I hope you’re enjoying a terrific week and your 2012 has gotten off to a terrific start. There’s certainly an added bit of excitement in the air around Maryland due to the Ravens’ big AFC Championship game coming up this Sunday vs. those annoying New England Patriots. I’m sure many of you are displaying your purple pride as you’re reading this. I encourage you to continue donning the purple right on through Sunday at one of our CCC services at either 8:30am, 10am, or 11:30am. (My prediction…30-27 Ravens.)

This Sunday is a special Sunday at CCC and not just because of Baltimore’s big playoff game. At the beginning of each service, we’re having our annual Parent and Child Dedication. It’s always a special time when families intentionally stand before their church family and make promises about how they will do everything they can to point their children toward God the Father through Jesus Christ. And our church as a whole gets to encourage them along the way in that endeavor. It’s a very cool moment and one I hope you don’t miss.

We’ll be continuing our series called I Quit where we’re looking to start 2012 off on the right foot. And we’ve got a special video I’m anxious for you all to see.

David Robinson
Community Christian Church – Helping People Find Their Way Back To God
8094 Sandpiper Circle
White Marsh, MD 21236
www.communitycc.net
410-933-8330

We want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this event by running, walking, volunteering, or sponsoring the Pond Skipper. Your generosity is appreciated and will make a difference for the students and staff of Dundalk Middle School.

WOW! This past Sunday was a powerful day for CCC. I don’t think we’ll soon forget the impact of coming up to the front of the auditorium and laying down our 212 commitments before God as we turn up the heat with our generosity. God is calling our church to big things ahead, and I’m grateful to be a part of it all with you.

In fact, on this Thanksgiving day I echo the thoughts of the Apostle Paul when he wrote to the Philippian church,

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6

I’m grateful to God for your partnership in this wonderful thing called his church. And I’m confident God will bring to fruition the work he’s currently doing in each of us individually and collectively.

Hearing some of the stories of those who have committed to 212 has been both encouraging and inspiring to me.

Thanks so much to all of you who have already turned in a 212 commitment card as a statement that you’re sacrificing radically to help people find their way back to God through the ministry of CCC. I can’t wait to share the total with you very soon.

I want everyone to have a chance to be part of this huge initiative for our church before announcing the final total. And I know a few people weren’t here this past Sunday or weren’t quite ready to turn in their cards. If you haven’t made a 212 commitment yet, there is still time. Here’s how you can still be involved.

You can either:

1) Go to the 212 website (www.ccc212.net) and fill out an online 212 commitment card.

OR

2) Fill out a 212 commitment card this Sunday at CCC services (8:30am, 10am, or 11:30am).

And as always, if there are questions you have about 212 or would like to talk with someone from our 212 team, please don’t hesitate.

There is so much riding on this for our future. This is a defining time in the life and history of CCC. It will shape us individually and as a church family. Remember when it comes to our generosity, God doesn’t want something from us as much as He wants something for us. So don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn and grow over the next two years.

Thank you for your prayers, for your generosity, and for your commitment to CCC. Pray for those this week who will make their 212 commitments as we seek to be all in and turn up the heat together to 212.

Get Hot!!!

David Robinson

If you weren’t able to be at CCC for commitment Sunday, you’re still in luck! It’s never too late to turn up the heat and live a radically generous life. You can make your 212 commitment online through the 212 website. You can also commit on Sunday at CCC. We’ll have commitment cards available if you need one.

If you have any questions please email us and let us know. It’s going to be a wild ride as we journey to 212!

We’re just about half way into our 212 series that’s launching us into a two year initiative to turn up the heat and live radically generous lives. We’re challenging everyone to wrestle with what God might be calling you into during this season at CCC. And likewise, we’re rolling out the collective focus for our church in the foreseeable future. It’s definitely an exciting time to be a part of Community Christian Church.

Don’t miss any of it, including this coming Sunday, November 6, for week three of 212. (Identical services at 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am.)

