Our Story

Since we’re convinced the story of Community Church of Ephrata is the story of the work of God, it is a journey across time.

The most recent chapter began when a large group of folks with a number of core passions...the authority of the Bible and the truth it contained, the transforming work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the unique peace and satisfaction experienced by following Jesus…. came together to plant a church. With these passions, their hope was to belong to a church family where folks could feel welcome and challenged to grow regardless of their place in their spiritual journey.

This group launched their first worship service in February 2005 with the purpose to create a community that knows and demonstrates the grace of God through his son Jesus Christ and that is exactly what seems to be happening. A church family is growing both in numbers and in depth made up of folks who are new to the Christian faith, have been a follower of Christ for some time, or are cautiously curious about Christianity.

As this group walked this road, they found their passions, convictions, and values resonated with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (epc.org)...and" so by the Spring of 2005, CCE found themselves a member of the EPC.

There is no doubt this journey is ongoing, and as it does, we are excited for the adventures that lay ahead.

Our Philosophy

Every church has a philosophy of how it goes about living for God. They are the general principles that undergird conduct and actions. Simply stated, your philosophy of ministry describes why you do what you do. At CCE, these principles (called collectively our "Philosophy of Ministry") are as follows:

• The purpose of our ministry is mission. Our ultimate objective is to make a difference for God by helping people become mature Christians. This means seeking to grow spiritually ourselves. It means a dedication to the faith for our families. It means we have a heart for others in our world.
• The source of our ministry is God. As Christians, we cannot do what we do alone or in our own strength. We are dependent on God for power, wisdom, and grace as we participate with Him in the work He has prepared for us.
• The context of our ministry is community. The Christian mission occurs in community, where human lives and hearts touch. We believe the church is not a place you come to, but a "family" you belong to.
• The focus of our ministry is people. Christian ministry is always about people, not programs or facilities.
• Every member is a minister. Under the leadership of Jesus, ministry is a shared task. To accomplish this task, the Holy Spirit bestows on every believer a supernatural ability to minister. By gifting Christians this way, God call us and enables us to mutually minister to each other and the world.

Our Values

The mission of CCE is to know and demonstrate God’s grace through His son, Jesus Christ. This mission is the heartbeat of our church and the passion that drives our lives. From it flows three distinct and yet connected core values...

• We are committed to clear Biblical teaching and preaching...Because we believe the Bible is the primary way our Lord reveals himself to us, it only makes sense to us that we would pursue a deeper and clearer understanding of it. From revealing who our Lord is to who we are before Him to our need for redemption to it being found in nothing else but Jesus' work on the cross to the work of the Holy Spirit transforming us into new creations, it is the Bible that holds the truth and so we teach it.
• We are committed to living in Community…Because we believe that the gospel has knit us together into one family, it only follows that we would seek to grow into a deeper intimacy with one another. Because we all stand in the same desperate need of God’s grace, we all stand as equally valuable. In the same way, because we all have been gifted by the same God for His service, we all stand as equally necessary.
• Purposeful Care for our Community…Because we believe that our Lord has placed us in Ephrata for His purposes, we long to care for our neighbors. The people of God have a long history of blessing those around them that began in God’s promise to Abraham to make him a blessing (Gen. 12:2). This is certainly experienced in caring for the physical needs of our neighbors, but it is most richly tasted in the sharing of our faith and their freedom from sin.

Our Beliefs

Through our study of the Bible, there are a number of convictions we have come to hold dearly. We embrace the Word of God and become convinced that it is the true, complete, and unified witness to God's redemptive work in time.

From this foundation, we believe...

• in one God, the creator and sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
• in Jesus Christ, the living God, who became flesh through His virgin birth. He is true God and true man united in one person forever. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and on the third day he rose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of the God the Father as our mediator.
• in the Holy Spirit who has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to Jesus as the savior. In dwelling our hearts, He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service, instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.
• that being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God's free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and so justifies them in His sight. Only those who are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
• that the true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ.
• Jesus Christ will come again to the earth—personally, visibly, and bodily—to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus." - Rev. 22:20
• the Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Eph. 2:10

Without neglecting our core convictions, we recognize that there may be different interpretations and applications of the teaching of scripture. Because of this, we are committed to Biblical Christianity, Presbyterian Polity, Evangelical outreach, and reformed theology while maintaining a culture nurtured in our denomination, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church...In essentials unity; In non-essentials charity; In all things grace.

Our Leadership

Staff

Rev. Robert E. Hock, Pastor

roberthock@genext.net

Francis Schaeffer’s thought, “I am a Christian because it is the only religion that answers the questions on my heart” sums up not only my own reasons for placing my faith in Jesus, it also drives my ministry. I assume folks have questions on their hearts which can only be satisfied by truth. My passion is to constantly seek that truth and handle it humbly...realizing I’m a finite, short sighted, arrogant, and all too often confused man...and share it with others in dignity.

Rob’s served CCE since July 2006 after serving as a pastor in Washington DC for over five years. He came to faith while in college with the help of Young Life Ministries and sensed a calling in the ministry. While in college, Rob met Kimmy and they married in 1995 and now have four kids, two dogs, a bird, a frog, and a hamster (he loves his kids). Rob received an undergraduate degree from Texas A&M and a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Sally LaPlant, Office Administrator

evangelicals@genext.net

Sally’s served CCE since our launch in early 2005. Her unique skill set and integrity make her remarkably valuable, but it is her passion for Jesus and her sensitivity to others that sets her apart. She approaches her tasks as a ministry and looks for ways to demonstrate the grace of God. She’s married to Steve and has three kids, and two kid-in-laws.

Tracy Purrington, Office Assistant

evangelicals@genext.net

Tracy's served CCE since the winter of 2008. She has a great passion to serve others and she sees her position here as a way to do that. The combination of her great creativity with an excellent attention to detail has quickly made her a blessing to us. She's married to Everett and has three kids.