Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Easter: The Real Treasure

This week, Pastor Cheryl helps us understand that the resurrection is an invitation to see the moment that God’s kingdom breaks in. Through Jesus’ empty tomb and the two parables in, we glimpse a treasure of unimaginable value that can reshape everything! What would you do if you found such a treasure?

The Sound of Silence

Join us as we kick off Holy Week with a Palm Sunday message, following Jesus from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. The donkey, the crowds, the cries of Hosanna—these moments point to a king whose true kingdom, power, and glory unfold in a surprising way. Foretold in Zechariah 9:9 and echoed in Psalm 118, this scene invites us to hear how Jesus quiets the hype yet moves toward the cross. What does it mean for us to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done” when our hopes lean toward comfort or control? Are we ready to follow him, even when the path looks different than we expect?

The Father’s Guidance & Protection - Lead Us and Deliver Us

Today, we're focusing on the final part of the Lord's Prayer as it's written in Matthew: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." When we consider temptation, we often picture someone struggling between choosing what is right and wanting to do what is wrong. While this may be part of what Jesus meant, his original audience likely understood this prayer a bit differently. As we explore Jesus' own experiences with temptation—in the wilderness and in the garden—may we gain new insights into what we're truly asking God to help us with.

The Father’s Forgiveness

In today’s sermon, we are invited to lean into Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness — “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Borrowing from the prodigal son, he explores how God’s forgiveness is enacted, how we move from recognition to release, and how letting go can free us to invest in the Kingdom here and now.

The Father’s Provision

Pastor Cheryl invites us into the idea of daily bread as more than a meal request. In part three of Becoming the Kind of People who Live the Prayer, she helps us ask: how does provision shape who we become? Drawing on Matthew 6:11 and Exodus 16:4–5, the message explores trusting God for today’s needs, how fear can creep in, and how a communal posture can redefine generosity for neighbor near and far.

The Father’s Kingdom - ”WE ARE BOLD TO SAY...!”

Pastor Emeritus Lyle Mook shares as we continue our series on the Lord's Prayer, guiding us through the lines that long for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done. Grounded in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4, with haiku-inspired reflections, we are reminded that prayer is more than words—it's a necessary breath, a pattern for formation, and a shared vocation. How might our prayers become a doorway to transformed living?

The Father’s Character

Today, we begin a Lent-inspired journey through Matthew 6:5-13, the Lord’s Prayer. This message invites us into a rhythm of prayer that forms our identities as beloved children, kingdom apprentices, and a forgiven people—far more than a performance to impress. We’ll wrestle with the line, “Our Father in heaven, holy is Your name,” and hear how this single phrase could become a doorway to everyday faith. How might the reality of God’s holiness redraw the way you pray this week? Let’s listen for God’s voice and respond.

The Invitation and the Choice

Two gates, two trees, two houses—yet one King, one invitation. In the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Steven Byler (introduced by Pastor Cheryl Lavornia) invites us to pause and listen for what Jesus asks of those who say they follow him. Through Matthew 7:13-27, the passage contrasts paths, tests of true fruit, and foundations that endure and those that crumble. How does belief differ from discipleship, and what does it look like to follow Jesus in daily life? This message invites us to consider how we’re forming our lives and our church around his call, and to explore practical steps toward intentional formation this week.

Wisdom in Relationships

Pastor Cheryl Lavornia invites us into the heart of Jesus' teachings on judgment, discernment, and love in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:1-12, she teases apart what it means to “not judge” while still discerning wisely, warning against condemnation and the beam-in-the-eye mindset. She explores Jesus' pearls-to-pigs image, the rhythm of asking, seeking, knocking, and the invitation to live out the golden rule from the inside out. How might Jesus’ wisdom reshape the way we relate—in our homes, our church, and our community—as we become more like him?

Wealth & Worry

Ryan Lospaluto leads us through Matthew 6:19-34., where Jesus creates a contrast for the listener between two paths, two masters, two ways the world tries to secure us. As we consider the ways that we think about our hearts, our possessions, and our daily lives, we are invited to pause, reorient, and consider what truly governs our next steps.