Holidays
Jesus - "For Such a Time as This!"
December 24, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • John 3
"For Such a Time as This - Jesus" - John 3 What did we do before we had cellphones with a flashlight option!? That is the handiest little gadget since someone put an eraser on the top of a pencil! I use it often when I am finding the right key, getting in the car, or looking for something I dropped! But of course I only need it when the current light is insufficient to see with clarity! When our eyes receive the benefit of full light, a flashlight adds nothing to my efforts. But when I am in the dark... In keeping with our theme, there is no better time for light than when we are in the dark. That handy little flashlight function on the phone has proven, over and over again, to be "for such a time as this"...such times of darkness, confusion, uncertainty, lack of clarity. It was God who spoke into the darkness and said, "Let there be light". I think the light of Jesus is still needed for our world, don't you. But what exactly does that mean? John 3 will be our topic of discussion if you can find a way to... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Mary - "For Such a Time as This!" - Luke 1:26-38
December 20, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 1:26–38
"For Such a Time as This -- Mary" - Luke 1:26-38 As part of the continuing story, we will take a look at Mary and her turning point as we are thinking about the Christmas story. For Joseph, the turning point that allowed God to use him for the special role of "fathering" Jesus, was his willingness to stay with Mary despite the social and cultural challenges, and the confusion. For Joseph, his obedience involved sacrifice -- multiple moves to protect the Son of God, gossip, loss of reputation in the community. Mary's story is a little different. Her obedience involves all of the same sacrificial things, but she must go a step further. It is total commitment of her will and....her body! Is that just for Mary? Maybe that is for women in general? Certainly not for men, though, right? Of course no one can replicate what God did in using the young virgin, Mary, to birth Jesus. But, there is much in scripture about our bodies, and Romans 12:1-2 is just one example! Did I mention that Luke 1:27 is one of those verses I never tire of reflecting on or encouraging others with? Did I mention that I get a chance to tell the story of the chicken and the pig? Why is that verse encouraging? What does this have to do with a chicken and a pig? Hahaha!!! You have to... ..VIEW AND SEE! Steve
Joseph - "For Such a Time as This! - "Matthew 1-2
December 17, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Matthew 1, Matthew 2
Joseph - "For Such a Time as This!" We will begin looking again at the Christmas family: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. This year, however, we will have the help of a little different perspective. Aided by the foundation of our studies in Esther, we will look at the story of Joseph in Matthew 1-2 through the lens of the providence of God! You see, God is not only "provident" in the lives of Esther and Mordecai, and at one time in history! Providence describes the way in which God "sees ahead of time" and does what is needed to take care of things. He provides for the protection of the Jews through Esther. He provides for a father for His Son being born into the world. Joseph. As we think about these things, I hope we will be able to look differently at the life of Joseph, and our own lives as well. God's providence is for Esther and Joseph as well as for me and you! Hard to believe? Hard to comprehend? Can you see the invisible hand of God in your life? It can be tough, for sure. Tomorrow, maybe....just maybe....a few pieces will fall into place for you. But only if you..... .....COME and SEE
Father's Day 2023 - 2 Corinthians 1:1-7
June 18, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • 2 Corinthians 1:1–7
"A God of Tough Love....or Not?" - 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 It's Father's Day weekend, and 2 Timothy just didn't fit the occasion, even with pastoral creativity! So, we will spend a little time in 2 Cor 1 discussing the nature of our Heavenly Father, especially His response to our troubles! What do you imagine God doing when you are struggling? Is He cold and distant? Uncaring? Disinterested? Do you hear Him say, "If you had more faith you wouldn't be going through this?" How about, "You made your bed, now you have to lie in it?" Or even, "You shouldn't feel that way. If you loved Me you would be rejoicing in your troubles." Is our Heavenly Father a "tough love" Father? Was your earthly father a "tough love" father? How about you? Every year at this time I am reminded of my friend who refused to go to church on Father's Day. "I am just going to hear a sermon about what a lousy dad I am and what I should do better." He already felt defeated and didn't need to be kicked by a preacher while He was down. It is my pleasure and joy to remind us all of the kind of Father our Heavenly Father is. He will be our focus as well as our example. Is He a God of tough love? What does that even mean? Oh my...You really need to... ...VIEW AND SEE! I think the answer will surprise you! Steve
Easter Sunday 2023
April 9, 2023 • Matt Basinger • Philippians 3:10
Experiencing Resurrection Power - Philippians 3:10 Guest Speakers: Matt Basinger Easter is the most important holiday for believers. 1 Cor 15:13-15 says, But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. The Resurrection is a pillar of the faith. It is a day of rejoicing and triumph. Why is it then that the resurrection can be so easily overlooked? Often, we focus on the evidence of the resurrection. What are the proofs that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Paul in Phil 3:10. Tells us he wants to know Him and the power of His resurrection. Know is the Greek word Ginosko. It is experiential knowledge. Paul is saying he wants to experience the Lord and the power of His resurrection. Paul isn't interested in just knowing facts and proofs. He wants to know what it means to experience the power of His resurrection. Can you say you have experienced it? How do you know?... ...Come and see. Matt
Good Friday 2023
April 7, 2023 • Dave Blaha
Guest Speakers: Associate Pastor Dave Blaha I wish I knew then what I know now. Have you ever uttered those words? Of course you have! There is value in thinking about such things, but does the rearview mirror sometimes seem clearer than what God has for you now and ahead? The Passion walk of Jesus and His closest friends has something to tell us about this. Tonight we will gather together to worship, and in communion remember what is far more important and impactful in your life than wherever you have been or whatever you have done.
