Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

The Final Challenge (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

As we close out our series focusing on "The Good Life," Pastor Cheryl shares about what Jesus meant when he talked about the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world." She also shares a number of stories of how God has been at work in the day-to-day lives of our own congregation this summer.

The Challenge of Imitation (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

As we read the Beatitudes, we get the sense that Jesus believed that “The Good Life” is something worth pursuing, but how do we live the so-called good life? Pastor Cheryl shares about how this is a life of imitation, and invites us to consider how we might follow Jesus example even in the midst of the difficulties that may arise.

The Challenge of Peacemaking (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

Pastor Cheryl delves into the last triad of the beatitudes with a call from Jesus to be “peacemakers.” This peace isn’t just about silent complacency or avoiding confrontation. Instead, we are invited to do the work that will bring about true peace. And as followers of Jesus, we look to him as our example.

The Challenge of Seeking God (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

Here's the blessing that Jesus lays out for us this week: he says that the pure in heart will see God. But what does "pure in heart" even mean? What was Jesus trying to get at? Are we just supposed to avoid wrongdoing, or could there be a deeper invitation that Jesus has for us here?

The Challenge of Demonstration (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

Jesus came as the ultimate demonstration of mercy, but how is Jesus' idea of mercy (heed) different from our contemporary cultural understanding? (Does our understanding come from the Christmas classic "The Christmas Story"?) What sort of invitation does Jesus have for us in this call to show and be shown mercy?

The Challenge of Hunger (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

As we navigate the Good Life, what does today's passage from Matthew 5 have to say about righteousness? Surely righteousness talks about God and what he hopes for his people, but is there something more that we may be missing? Wht does this righteousness (or right-ness) have to do with living a full life? Let's find out.

The Invitation of Being Unimportant (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

Pastor Cheryl reflects on grief and loss as part of the life that allows us to receive the fullness of God's kingdom. Sometimes, this is our own grief, and sometimes it is the grief of those around us. As we experience grief, we experience God's blessing. Find out more as part of our summer series on "The Good Life!"

The Great Invitation of Justice (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

This week, Pastor Cheryl invites us to consider what Jesus meant when he talked about the "poor in spirit." What kind of poverty was he talking about: a lack of money and resources? A lack of influence? A lack of willpower? As we'll find out, there is a lot that Jesus' audience would have heard - and a new way of life that Jesus was inviting his followers to experience.

The Challenge of Need (Pastor Cheryl Lavornia)

What did Jesus mean when he talked about the talked about the people who were "blessed" in Matthew 5? Pastor Cheryl helps us explore a deeper meaning within the Beatitudes as we kick our Summer Series, "The Good Life."

Keep It Personal (Pastor Vann Trapp)

Pastor Vann stresses the importance of cultivating a personal relationship with Jesus. So often, Jesus surpasses our expectations in unexpected ways. How, then, do we keep our hearts and minds focused on the ways that god speaks to us? Each one of us needs a genuine, personal connection with Him, and ultimately, that has nothign to do with mere rituals or obligation.