Friday, August 24, 2007

The Birds' Eye View Helps Ministers


Found an interesting story in my paper last week--a helicopter in Denver has become a popular way for religious leaders to gain perspective on their missions, writes Stephanie Simon in the LA Times. Monks, rabbis, imams and pastors have taken up the offer of a free ride on the chopper called "Prayer One" and run by pilot Jeff Pucket.

Seems that after taking a ride on Pucket's chopper two years ago, Rev. Tom Melton realized that helicopter rides might encourage ministers to work for their entire city, not just their congregation. Anyone can take a free ride if they express a passion for God and a desire to serve, but ministers get priority.

I know the feeling--so many times when I'm up in an airplane and looking out the window, I look down at all the little houses and cars and am reminded of how small we really are compared to God. And yet he's so much bigger and higher than I am at jetliner altitude.

You can get the same feeling playing Sim City, of course. (VBG).

My hat's off to Jeff Pucket. Fly on!

~~Angie

6 comments:

Brittanie said...

Angie
I just finished reading "Doesn't She Look Natural" and I wanted to tell you how much I loved it. When can we expect another book in this series?
Brittanie
www.xanga.com/booklover1983
www.abookloverforever.blogspot.com

Holly said...

Couldn't we all use a helicopter ride to see that the world is a bigger place than we might act?

I just listened to Beth Moore's "Delight in Him" on CD and she called her girls "globeheads," when they began to act like the world revolved around them.

We all do sometimes and could use a bigger perspective, I'm thinkin'.
'Loved this idea!
Blessings,
Holly

Angela said...

Thank you, Brittanie! So nice to hear!

And the second book is all done; I think it releases next spring. In the second book, SHE ALWAYS WORE RED, Jen is in mortuary school, trying to cram her brain with anatomy facts and funeral home figures. She also discovers a long-hidden family secret and comes face to face with some of her own prejudices. In addition, Clay, her son, discovers a REAL secret about the town of Mt. Dora. There’s a lot happening at Fairlawn in the second book!

Thanks so much for your kind words.

Angie

Anonymous said...

My Daughter, Tredessa works for one of the ministries that helped start Prayer One. She is the right hand person to Jude Del Hierro of Confluence Ministries. Jude is the one who wrote the worship song, "More Power, More Glory"? Anyway, it is a great way to get that God's Eye View of Denver and is doing great work to solidify pastors around the area. They meet each month and are able to really make and impact on the city.

Cindy Swanson said...

What an excellent idea! I've often felt that way while looking out an airplane window as well. I think that would be a great way to get some perspective on your area of ministry.

Anonymous said...

It reminds me of a Christian Song I hear on my local station by Cherie Call. It is called It Passes All my Understanding. Here are the lyrics..


I was sitting on a southbound plane,
I was buried in a magazine
When the man in the next seat over
Wanted to talk to me
He talked about the universe,
He talked about Saturn's rings
He said, "I might be an atheist,
Except for just one thing:

It passes all my understanding
How it all worked out just right
The distance that we live from the sun,
The stars that shine at night
We may prove that it was just an accident
But how did it begin?
It passes all my understanding"

I told him, You are a scholar;
You know things that I don't know
But I believe a God in heaven
Made everything below
And I know we are his children;
I've known it since I was two
But when it comes to being struck with awe,
I'm just like you

It passes all my understanding,
All the beauty we have here
From the majesty of the canyons
To a tiny baby's ear
And even when I can't believe it,
He still believes in me
It passes all my understanding"

We watched the sun set through the clouds
In a tiny little airplane window
With people sleeping all around
And I thought of how we just expect this world to be
And when the flight attendant passed me by
I threw away my magazine

It passes all my understanding,
That the Lord knows both our names
And that He made this world for everyone
That was sitting on that plane
And in spite of all of man's distractions
He offers us His peace
That passes all my understanding