CCC Gainesville | Blog
What to Make of Children…and Their Parents
The Opus Project is offering a reading group this spring on “What to Make of Children…and Their Parents”. We will be discussing a series of essays and poems on the wonder and puzzlement of children as well as the role of parents (and others) in the process of raising them. The title – “What to Make of Children…” – invokes a double meaning on the verb make. In one sense we are asking how we are to make sense out of children: just what are we talking about when we talk about children? In another sense, we are asking how we are to think about and approach the process of making children into something – their formation into adulthood, citizenship, and whatever else we are supposed to do. And then, there’s the afterthought “…and Their Parents”, which has in view the reality and mystery that somehow as we embark on the pathway of child-raising, we the parents are also being made into something. What a puzzling and amazing thing.
The series will certainly be about parenting, but it will also be broader and deeper than that as we seek to build a framework to help us see children more clearly and understand our role better as we seek to honor God and his ways through our families. This series was inspired in part by the latest edition of The Hedgehog Review on “Parenting in America”. We will draw from this issue for two of our essays and from other sources for the rest. Also, we will try to team up some poems with the essays from time to time.
We will be meeting monthly on Sunday mornings during the 2nd hour (10:30am) on the church campus.
Reading Schedule (dates are subject to change)
January 26
“A More Vibrant Theology of Children”, Marcia Bunge
(published in Christian Reflection by The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor)
February 23 (short letter + essay)
“Letter to Young Parents”, James K.A. Smith
(on the occasion of a baptism – Smith ponders the future project of shaping a life)
and
“Raising the Awesome Child”, Diane M. Hoffman
(examines the agenda of parenting in which the goal is to raise amazing kids)
March 23
“Beyond Noah’s Ark”, Susan R. Garrett
(reconsidering how we might best impart a depth of the scriptures to children)
April 27
“Teach Your Children Well”, John Zucchi
(the role of the church and the contents of spiritual formation)
May 18
“Holding Them Closer”, Carl Desportes Bowman
(considers parental connections to children as they mature toward independence)
For other/future information on the Opus Project on Faith, Work, and Culture, click here.
Sunday January 19
For a year and a half Christ Community has been partnering with Creekside Community to establish a core group to launch a new gospel-driven church downtown. God has brought us to the cusp of that launch! And we want to celebrate, and prayerfully commission them as a church plant.
This Sunday evening at six, we’ll gather at Creekside Church ( 2640 NW 39th Avenue) for a service to commission City Church. I hope you will consider joining me, the launch team, and our partners at Creekside for this meaningful time together.
Creekside is arranging childcare for the hour long service. If you know you will attend and require childcare, please send a note to nina AT creekside.com.
Sunday January 26 Foundations Series: Renewal
Please share this with your small group, volunteer teams, study groups and as many other individuals as you can.
Register here, as we need a count especially for planning childcare – but most importantly plan to be there for these reasons:
This is the 2nd year of our gathering on Sunday nights to equip current and train new leaders by providing an unhurried space for spiritual formation with me teaching in a “classroom” environment. Last year we overviewed the Westminster Confession of Faith. This year we will look at the topic of Renewal. What does it look like? How do we participate with God in it? What is the goal of renewal? and more. Will include emphasis on role of prayer and the Scriptures in spiritual wakefulness.
Christ Community normally seeks to keep people informed on prayer needs through an email group. You can join the group simply by sending an email to prayer @
Today, I’m updating on the blog because the two main people working on this initiative are in need of prayer!
Alvin Tate is traveling with his wife, Carol. They are in Birmingham–where doctors are not expecting Carol’s sister to live much longer.
Chris Hiatt has pneumonia. Their son Benjamin is also experiencing respiratory issues. Please pray for his wife, Amber, to stay healthy in order to provide care to the family.
I also want to update you on situations that have been mentioned earlier, Scot Eubanks and Nicole Keys.
Scot Eubanks, son of Larry and Kathleen, was hospitalized and released following stroke-like symptoms. This week he went back into hospital. They have discovered an infection in Scot’s central nervous system. He is being treated with antibiotics and will be at Shands until the cause of infection is found. A Lumbar puncture gave Scot some relief from a terrible head ache.
19 year old Nicole Keys was injured in a car accident during Thanksgiving. She is doing remarkably well, as of yesterday. From Facebook:
On her right side, Nicole passed all of the pt ‘tests’. She obeyed all commands and identified all objects correctly.
Nicole even was able to text two of her friends and said, “I love you.” using the iPad.
Her left side still isn’t ‘awake’.
Her left side still isn’t ‘awake’.
Don’t forget to join the prayer community by emailing prayer AT christcommunitychurch.
James and Rachel Schrader sent this along regarding the great gathering they lead for middle and high school students on Sunday mornings. They kick off the semester THIS SUNDAY, January 12, at 9:00AM:
This semester we are going to be studying John 1-10 in youth Sunday School. We are excited about the opportunity to learn from what Jesus said and did through the eyewitness account of John. Jesus uses everyday items and events to reveal and explain spiritual truths. Each lesson will be a neat time of reading, teaching, and discussing topics such as “How is Jesus the Light of the world?,” “Why are Jesus’ words about eternal life confusing to many people?,” “Who was the ‘Wild Man’?,” and how to relate faith to everyday life.
Read a one-page overview of their study
Watch a 2 minute video class overview
PARENTS: Grab a free ebook on John’s Gospel from RC Sproul
A group from CCC is planning to attend the Gospel Coalition’s 2014 National Women’s Conference in Orlando June 27-29. More about the conference here. If you’ve been considering making the trip, the early bird discount (save $50) ends tonight (1/9/14 at 1:00am.) If you enter the code “payitforward” at checkout, you’ll also save an additional $25. Register online here.
Questions about the group’s plans? Please email Sharon Stankunas.
From our Women’s Ministry leaders:
One of our goals as women’s leaders of CCC is to provide opportunities for the Gospel to saturate your life. Through “seeking, sharing, and showing” grace, we hope to create environments for you know Jesus more intimately and pursue His purposes in your life. Please check out our Bible studies, social events, service projects, quarterly dinners, retreats and conferences in 2014. One awesome way for this to happen is the Gospel Coalition’s 2014 National Women’s conference in Orlando, June 27-29. The really unique and cool thing about this “women’s” conference, is that it is not all about women!!! It’s about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s a time to learn more of what the Scripture says to us—and to say it to each other. A time to hear from incredible teachers. A time to dig deeper into the character of God and his purposes for his people. A time to gather together and share encouragement as sisters, daughters, wives, mothers, and friends. We had such a dear time together in 2012. Here is a bit more:
“A conference for women, all about the Word! Plenary speakers will unfold the book of Nehemiah—the story of God’s people returned to a broken-down city and called to trust God’s Word at a point of great need. It’s about God redeeming a people for himself through his Son. This is our story. We’ll focus on listening to this Word…living in light of it…helping others hear it…worshiping according to it…waiting on the Spirit who inspired it…exalting Jesus at the center of it.”