You can also frequent the website for this initiative at www.ccc212.net. Check out the videos, the 212 booklet, the daily readings, and the blog. You can also sign up to receive the 212 texting challenges and encouragements by texting ccc212 to 62953. Be a part of the entire journey.

So I hope to see you on Sunday. (And don’t forget to set those clocks back for daylight saving time. It might just be the best night of the year!)

David Robinson

I hope you’re all doing well as we approach the end of this final week of October.

This past Sunday was a special day at CCC as we rolled out a new initiative we’re launching that will set the tone for our church for the foreseeable future. We rolled out 212, which is a five week series that will propel us into a two year focus where we’re looking for and expecting God to do some incredible things in us and through us. I’m excited about what God will do in us as we listen to his leading and the steps he’s specifically calling us each to take. And I’m excited about what God will do through us as we collectively seek to be faithful with everything he’s entrusted to us.

As you know, our focus here at CCC is to help people find their way back to God. 212 will allow us to do that like never before.

I encourage you to be present for each week of this series and fully engage with 212 through the daily readings, along with it being the focus for your small group.

If you missed it, be sure and pick up a copy of last week’s service, or download the podcast through iTunes or our website. You can also check out the 212 website, which is www.ccc212.net.

This is definitely an exciting time for us as a church. And I’m certainly glad to be on the journey with you.

I hope to see you this coming Sunday at either 8:30am, 10am, or 11:30am as we continue to turn up the heat!

p.s. – Don’t forget about Trunk or Treat, which will take place next Monday, October 31st from 6-8:30pm. It’s the perfect event to invite someone who is not a part of any church. Don’t miss it!

David Robinson

You might have assumed as much, but due to the visit from Hurricane Irene we’ll not be having Sunday morning services tomorrow at CCC. (That’s right, a preacher is telling you not to show up to church.) In fact, all events and activities scheduled for tomorrow have been postponed. (Living with Grief Session, Freshman Frenzy, and 6th Grade Blitz will all be rescheduled. Check the CCC website for updates related to these events.)

We’ll also be extending the School Supply Drive for Dundalk Middle School through next week.

Please pass along the information to anyone you think might not already know.

So stay safe and as dry as possible and I’ll see you next week!

David Robinson

I hope you’ve had a tremendous start to your summer.

We slammed into summer a couple of weeks ago with the first ever CCCPalooza. It was quite the celebration and I hope you were able to take advantage of the many opportunities and events throughout the week.

We kicked off July with our annual CCC at the Movies series, where we’re tapping into some big summer releases and other recent movies as a jumping off point for Biblical conversations about life and faith. All stories, even movies, can reveal something to us about the bigger story – the story of God’s kingdom.

So make sure you don’t miss out on week 3 of CCC at the Movies this Sunday. And if you like movie theater candy, we’ll have some of your favorite (completely free, of course).

Let me remind our CCC parents of children from birth through 5th grade about the Children’s Ministry. Every week, we provide fun, safe, and creative experiences so kids know how much they matter to God and how much they matter to us! If you appreciate worshiping at CCC as a grown-up, we think you’ll love the environments for our CCC kids (and you’re kids will love it too!).

I’m looking forward to seeing you this Sunday. Have a wonderful start to your weekend!

David Robinson

Today we assisted the very first medical clinic in La Baie. People were lined up to be seen when we woke up in the morning. We were able to treat roughly 50 people with everything from ringworm, dehydration, a dislocated hip and severe wound infections. A mother brought her little boy who was literally starving. The amount of trust that these people were willing to put in complete strangers was truly amazing. We wish we could’ve done so much more.

Please continue to pray for the work God is doing in this place and that we would be a tremendous blessing to the people we are serving.

We just got this update from our team in Haiti and wanted to pass it along to you. It would be awesome if you could take the time to say a prayer for them while they’re gone.

