Coming out of this region of the state of Florida there were over 13 thousand shoe boxes packed and sent to children around the world as a testimony for Christ. CCC members helped generously send 173 of these boxes! Hope you are having fun tracking your box this year!

Theme: The First Christian

The ancient church used to call Mary the first Christian because she was the very first to hear and to believe that this child was indeed the promised Messiah and Savior. She was frightened when the angel first came, and wouldn’t you be? But she was not frightened for long after she heard the good news about her baby. Do you know what the name Jesus means? It means ‘savior’ or ‘deliverer.’ It is the Greek language equivalent of the Hebrew word ‘Joshua.’ Jesus came to be our great warrior, to deliver us from the power of our great enemy, the devil, and to free us from the power of sin. He is the king of kings, and the son of King David who will reign forever. And Mary leads us in welcoming Jesus as savior. Her words should be ours: “I am the Lord’s servant.” As you pray, commit your life to serving the Lord just as Mary did.

Theme: Jesus Shows us What God is Like

Have you ever wanted to go to a foreign country? Has anyone ever told you about a wonderful place they’ve seen or been to, and it was so amazing that you really wanted to go there yourself? These verses tell us God came to us in Jesus to show us what it is like where he lives in all his glory and love. No one from earth could ever go there themselves (there are no buses or trains to heaven). God had to come to us! And in Jesus he came and made his love known. Jesus is like a window into heaven. By reading the gospels, by getting to know him through prayer, by eating at his table at holy communion, and in serving others we can really see what God is like and experience his love for us. Pray that God would help us to get to know Jesus more and more, so that we might really know how wonderful and glorious he is.