Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Quiet Confidence (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Where does confidence come from? We are confident in our abilities, our connections, our bank account, our military. But all those run out. Where does true confidence come from? Only in knowing that God has your back. That never runs out. If God is for us, who can be against us? If God has given us life, not even death can take that away. Only the presence of the Spirit of God in our lives brings true confidence no matter what we face. And He is ours when we put our trust in Jesus.

Gentle Whisper (Greg Johnson)

At the heart of any relationship is communication - two way communication. No relationship can thrive or even survive without it. However, when it comes to God, so often our relationship with him can feel like a one way street, unless we learn and cultivate the practice of listening to God’s voice. Elijah needed to hear God’s voice in 1 Kings 19 when he was burnt out and at the end of his rope…and we need to hear God today. But how do we do that? That’s what we will be exploring. Could it be that we could be people who regularly hear God’s voice? Could it be that God often doesn’t speak in dramatic fashion through neon signs in the sky but through a gentle whisper? Could it be that God wants to speak to us now, and we must simply pay attention?

Gentle Power (Pastor Vann Trapp)

If you were to think of the greatest gift God could give in this life, what would it be? (Something in this life, not just the life to come.) Would it be some amazing healing? Or a miraculous provision to pay off some huge bill you have? Maybe an opportunity in your career or to travel or in a relationship you are pursuing? But how would all those compare to simply having an overflowing joy in your life? Or peace in your mind and heart? What about patience and self-control? Isn’t it interesting that God tells us that the way we know that He is alive in us through His Holy Spirit is that we will see these “simple” fruit in our lives. Not all the big, flashy “gifts” we might think of first. But aren’t these fruits of the Spirit the things we are truly seeking in our lives?

Through the Noise (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Sometimes life is just too loud. Not just literal sound in the world, but everything that is coming at us in life and everything that is going on in the background. Family responsibilities. Work responsibilities. Global unrest. The needs of others. Our health needs. Our mental health needs. Our spiritual needs. Too much to think about. Too much to process. Too loud. And yet, somehow, God says that His Spirit will speak through all that and bring peace, confidence, joy. So, what are the things that get in the way of hearing His voice? What are the things we can turn down so that we can hear the Spirit speak?

A Hint of Something New (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Have you ever been to the end of your rope, the end of the line, out of steam, out of options, game over? We don’t like it there, but that is exactly where the Spirit of God waits for us. While we are still able to figure things out on our own, that’s what we tend to do. So, God waits in those places that are beyond our ability to figure out… and then He shows us what He can do. That is where He brings life from death, joy from sorrow, healing from brokenness. And He doesn’t make a big show of it. Instead He speaks with that gentle power of His Spirit, that quiet rumbling of His presence, that invisible movement of His hand. Out of a dead stump, a new shoot springs up and brings unexpected life. That is His promise because that is our God.

Stumbling Into the Kingdom (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

This is part 2 of Covenant & Kingdom series: Stumbling into the Kingdom. The themes of Covenant & Kingdom are like DNA running throughout the story of God and His people. Covenant is about God’s invitation into relationship AND Kingdom is about God’s rule and our responsibility under His reign. What is our part in the Kingdom? What should we be paying attention to as a church? As families? As individuals?

Covenant (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

What do the new Ghostbusters, Economics, and Abraham have in common? Join us for this first message in we a 2-part series on discovering your birthright (what you have inherited) and how to spend that inheritance! 

Brought In & Bought In (Pastor Vann Trapp)

When we started this series, we set out to discover again what it means to live as a Compassionate Christian Community. We didn’t want to just think about the theory of it. We wanted to look at what it would require of us in real time. And Community is where it all comes together. So, what can we learn from Jesus’ first followers about living as community? Let’s find out together ...

First Love (Pastor Vann Trapp)

When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” after His resurrection, Peter had a hard time answering Him. The hesitation was partly because he knew that he had denied even knowing Jesus when Jesus had been arrested and put on trial. So, guilt. But part of the problem was that Peter didn’t seem to know what Jesus was asking. Peter thought he knew what loving Jesus meant, but when Jesus asked the question three tmes, it made Peter wonder if he really understood love. I think we have those same questions. According to God, love is not simply a feeling or a sense of good will towards someone. So, what is it to love? And what is it to love Jesus? Let’s find out ...

We Believe (Pastor Vann Trapp)

So many people believe something about Jesus. But is that all it takes to be Christian? Or is there more? When we say that we are called to be Compassionate Christian Community, what are we saying? Last week, we saw that being Christian has to do with reflecting a person, Jesus Christ, in our lives. This week, we will see that it also has to do with relying on the God Story of which Jesus is the central part. So, what does it mean to believe in God’s story? Let’s find out together…