UPDATE:
After 17 hours of travel we arrived in St. Louis du Nord to a warm meal, devotions, and then much needed sleep. In our first two days we’ve taken a tour of the mission, visited Ansafelour and prayed around a voodoo temple as well as went to the ocean, played with the children, visited the elderly home, taught English, and took food to the elderly in the neighborhood around the mission.

We’ve already shared the most incredible experiences and adventures and our hearts are moved deeply.

More to come in a few days!

I hope this email finds you doing well on this first week of May.

This coming Sunday we’ll be wrapping up our GINORMOUS series where we’ve been exploring some critically important verses from the Bible we all need to have a handle on. Don’t miss the final week at any of our services – 8:30am, 10am, or 11:30am.

Following the conclusion of this series, we’re launching into a brand new series simply called “Questions”. If you’ve ever found yourself asking some troubling or tricky questions about the Bible, or faith, or God, then this series is for you. Whether they’re questions you’ve struggled with personally or that you’ve been asked and you simply didn’t know how to respond, this upcoming series is going to be fantastic in helping all of us navigate some of the really big questions.

If fact, I’d love to hear what big questions you wrestle with or would like to see addressed in the coming weeks. I think we all have at least one question that seems to trip us up; I’d love to hear yours. Email them to questions@communitycc.net.

And as you know, the beginning of a series is a perfect time to invite someone who’s not a part of any church to join you at CCC. I really think the “Questions” series could be incredibly helpful for folks who have some hang ups about faith, church, and God. Maybe this is the perfect time to be bold and invite a friend or family member to CCC.

Don’t forget we’ve got some great opportunities coming up over the next several weeks.

ServeFest is taking place on Saturday, May 14th. We’re partnering with bunches of other church in the area to serve and bless our community and there’s still time for you to be a part of it all. Go to servefestmd.org, peruse the many different projects, and jump in to help. I hope CCC shows up in a huge way on the 14th to serve and bless our community.

In the meantime, have a terrific rest of your week.

I hope to see you on Sunday as we wrap up this GINORMOUS series.

David Robinson
Community Christian Church – Helping People Find Their Way Back To God
8094 Sandpiper Circle
White Marsh, MD 21236
www.communitycc.net

I hope you’re all doing well, especially now that spring appears to be springing.

This past week I thoroughly enjoyed watching so many of you take that crucial and important step of baptism. Hearing some of your stories over the weekend reminds me of why we started this church to begin with some 5 years ago. These are some of my favorite Sunday gatherings – when we set up the tank and celebrate people’s baptisms together. Whether young or old, guy or gal, it’s really exciting to hear people articulate their belief in Jesus Christ as they allow God to shape their journey and their story from here on out. That’s good stuff.

I hope you didn’t miss it.

This coming Sunday we’re kicking off a brand new series called GINORMOUS. The beginning of a series is a great time to invite a friend who is not a part of any church to come along with you to a CCC service. (Service times are 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am.)

I hope you have a fantastic rest of the week! See you soon.

David Robinson

We had a fantastic 5 year celebration this past weekend at Community Christian Church. I hope you were able to be a part of it all.

Friday night was sidesplitting at our annual Comedy Night where Darren Streblow and Taylor Mason helped us laugh our socks off. The desserts at the end of the night were a great way to top off the evening.

And then on Sunday we had more than 900 people come out to celebrate CCC turning 5. It was terrific! Hopefully you were able to pick up a piece of birthday cake and a goodie bag full of treats. (You know you love the white wristband and stickers, not to mention the candy!)

God has certainly been faithful over the last 5 years. And it’s been quite a ride thus far. I look forward to what’s in store for us as we journey along together. Our future is bright and our hope is firmly placed in the one who does not disappoint.

I’m glad you’re a part of what’s happening at CCC.

We have another exciting Sunday coming up here at CCC with our Baptism Celebration during all three services and Starting Point from 9:45 – 11:30. (Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead an hour as we spring forward.)

