care. In 1994 he took an early retirement from Probation and retrained as a Family Mediator in Reading. He was also a partner in Reading Family Matters, a training scheme for all agencies. He retired from active participation in 2007 but remains a Trustee of Mediation in Reading and vice-president of the Reading Criminal Justice Associates.
Colin married Janet in 1960 and their four children now include six grandchildren between them. A member and elder of the United Reformed Church in Reading he has been preaching since 1957. In the Church he has served at local, District, Synod and National Level on various committees, including three years as a member of the United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook Committee. Much of his devotional writing, especially the Hymns have been inspired by an annual holiday with the URC Forum and been developed to accompany his preaching. He is a member of the Thames Valley Writing Circle and of the Association of Christian Writers.
Although a writer mainly of poetry for over fifty years, his first foray into being published was in 1992 when Tony Jasper included two of
his poems in the anthology ‘Worship the King’. Since then his work has appeared in many anthologies and he has been a regular contributor to‘Worship Live’.
His first book of worship material was ‘Give me a Voice Lord’ published in 1997 and long since out of print.
Following his retirement/redeployment in 2007 he has produced three more books;-
Sharing Jesus - 50 new hymns set to familiar tunes; now in its second reprint
Seeking Jesus - A collection of prayer, poetry and meditation for the Christian year now on its fourth reprint
Promise - Produced in Summer 2012 and a further collection of new hymns set to familiar tunes.
Spirit in the Melody - Produced in Summer 2013 a new book of hymns to music written for them by Fiona Lloyd and other friends.