Church leaders:  Duane and Clare Elkins

Our church leaders are Duane and Clare Elkins. They are a young couple in their thirties and have three children, between the ages of thirteen and seven.

 

Duane is from Texas, where his mother and four sisters still live. Brought up in a small Southern Baptist Church, Duane made a personal commitment to Jesus at the age of 11.

 

During his teenage years Duane became disenchanted with the church. A serious car accident at the age of 17 nearly cost him his life, and it was soon after this experience that Duane made a decision to stop playing around. The result was that he entered into a life-changing relationship with God and he was baptised in the Holy Spirit.

 

At university he gained a degree in Business Administration after taking a gap year working in a church in England. It was there he met his wife Clare. Duane has just completed a second degree in Theology. When relaxing he enjoys watching movies and playing basketball.

 

Clare was brought up in Norwich in a Christian home and became a Christian at the age of 8. Educated at the Hewitt School, she went to the Norwich Art College and then on to the London College of Printing where she gained a Degree in Photography.

 

Clare became a travel photographer, living in London and working in places of interest all over the world. One weekend she visited her parents home in Norwich, met Duane, and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Clare is an avid reader and very ‘sporty’. Last year she took part in the Great North Run to raise money for Christian Aid and completed the course in a very respectable time of 2 hours 10 minutes.

 

Duane’s personal and church vision is to encourage, inspire, equip and release everyone into the call God has placed upon their life. He loves people and is a great friend to many, Duane is being used by God as an evagelist.

 

Clare has a great heart for children and desires to make the church an exciting, fun place for children to learn about Jesus. She is very gifted, resourceful and creative working with children in the community as well as heading up the work with our church children. The children love her to bits, and she feels privileged to serve God in this way.