I look forward to reading your stories (remember, 100 words or less) and hope we all can become better at expressing how Jesus has changed our lives. Have a great rest of the week and I’ll see you again on Sunday as we conclude our series – “Just Walk Across The Room.”

David Robinson

I hope you’re all doing well.

It’s quite a significant week around here at CCC. It’s hard to believe, but we’re celebrating 5 years as a church this coming weekend. Things got kicked off on March 5, 2006 here at 8094 Sandpiper Circle, and we’ve been meeting every Sunday since. (Except for a couple of blizzard days last year.)

Our 5 year birthday celebration begins this Friday, March 4th with our annual Comedy Night. Darren Streblow and Taylor Mason are coming in to help us laugh our socks off. The event is sold out and we’ve got quite a long waiting list for tickets.

If you did snag some tickets, the doors open at 6:30pm and the laughing starts at 7pm. Deserts will be provided at intermission. (Be sure to bring your sweet tooth.) I look forward to seeing you all there. And remember to wear a clean pair of socks, ‘cause you’ll be laughing them off!

The 5 Year Celebration continues this Sunday, March 6th at the CCC services taking place at 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am. We’ve got quite a time planned together, including all sorts of free stuff to give away. So invite a friend to join you (they’ll get free stuff too!) and don’t miss the 5 Year Celebration. It’ll be a blast.
 
 
 
I hope to see you this weekend!

David Robinson

Since all three services are identical, it might seem the choice is nothing more than a matter of preference.  And to some degree, this is the case.  But, there’s a little more to it than that.

Our mission is to help people find their way back to God.  That means we want to create an inviting atmosphere for people who are not a part of any church.  Over and over again studies and surveys have found that people who are not a part of any church are much more likely to attend church services later in the morning.

This has played out here at CCC as well.  So, when we ask ourselves the question, “What service should I go to,” keep in mind we are creating three services to help people find their way back to God and people who aren’t a part of any church are more likely to go to the 10:00 or 11:30 service.  Perhaps you might consider attending the 8:30 service to ensure there’ll be enough room at the later services.  This might be a sacrifice for you and your family to wake up a little earlier for church.  But this might also be a way you can serve people who don’t know God.

So what service are you going to attend?  Think about making the 8:30 service your service.

I hope you had a fantastic Christmas celebration this past weekend. Our Christmas Eve services last Friday were a high point in my weekend. I love gathering with the CCC family and being reminded once again, in a very tangible way, that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. I hope you were able to be there on Christmas Eve and you found the service helpful and encouraging.

This Sunday, January 2nd, will be the very first Sunday of the year. We’ll hit the ground running this week and talk about some upcoming plans for CCC in 2011. (Did you know it’s our 5 year anniversary on the first Sunday of March?!) We’ll also be challenging everyone to consider what new thing God might want to do in and through you in the months ahead. Don’t miss it. Our time together might just be the highlight of your week!

I look forward to seeing you all there at either 9:30am or 11am. In the meantime, have a safe and enjoyable New Year.

David Robinson

Hey Friends,

I hope you’re all doing well this week as we lead up to the celebration of Christmas and God coming into our world through the gift of his son, Jesus. We’ve planned out quite a service set for this Friday, December 24th. There are three identical services happening at 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

People sometimes ask me if they’re able to attend a service even though they didn’t pick up a place holder. The answer to that is a resounding yes! Come on out on Friday. There’s still room at each of the services, although 2pm might be your best bet.

Remember, elementary age children are welcome to join you in the service, but we do have childcare provided for pre-school age children. Please take advantage of that.

I hope to see you all at CCC this Friday to celebrate together.

David Robinson

Can you believe we’re only a couple days away from the first of November?!

But before we get there, we’re planning to round out October with a bang. This coming Sunday will be week four of our current series “One Month To Live”. We’ve been wrestling with the question, “If you only had one month to live, what would you do differently?” It’s been a fantastic exercise to consider that very question. I’ve heard from so many of you in regard to how this series is reshaping the way you go about your days.

