CCC Gainesville | Blog
There is something really amazing that happens during the Opening Ceremonies of each Olympics, seeing all the different nations participating walking into the arena, together. This year 193 Independent Countries and 11 territories will be sending athletes to compete in the games. That’s 204 nations from around the world, 204 different people groups who will be brought together for games.
Not all of the 204 nations like each other, and it is always possible that unlikely friendships will arise from two weeks of competing together, through life changing experiences. In fact this description can be found on the website of the International Olympic Committee “The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”
On day one of our Olympics we are going to learn about a very unlikely friendship that develops in Acts 9:1-22. We will meet a man named Saul. Saul is a man who is setting out on a journey to Damascus with the purpose of persecuting anyone who clams to be a follower of Jesus. Like many of the athletes we will see traveling to London from the far corners of the planet, Saul is traveling very far from home. While the Olympic athletes are on a more peaceable journey, Saul is not. His mission is not one of games but one of stopping the growth of the Christan church. At least he thinks that’s his mission until God meets him on the road and changes his path to the road of following Jesus.
In our first lesson we are going to see God change Saul’s heart so completely that he is no longer racing to Damascus to catch the followers of Jesus but to join up with them in their race. God changes Saul so completely that he becomes a new person all together, and even changes his name to Paul.
Paul becomes a friend of Jesus!
Family Discussion
Have you ever known someone who you didn’t think you could be friends with? Why did you think that?
Talk together about friends who have changed your life and helped you on your road to following Jesus.
What are ways that God has re-routed you, and put you back on the road of following Jesus?
Below is a letter that was sent to members of Christ Community Church last week. The Matthews family has been called to Virginia:
June 26, 2012
Dear CCC Family and Friends,
We hope to find you well as we head into the summer months here in
Gainesville. We write you encouraged by your love and partnership in the
gospel both here in Gainesville and beyond. It has been our privilege to serve
with you over the past 6 years and see God do so many wonderful things
through CCC. We have been loved and supported by you all and our family
has enjoyed growing up here and experiencing life together.
After much prayer, we have decided to follow God’s call to serve in ministry in
Richmond, VA. While we have mixed emotions as we leave the CCC family
and Gainesville area, we know God is leading us in this direction and into this
new ministry. Frank will be serving as the pastor to college/career and young
families at this new position. We look to God with hope and anticipation that
we will be used mightily to further the work of Christ in this new place of
ministry.
We covet your prayers in this transition as we will be praying for you and how
God provides at CCC. We do not have a definite timeline of departure yet but
hope to leave in early August to get the kids oriented and in school prior to
starting.
Grace and Peace,
Frank and Suzanne
Joshua, Micah, Aaron, and Elise
Carry The Torch! VBS 2012 is just around the corner. Many volunteers from CCC have been preparing and helping get ready for our big week of Olympic fun. One of the aspects that makes VBS so fun is not just the games, not just the snacks, not just the friends your kids will make, but learning about God’s truths in an engaging, non-threatening, developmentally appropriate and fun way. Each year at VBS we work really hard to give kids the gospel in ways that pop out of the pages of the bible and right into their imagination and life experience.
While children will be learning about Paul’s race in the book of Acts during the week of VBS we know that each lesson is much deeper than what we can talk about during each day. To get the most out of VBS we want to encourage parents to check out the blog posts in the weeks leading up to VBS for devotionals on each lesson. This will give you the materials on what your kids were taught each day, memory verses, and questions for continuing the conversation beyond VBS.
See you at Opening Ceremonies on July 16th!
Hello, dear church family!
We love to offer a FREE VBS to our community, but in order to make that continue to happen we need YOU! We need snack and craft supplies as well as materials for our service projects. If you did not know, the children participate in several service projects through out the week. This year they are making floral arrangements for nursing home residents, collecting canned goods for Bread of the Mighty food bank, making bundles to be delivered to traveling homeless people and making care packages for families staying with Ronald McDonald House.
Please look over the list below to see if you can help us by providing a few items. There is also a poster in the foyer at church with Olympic medals listing the different items. If you want to grab a couple medals and take them with you that would be great! That way you remember what items you are supposed to bring. (I know I always forget!) And don’t feel as if you have to provide ALL of a specific item…if you grab 2 or 3 packs of whatever it is that would be great! Every little bit helps!
Thank you so much for your help to make this a great VBS!
*Please bring all donations directly to the Children’s Welcome Station. Thank you!
Donations Needed
Acrylic Paint (Large bottles of : Red-2, Yellow-2, Green-2, Blue-2, Black-3, Metallic Gold-4)
Cheese sticks (100)
Cherrios (2 boxes)
Chocolate Chips (2 bags)
Fruit Loops (2 boxes)
Go-gurt Tubes (13 boxes)
Goldfish (2 large boxes)
Granola Bars (15 boxes)
Green Felt (100 sheets all shades)
Green Pipecleaners (100)
Gum (50 packs)
Hard candy (5+ bags)
Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil (3 rolls)
Large Popsicle Sticks (100)
Lemonade powder mix (5 cans)
Paper bags with handles (50)
Raisins (4 large boxes)
Small Activity books (word search, Sudoku, crossword) (50)
Small bottled water (60)
Small boxes of Raisins (60)
Small packs of tissues (50)
Socks (10 packs)
Tissue paper (Red-3, Orange-3, Yellow-3)
Travel size hand sanitizers (50)
Travel size shampoo (60)
Travel size soap (60)
Travel size Toothpaste (60)
Washcloths (60)
Hello, church family! VBS is coming soon! If you wish to register your children, please click here (or on the graphic above).
If you don’t have a child participating in VBS we still need you! As part of our service projects for the week there will be several items that we will need donated. Check the foyer on Sunday, June 24 for a list of the items we will need and how you can help.
And, as always, we covet your prayers for our teachers and for the children who will attend!
