CCC Gainesville | Blog
For the past month our church has been talking about Operation Christmas Child and collection week is finally here!
If Operation Christmas Child is new to you and you have never packed a shoebox gift, please check out theOperation Christmas Child website and this video below which tells more about the project.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQxzM08YDc0
As they say, all it takes is a simple gift to make a difference in a child’s life. I hope you will all pack a box! The deadline to drop off your boxes is this Sunday, November 24. After the second service the boxes will all be taken to one of the local collection centers. (Email harmony812 [at] gmail [dot] com to help take the boxes.)
Here is how to pack a shoebox gift:
Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please), a small plastic container or just grab a box from church. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.
Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork from the OCC website. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.
Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page.
Please donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using the “Follow Your Box Donation” option, or you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation.
Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop it off at church.
And if you still need more motivation to pack a box…please visit the OCC Stories page to read story after story of how God uses these simple gifts to change hearts and lives and communities around the world. It is truly amazing to see how God uses something we would consider insignificant to spread his Kingdom and glory all through the Earth.
If you have any questions, please contact kids@christcommunitychurch.com.
Kaitlyn Shelton and Miranda Andrews are joining the church Sunday. Kaitlyn will be baptized Sunday morning. Read her testimony below:
I went to a Christian school at the age of three and have heard about Christ my entire life. My grandmother who came to Christ after fleeing Cuba helped my parents raise me and talked about God every day. In elementary my mother told me to ask Jesus into my heart if I did not want to go to hell. I did so, but I did not really understand what it meant. As middle school student, I was required to go to Bible classes. Each year I learned more about God and His mercy. By the end of middle school I realized that I no longer wanted to just know about Christ. I wanted to have a personal relationship with Him.
The next school year I attended Warrior Week. During the first week of school, all the high school students are brought together to worship, have fun, and meet each other instead of attending classes. During that week we were asked if we wanted to accept Christ as our personal Savior. We prayed a prayer together. As the school year continued, I was able to ask my high school Bible teachers questions I had about God.
I started going to Christ Community on and off last school year. My biggest reason for not going was because I needed to ask for rides. I felt like I was putting people out by doing so. Later on that year I was given rides by my friend, Miranda (pictured above). I have not met many people outside of RUF at Christ Community and am trying to work on that a little more this year.
Last Sunday (November 10, 2013), our treasurer, Adam Means, gave a brief financial presentation during the offering portion of our worship gatherings. You can access his Powerpoint presentation below, as well as a full recording of his presentation.
For Preschool Families
If your children are in the Preschool class during the second hour your children will be working on the following verses.
Now through December 1st they will me memorizing James 1:17 and using this Seeds Family Worship song to learn the words. At this link you can listen to the song online or buy the song.
http://seedsfamilyworship.bandcamp.com/track/heavenly-lights-james-1-17
December 8th through 29th they will be memorizing Ephesians 2:8 and using La-De-Da from Seeds Family Worship to learn the words. Like the above song, you can listen as much as you want at the site, or download it for $1.
http://seedsfamilyworship.bandcamp.com/track/grace-la-de-da-ephesians-2-8
Enjoy learning these beautiful songs with your children!
Sunday we have the privilege of welcoming these folks into our church family:
Jim Marshall
Harry and Susan Rushing
Marjorie Hatch
Samantha Jones
Eli and Rachel Bacheldor
Kevin & Kristy Currier
Miranda Andrews
Kaitlyn Shelton
Brent and Staci Rocke
Jana Jones
The Membership Vows
1.) Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save [except] in His sovereign mercy?
2.) Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3.) Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?
4.) Do you promise to support the church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
5.) Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to study its purity and peace?