Make sure to be there Sunday at either 9:30am or 11am as we continue to explore what it would look like to live a no regrets life.

Sunday morning services are not all that’s coming up this weekend. Sunday evening will be CCC’s annual Trunk or Treat. It’s a party unlike any other with decorated people and decorated cars, free games, free food, and candy galore. Don’t miss it from 6pm-8:30pm, taking place on the CCC campus at 8094 Sandpiper Circle. (Much of the festivities will be around back of our facility. But there will be loads of fun in the auditorium as well.)

There’s no need to get all dressed up on Sunday morning, but there sure is an occasion to get dressed up on Sunday night. So plan out that costume, invite a friend or two, and make your way on over to CCC this weekend.

I hope to see you there.

David Robinson

It wasn’t that long ago that we launched CCC, March 5, 2006, and from the beginning we’ve given away 10% of our offerings specifically to birth new churches. We’ve been able to support 8 brand new churches over the past 4 years. One, in fact, is launching this Sunday in Owings Mills. Another is launching later this month in Annapolis.

Back in 2006, before CCC was born, I’m certainly grateful a network of churches rallied together, sacrificed greatly, and sought out to launch a brand new church in the White Marsh area…and I hope you feel exactly the same way. We have a chance to continue partnering with other churches to launch new churches in order to reach people who are not currently a part of any church. That’s worth our time, focus, energy, and resources.

So stuff a $10 bill in your pocket this week (or two or three or however many you’re lead to contribute…) and let’s band together to make a huge difference for the kingdom of God through the 10-10-10 challenge.

I hope you’re doing well and enjoying a splendid week.

I’m incredibly excited about what’s in store for the CCC family this coming Sunday, October 10th. We’re kicking off a brand new series called One Month To Live, and we’re asking everyone to participate in this five week series in several ways. I would challenge you to make it to all five weeks (October 10th-November 7th) on Sunday mornings at 8094 Sandpiper Circle. (Identical services at 9:30am & 11am)

We’re also having all our Small Groups center around this same focus for the entire five weeks. It’s a perfect time to jump into a Small Group if you’re not currently in one. To sign up for a One Month To Live Small Group, you can contact our Small Groups and Spiritual Formation Pastor, Nic Cox (nic.cox@communitycc.net) or sign up on Sunday morning through the CCC card or at the One Month To Live table.

We’re also asking everyone to pick up a copy of the book One Month To Live and start reading along each day throughout the month of October into the first part of November. We’ve tried to make the book as affordable as possible (Only $15), however, if you’re not able to afford that for some reason, go ahead and pick up a book and pay what you can when you can.

We want to make the most of this series and set ourselves up to live fully by asking the question, “What if we only had one month to live?” How would that reshape the way we go about our days?

Although each week I hope you feel comfortable inviting your friends to CCC services, I think this series will be quite pertinent to everyone. And the beginning of a new series is one of the best times to ask someone to join you. So be bold, and go for it.

A central verse from the Bible for this series is out of Psalm 90 where the Psalmist writes, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) And who doesn’t want a heart of wisdom?!

It’s going to be an incredible journey together, and I hope you make it a point to be there every step of the way. And I hope the highlight of it all takes place on Sunday at CCC. See you then!

David Robinson

We also announced some exciting new things in store for KidStuf. There will be different formats for KidStuf that will all have the core components but will vary in some ways.  We think it will make KidStuf an even better resource for parents. You can download a PDF version of the upcoming KidStuf Calendar, or check out the image below:

Labor Day weekend seems to be a marker for everyone’s calendar. Vacations have pretty much wrapped up. School is now in full swing. The start up of fall sports is well underway.

