I love this account from Tolkien because it captures the fight of the redeemed heart. Aslan is on the move, Spring is coming. Our Warrior God has defeated the enemy and is now rolling back the darkness. And we join in that victory and in the battle to work-out all the ramifications of life conquering death.

Sam: It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines it’ll shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.

O Lord,
make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

We’re in the midst of a sermon series on God’s Story. This week, we’ll dwell on the Fall. Life makes so much more sense when you realize that the world and all that is in it is not as it should be.

From Scotty Smith:

God’s Story comes to us as a redemptive drama in four parts.

1. Creation – when everything was as God meant it to be.
2. Fall – the tragic intrusion of sin and death, resulting in the pervasive brokenness of all people and everything God has made.
3. Redemption – God’s astonishing promise to redeem his fallen image-bearers and creation through the grace-full work of his Son, Jesus Christ.
4. Consummation – the magnificent fulfillment of God’s plan to gather and cherish a people forever, and to live with them in a more-than-restored world, called “the new heaven and new earth.”

Each panel of the painting presents one of the four interrelated parts of God’s Story, and each is replete with well chosen symbols. First you notice that a tree is the predominant image in each panel; each tree is tagged with an identifying word: life, loss, love, and again, life. Why was a tree chosen as the best symbol to tell God’s Story? When God first created mankind, he placed Adam and Eve in a garden paradise, called Eden. In the middle of the Garden was the tree of life, a clear statement and celebration of the fact that God is so very good and generous. It is from God that we receive life and it is from him that all blessings flow.

Read the story behind the painting and more about God’s Story

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