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Welcome incoming Summer and Fall 2008 University of Florida and Santa Fe Community College students! What a blessing from God that you are taking the time to investigate local bodies of Christ in Gainesville! I encourage you to keep this search up. We know that often ministries and congregations do fail, but we pray by the grace of God that we might help you get closer to Him. If you have been searching for God and/or a group of Christians, let us know or just find a Wednesday or Sunday you can stop by. Come and let's follow Jesus together! Weekly Thought (from Romans) 16.1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cen'chre-ae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aq'uila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their lives for me, to whom not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks; greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epae'netus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who has worked hard among you. Greet Androni'cus and Ju'nias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners; they are men of note among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Amplia'tus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urba'nus, our fellow worker in Christ.. . 16. 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. If you have read Romans before, the list of names in the last chapter may not seem as gripping as earlier chapters. Personally, some of the first scripture I ever identified with was Paul’s expressesion of the inner turmoil of someone struggling against sin in chapter 7; by the time I came to Romans 16, I usually skimmed the names quickly. But then one day I began to see the different types of names he lists some Jewish, some Gentile, some named after Greek gods! I then began to suspect that this chapter might just be an interpretive key to the entire book. It may help if I offer you what a similar list of "siblings in Christ" that Paul would like you to personally greet: Be sure and give warm hello to Shanekqua Williams, Bob Smith, Chen Li, Emeka Apoloba, Jeanfreau Bodreaux, Mohamed Salem.., and please don’t forget Bubba. Romans 16 calls us to allow what God has done in our story to spill over the sides of our soul and transform how we as God’s children relate here and now. If you are in the process of making plans to come to Gainesville for school Summer or Fall 2008, please know that you are welcome to add your name to our already diverse and interesting “list.” May God continue to work in your life and may you allow that work to transform how you relate to others and the how you relate to creation itself... check out other thoughts from our College Class and other Bible Studies! E-mail us anytime with your questions and comments at campuschristians@aol.com Assembly Times Visit the Campus Church at www.campuscofc.org Learn more about Our Philosophy of Ministry The Campus Church of Christ at 2720 SW 2nd Ave., between the UF Law school and the UF Golf course. For church information call: 352-378-1471 or (888) 432-7072 |
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