An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

AcknowledgementsI extend much gratitude to my first Supervisor Professor Thomas Acton for his continuousand patient support throughout the rudimentary, developing and completed phases of thejourney to produce this thesis. I would like to thank Dr. Hilary Dickinson for her earlysupport, Drs Sally Mann, Sally Allsford and Allesandro Benito for their later support. I wouldalso like to acknowledge the short but important input from Dr Fiona Devlin who sadly is nolonger amongst us.I would like to extend special thanks to the ministers and the congregation of COGIC and theURC for allowing me access to their congregations, the respondents and to gain a deeperinsight and develop my understanding into church and Christian life.Most of all I would like to thank my husband, Leslie, for being there every step of the way.Special thanks to all my friends and colleagues and contacts who were involved at thebeginning of this undertaking and also those whom I met on the journey. I can only name afew of them but must mention Jackie Smith, Professor Tony Leiba, Beverly Bogle, CarolWebley-Brown, Karen Carberry, Suri Thomas, Frank and Pat Blackburn, and the Revd. BillBowman.This work would never have been possible without the early support of my late parentsEsmena and Kenneth Wallace most especially my mother Esmena who provided me with ahealthy foundation in my early years and encouraged my search for knowledge.I would like to dedicate this work to my family, my husband Leslie; children Anthony,Wayne and Katrina and grandchildren Wayne Junior, Gavrie, Joel, Nathaniel and X‟ion.iii