“Second Chances”Text: Ezekiel 34:11‐31As we mark the end of the church year with Christ the King Sunday, we testify to God’s primary place in our lives through Jesus Christ. This passage from Ezekiel emphasizes that our God desires to be known to His people and, like a good shepherd, is always seeking for us. God’s…

“Giving Grace vs. Manipulating Magic”Text: Acts 8:9-24This week, we review the story about Simon the Sorcerer, a trickster magician who tries to take advantage of the Gospel and the disciples to gain power for himself. In an unconventional message, Pastor Tim expresses a concern about the number of “Simon the Sorcerers” that exist in the…

“Redemption Story: Surprised by Grace”Text: Ruth 2:1-13We continue our series on the book of Ruth by studying chapter 2, where Ruth first meets Boaz. Hearing of Ruth’s faithfulness to Naomi, Boaz extends grace to her in the grain fields. Like Boaz, we have the opportunity to lavish “hesed” — grace and loving kindness — to…

“The Kingdom: Ready to Feast”Text: Matthew 22:1-14This week, we study the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. God invites all to His celebration by name, and when we respond faithfully to that invitation, we become His servants. As servants, we become those are called to go out and invite anyone else to come and share in…

People of Grace: “Loving Accountability in Action”Text: Acts 4:23-31We conclude our series on being a people of grace; learning what it means for God to love and be gracious to us, and how we reciprocate and live into that grace.  In this week’s scripture passage, instead of praying for the destruction of their enemies, the…

People of Grace: “Why is Discipleship So Difficult?” – September 17, 2023Text: Acts 2:42-47We live in a very busy and stressful world; one where there is always something pulling us one way or the other. It can be difficult to fully commit to discipleship in these moments, both individually and as a group. This week’s…

“People of Grace: God’s Mission – My Purpose”Text: John 4:27-38In the Gospels, the disciples are often shown as trying to safeguard Jesus from those who they might think are unworthy or slowing Him down. This passage, which follows Jesus’s encounter with the woman at the well, is a notable exception where the text specifically states…

“People of Grace: Surprised by Grace”Text: Matthew 15:21-28Pastor Tim introduces a new series called “A People of Grace,” which is designed to complement the church’s book study on Sam Barber’s book of the same name. In this first sermon, we examine what initially appears to be the least grace-filled passage in the Gospels. Jesus’ first…

“Jesus’s Invitation: ‘Be the Grown-ups!’”Text: Matthew 5:43-48We are pleased to welcome back former CECN pastor Rev. Dr. Jeff Barker as our guest preacher. He brings us a message from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus’s call to perfection – “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” – comes after He describes how His…

Sermon Text: 2 Peter 3:1-18Having finished our recent sermon series on the Old Testament minor prophets, we turn to a passage from the book of 2 Peter that has also been read as a prophetic word. Peter tells his audience to not listen to a world that suggests that God is not interested in how…