Christ Church Evangelical Covenant

Luke highlights two exchanges that involve between Jesus on the subject of generosity. On the surface, they seem to be about money, but Jesus is trying to get to something deeper. Ryan Lospaluto, a member of our Leadership Team, shares about the contrast between these two stories and helps us understand what Jesus was getting at in each of the conversations.

As we continue to look at the ways that the Holy Spirit works in us today, Pastor Cheryl highlights the example of the early church in the ways that they shared the labor! As we consider this, we must recognize that God sees all of the work that the Spirit does through as vital! While it can be hard to remember sometimes, caring for one another is just as much the work of the Holy Spirit as teaching and prayer.

What was it like in the earliest days of the church? The beginning of Acts documents for us the exciting growth and the challenges that came with it. As we look at the ways that Jesus's disciples became apostles, we notice that the people turned to them in amazement whenever God moved, and the apostles revealed the heart of God to them with boldness.

As we launch our Model & Multiply series, Pastor Cheryl focuses us on the book of Acts when the church started to grow. As the church gathered and the apostles proclaimed Jesus as Lord and messiah, the church expanded, with thousands being added to their number! And this was only the beginning ...

As part of our monthly series on Spiritual Practices, Pastor Cheryl shares a number of tools about how to share our faith.

Lyle Mook, former Senior Pastor at Christ Church, invites us to focus on the first part of Hebrews 12, which the writer of the book of Hebrews offers as an application of the stories found in the list of "heroes of the faith" in the previous chapter. As we learn what it means to cultivate 'audacious joy,' despite our circumstances, he invites us to learn from Jesus, lean into gladness, leverage our joy for the work of God, and serve God and his church generously.

For our Easter sermon this year, Pastor Cheryl narrates the story of Mary, imagining her eyewitness account of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. As Mary reflects on the miracles that Jesus performed and her own doubts, she shares about what it meant to her to follow Jesus, and invites us to consider what it means for Jesus to be our Messiah, King, Christ, and risen Lord.

As part of our Spiritual Disciplines series, Pastor Cheryl helps us understand the connections between the imagery of water in scripture, the significance of Christ's Baptism, and our own experience in baptism.

How often do we come to the conclusion that it's just easier to do things on our own? While that might lead to the most immediate satisfaction, there's something about the way that God works to build His Kingdom that requires us to work together. Paul, throughout his letters, addresses the people that he partners with across the various cities he visits. and we, too, can join together for an even greater impact.

As recipients of God's incredible grace and forgiveness, how are we to respond when we are confronted with the reality that brokenness still pervades our relationships? Whether a result of another person's actions against us, or our own actions toward others, the invitation to forgiveness is very real. However, it is almost never easy. Pastor Cheryl shares about the call to forgiveness, and its practical application, especially in hard situations.

When we read a scriptural text that talks about hosueholds, it's easy for us to overlay our 21st century understandings into the text. But, when Jesus talks about the idea of households and families, he's referring to a 1st-century idea called “oikos” in the Greek. As Pastor Cheryl helps us reframe our understanding of the oikos that Jesus invites us to participate in, it will re-shape our understandings of community, family, and the church.

As we turn our focus toward what it means to be a people shaped by our Christian faith, Pastor Cheryl Lavornia speaks about being "Mission Minded." Our call as followers of Jesus isn't to simply receive his grace. Instead, God asks for us to reorient our lives around the values of his kingdom.

We often think of our spiritual lives as having that intangible "spiritual" dimension, something we hope guides us but sometimes feels out of reach. Pastor Cheryl revisits Isaiah 58, inviting us to dive into the tangible, practical parts of our lives. Fasting becomes more than just a ritual; it's a way to bring together our mind, body, and spirit, opening up new ways to connect with God and find healing in a truly holistic way.

As a Covenant church, we approach scripture through five lenses: faithfully, communally, rigorously, charitably, and holistically. Pastor Cheryl invites us to re-consider our understanding of scripture in light of these five approaches in this week's sermon.

