Women’s ministries focused the last 9 months on seeking, sharing and showing grace.  As we reflect back, we praise God for his goodness to us in the ways He is growing us both personally and corporately.

With the coming of summer, there are a few exciting announcements for Women’s Ministries.

1.) We’ll be going to Orlando for the Gospel Coalition Conference  June 27th -June 29th.  If you would like to join us, it is not too late!  We have a block of rooms reserved in the Hilton, and there are friends still needing roommates. Please join us as thousands of women from all over the country come together to worship, learn, sing, praise, and fellowship around the theme: God’s Word–Our Story–Hearing from Nehemiah. https://www.signupforms.com/registrations/371 contact Sharon, sstankunas AT gmail.com if you are interested!

2.) We have new summer book clubs starting soon!

–> Christina Fischer and Julie Stout will be leading a group through the book  Radical by David Platt.  The purpose of Radical is to awaken a passion for the glory of God in all nations by encouraging and equipping Christians and churches to accomplish the Great Commission. Please contact christina AT gator.net if you are interested.

–> A few of us will be reading through The Gifts of Imperfection:  by Brene Brown.   This will be an online book club where we will be corresponding via email, with a final “get together” in August.  Each week we will read 2 chapters and then share our “summary” together on Thursdays.  We start June 26th with the preface and intro to the book.   To get a feel for this, check out this TED talk by Brene Brown

Finally we wrapped up the school year in the best way:  fantastic pizza and fellowship.   Here are a few pictures of our time together:

And finally, we love growing in grace with you!  Please let us know if you have any questions or comments!

In Jesus!

Paige French, Lauren Relyea, Christina Fischer, Laura Smoot, and Sharon Stankunas

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this
have entertained angels without realizing it!    –Hebrews 13:2

Are you one of five families from Christ Community who are about to be in a very enviable position? Hosting a Chinese elementary student can be a great service to the child and a very enriching experience for the host family. Last summer, several Christ Community families welcomed Chinese students into their homes for two weeks. Here a few words about their experience:

We enjoyed hosting both of our students from China. They were incredibly polite and thoughtful guests. We learned a lot from the experience and from the girls. It was fun to watch them learn new things and increase in their confidence.

♦

I have been on 5+ mission trips and can honestly say that the 15 days of having a sweet Chinese girl stay at our home was the best discussion of Christianity I have had with someone from another country.  I was such a neat experience for us as we got to know her and her mother very well (through regular email).  She did everything with us:  ate, played, attended local events, church, participated in Bible study in our home.   She asked questions about everything we did and we just loved having her.   Our girls were a bit nervous about having another child they did not know stay in our home for that long of a time and when we asked if they wanted to do it again this year they said “absolutely!”

♦

I went on quite a few foreign missions as a campus minister.  Hosting a Chinese student was by far the most effective one – and I never had to leave Gainesville!

While in Gainesville, the students are participate in an English Language Study Program coordinated by Education First (a non profit dedicated to encouraging international awareness).  The students are coming here to improve their English language skills while experiencing American life and culture.  Staying with volunteer host families who open their hearts and homes for a few weeks to these excited youths is a vital aspect of this program.

The students are occupied Monday thru Friday with English classes in the mornings and fun activities in the afternoons.
We ask our host families to provide:

–a bed for their student (it’s not necessary that they have their own room),
–an extra plate at the table, and a warm loving environment.

Host a young Chinese student (10-13 years old) for 16 days this summer, from July 16-August 1.If you are interested, want more details, or have any questions, please stop by the porch tomorrow, or contact:

 Nehemiah (352) 328-4216 and Deborah Gomes (352) 870-1241, or ef.gomesnd@gmail.com

See you at the July breakfast.

Join a weekly group! They meet:
–> Tuesday 6:30am @ Grandy’s
–> Thursday 6:30am @ Christ Community
–> Thursday noon @ Christian Study Center

pictured above: Last Year’s Gathering

All men are welcomed to come to breakfast at 6:30am.

This is a great opportunity to encourage other men with your presence and to get connected and help others connect. And stuff your pie hole!

3838 SW 78th Street
Gainesville, FL 32608
0630 Thursday. Bring your buds.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4

Dear heavenly Father, on this Pentecost Sunday, we praise you for the gift of your Holy Spirit, whose ministries are as multiple as they are magnificent. Though invisible, the evidence of his work is everywhere.

It is only by your Spirit that we even believe the gospel. He convicted us of our sins, gave us eyes to see Jesus and faith to trust him. Indeed, by the Spirit, we’ve been born again, and are no longer dead in our sins and trespasses. Father, we praise you for the new birth and new life in Jesus. And yet there’s so much more for which to be grateful.

By the Spirit, you sealed us forever as your beloved people. He’s the firstfruits of our final redemption—the guarantee that one Day we’ll live with the whole family of God, in the new heaven and new earth. He’s the wedding ring wrapped around our hearts—the sign and security of our betrothal to Jesus—our loving Bridegroom.

It’s by the Spirit we hear you telling us we’re your beloved children—guiltless and condemnation free. Through the Spirit we learn more of the glory and grace of Jesus, for he is constantly drawing attention to our Savior. And by the Spirit’s power, we’re enabled to put to death everything in us that contradicts the gospel. Oh, the peace we have knowing the Spirit is making us more and more like Jesus—for it wouldn’t happen otherwise.

We can pray and worship you acceptably, Father, only through the Spirit; and we’re comforted to know he ceaselessly prays inside of us—even when we’re too distracted, or too broken, to pray. And through the Spirit, you’ve gifted for service and empowered for mission. Hallelujah, many times over.

Father, on this Pentecost Sunday, we hear afresh your command that we be filled with the Spirit. So may it be, to your glory and our growth. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ exalted and loving name. — Scotty Smith