Podcasts about pastor cheryl

God is always at work in us, helping us to become more like him, and helping us to more fully reflect his character through our lives. That sounds exciting! But, once we realize that "becoming more like him" requires us to forgive like he forgives, it can be challenging to find the ways to live up to the invitation. In the closing sermon from our Hook Line & Sinker series, Pastor Cheryl helps us understand the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and what God calls us to for each.

In week 5 of our Hook, Line, and Sinker sermon series, Pastor Cheryl invites us to consider our response when we fall for the bait of offense. When we are wronged, we all-too-easily understand the desire to take matters into our own hands. But, God has a different plan for us in Romans 12, that we might "conquer evil by doing good."

Being "offensive" in basketball is a good thing, but "being offensive" to others in real life is a whole different story. It places the one who is offended in a diffult place as they figure out how to respond. However, as Pastor Cheryl shares, there are times where Jesus himself actually offended entire groups of people! The pharisees, his family, and his disciples all quickly come to mind. And, the more that we reflect on these examples, the easier it is to find ourselves upset about what Jesus says and does, because for us to listen to him will ofen require something from us that we might not want to change.

In challenging times (like now), how can we be encouraged (and encourage others) to be grateful? Join us this morning for “Gratitude: A Posture of the Heart" (Luke 17:11-19)

In the third sermon of our Hook, Line, and Sinker series, Pastor Cheryl focuses on Elijah. God had sent him to Israel as a prophet, but he soon discovered that being faithful to God's call would cause people to be upset with him - and even threaten him. As he ran from one particular situation, Elijah was confronted with something hidden in his own heart that was keeping him from being able to do what God was calling Him to do. If we are to avoid finding ourselves in the same position - running from the places and work that God calls us to do - we must begin to identify the parts of our hearts that are in the same condition.

5,000 hungry people + 5 loaves of bread + 2 fish + Jesus = Divine Hospitality. No reservations needed. Let Jesus feed you too. (Luke 9:10-17)

"How could this happen to me?!" Isn't that often our first response when something difficult happens in our lives? Whether by someone's intentional actions that hurt us, or because of our own internal voice that convinces us, we can all recognize the sense of injustice we feel that leads us to feel offended. And it is just that sense of offense that Satan often uses to separate us from God and from each other. So, when we find ourselves offended, where do we look? What do we need to remember about God? What do we need to remember about what He sees in us? Do we believe what He says?

When was the last time you found yourself offended by what another person said or did to you? If it's not fresh in your mind, you can surely remember how upset you were. And when it comes to church, many of us carry past hurts from fellow churchgoers. Pastor Cheryl begins our summer series, "Hook Line and Sinker," unpacking why this can be such an effective tool to divide us and offers insight how we can begin to move past offense.

In this sermon from our Spiritual Disciplines series, Pastor Cheryl invites us to consider how we can practice rest in themidst of a world that never ceases to demand busy-ness. Jesus invites us in John 15 to abide in Him. When we choose this, we will discover the fruit of the kingdom of God growing in our own lives. Discussion Questions: - What makes you and/or your family feel too busy or tired because of all you do? - What brings you the most joy? - If you were to start the practice of Rest, how would you plan some play and rest for you and/or your family this week?

Where do we find our identity? As we consider this, we realize it is a multi-faceted question. We have the family contexts that we grew up in, we have the cultures that have shaped us, and the places where we have lived. We have the schools we have attended, the friendships and hobbies we've enjoyed, and so much more. But as we consider the Christian faith in this question. we come to realize that we all find our identity somewhere along a four-part story arc: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation. And the more that we live into the identity of those who have been created anew in Christ. the more we understand our true purposes in life. Pastor Cheryl shares from 1 Thessalonians. Note: BibleProject is the author and owner of a video used during this sermon. To find more BibleProject resources, visit bibleproject.com.

The gospel of Jesus Christ transformed the world in the first three centuries after the resurrection, spreading from town to town and nation to nation with great speed. The book of Acts documents the start of that amazing process. Reflecting on the effectiveness of the early church, Pastor Cheryl highlights both the urgency they felt and the grounding of their faith.

In Acts chapter 10, after a vivid and unsettling dream about eating food that was forbidden by Jewish Law, Peter goes to meet a Roman centurion, who had already been instructed by God to look for Peter. The result of this encounter was salvation for the first non-Israelite who believed that Jesus was the messiah. Through this story, Pastor Cheryl invites us to explore the themes of consistent prayer and endless wonder as we consider our approach to God.

It's Pentecost Sunday where we, as a church family, reflect on the "presents" of the Holy Spirit.

As we celebrate Pentecost today, we remember the story of Philip, who was led by the Holy Spirit to come alongside the eunuch from Ethiopia. As the eunuch studied the scriptures, Philip helped him see how they were fulfilled in Jesus, and this led to the eunuch being baptized. Philip took the opportunity to share what he new with the eunuch, and it is believed that the eunuch took the good news of Jesus to Africa, and the church was established there as a result. What could be possible in our community if we were to respond to the opportunities that God gives us through the prompting of his Holy Spirit? Pastor Cheryl shares from Acts in this sermon from our Model and Multiply series.

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.

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.

In this episode of the WOVE Inspiration Podcast, Reverend Cheryl Kincaid discusses her latest book, 'A Forgotten Door Called Home,' which explores themes of spiritual and personal empowerment through the stories of six women overcoming abuse and seeking a sense of home. Cheryl shares her own experiences with trauma, the importance of addressing spiritual issues in the context of abuse, and the complexities of forgiveness and healing. She emphasizes the significance of recognizing one's scars and the journey of reclaiming joy amidst pain, while also addressing the challenges faced by Christian women in abusive relationships.  https://revcherylkincaid.com⁠This site contains information on where to buy Pastor Cheryl's books, interviews, sample sermons, and samples from Pastor Cheryl's blog.

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.

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.

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 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.

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."

Many of us have either read the book and/or watched the movie at Christmastime. But have we truly listened and watched for how Dickens weaves Christianinty into the story of "A Christmas Carol?" If you, like me, have not paid that close of attention, this episode is for you!  Guest Info Reverend Cheryl Kincaid is a Presbyterian Minister who studied Marriage and Family Therapy at Bethel Seminary and has a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Rev. Kincaid seeks to tell the story of God's comforting redemptive grace amid an imperfect world. Pastor Cheryl is now the Head of Staff at Calvary Presbyterian Church in Enfield, Connecticut. Rev. Kincaid is the author of four published books and is the winner of the 2013 Independent Christian Publishers Illumination Reward for bible study.    Visit Pastor Cheryl Kincaid's website at https://revcherylkincaid.com/. Visit her website on Charles Dickens faith journey at http://www.dickensandchristianity.com/