This morning we had our first day of VBS at CCC. It was a blast! We entered a wardrobe, felt the chilly winter air come through the wardrobe doors, walked through a winter path past the lamppost and into Cair Paravel. We sang worship songs, we watched a Narnia movie clip, we had a knight playing the piano, we ate Turkish Delight, ran races, painted a lamppost snow globe, learned how our speech reveals our heart, and sent encouragement to Gainesville firefighters. SAM_3553

Turkish Delight

As you know our theme is based on the book by C.S. Lewis The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. We hope most of you have read it by now. We have never done a VBS based on a book before. This is new to us, and many volunteers have gotten really creative to write the curriculum, design art projects, work out games and cook up Narnian snacks. We have poured over the book and fallen even more in love with Lucy and Peter, Aslan, the Beavers, Mr. Tumnus and other creatures with noble character. We have forgiven Edmund and overlooked Susan being bossy and loved them in the end too.

It doesn’t matter if you are a child or adult these stories capture our heart, and in the clip below Sally Lloyd-Jones will tell us why these books and this author is so special.

Capturing the Heart of a Child

 

 

 

Lots of talk in the press recently about marriage. I wanted to take a few moments to remind you of our position statement on marriage and divorce and make you aware of some helpful resources for thinking about faithfulness to Christ in our particular moment:

9 Things Your Should Know About the Supreme Court’s Same-Sex Marriage Cases, by Joe Carter

Tired of the Gay Marriage Debate? by Barnabas Piper

Why Gay Marriage is Good (and Bad) for the Church by Trevin Wax

A blog post by Ed Stetzer

Helpful resources for seeking the biblical vision for marriage by the power of the Spirit:

Gospel-focused Marriage, audio by Tim & Kathy Keller

What Did You Expect? book by Paul Tripp

Excellent resource on learning discernment:

Being in the world but not of it by Denis Haack

 

Today’s catechism reading was

What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith?

At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever.

— more info from Gospel Coalition, including a 3 minute teaching by Jon Lin.

a basic bible study by JI Packer

 

 

 

Awesome time plunging into:
–God’s Word
— a pool

Happened today and will again on July 22 and 29.

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Miriam Lucette Alessandra Smith
born 5:41 on July 2nd,
8lb 2oz, 20 3/4″

Is welcomed by Harmony and Christian, plus big sisters Dinah and Esther.