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Funeral Service for Phyllis Baker

Please continue to pray for the family and friends of Phyllis Baker. We celebrate that she is at rest in the arms of Jesus!  A private graveside ceremony for family will be held September 1.

Phyllis Arlene Baker, 101, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died peacefully at her home on August 28th, 2026. A private graveside service will be held September 1st, 2026 at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Phyllis was born July 20, 1925, to Lester and Mabel (Seiler) Wilke in Carroll, Iowa. She graduated from Carroll High School and later attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids. Phyllis married Roy Jay Baker on January 25, 1954, in Carroll, Iowa. Both Phyllis and Roy were members of Cedar Hills Community Church for more than 60 years.

She enjoyed volunteering with her husband at St. Luke’s Hospital, Life Investors (TransAmerica), and Cedar Hills Community Church. Phyllis also enjoyed traveling, she had been to all 50 states along with many international destinations. She loved her family and cherished the time she spent with them.

Phyllis is survived by her daughter Susanne (Orin) Wakefield; five grandsons, two great grandchildren, and two step-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Roy, and her son David.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Cedar Hills Community Church.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries

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Journal Prompts

Spend 5 minutes each week speaking with God and listening to His response these questions.

Week 31 (August 30) – Describe how God sees you when you have not been good enough? Why does God see you this way?

Week 30 (August 23) – God, what are you doing? God, how do I join in?

Week 29 (August 16) – What keeps me from practicing hospitality with my neighbors and coworkers?

Week 28 (August 9) – Who is my low hanging fruit?

Week 27 (August 2) – What would help me be more comfortable as a witness for Jesus?

Week 26 (July 26) – Who in our community (Which body part?) are you most likely to exclude from your flock? How can you love them in a practical  way?

Week 25 (July 19) – What has God called you to do?

Week 24 (July 12) – How have you been hurt and hurt others by not handling conflict well? What are one or two ways you can handle conflict better going forward?

Week 23 (July 5) – What is the group (class, type, category, etc.) of people who I find the most annoying (bothersome, dumb, infuriating, etc)? 

Week 22 (June 28) – What’s the worst that could happen if you admitted your worst to someone?  What’s the best that could happen?

Week 21 (June 21) – What keeps me from going deeper in community?

Week 20 (June 14) – God, What should I give?

Week 19 (June 7) – How are you currently sowing your time, treasures and talents? How is God calling you to sow them more generously? How have you been enriched by generously sowing time, talent and treasures in others?

Week 18 (May 31) – Which of these nine issues do you find most challenging? Why?

  • Maintaining an abundance mindset. I have more than enough.
  • Maintaining contentment. I am satisfied. 
  • Maintaining margin. (Simplicity) I am not burdened by too much. (Overloaded)
  • Maintaining focus on heavenly treasure. I am seeking God’s kingdom first.
  • Maintaining a heart that is refreshed. I am making the world larger with my giving.
  • Maintaining a commitment to share. I am not hoarding.
  • Maintaining a desire to see everyone flourish. I am never a fan of decay.
  • Maintaining the posture of welcome. I am not excluding others. 
  • Maintaining life in the Spirit. I am not living according to the flesh.

Week 17 (May 24) – What are my favorite things?

Week 16 (May 17) – God has given me these good and perfect gifts:__________________________________

Week 15 (May 10) – How do my feelings (worries, exhaustion, anxiety, fear, boredom, apathy…) hinder my worship of God?

Week 14 (May 3) –  Where do I find delight?

Week 13 (April 26) – What prevents me from getting deeper rest?

Week 12 (April 19) – When you stop ‘doing’, what feelings, worries and doubts do you experience?

Week 11 (April 12) – What prevents me from getting peaceful rest?

Week 10 (April 5) –  How does the resurrection of Jesus give me hope where I need it most?

Week 9 (March 29) – How am I living out my purpose, calling and identity in Christ?  What does it look like to offer myself as a living sacrifice?

