Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Unexpected - July 11 2021 - Pastor Cheryl Lavornia

Have you ever thought about what it takes to change? I mean, the actual journey that it takes to change any number of things like:
    -our minds,
    -our bodies,
    -our situations,
    -our souls...

They are the journeys that turn everyday people into something extraordinary ... because they are everyday stories with Jesus.

 

Have you been on a journey that has required change? When it’s with Jesus, He not only walks with us, but transforms us along the way.

Close Enough - July 4 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Sometimes the greatest acts of faith come from the least expected sources. And sometimes the ones who have been around God the longest that have the hardest time believing He will do what He says He will. And the key is all about expectation. This was the one thing that the Bible tells us amazed Jesus. What are our expectations when we come to God? Let’s talk about it…  

Work: A Story of Transformation - June 27 2021 - BJ Kadeg

It’s human nature to adapt. And this past year and a half has forced us to do just that! As we re-engage with a world around us where so much has changed, we’ve also been given an opportunity to re-shape our spiritual lives. What if the disruptions that we face are actually opportunities where God wants to work in and through us? How do we know, and what do we do when we figure it out?

With Honors - June 20 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

In our series, Everyday Stories from the life of Jesus, this week we are talking about what Jesus considers next level living. Just like students graduate and enter that next level of adult living, Jesus encourages us to graduate to that next level of life as God intended where we move from serving only ourselves to serving others. But what’s so great about that? Let’s talk about it…

The Invitation - June 13, 2021 - Lauren McDonough

Think about the last time you received an invitation: maybe to a wedding, a birthday party, or a dinner party. Invitations are everyday, normal parts of our lives. This week, we look at the story of Jesus and the Wedding at Cana. What happens when we invite Jesus into the everyday, normal parts of our life? How does God show up when we choose to extend an invitation to Him?

Dusty Old Scroll - June 6, 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Often, old can mean “out of date,” “out of touch,” or just “irrelevant.” But God’s living Word, even though it is old, has remained vital and meaningful over several millennia. And the clearest picture of the life and power that is found in God’s Word was seen when “the Word became flesh” in the person of Jesus Christ and lived among us. Even the everyday stories from Jesus’ life are full of power, grace, compassion, all that God is. And that same life is what He desires to live out through us. No, God’s Word is not just some dusty old scroll. Let’s talk about it…

Raise the Sails - May 30 2021 - Greg Johnson

What do we do after a hard season in our lives? Where do we turn? How do we return to normal when so much has changed? The same God who is there in the midst of the storm is also there after it is over. Let’s see what it means to turn to Him. Let’s talk about it…

Something Unexpected - May 23 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

When our kids were little, we would constantly find their toys in the furthest corners under the furniture. And what is more frustrating than a toy just out of reach? “If my arms were just an inch or two longer…” But outside of reaching fallen toys, arm length is usually not a huge frustration maker.  Rather it is things like not having enough money, or power, or the right connections that keep success out of our reach. God tells us that now, for the things that are most important, He has given us His resources, His power, His connections through His Holy Spirit, to help us be successful in the life He calls us to. Being a witness of Jesus is about more than just telling others about His story. Let’s talk about it…

Out of the Ordinary - May 16, 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Ever have one of those days where you feel incredibly ordinary? Some of us might say, “Like every day?” So, how is it possible that God takes the incredibly ordinary, like us, and makes it like Him? Because, He is anything but ordinary! That’s one of the true mysteries of God. But He does it with bread and wine. He does it with the waters of baptism. And He does it with us. The ordinary made extraordinary through the presence and power of His Spirit.

Out of the Fire - May 9 2021 - Pastor Vann Trapp

Fire. It warms and it consumes; comforts and terrifies. It’s not either/or, but both/and. It is one of those dangerous things we find necessary for our lives even in our modern world of control and minimized risk. We can’t get away from the open flame of our pilot lights and intense burners in our furnaces. The Holy Spirit, too, can be both comforting and uncomfortable at the same time. When He shows up, we are calmed by the presence of God but then challenged by the changes He begins to work in us. The fire of God burns away the things that are harmful to us, but… some of those were things we treasured. So, will we let this firestorm of God light us up as witnesses of a kingdom beyond this world? Because that might cost us something.