Photo Credit: E2 Church

On April 21, E2 Church hosted an incredible worship experience and Easter Eggstravaganza. Over 1,700 people attended with 176 people giving their lives to Christ, 1,150 Easter worshipers were generously treated to free food from local food trucks, and over 20,000 eggs were hidden for the Easter egg hunt. Children also enjoyed the 10 bounce houses offered and bubble zone, and 32 lucky kids were given bikes as prizes. It was an incredible event I personally was blessed to have experienced and been a part of.

Creative Coordinator Joshua Perry & Creative Director Ronnie Lim
Photo Credit: E2 Church

E2 Easter Worship

The E2 Church Easter Celebration was hosted at the Cosumnes River College gymnasium. All newcomers were immediately greeted as VIPs and ushered in and given prime seating. Most noteworthy is that this is the normal practice for E2, along with all newcomers receiving a free t-shirt. Also, childcare is provided, and E2 has a good system in place where each child wears a label with a code that matches their parents’ code to ensure children and parents are rightfully reunited.

Missy Robertson from The Voice is the Director of Worship for E2 Church. The E2 Worship Team delivered a tremendously entertaining performance that is unlike any other church. It was mesmerizing.

The Sermon

E2 Pastor Jared Ellis delivered the main message entitled, “The Graveyard & The Gardener.”

He emphasized that you can’t find God in the same dead places where you left him last. “He’s not in that place. He is alive and well and he wants to relate with you and speak to you in this current season. If you believe it shout Amen!”

Pastor Jared told the story of Mary crying at the tomb because Jesus wasn’t there. Jesus spoke to her, but she thought he was a gardener, according to the book of John. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him?” John 20:15

Lead Pastor Jared Ellis
Photo Credit: E2 Church

Mary did not realize that Christ had risen again.

“But Christ indeed has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death comes through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, for as in Christ will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15: 20-22

Pastor Jared said when Mary was in the garden and she thought Jesus was a gardener, God was redeeming what was lost. “You see, he went all the way back to the beginning because he knew that you would be sitting here one day wondering, ‘Did he really die for me? Is he really my resurrection.’ Well, he went all the way back to the beginning to reverse and redeem the curse so that you and I could be made new and alive. In Christ, you see, a moment in history where a woman was seen as less than, he shows up first to a woman to let her know, that the last becomes first. And what was dead is now alive.”

Watching Lives Change

After Pastor Jared’s sermon, Pastor Q went on stage and encouraged everyone present to join him in pledging their lives to God. As a result, 176 people raised their hands and chose to give their lives to Christ. It was an amazing sight to see so many people at one time giving their lives to Christ and becoming Christians. Truly, it is a rare sight to see so many people of any faith united the way this community was on Easter.

Photo Credit: E2 Church

Photo Credit: E2 Church

Easter Eggstravaganza

After the incredible E2 Easter Celebration, the Easter Eggstravaganza after party began. There were many food trucks, including Dave’s Dawgs, Bubble Cone, Frutazo, Kona Ice, Buckhorn, New Bite, Hefty Gyros, Drewski’s, Squeeze Burger, and La Mex Taco. 1,150 people received blue tickets for free food from the food trucks. Kids were fed 65 boxes of pizza.

Photo Credit: E2 Church

Furthermore, there were 10 bounce houses, a bubble zone, and an epic Easter Egg Hunt with 20,000 eggs. Some lucky kids even found a slip inside their egg, indicating they won the prize of a bike. 32 bikes were given away as prizes. I know my family personally enjoyed the free food, and my daughters, Roxy and Carissa, were thrilled to meet the Easter bunny and get a bunch of eggs with treats and candy in them.

Photo Credit: E2 Church

Reflections

There is something about E2 Church that I can’t put my finger on. It’s the most welcoming church I have ever attended. Above all, the welcome is genuine. People are excited to be a part of something, a movement, a belief in God that transcends their daily lives. As I moved through the worship experience and the activities of E2 on Easter Sunday, I could not help but feel as if I and my family were destined to be there. Certainly, I hope that all the people who visited for the first time on Easter Sunday felt as moved as I did.

The sermons of Pastor Jared and Pastor Q are easily relatable. However, the Pastors are not just leaders in name, they inspire and truly lead people closer to God. Even more, they want to get to know you. They are also friends. I can honestly say I have a friendship with both pastors. In contrast, with other churches I have visited in the past, I cannot say that the pastors actually took time to get to know me.

E2 Church is about creating a culture where people are welcomed, lifted, encouraged, and inspired. My husband Kenny and I are incredibly thankful and grateful for the welcome, the care, the encouragement, and the friendships we experienced since we first began attending in October 2017. I’m home. This is my family.

Photo Credit: E2 Church

Check Out E2 Church

There are two services every Sunday at E2 Church. One service is at 9:30 AM and the other is at 11:30 AM. At both services, child care is available from 6 weeks old through 5th grade. Also, my daughters Roxy and Carissa look forward to going to eKidz and seeing their friends in the Motions and Safari eKids groups at church every Sunday. I extend this invitation to you personally and on behalf of E2 Church: If you’ve been looking for a church, or are just curious, please come and check it out. You’ll be greeted as a VIP on your first visit and welcomed in with opened arms.

Lead Pastor Jared Ellis
Photo Credit: E2 Church

Executive Pastor Quang Nguyen
Photo Credit: E2 Church

From Pastor Jared & Pastor Q

“We want to thank everyone who came out to our Easter Experiences this year. We truly love being able to share the love of Christ with our community. Our hope is to continue being a church where everyone and anyone in Elk Grove and Sacramento can be encouraged, find an uplifting community and experience God in a real way. Hope to see you Sunday!”