A few years ago Chris Hiatt served our church family as Director of Worship and Communication.  He left here to move to New York to fulfill a lifelong dream of living and working in the city.  Fortunately for us, he returned to Gainesville in April (with his wife, Amber!) and immediately took the worship leader part-time position.  It is with gratitude to God and excitement for the future that we announce that Chris is once again on full-time staff with the church.

Chris is now the Creative Director and Facilities Coordinator.  His role as Creative Director includes worship, communications, and special projects.  As Facilities Coordinator he will put together teams of people to handle the basic needs of the facility and position us to use the facility as a blessing to the community.

Go out of your way to congratulate Chris and feel free to ask him any questions or tell him any ideas you have about the areas he is overseeing.

As was mentioned in our December congregational meeting, we are nominating officers this month. During the month of January, please complete the nomination form (available at the Resource Desk) for new officers and either turn it into Debbie Staples in the church office, mail the nomination form to CCC, 1603 SW 122nd St, Gainesville, FL (Attention: Debbie Staples), or you may place the completed form in the offering plate on a Sunday morning before January 31, 2012. If you nominate someone please include your signature and the nominee’s signature.

All nominees will be initially screened for membership and Christian experience requirements by the session. If the session affirms that the nominee qualifies under both categories, they will be sent a letter informing them of their nomination and the subsequent process they can expect. Included in that letter will be a questionnaire that is required to be filled out and returned by a deadline. Once the questionnaire is completed, a personal interview will be set up with the nominee and a small group of officers to discuss the appropriateness and timing of their nomination. If it is determined that they should proceed with the nomination, approved nominees will then receive notification regarding the times and dates for the new officer training classes. Nominees will then complete an 8 week training course and examination in February through March. The exam will be in April.

January is a month for officer nominations.  There will be forms available at the resource desk on Sunday.

Check back at the blog for more info on Friday.

Excerpt from our Book of Church Order, on the office of Deacon:

9-1. The office of deacon is set forth in the Scriptures as ordinary and perpetual in the Church. The office is one of sympathy and service, after the example of the Lord Jesus; it expresses also the communion of saints, especially in their helping one another in time of need.

9-2. It is the duty of the deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation. In matters of special importance affecting the property of the church, they cannot take final action without the approval of the Session and consent of the congregation.

In the discharge of their duties the deacons are under the supervision and authority of the Session.

9-3. To the office of deacon, which is spiritual in nature, shall be chosen men of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly spirit, warm sympathies, and sound judgment.

Weekly Groups: Tue & Thurs @ 6:30am and Thursday Noon

Monthly breakfast: Mill, 1st Thursday of month

GraceCon conference: click link to the right—->

Tuesday morning women’s study will be starting again January 17th. We will be working through the book of Genesis, using The Promised One
Seeing Jesus in Genesis by Nancy Guthrie. Many of us have grown up in church learning one Bible story after the other, yet how many of us
can clearly connect those stories with clarity and understanding to God’s redemptive purposes through Christ from the very beginning? This study begins to
look for Jesus, finding Him in the people, promises,and patterns of the Old Testament scriptures. The Promised One will help us:

–make new discoveries of Jesus as seen in the shadows of the Old Testament;
–apply the gospel found in Genesis to issues such as shame, fear, and the desire for security and significance;
–develop your longing for what is ahead when the world is once again made new.
–gain a fresh perspective on the book of Genesis, and a broader understanding of Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture.

Please join us Tuesday Mornings 9AM – 11Am @ CCC beginning January 17.
Childcare is provided with registration

Please contact Paige French to register for childcare. pbefrench AT gmail

Please contact Sharon Stankunas
to order a book for the study. sstankunas AT gmail