Week 8 (March 22) – What is my usual response/behavior when I am frustrated?

Week 7 (March 15) – What desires control me? What clutters my soul?

Week 6 (March 8) – What passion is God stirring in your heart as you fast this week?  Why haven’t I seen God’s power do ________?

Week 5 (March 1) – What does it mean to offer my body as a living sacrifice?

Week 4 (February 22)- How do I react to the invitation to fast?
Skip a meal and then journal. What happened? (If I did not skip a meal, journal about why I did not.)

Week 3 (February 15 ) – Where have you seen friction (suffering) transform you in a positive way?

Week 2 (February 8) – What is the relationship between abiding, loving, obeying, and bearing fruit in your life?

Week 1 (February 1) – Where am I reluctant or resistant to change?

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RightNow Media

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New to RightNow Media? Create a Login

Looking for something to watch today?

Need something for your next small group study?

Do the kids need something other than Disney movies to watch?

Cedar Hills has purchased a resource package with you in mind. RightNow Media is an extensive collection of children’s programming, small group Bible studies, videos, conference keynotes, and study materials that has something for everyone.  This digital streaming service has Biblical content that will help strengthen your faith and deepen your walk with God.

RightNow Media is extremely accessible.  You can download the app to your phone, your Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV – pretty much anywhere.  If you haven’t signed up yet, do so today! You won’t regret it!

Create your Right Now Media account – courtesy of Cedar Hills Community Church.

Cedar Blog

Make Disciples

Make Disciples

Discipleship is the main thing. Jesus talked about it this way: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

We are the kind of people who follow Jesus and aspire to obey him in all things. And so we make disciples.

Though we aspire to this it can be difficult to measure fruit. What does discipleship look like? How do we know if we are doing this successfully? Is discipleship really the main thing? How can we do better? These are the kinds of questions that guide us (and motivate us) as leaders.

At a recent meeting we shared dozens of stories with the same basic theme. That theme was individuals who followed Jesus and their lives were transformed. Individuals growing in kindness, growing as people who pray, growing a bolder witness, growing to be better leaders, growing in love, growing to be better followers of Jesus. These are all stories of discipleship. Following Jesus.

Because discipleship is the main thing, we are the kind of people who grow. So, how are you growing?

In John 15:5 Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”  Discipleship starts (and ends) with abiding. When we abide with Jesus, we become like Jesus. It’s the main thing. 

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

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    You Belong – a membership class


    You Belong: An Orientation to God’s Family at Cedar Hills

    NEXT CLASS BEGINS: August 23, 2026

    We make deeper connections with God and each other when we belong. In “You Belong” you will also discover how God heals brokenness and restores all he created through a community of people who love one another. Together we will grow hospitality, authenticity, forgiveness, and restoration that transforms us and our neighbors!

    You Belong is a six week class that meets on Sundays at 9:45am. Anyone is welcome to attend even if they do not wish to become members.

    At the end of the class, students can choose to pursue membership.  Following the class, you will meet with an elder to affirm your faith in Jesus, and then we publicly receive into a membership at a worship service (date TBD).

    SCHEDULE

    • Week 1 – Created for Community
    • Week 2 – How the Gospel Shapes Community
    • Week 3 – A Community of Forgiveness and Restoration
    • Week 4 – Authentic Community
    • Week 5 – How Community Shapes Us
    • Week 6 – Grace-filled Community

    Nursery for ages 0-36 months is available at this same time, as well as classes for children of all ages.

    No registration is needed, but letting us know you’re coming is helpful. You can do that by contacting the office below.

      Funeral

      Harriet Aarhus – Celebration of Life

      Join us in praying for the family and friends of Harriet Aarhus as they mourn her loss.

      The celebration of life is Thursday, July 16 at Cedar Hills at 11am. A luncheon will be held immediately after the service.

