why a train sign for a logo?
Christ at the Crossing
When we first found this train crossing metal sign we thought it was perfect for the Pioneer Mission Community Brenham
You clearly see a CROSS with railroad tracks running under it. In a small town like Brenham, you see these signs everywhere as you cross the weaving paths of trains coming through town. Since we use a locomotive engine in our Pioneer Smokehouse logo, we liked how this common train sign reminded people of the cross which is at the heart of our faith.
As providence would have it, that is the literal intersection that we find ourselves at at S. Park/Railroad! We hope that this imagery also help us 'get on the right track' with Christ as our Savior and Lord. He is, after all, the Pioneer and Perfector of our faith!
why a wagon wheel for a logo?
Without a destination and a vision, a community would stay put.
Without a leader, a community would have no one to follow.
Without wheels, a wagon train would be stranded.
For Pioneer Mission Community, the wagon wheel symbolizes both movement and a commitment to the lifelong journey of faith. Our relationship with Christ is everchanging, and we are called to walk with Him in the direction He is leading.
For the original pioneers, the journey stopped whenever people lost hope, yielded to hardship or suffered loss. Many times on the migration west, groups would ‘circle the wagons’ to protect themselves from threats of many kinds. As a temporary solution this was necessary. As a permanent strategy, circling the wagons led to loss of vision and direction, and caused groups to settle and forget their original goal.
Many churches begin with a grand vision to fulfill the great commission, to reach the lost and make disciples, but quickly give in to the temptation to take care of only themselves. Without the infrastructure of a large church or worship facility, Pioneer Mission Community will remain nimble, flexible and able to invest in Kingdom growth efforts in the community.
The connected spokes of the wagon wheel also remind us of the importance of staying connected to one another with Christ at the center of our community. Whether we consider the people or the ministries of PMC to be the spokes, we must always keep Christ at the center of the hub.
We also discovered that this similar shape which we know as a wagon wheel was also an alternative version of the 'ichthus' symbol used by early Christians in Ephesus and other places. The spokes of the wheel overlaid include the letters: I X O Y E (iota, chi, theta, upsilon, sigma) which stand for the Greek first initials of the words: Jesus, Christ, God, Son, Savior
