Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Dialogue: God‘s Answers in the Chaos - December 5, 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Dialogue serves a good story in several important ways:

• Brings the story line into real time encounters
• Reveals information needed to understand the story that can be revealed in no other way
• Reveals the character of those speaking

 

Advent is about story… the Story… the Story Who became flesh and lived among us to invite us into His Story and into a dialogue with Him. This second week of Advent we will consider the increase of Peace that we find as we enter a conversation, a dialogue, with Jesus; a dialogue He started when His Story entered our world at Christmas. Come be a part…

Prologue: God‘s Opening Word - November 28, 2021 - Pastor Cheryl Lavornia

A good prologue performs one of many functions in a story: 

•  Foreshadowing events to come. 
•  Providing background information or backstory on the central conflict or
•  Establishing a point of view (either the main character's, or that of another character who is privy to the tale).

 

The Advent season is all about the coming of the story... the story that invited each of us to be part of the story God has been writing since the beginning. Come begin your Christmas season with this first week of Advent ... a reminder of the Hope we have in Jesus Christ.

Do What Matters - November 21 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

What to do, what to do? So many things we could be doing with our lives. What are the things that matter? Faith with no works is dead, but faith with worthless works isn’t any better. In the verse above, God clearly gives us two things that matter to Him. One has to do with others. The other has to do with us. Let’s talk about it…

Think then Speak - November 14 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Let’s face it – our words can get us in trouble. We speak without thinking. We speak without understanding. We speak without even knowing sometimes what makes us want to speak. And it can get us crossways with each other. James said earlier to be slow to speak and over the course of his letter, he spends quite a bit of time unpacking what he meant by this. So, how can we learn to bridle our tongues so that we put our words to use for good instead of letting them run free to do so much damage? Let’s talk about it…

Hear then Do - November 7 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

We all know this, but we still need to be reminded; agreeing with what someone says makes no difference if we don’t act according to what we have heard. That is especially true when we hear from God. I know a lot of what God has said. I agree with most of it. (So, yes, there are things I still wrestle with…) But if I’m honest, I act on far less than I know or agree with. James says that doesn’t make sense. Doing is what makes the difference in this world, not just knowing… or even agreeing. Let’s talk about it…

Listen First - October 31 - Pastor Vann Trapp

How often do we speak before we think? Or definitely speak before we listen. Because listening is not just about hearing the sounds that come out of another person’s mouth, but rather, actually understanding what they are trying to communicate. God knows that if we would take the time to listen, we could avoid a lot of anger, misunderstandings and strains in our relationships. But James is not just talking about listening to each other. And he is not just talking about putting a slow fuse on our own anger. There is something even more important that he is communicating here. Will we take the time to truly hear what he is saying?  Let’s talk about it…

The Single Life - October 24, 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

You won’t hit a target if you have double vision. You won’t make a decision if your affections are torn between two options. And you won’t find yourself in God’s blessing if you are trying to follow Jesus and the enticing options of this world at the same time. You have to focus on one image, choose one option, serve one master. We call that clarity. James and even Jesus call that purity of heart. So, how can we live our lives free of a cluttered heart; distracted, divided, diluted? How do we develop a single focus? Let’s talk about it…

The Final Draft - October 17 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

It is rare that any first draft doesn’t need revising. We will work and rework everything from school papers to car designs to architectural plans. Generally, our lives need revision and reworking as well. For that reason, we will often second guess God about His plans and ideas, even His intentions, assuming that they need reworking as well. But God says that His intentions never change. His character never changes. His love for us never changes. He never changes. What does that mean for our lives? Let’s talk about it…

Splitting Image - October 10 2021 - Pastor Cheryl Lavornia

Most of us will recognize that we are part of our culture and our culture is part of us. We may not like it but it’s true and no matter how much we fight against it, it still there. But, as we continue to walk through James, he says that while trials of our faith produce perseverance, these trials also lead to temptation. But if God is the one testing our faith, is He the one leading us into temptation? What is temptation? Is temptation sin? What is sin? Well, we’ve got a good deal to unpack this week! So come join us and be encouraged because God still promises us life in the end!

Split Decision - October 3 2021 - Pastor Vann Trap

How much do we value success in this world? How well do we understand our standing in the world to come? Do we ever lose sight of what is truest about us because of what is happening on the surface of our lives in the present moment? The Bible tells us that our position in Jesus never changes; God’s love for us as His children never changes; our future hope never changes. Is that what we are keeping in view as we make our decisions in this world? Let’s talk about it…