Cedar Blog, Uncategorized

How Resilient Are You?

How Resilient Are You?

As one year rolls into another I like to do a review. How did I fair in the past year? How did our congregation fair?

We are on a mission to make disciples who flourish. I recently learned that some people call flourishing disciples “resilient disciples.” Resilient disciples…

  • …attend church at least monthly and engage with their church more than just attending worship services.
  • …trust firmly in the authority of the Bible.
  • …commit to Jesus personally and affirm that he was crucified and raised from the dead to conquer sin and death.
  • …express a desire to transform the broader society as an outcome of their faith.

Does this describe you? If not you might be a “habitual churchgoer.” (You have attended church at least once in the past month, but do not have foundational core beliefs or behaviors associated with being a resilient disciple.) Or you might be a nomad. (You have not attended church during the past month and have not been involved with a faith community for six months or more.)

If you are taking stock – this matters. Those who claim to be Christian but do not have resilience do not flourish. To see the data on why this matters, look at what the Barna researchers discovered.

How resilient are you? Right now is the best time to re-engage and find flourishing by following Jesus!

May the Lord be with you,

Pastor Kent

 

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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    Cedar Blog

    Err on the Side of Righteousness

    Err on the Side of Righteousness

    We’ve been talking about the Word Made Flesh – one of the prophetic names we use to talk about Jesus in the season of Advent.  Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Immanuel, God with Us. Word Made Flesh. Jesus.

    All of these names feel sacred and holy. They contain parts of God’s identity and how He has revealed Himself to us.

    We know him by other names as well:

    There is so much contained in God’s names! So much truth and holiness and identity.

    His name is sacred.

    And so I’ll be honest – my spirit is completely grieved when I hear my Christian brothers and sister flippantly using the OMG phrase or saying “Oh my God” in every story they tell.

    It is a scheme of the enemy if I’ve ever seen one. If it were not,  the world would be using phrases like, “Oh my Buddha” or “Oh my Satan” or “O my Molech.” But they don’t.  There is only one god’s name that gets used flippantly… and it is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob – the one true God.  Our God.   The enemy is smart and goes about like a roaring lion looking for whom he may devour.  He has tricked many.

    What does Scripture say about God’s name?

    • Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. – Matthew 6:9 (NLT)
    • I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. – Isaiah 42:8
    • The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. – Proverbs 18:10
    • Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. – Psalm 100:4-5
    • Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations. – Psalm 135:13
    • And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. – Acts 2:21

    There is debate among many online about this particular phrase… is it sin or not sin?  My thoughts… does it matter? I would rather err on the side of righteousness any day than grieve my heavenly Father with my speech.

    Leah Carolan
    Pastor of Worship & Media

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      Cedar Blog

      The Word Became Flesh

      The Word Became Flesh

      I mostly take my body for granted even though most of my daily rhythms involve taking care of my body. Waking and sleeping, dressing and undressing, eating and drinking, working out and avoiding a workout – these things I do (or don’t do) mostly without much thought.

      As I’m prepping for the Christmas season, I’ve focused more on the significance of our bodies. The wonders of our flesh and blood complexity and the frustrations of our physical Iimitations. We are more than our bodies, certainly, but not less. Our bodies matter.

      Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” I recently noticed that God made Adam’s body first and then God breathed life into it. The body was not an afterthought created to hold the disembodied person that was Adam. Adam’s body mattered.

      And now – the Incarnation. God made flesh and blood. (John 1:14) Jesus became a man. His body is not merely a container designed to hold God for a while. Jesus is fully divine AND fully human. Always. We celebrate Jesus made flesh at Christmas. Made flesh – of all things – as a baby. Jesus’ body matters.

      Merry Christmas,

      Kent

      P.S. 2023 Advent Season

      December 3 – Word Made Flesh – resurrection and return.

      December 10 – Word Made Flesh – life and death sorrow.

      December 17 – Word Made Flesh – water into wine feasting.

      December 24 – Word Made Flesh – the flesh is weak…temptation.

      Christmas Eve – Candlelight Services @ 3 and 5 – Word Made Flesh – Baby.

      December 31 – Word Made Flesh – massacre of innocents and sympathy.

      Kent Landhuis
      Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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        Cedar Blog

        Giving Season

        Giving Season

        It’s the most wonderful time of the year. It’s the time of year when every day I receive mail, emails, and texts from various organizations requesting donations. Charities, ministries, animal shelters, foundations, humanitarian causes, nonprofit institutions – they are all asking for gifts.

        This annual barrage of requests for my money used to annoy the heck out of me. But I’ve been rethinking this in two ways. First, I give thanks that so many organizations commit to making our world a better place. Nonprofit organizations do so much good! Second, I give thanks that so many generous people give to support these important causes. Did you know that individuals donated $319.04 billion in 2022? That’s billion!