Is there more to prayer than asking God to answer the lists of requests we have for him? In this week's sermon, Pastor Cheryl invites us to consider prayer in a deeper way. When we practice God's presence, our hearts are aligned with His heart. And when our hearts are aligned with His heart, our lives become a living witness to His character and His kingdom.

Scripture: Luke 22: 7-20 Summary: Ever wonder why a simple meal of bread and juice holds so much meaning for Christians? In this eye-opening message, discover how communion isn't just about remembering Jesus - it's a pattern that can transform how we live every day. What would change in your life if you started living out the love and grace you receive at the communion table?

Mark 4:35-41 NLT   When storms hit - whether in nature or in life - they reveal what lies beneath the surface. In Pastor Chery's message, we explore how God uses seasons of upheaval not to harm us, but to bring needed ventilation, revival, and transformation to His church. Through Mark's account of Jesus calming the storm, we discover what it means to stay close to Christ even when the waters are rough.

Greg Johnson, Executive Director of Revive New England, an organization dedicated to helping New England churches prepare for spiritual renewal, was our guest preacher.

Pastor Vann shares about the three things that shape us as a God's people. First, we are called to bear witness to the Kingdom. Second, we are to be people shaped by the Spirit of God. And third, we are to be people who live with great expectation of Christ's return.

Pastor Vann shares this morning about the 8 names of God in scripture that begin with Yahweh. As we learn to trust in the character of God as he has revealed it through these names, Pastor Vann encourages us to specifically focus on one of them: Yahweh-Rohi (the LORD, my shepherd), and invites us to consider what it means for God to truly be our Shepherd and King.

Ken Bell, one of our Deacons, shares from God's word this morning about the grace and truth found in the reality of Christ's coming. John 1 highlights the fulfillment of God's Old Testament promises, marking the grace of God's faithfulness. But, the truth of the gospel is that God's faithfulness makes things possible that would otherwise be impossible. God is working in and through the people of Christ Church. What could he be leading us to be and do in the new year?

During this Christmas Eve sermon, Pastor Cheryl encourages us to consider how "inattention blindness" can impact our relationship with God. Ultimately, this a lead us to remain disconnected from the God who loves us. Instead, she encourages us to truly behold Jesus with intentional sight, where we choose to focus on God's goodness, faithfulness, and love for us.

Dogs. Football. Spaghetti. All of them are very lovable things. But we inherently understand that when we say that God loves us (or that we love him), the love that we have for these other things falls substantially short. As Pastor Vann invites us to explore the Magnificat in Luke 1, we discover that God's love is both comforting and unsettling. It is a transformative force that challenges our pride and priorities while bringing us into the fullness of life He intended

During the Advent season, and particularly on this third Sunday of Advent, we remember the joy that is promised to us in Christ. In the joy that the wise men experienced when they saw the star to the joy of God's deliverance, we see that it is appropriate for us to respond to the good that God works in the world. However, what could it mean for us to be a people marked by God's joy, especially in the more difficult moments and situations? Pastor Vann shares about a joy that goes beyond our circumstances in today's message.

Around Christmas, we often hear the list of names in Isaiah 9 that will be given to the promised savior: Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and, as Pastor Cheryl invites us to reflect on today: Prince of Peace. As she shares about the full picture of peace, or shalom, we consider what it means for Jesus to be the one who brings that kind of peace both to us and through us today.

As we begin our Advent series, Stars of Wonder, Pastor Vann reminds us that God has placed the stars in the sky to help us understand our world. They separate day from night, they mark the seasons, and they give light to the Earth. In our spiritual lives, God has given us another gift to help us understand the world: hope. Where we place our hope tells a lot about what we believe to be possible; so, what could be possible when we place our hope in Almighty God?

Over these past few weeks, we've focused on God's message to Moses in Exodus 6. It wasn't just that He promised to rescue the people of Israel from the oppression of Egypt. Better than that, he would bless them as His very own people! What does this mean for us today? When God rescues us (and He promises to rescue us!), how do we respond, and how do we live in His blessing?