Good Friday & Communion Service
April 7, 2021
Good Friday is the Friday preceding Easter Sunday and is the day Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. We can celebrate on Good Friday because Christ's death was a sacrifice so that we could receive the gift of eternal life. The Bible tells us that Jesus bore our sins, shame, and burden on the cross. The results changed the course of humanity and what man meant for evil through killing Jesus, God meant for good! Join us for this service, which will include Communion, at 7:00pm.
2022 Christmas Eve Service
December 24, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 2:1–7
The Cost of Christmas: "Jesus" - Luke 2:1-7 Even though our calendar tells us it is Christmas, life and problems don't take a break so we can pause and relax. Indeed, times and seasons like these has had challenges of all types for lots and lots of folks. But, isn't that sort of at the root of Jesus' entry onto planet earth after all? Think about it....time and events don't pause so he can have a smooth entry. Quite the opposite. His "full term" teenage mother has to hop on a donkey and travel 90 miles away from home. As "luck" would have it, she goes into labor at the most inconvenient time, while she is away from home. I don't know about you, but I like to be home when I am sick or hurting, not in a hotel somewhere! When the Son of God became like humanity, there was a cost. Planet earth has its Grand Canyons, beautiful sunsets, and majestic mountains, but there is also a lot of brokenness here. What did it cost Jesus to come? Why would He do it? Despite the cold of the season, or maybe even because of it, we will gather to hear the story and the reminder of why Jesus took on humanity. With a relatively short message, and plenty of slides to accompany, I hope to challenge you to experience Christmas from a new perspective. I hope to put you a little more in touch with just what it cost for Christmas to happen, and why we celebrate. So, embrace the beautiful music and warm fellowship in the middle of times that are cold in more ways than one! If you are needing some hope and a new perspective, then....... .....VIEW AND SEE! Steve
Luke 1:5-17
December 11, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 1:5–17
Christmas 2022: The "Other" Miracle Baby - Luke 1:5-17 Today we step out of 1 Tim and into the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1. The danger every year is that we are so familiar with the story that we have read and heard for so long, that we fail to notice it. Especially for preachers, you can bet that there is no new "truth nugget" to be mined from depths of the Christmas story. However, while our sights are set on Bethlehem, Mary, Joseph, the manger, the shepherds, the angels, and of course, Jesus.......there is another miracle baby! Huh? Really? Yes! There is another baby whose birth is miraculous and whose calling is great! Both in birth and in life he would be eclipsed by his relative, Jesus. Oh yes, the two babies are related! Although the Bible only indicates that his family live in a city of Judah that was in the "hill country", church history place his birth in Ein Kerem. I must admit that "Bethlehem Walk" sounds a lot better than "Ein Kerem Walk", don't you think? This baby will grow up alongside of Jesus and fulfill a very significant role regarding Jesus. He was born to prepare people. He was given the task of getting people ready, you could say, for Christmas.....or really, for Christ. Who is this baby? You probably already can guess. How did he get people ready for Jesus? You might know that as well! As I said, there are no "new nuggets", just new applications of the ancient truths. I just know that the Holy Spirit is going to use this passage in our church as we read and study. Are you ready for Christmas? Not sure? Then.... VIEW AND SEE! Steve
Christmas Art & Music Program and the CCF Kindergarten Presentation
December 21, 2022
Christmas Art & Music Program - PRESENTED BY MICHAEL & BECKI MOORE - December 21, 2022 The CCF KINDERGARTEN CLASS AND MICHAEL & BECKI MOORE!!! What could put you in the Christmas spirit more than our own CCF Kindergarten class singing, reciting scripture, and poems! You will be absolutely amazed at what Mrs. Parks-Colòn has helped these kinds to learn! Come to support and encourage them! And.....if that wasn't enough, Michael and Becki Moore will be performing Christmas songs while Michael paints a scene right in front of your eyes! The painting will be auctioned off (in house) and proceeds donated to one of the CCF missions. Just like the concert, it would be a great night to invite friends or neighbors to introduce them to CCF, and hopefully Jesus!! Or just come to enjoy the atmosphere of friends and church family! Note: This event was presented at CCF three years ago and is being reprised by popular demand. Michael will create a chalk drawing live as he talks and sings with Becki who plays continuous Christmas songs on the guitar. Their gentle banter adds warmth and humor to the evening. Think of a singing Bob Ross. The audience is encouraged to sing along with the Moore’s and a silent auction of the drawing after the program will benefit a Calvary Chapel mission program. This evening will be a joyful and awe-inspiring Christmas memory for you and your family. View and See.... Steve