      Live stream of the service will be available on YouTube and here approximately 10:50am:

      Obituary

      Harriet A. Aarhus, 86 of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Hiawatha. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 15 at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 16 at Cedar Hills Community Church, 6455 E. Avenue NW, Cedar Rapids at 11:00 am. A luncheon will be held immediately following funeral services with entombment at 2:30 pm at the Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids.

      Harriet was born on July 27,1939, in Pipestone, MN to Harry and Helen (Jackson) Doty. Her parents moved seven times before Harriet entered school and finally settled in Cedar Rapids, where she met and married Gwyneth (Gwyn) Aarhus on August 13, 1961, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

      Harriet began her career as a Librarian’s Assistant at Kenwood Public Library. She then worked as a Clerk at S.S. Kresge’s, a Billing Machine Operator at Iowa National Mutual Insurance, an Office Clerk at Dial Finance and then as a Credit Correspondent at General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC). For the next 10 years, Harriet worked in the home as “Mom” to their three children. In 1978, Harriet returned to GMAC as an Accounting Clerk, then worked as an Administrative Assistant at Esco Electric & Automation Systems and at Iowa Electric Light & Power. She finished are career after she earned an AA in Legal Assistance and worked as a Legal Secretary for U.S. Filter Consumer Products, Inc., Simmons & Perrine Law Firm, and Alliant Energy.

      Harriet was a faithful member of the Cedar Hills Community Church, where she also enjoyed volunteering. Harriet’s number one passion was sports, but specifically baseball. She loved watching the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, the Minnesota Twins and was a long-time season ticket holder to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Gwyn and Harriet loved to travel (mostly in their station wagon) and accomplished visiting all 50 U.S. states. Within those travels, they visited many baseball parks, amusement parks, museums, and anything else that was found along the way. Harriet also loved scrapbooking, spending time with her family and talking with everyone. There wasn’t a person she couldn’t talk to for hours. Harriet will forever be remembered as a wonderful and caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin and friend whose memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved her. She will be missed greatly!

      Harriet is survived by her children: Todd Aarhus of Ankeny, Ryan Aarhus of Robins, and Kylene (Chad) Dunham of Cedar Rapids; and a granddaughter, Ashleigh Dunham of Cedar Rapids. She is also survived by her brother, Bud (Beth) Doty of Tucson, AZ; brother-in-laws, DuWayne (Laura) Aarhus of Walker and Collin (Barbara) Aarhus of Center Point; and many nieces and nephews.

      She is preceded in death by her husband, Gwyneth (d. 2019), her parents and her parents-in-law.

      In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Cedar Hills Community Church. 

      Cedar Blog

      The Practice of Generosity

      The Practice of Generosity

      I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

      When we abide with Jesus, we become like Jesus. This is the premise behind our desire to grow in spiritual practices. These practices mold us to be more like Jesus and they bear fruit.

      We recently explored the practice of generosity and discovered that it is about giving our stuff and ourselves away. I’m curious what fruit has come from our giving.  I’m not sure how to measure the giving of our stuff but I heard a number of stories about sharing. If measuring the fruit of giving ourselves, I’d measure time given.

      For the month of June, I asked leaders to share the number of volunteers and the number of hours they served. (I asked them to estimate – conservatively.) The fruit results blew me away. By our conservative estimate, more than 370 people donated more than 1,766 hours!

      Well done good and faithful servants!

      Broken into categories it looks like this:

      • Leadership Ministries – 52 people donated 130 hours.
      • Discipleship Ministries – 111 people donated 724 hours.
      • Worship Ministries – 69 people donated 195 hours.
      • Outreach ministries – 138 people donated 717 hours.

      Of course, it’s challenging to pin down the exact category of these donated hours because so much ministry overlaps and bears fruit in multiple ways but my main take away was this – YOUR GENEROSITY IS A HUGE BLESSING!