It’s not any different in the life of a church and certainly around here at CCC. New kindergarteners have made the shift to Discovery Island. The Student Ministry has its annual Amazing Race and Fall Retreat this month. M.O.P.s, Divorce Care, and Grief Share Small Groups are kicking up. As a church family, we’re jumping into fall programs, plans, and school year rhythms. I hope you submerge yourself in the many opportunities that are before us. Check out some specific events on the events page of our website.

One thing that’s not quite wrapped up is the current series we’re in. We’ve been focusing on one of the most significant figures in the Bible and in the history of Christianity. This Sunday we’ll wrap up our current series exploring the person of Paul. Don’t miss it. I’ve been looking forward to this specific week for some time now. (I think it will be all the buzz!)

If you’ve missed any of the services, you can pick up the entire series on CD at the media table in the lobby or podcast it through iTunes or our website. This will also be the final week to pick up the book by Charles Swindoll called “Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit.” We’ve been using it as a companion guide throughout our exploration of Paul’s life.

I’m glad you’re a part of Community Christian Church, and I look forward to what we will experience together this year.

See you Sunday at either the 9:30am or 11am service!

David Robinson

This Sunday will be week 3 of our current series concerning the life of one of the central figures in the Bible – The Apostle Paul. Many of you have picked up the book written by Charles Swindoll to use as a companion throughout this series. (If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, I would encourage you to; it’s a wonderful resource in learning about Paul.) There will be some available in the lobby this Sunday for $15 (and if you can’t afford the $15 for some reason, then go ahead and pick up a copy of the book and pay what you can, when you can).

There’s much to learn from Paul’s life and journey and much to challenge our own lives and journeys. I’m hoping everyone in the CCC family will continue to dive headlong into the story of Paul and see what God has in store for each one of us. Don’t miss this Sunday. Identical services are at 9:30am and 11am at 8094 Sandpiper Circle.

Many of you responded to the questions I rolled out at the end of last week’s message regarding some sort of a pride and humility dashboard. Here they are once again:

1. Can we at least start with acknowledging pride could be a struggle for us?
2. Do you always have to get credit?
3. Can you be silent?
4. Where do you follow someone else?
5. Are you comfortable with how God has gifted you? And how he has not gifted you? (What he’s called you too, and what he’s called other’s too.)

6. Are you easily offended?
7. Can you celebrate other people’s victories and successes?
8. How do you do at serving your family?
9. How are you responding to criticism these days?
10. When was the last time you asked for help?

I hope these are helpful as you wrestle through what we learned from the life of Paul last week.

I hope you have a fantastic start to your weekend. And I hope you cap it off with what could be the highlight of your week at one of our services this coming Sunday morning.

See you then!

David Robinson

Many of the families from Shady Springs work two and three jobs so, CCC is providing dinner at Back to School Night to help make it as easy as possible for families to attend. CCC is going to help provide and serve a meal for the students, their parents, and the faculty. Check out the website for more information.

We looked at the The Blind Side this week and explored what it means that God has chosen us and wants to adopt us into his family. If you are already part of God’s family, the question for you is, “How are you helping people know that God wants to adopt them?”

We’re looking forward to seeing you Sunday for Week 2 of CCC at the Movies. Invite someone to come with you who’s never been to church before. It’s gonna be a blast.

We talked about The Blind Side, a huge movie from this past year that is very near and dear to our hearts because it’s the story of Baltimore Raven, Michael Oher. We talked about how God wants to adopt each of us into his family, just like the Tuohy family wanted to make Michael part of their family.

How inspiring and empowering is it to know that the God of the universe has chosen us and wants us to be part of his family? Maybe you’ve forgotten God has chosen you, and this is a great reminder. Perhaps you’ve never considered that God wants you to be part of his family. If that’s something you’re interested in, shoot us an email, give us a call (410.933.8330), or make sure you talk to someone about it on Sunday morning.

We look forward to seeing you back this week as we roll out week 2 of CCC at the Movies! This week’s movie is… come on, you know I can’t tell you here. It’s a surprise!