How often do we find ourselves stuck? It may be a financial situation, a difficult moment in a relationship, a dry season with God, or something else. As we hear the words of God for his people from Exodus 6 and think of the story of Israel's deliverance from Egypt, we're reminded that our God is a God who draws his people out of the places they are stuck and promises them freedom, healing, and protection. We can see the story of redemption in Exodus, but what is it that God is inviting us to experience about his redemption today?

3500 years ago, God's people were slaves in Egypt, seeming to be without a hope. As we think upon the story of the Exodus, we can certainly see the miraculous intervention of God to free his people from oppression, but we also realize that God didn't just free them from slavery. He gave them a new identity. God may not need to free us from enslavement today, but he does want to help us see ourselves as He sees us.

We're all too familiar with bad situations where we feel stuck or helpless. In Exodus, God's people were definitely stuck under the oppressive role of Pharaoh. God promises Moses that He would rescue the people of Israel. But have you ever wondered why? What does God lead His people into when he delivers them? And what does God invite us to experience today?

If there's one powerful narrative that resonates through the history of God's people, it's that God is always present for them. Just as He promised Moses that He would stand by them, He reassures us of His presence in every facet of our lives. But how can we truly sense His presence with us? How do we actually come to know him? For Moses, God revealed His name. And for us? Well, let's find out ...

Rev. Dr. Howard Burgoyne, Superintendent of the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church shares with us this morning about the impact and grace that comes when God says yes or no.

As we look through the whole of scripture, we see themes and threads of God's call for his people. Pastor Cheryl explores the connections between Matthew 5, Matthew 25, and Hebrews 13, where God's compassionate heart invites us to care for our brothers and sisters as well as those we don't know. As we consider the ways that God is inviting us to hear from him, his call for us will always be to care for people in one or both of these directions.

Revisiting our summer series, "The Good Life," Pastor Cheryl delves into the transformative healing stories in Luke 8, featuring Jairus, a prominent synagogue leader, and a socially marginalized woman suffering from 12 years of bleeding. Despite facing different societal pressures—Jairus with the urgency of his dying daughter and the woman with her prolonged social isolation—both seek Jesus's healing with unwavering faith. Pastor Cheryl challenges us to reflect on the societal pressures that shape our lives and encourages us to actively seek Jesus with faith. She offers practical steps to nurture and grow our faith, empowering us to overcome the challenges we face.

Rev. Dr. Barbara Ettinger, Executive Associate Superintendent of the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant, shares a powerful message that reminds us that we know what love is because God loves us first (Deuteronomy 6 and 1 John 4). Through stories of three women from scripture - Lydia, Hannah, and the woman with the alabaster jar - Rev. Dr. Ettinger helps us understand what it means to love God in response.

How often do you feel like you are wandering in your faith, trying to find out where God is (or even if he is real!)? God's word reminds us that He is present, and even more so that He is with us, but what do we do when our experience doesn't match that promise? Pastor Vann shares from Acts 17.

How do we, as followers of Jesus, experience God's power and presence? Pastor Vann shares about the importance of gathering together to support and encourage one another! We lean on the people around us to help us grow in our faith, but we also discover the ways that God wants us to use the gifts that he has given us in the context of community.

What could a story about a war-battle in ancient Israel teach us about worship? Pastor Vann shares a story about what happened when the people of God chose to worship him first, even in the face of near-certain defeat. And he invites us today to consider what might happen in our own lives if we choose to take on the same posture.

As Pastor Vann launches us into our new series called Remember, this first message challenges us to consider the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus invites us to “do the same” as the Samaritan, and many of us aim to be compassionate - but, does our picture of compassion measure up with what Jesus's audience would have understood?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

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!"

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.

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."

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.

Pastor Vann's sermon "First Things First" emphasizes how worry and anxiety have plagued humanity since ancient times, despite our desire for carefree living. Drawing from Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, he highlights the futility of worrying about material needs and stresses the importance of prioritizing a relationship with God. In today's fast-paced world, the anxieties we face can make it feel challenging to seek God's kingdom, but when we receive the righteousness of Christ and trusting in God's provision, we will find that our worries are met with divine care and love.