      Thanks

      Kent Landhuis
      Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

      Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

        Cedar Blog

        Letters from Cherith

        Letters from Cherith

        Have you ever prayed to God and felt as though He was distant? Have you ever prayed for a particular thing, only to feel like your prayers were falling on deaf ears? Have you ever prayed with tears streaming down your face (the infamous ugly cry), diligently waiting for an answer, yet hearing nothing? Instead, you hear silence. You feel as though God is far away. You feel abandoned by God. You feel rejected. You feel as though your prayers just reach the ceiling of your bedroom and never make it to heaven’s door. I know we have all been there. I call these moments “Cherith.”

        In 1 Kings 17:3, God calls Elijah to a location called Cherith. This word can be translated into English as “separation.” The original Hebrew word means “cut off.” God called Elijah to this desolate place to have an encounter with Him. God separated Elijah from what was “normal” for him and called him into what I would describe as a wilderness season. There, Elijah learned to fully depend on God for his survival and overall well-being. First Kings 17:6 says, “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.” Elijah had no other choice but to trust God for his sustenance in Cherith. The brook that Elijah drank from represents ultimate surrender and reliance on God. This moment of separation and isolation prepared Elijah for the next season of his life.

        Have you ever reached a point in your life where all you could do was trust God for your sustenance?

        I have had my fair share of “Cherith moments” in my twenty-something years of living; moments where God separated me for Himself. Moments where it felt as though all hope was gone, and my only option was to trust in God. My very first encounter with the word “Cherith” was during my sophomore year of college. I discovered the story of Elijah in Cherith, and it deeply resonated with me. During one of my elective art classes at Mount Mercy University, I began writing to God in my planner. I titled these entries “Letters in Cherith.” In those pages, I told God everything that was on my mind from prayer requests, to revelations, to sorrowful moments. During that season of life, God became my sustenance.

        Cherith represents God’s sovereignty, providence, and faithfulness. The Bible reminds us in Psalms 141:2 that our prayers rise to God like incense. No prayer and no tear is ever wasted in His presence. Therefore, if you are in a “Cherith” moment, I encourage you to journal about it. Tell God what is on your mind. He is your Father and your friend. As I have continued to journal about my own Cherith moments, my faith and trust in God have only grown stronger.

        Frankline “Franky” Tshombe
        Children’s Church Leader

        Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry, or learn something new?  Let Frankline know.

          Cedar Blog

          Make Sabbath Sticky

          Make Sabbath Sticky

          As we are wrapping up our teaching on Sabbath, I am challenged with how to make this spiritual practice “sticky” in my life. It is easier to practice when Sabbath is top of mind, but how will we balance Sabbath as we also look to incorporate generosity.

          To that end I read an interesting article 7 Sabbath Tips from 15 Years of Practice. I encourage you to go read the article, and consider applying some of these very practical tips to your Sabbath practice.  The hook the author Austin Gohn used in the article is moving and I would like to offer it to all of you here.

          In a recent interview with former senator Ben Sasse, who is dying of Stage-4 pancreatic cancer in his fifties, he was asked, “Is there advice that you would give to someone who is the Ben Sasse father of three at age 40 or age 35, when the kids are young and everything’s stressful and chaotic? In light of where you are now?”

          “No. 1, honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Man, I wish I’d treated the Lord’s Day differently over the course of my life. I’ve always known it, believed in it and thought: Maybe next week we’ll get better. We’ve been at Sunday worship every morning forever, but man, am I tempted by 12:45 or 1:30 in the afternoon to get back to work or, to an addictive level, work about the N.F.L. Boy, I would treat Sabbaths differently — and especially digital intrusions into the Sabbath.”

          So, brothers and sisters, we are challenged to consider our own mortality and seize each Sabbath day with delight!  Let us not forget this practice as we endeavor on in our abiding practices. Let us worship God in Sabbath practice, not out of obligation or duty, but out of reverance for God.  Trusting that He will bring the blessing for our faithfulness.

          Steve Poole
          Pastor of Youth & Young Adults

          What did you think of this article? Did you laugh? Cry? Learn something new? Let Steve know below.

            Love. Belong. Serve.