CCC Gainesville | Blog
Part of God making a person a saint–setting them apart—is His promise and power to grant new desires and abilities that FAR transcend a little improvement.
cue the Lewis quote about horses
‘Niceness’—wholesome, integrated personality—is an excellent thing. We must try by every medical, educational, economic, and political means in our power to produce a world where as many people as possible grow up ‘nice’; just as we must try to produce a world where all have plenty to eat. But we must not suppose that even if we succeeded in making everyone nice we should have saved their souls. A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world—and might even be more difficult to save.
For mere improvement is not redemption, though redemption always improves people even here and now and will, in the end, improve them to a degree we cannot yet imagine. God became man to turn creatures into sons: not simply to produce better men of the old kind but to produce a new kind of man. It is not like teaching a horse to jump better and better but like turning a horse into a winged creature. Of course, once it has got its wings, it will soar over fences which could never have been jumped and thus beat the natural horse at its own game. But there may be a period, while the wings are just beginning to grow, when it cannot do so: and at that stage the lumps on the shoulders—no one could tell by looking at them that they are going to be wings—may even give it an awkward appearance.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 215-216.
Sunday during our Communion service we will profess our faith using the Nicene Creed.
“The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds challenge every generation of the world church:
do you still stand with us on the Trinity?
on the Incarnation?
on the second coming of our Lord, and the Christian hope?
If not, why not?
Are not our positions scriptural?
Go to the Bible and see. And if you find they are, will you not labour to teach and stress and defend these things in your day, as we did in ours.”
–JI Packer
Update 5/6/2013: All of the officer nominees listed below were elected by a majority vote on Sunday, May 5th! They will installed during special worship services on May 19th.
In 2012, we nominated more men for the offices of elder and deacon than ever before in our church’s history! This Sunday, we have the opportunity to vote on those who have since completed their training and have discerned a call to their respective offices.
Each candidate requires a majority “yes” vote this Sunday in order to serve the church in this role. Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with some of the men our members will find on their ballots this Sunday.
. . .
Nate Henkel, Elder Candidate
Pictured with his wife, Melissa Henkel, and their children Caleb (4) and Jordan (2).
When did you join/start attending CCC?:
Summer of 2006 (The Oak Hall years)
What are you most passionate about?:
Being a great dad and husband. Helping people. Helping kids learn. God’s church.
Vocation:
Teacher
Interests:
Fishing, hunting, camping, music, theology, reading, traveling to new places, and writing.
Involvement at CCC:
“Been a part of 3 community groups, where I have lead the current one for the past 2 years, Worked the resource desk when church building first opened (1year), been to 4 men’s conferences where I have led table discussions for 2 of them (4 years), worked in the nursery with Melissa (4 years), helped out at VBS (5 years), church workdays (2 times), pastor’s reception (2 times), served communion (various times within the past year), participated in the Foundations Class held at our church for 3 months in 2013, elder training (since the fall of 2012).”
. . .
Deacon Candidates:
Britt Daniel
. . .
Dan Doran
. . .
Andres Eran
Pictured with his wife, Monica Eran, and their son Sebastian Fernando (
3 1/2). He is passionate about my family and friends. Andres works as a salesman for Wood You Furniture in Gainesville. He enjoys good stories /books, movies, etc., and his involvement to date at CCC includes: worked for the nursery, taught Sunday school with Larry Eubanks for two semesters, current communion server.
. . .
Tony Freese
. . .
Adam Means
Spouse: Ashley Means
Children: Avery (11), Ally (10), Alan (7), Ace (5).
Began attending CCC in 2003. They moved away for 2 years 2008-2010 and have been back since 2010. The Means are most passionate about raising their family.
Vocation:
Works as a radiologist at Doctors Imaging Group/North Florida
Interests:
All sports, Fishing, Traveling with wife and family.
Involvement at CCC:
“I taught adult Sunday school many years ago. Ashley has been teaching the Pre K Sunday School for 2 years and I am the helper. I serve communion.”
. . .
Stuart Menzies
. . .
Joe Relyea
Pictured with his wife, Lauren, and their children, Collette (5) and Arthur (3).
When did you join/start attending CCC?
Summer 2009
What are you most passionate about?
Learning to be a better leader/servant in my home.
Vocation:
Senior Health Information Advisor, xG Health (Advise self-funded employer groups on how to reduce medical costs and improve clinical outcomes)
Interests:
Coaching T-Ball, playing basketball and soccer, gardening (interest, not ability to actually do so), Hiking/Camping
Involvement in CCC (how/where have you served the church, and for how long?):
Primarily involved in Muffins/Coffee for three years. Participated in church work days and other one off events. My family participates in a community group.
. . .
Justin Richardson
. . .
James Schrader
Pictured with his wife, Rachel. They started attending CCC in summer 2011.
What are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about my work at a Forest Grove Christian Academy. I feel God has called me to work with kids encouraging them in their studies and their Christian life. I am blessed to love going to work everyday.
Vocation:
Principal at Forest Grove Christian Academy
Interests:
I love walks with my wife, sports, Gator football, and jeeps.
Involvement in CCC (how/where have you served the church, and for how long?):
My wife and myself have taught Middle/High School Sunday School with Drew Donovan since Aug 2012. We have also help welcome and greet since Aug 2011.
. . .
Ken Smoot
. . .
Ronnie Thaler
Pictured with his late wife, Margaret, and their children. Ronnie is a local dentist, practicing for more than 50 years, who is passionate about his continued study of scripture. He is interested in sports and family, and he serves regularly with Gainesville Community Ministries.
May 5 & 12 Worship Services and Education Classes at 9:00 & 10:30
May 19- June 30 9am Education Classes and 10am Worship Service
July 1-August 11 10amWorship Service (with Children’s Church)
August 18 Worship Services and Education Classes at 9:00 & 10:30
Note: This is the final post from our intern, Hillary Smith. Hillary gave many hours to providing these insightful resources. Thank you, Hillary!
Q: What is idolatry?
A: Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security.
Idolatry in the life of Christian did not disappear with the old practices of ancient religions. We are no longer tempted to bow down to gold statues or carved faces, but our idols manifest themselves in more subtle ways. How secure does your savings account make you feel? How comforting is it to cast your worries on your spouse? How much does the praise of others affect your day? These things are not bad inherently. Idolatry is when we let blessings from God become the object of our worship. We fall in love with the created, not the Creator. God asks us to rely solely on him for security.
As last week’s speaker, Steve Lammers, said (in his relationship series with RUF), we are called to put our hope in God, not in the good things. God is the only lasting good on this planet. We are to seek our security, comfort, and fulfillment in Christ. We are to put our expectations in the new heaven and the new earth, because there is nothing that is ultimately secure except for Christ.
We cannot find our identity in anything in this world without suffering. How can we exchange the glory of the Lord for something that perishes? We are called to store up our treasure in heaven and to rely on Him for everything. We were created to worship only God, and disaster comes whenever we don’t. But the Lord is merciful. We are Gomer, constantly running to other lovers. And the Lord is Hosea, always bringing us back and restoring us. Hosea 2 creates a beautiful picture of our unfaithfulness and God’s loving mercy.
v17-20:
For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.
He will write his law on our hearts and make himself known to us. He has given us a covenant to restore us and heal this broken world and our sinful nature. Let us look forward to that glorious day and seek to honor Him above all else!
Last Sunday was week 17 of 52 catechism readings from New City Catechism. Christ Community is reciting an entry from the catechism each Sunday in 2013.
