September 14, 2010

Do you know what this picture is?

“About three thousand people took Peter at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers” Acts 2:41-42 (MSG)

“In that circle of intensity and obedience, of fasting and praying, they laid hands on their heads and sent them off." Acts 13:3 (MSG)

Pastor’s Blog
A lot of people landed in the Christian faith in that first Christian century. Having landed, they did life together. Having done life together, they were sent out to others.

God has given us an airport. The picture above is a Google map of the old New London Airport.

On Sunday, we will dedicate the site on which the Christian Life Center was built, the former New London airport. For me this fact has become a metaphor for what I see God wanting to do with those who are part of the Christian Life Center family.
Here’s the wording of the plaque that we will dedicated on Sunday after the 10:30 worship service.

“ The New London Airport was built on this site in 1956 by Bill and Joyce Bohmier. It served the community for 4 decades, including as a transportation hub for many state and national dignitaries.

The airport was closed in 1999 and then purchased by the New London Presbyterian Church which was seeking to expand its ministry, Ironically years prior to the purchase, Mrs. Bohmier has a vision of a cross in the middle of the airport field with the love of Christ radiating out from it to the community.

Today the Christian Life Center uses the airport metaphor to describe its purpose.

‘We see ourselves much like an airport, where people are trained in their faith while ‘grounded’, but then depart only to connect with others who themselves will come to church , get grounded in their faith and then ‘take off’ to reach others.’

In a sense, the New London Airport still functions, no longer for transportation, but instead for life transformation in Jesus Christ”

I look forward to being “in the flow” of following Jesus in 2010 – 2011 and thereafter by pursuing this purpose for our lives together in and through the Christian Life Center.