The
letter below is from Nick Cirino, Mark’s son, who grew up among us, came to
Christ among us and while among us received God’s call into full time
ministry. He has completed
seminary, two years of interning at a PCA church in Tampa and has completed his
ordination exams with flying colors.
He’s married to Rachel with a young son, Blake, and is now about to
move on to leadership in a church of “his own”.
I
find it to be a really neat thing to be part of a church family which is fertile
ground for God to raise up and call young men and women into full time ministry.
When I first arrived in New London I learned of Kent Groff who grew up in
this church, was called to full time ministry and is now a PC(USA) pastor.
In succeeding years others from the church family have transitioned into
various forms of full time ministry including among others Karen Truman, Joyce
Ross, Jim Sillcox, Steven Jamison, Michelle Heavener, Lenny Gawlikowski,
Susannah Tulloch, Mark Cirino, Megann Graf, Jeff Pincin and Mary Coleman.
Those of us ministering here from elsewhere (Ben Dieterly, Jeannette
Guilbert and Gary Arntessoni, and I) are most blessed to be invited into
ministry partnership with CLC’s “homegrown” ministers of Jesus Christ.
Our
hope is that in the coming years, our sending will not only continue but
increase.
My
hope is two-fold: That we are
able not only to raise up those who go into full time ministry, but also raise
you up to be a full time minister of Jesus Christ right where you are, doing
what you are doing but with the mindset of Jesus, knowing that what you do
matters, and the people you are doing it with and for are those whom God has
strategically placed in your life because you are the exact “Minister of Jesus
Christ” that they need.
Christian
Life Center Session and Missions Committee,
I
would like to extend my deepest gratitude for the role you have played
in my spiritual upbringing and
for your financial support in seminary.
It
was through your ministry that the Lord was pleased to call me to
himself and my early years of
Christian life were spent in your midst. The CLC will also hold a
special place in my
spiritual journey.
Last
May, I graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary with a Masters of
Divinity. I
feel that I cannot convey to you the importance of that education
to me. I did not plan on
going to seminary, being prejudiced against theological education. Several
of your elders at the time
exhorted me earnestly to attend seminary and I believe the Lord worked
through them to soften my heart. That
single decision changed the entire course of my
life—for
the better.
I
learned at seminary that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. It
was as if I stepped into a whole
new
world. That education has
proved invaluable many times over in ministry and I
can’t imagine
pursuing the pastorate without it. I
currently preach and teach several times a week and
I am so thankful that I have a deep well of theological education
to draw from.
I
am working as a pastoral intern at Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church,
Tampa, Florida, finishing the
last of my requirements for ordination.
Lord willing, in a year’s
time I will receive my first call
and be ordained as a pastor. It
is an exciting
time in our young family’s
life.
Thank
you for your support of me. I
would not be here if it were not for you. I
trust the Lord that your
investment in me will not be in vain, but that he will use me (and your
legacy in me) for his kingdom
through the proclamation of the Word. Pray
for me, that the Lord would keep me
faithful in life and in doctrine, that I would not only be a godly
pastor, but first a godly husband
and father. You are in our
prayers as well.
Nick Cirino
For
more:
follow on Twitter @jefflampl
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