        Did you also know that December giving accounts for roughly one-fourth (26%) of annual nonprofit revenue? That includes the church and we are a 100% donor-funded organization. We have no trusts or endowments or corporate sponsorships. We depend on the generosity of God’s people for all of our resources.

        We are making the world a better place. We offer hope to a world in need of hope. We feed the hungry and encourage the outcast. We help every generation flourish in faith. We make a difference and we depend on your generosity to make that happen. Your giving to Cedar Hills matters.

        I am so thankful to be part of a congregation committed to making the world a better place. And I am so thankful to be part of a congregation of generous people. And I am so thankful it is giving season.

        But wait there’s more. God promises blessings to those who give generously. Consider this great promise in 2 Corinthians 9:6 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

        The Lord be with you,

        Pastor Kent

        P.S. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).

        Kent Landhuis
        Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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          Uncategorized

          Pat Garwood Funeral

          Please continue to pray for the family and friends of Pat Goodwood as they grieve her passing.

          VISITATION
          4-7 PM, Thursday, November 9, 2023, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home

          FUNERAL
          11:00 AM, Friday, November 10, 2023, at Cedar Hills Community Church. (Another light visitation beforehand at 10am)

          OBITUARY

          Patricia (Pat) Ann Garwood, 86, of Cedar Rapids, passed away November 5, 2023. Visitation: . Funeral Service:  in Cedar Rapids. Interment: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. In honoring Pat’s wishes, the family encourages everyone to dress casually for the visitation and service.

          Pat was born on April 1, 1937, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Lester and Helen (Parents) Melsha. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Cedar Rapids. Pat was united in marriage to Dennis Edward “Red” Garwood on April 22, 1963. He preceded her in death in 2015. Pat was a cafeteria worker for the Cedar Rapids Schools. She also worked at Flowerama and was self employed as a floral designer. Pat was a member of Cedar Hills Community Church. She was an animal lover. Pat enjoyed flowers, sewing, and making crafts. Most of all she loved her family and enjoyed attending their activities.

          Survivors include her children Gary (Joanne) Kohl of Cedar Rapids, Tracey (David) Johnson of Cedar Rapids, and Terry (Jeff) Stadler of Kansas City, MO, grandchildren Brandon, Kristie (Danny), Jason (Kirsten), Michael (Rachel), Lindsey (Matt), and Robbie (Kelsie), great-grandchildren Rylee, Evan, Olivia, Hannah, Charlotte, Clete, Elsie, Benjamin, Lucy, and Isaac, special friend and neighbor Connie Brown, and her beloved dog Baylee.

          Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, and daughter Beth Ann Garwood.

          Memorials may be directed to Cedar Hills Community Church.

          Cedar Blog

          Peacemakers

          Peacemakers

          Just now I couldn’t stop myself from clicking on a post entitled, “The Most Controversial Foods in America.” While waiting for the blog to open, I wondered if there was any issue that people don’t divide over. In case you are wondering, the most polarizing food in America is anchovies (followed closely by black licorice, oysters, beets, blue cheese, and okra).

          Every year at this time I say something about the state of the church and I am proud to say that we, the church known as Cedar Hills Community, are growing as peacemakers. Peacemakers seek peace – especially by reconciling adversaries. Peacemakers don’t avoid controversy but instead, enter difficult spaces with the hope of building bridges.

          The place I’ve seen the most peacemaking has been in intergenerational relationships. Many of you sought out people of another generation – not to argue with – but to pray for and pray with. It has been a beautiful bridge-building season. Uniting, not polarizing.

          Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” The goal of our intergenerational focus was to tell each other about God’s mighty deeds. We did this and one of the fruits of this – which I did not see coming – was the fruit of unity. One generation loved another.

          What a great place to be!

          Kent Landhuis
          Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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            Cedar Blog

            Will You Be 38?

            Will You Be 38?

            On our recent fall retreat, at Lake View Camp, our middle schoolers were challenged to contemplate the miracles of Jesus. There are 37 recorded miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. The most poignant may be when four friends bring a paralytic to Jesus for healing in Mark 2.

            4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

            Jesus healed the paralytic when he saw the faith of his friends. Wow! Can we be like those friends? Can we be a part of the miracle God wants to do in someone else’s life? Ultimately, we were challenged to invite God to do miracle 38 in our lives. The miracle of new life, salvation, and sanctification talked about in Ephesians 2.

            4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.

            As I reflected on the retreat worship time I wrote a series of Haiku. I’d like to share them all with you.

             

            Thirty-seven times

            Jesus showed His godly might

            Are you thirty-eight?

            He demonstrated

            Power over creation

            Health, and even life

            Jairus’ daughter

            Jesus wept, Lazarus lived

            Widows only son

            Dead in sin, BUT GOD!

            Children under wrath, BUT GOD!

            But God’s rich mercy

             

            Steve Poole
            Pastor of Youth & Young Adults

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              Love. Belong. Serve.