The Cost of Christmas
December 18, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden • Luke 1:26–38
The Cost of Christmas: Mary - Luke 1:26-38 At this time we will open our Bibles together once again to the Gospel of Luke. We will shift our attention from John the Baptist, to Mary and her unique role in the Christmas experience. If I ask you how much Christmas is going to cost, you would probably think about food, gifts, gas money for traveling, and maybe some other things. The average US adult will spend just under $1000 on gifts this year. Of course they will be free to the people who receive them, but there are many hidden costs along the way! So let's as again from a spiritual standpoint. How much did Christmas cost? While being free to us, Mary had a choice to make. Usually being pregnant is something couples plan together and enjoy together. Family celebrates the news, and grandparents-to-be are excited. But God had something in mind for Mary that would involve her complete immersion in the Christmas experience, so to speak. She would be completely committed at a high personal cost. Do you think you would have accepted the opportunity? Would you have presented you body a living sacrifice? Or would God go elsewhere to find a person that would? This is passage contains two verses that have helped me on many, many occasions over the years. What are those verses? Why have they been important to my personal peace......?? .....VIEW AND SEE!
Good Friday Service
April 15, 2022 • Pastor Steve Feden
"Responding to the Cross" - Good Friday 2022 Tonight, we will gather to worship and think about the cross of Christ. Actually, let me rephrase that.... I hope that tonight we can talk about the Christ of the cross! Do you see the difference? It has become typical to approach the cross like we might approach an accident on the highway. We slowly approach with the rest of the traffic, rubbernecking and knowing there is a mangled mess and being oddly drawn to see what has happened, only to drive away and move on with life because we have no personal connection to people involved. We might even experience a moment of sympathy for the people and their families. We can spend our time and conversation reviewing the horrors and pain of crucifixion. Medically we understand the dehydration, the blood loss from the whipping, the pain of the spikes driven in hands and feet, and the nasty crown of thorns. Spiritually we even understand the cross and the satisfaction for our sins. It would not be wrong to reflect on this information. But all of this can be very depersonalized if we let it. Tonight we will talk about the Christ. What do we think when we observe Jesus o the cross? What is He thinking? What is He feeling? I hope we can appreciate the cross, but more than ever the Christ who embraced it. If we are like Him, we will embrace the cross as He did, and follow Him. Now that is transformational. http://....view and See! Steve
A Generous Father
December 26, 2021 • Pastor Steve Feden • Matthew 7:7–12
One of the blessings of giving good and thoughtful gifts is watching the person enjoy receiving them! Jesus said it is better to give than to receive, and giving has a unique sense of satisfaction, and the better you know the person you are shopping for, the more thoughtful your gift can be. What about God? I think many carry an instinctive view in their heart of a God who is stingy and is pleased when we are miserable. The idea of a God who knows us, is generous, and takes pleasure in giving to us can be foreign. If we are to let God have the Glory He deserves, we have to let Him be who He is, and not the product of a certain church cultural attitude. My mind meandered around the pages of the Bible as I prayerfully searched for that "just right" passage for the last message of 2021. I think the Lord has spoken, and there is something important He wants you to know about Himself. The passage at hand will wrap up Christmas and open the door for the new year! View and See.....!!! Steve