Category Archives: Travel

Israel – 2018

Our Israel trip was an absolutely amazing experience. It was a trip full of many highlights, and one of the best parts of the trip was getting to go on this spiritual journey with so many in our church family. Having 35 pilgrims is a testament to the work that God is doing through His Word at CCEM, we all went asking the Lord to change us! Our group had a few Israel veterans, but for the most part, it was a bunch of first-timers. Yet it didn’t matter, we were all walking around pinching ourselves saying, “We’re in Israel!!!”

I wish you could have seen the look on everyone’s faces as we stood on the grounds we’ve heard and read about in the Bible. We can tell you about the heavy presence of God in the Garden of Gethsemane, the thrill of walking in the knee-high waters of Hezekiah’s tunnels, or the awe of seeing Masada. We can share what a privilege it was to sail and even swim in the Sea of Galilee, or the honor of being baptized in the Jordan river, the fact that upon walking up to Calvary, (Golgotha) it started pouring rain, even hailing. I’m sure some might even share with you that as we were taking communion at the Garden Tomb, the Muslim call to prayer came soaring through the loudspeakers but we worshiped and prayed right through it – and then it was gone!

None of us will ever forget the experience of visiting the Holy Land. We will never again read or hear a Bible study the same way. As a group, we share these sentiments not to rub it in and say “You should have been there,” but with the hopes that our trip would excite you to go, and invite you to pray. We want you to experience what we did and more.

Shalom,

From your brother Henry and the Israel Bunch – 2018

Manny’s iPhone automatically put together a video from the trip, so here’s a little look at the trip of a lifetime. Pray about joining us in 2020!

Men’s Retreat

RETREAT

Calvary Chapel El Monte’s 2013 Annual Men’s Retreat was an absolute blessing. We had over 40 men go up to the mountains of Twin Peaks – for almost half of them, this was their first retreat – ever! We again teamed up with Calvary Chapel LAX who also took 40 brothers.

We had the privilege of welcoming Pastor Dan Finfrock of Intensive Care Ministries as our guest speaker. Pastor Dan who is a football coach, a long time pastor, and missionary taught us the importance of being, “Men of the Playbook.” He stressed the importance that, like an athlete who should know, breathe, and live their playbook, we should do the same with God’s Book, His Word.

As always the staff and the food at the retreat were top notch, but the highlight of the weekend was the fellowship. We believe that God did an amazing work in establishing brotherhood bonds between the guys. If for some reason you weren’t able to go with us this year, we pray you make plans to join us next year, if the Lord tarries.