Bridgton Alliance Church was our home for 23 years.  Not just our home church, but in a very real sense , our home.  It was the center of our family's social and spiritual lives.  It is always hard to leave a place like that when God moves you elsewhere, but last week Sue and I had a chance to revisit our old home, if only for an afternoon.

On October 30, the church in Bridgton had a harvest party for families in the area.  While many families were part of the church, many were there as guests, visiting, in some cases, for the first time.  They had a bounce house, bowling, ring toss, and a strong man game, among much else.  Then, an hour in, the games shut down so that Sue and I could do a 45 minute show complete with entertaining but meaningful Gospel presenttion.  

The audience, mostly family groups with kids in costumes ranging from princesses to fire fighters, was responsive to all that we did. There were several opportunities for audience participation, and plenty of eager volunteers.  Being a family event with many unchirched guests, I made the Gospel clear but gentle, ending with the cut and restored rope.  

For Sue, the highlight was probably seeing Lucy, one of her closest friends, and hanging out together before and after the show.  For me it was nice to be back; kind of like going back to my old hometown where I grew up, but no longer resided.