Cedar Chips, Connection, January 2021 Chips, News

Becoming a Bible Reader

BECOMING A BIBLE READER

Paul writes in his letter to the Roman church, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” Paul is addressing sin here, but I think we can also apply this principle to spiritual practices. As Christians, I firmly believe we have the DESIRE to do the things we believe we are called to as people of faith: prayer, Bible study, good works, tithing, meditation on the Word.  But the actual execution of these things in a regular and diligent manner is actually much harder.

Authenticity is the degree to which a person’s actions are congruent with his or her beliefs and desires.  I WANTED to be an authentic dig-into-the-Word-daily Christian, but for most of my Christian walk, Bible reading and study just didn’t happen regularly.  Not to mention, I felt like the biggest hypocrite! I love the Lord! Why couldn’t I get into this very necessary habit??!!

Until one day near the end of 2019, a friend of mine posted on Instagram about a daily Bible study/podcast that she was completing, talking about the great growth that had happened in her life over the last year, her failures of not always getting it done daily, but her determination that got her caught up and back on schedule to finish the study by the end of the year on time. Looking at her life, we have much in common—married, three kids, doing the mom thing while being a work-outside-the-home parent.  She had no excuses and I decided it was time for me to hang up mine as well.  I wanted my desire to be a lover of God’s Word to line up with my actions.

 So January 1, 2020 I began a year long journey of reading through the entire Bible, word by word, line by line, following a reading plan inside the YouVersion app called “The Bible Recap”.  It was tough at first. I hadn’t made room in my schedule to fit it in every day.  Something had to change! It was stressing me out to find time in the day to get this thing done without interruption from the kids and noise and TVs and conversations.  So I began to wake up earlier. And earlier. And earlier.  6am became 5:30am became 5…5:30… 4:30am.  Yes, you read that right! 4:30am! It became my new wake up time to spend the time I need to properly digest God’s Word slowly, meditate, complete the daily readings, and listen to a short podcast that accompanies it to help me gain understanding.  It was so hard at first!!! I have never in my life been a morning person, but over time it became my new normal.

So what changed along the way?

  1. I don’t stay up late. I can’t. I’m too tired. I go to bed and get a good night’s rest (minus kids getting up at night!)
  2. I gave up TV all together. Except for an occasional look at the news, I don’t have time for it anymore and find nothing edifying from it.
  3. If I sleep in and don’t make time for reading the Bible, I am grumpy all day. Time in the Word sets my day off to a great and peaceful start.
  4. My heart. Scripture has come alive—even the ‘boring’ sections of genealogies or Levitical law. The accompanying podcast that goes with this particular Bible study has really helped me understand what I just read and make me look forward to the next day.

Can I challenge you to join me Jan. 1, 2021 for my next journey through the entire Bible?  It requires change.  You can’t just squeeze it into your schedule. Some other things have to go.  It’s going to cost you something… time, sleep, activities. But it is so worth it to make an action match the desire.

  1. Download the App – The YouVersion Bible App
  2. Join the study in the App – The Bible Recap Bible Study
  3. Or print off the plan and use your own Bible –The printable chronological reading plan

Leah Carolan
Director of Worship & Media

 

 

 

 

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    Cedar Chips, Connection, January 2021 Chips, News

    Moving Towards Authenticity

    MOVING TOWARDS AUTHENTICITY

    “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” – Brene Brown

    Letting go of who I think I’m supposed to be means letting go of my perfect parenting notions in favor of parenting the child I was given, with the skills I currently possess.

    My six-year-old and I are in conflict as I write this. She has the exact same anger and rage issues that I had as a six-year-old girl. When she and I are at odds, she hits, kicks, and screams. I say too much, cop an attitude, and hold a grudge which can be felt in my body language.

    When we are in a season with this kind of behavior, my inner critic shows up and says I’m not “good enough” as a parent.

    We have all wrestled with the thought of not being “good enough.” So, why bother to share this internal battle with anyone? It feels safer to pretend these thoughts never existed.

    But, Brene Brown says, “If you trade your authenticity for safety, you may experience the following: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, rage, blame, resentment, and inexplicable grief.”

    Letting go of who I’m supposed to be means sharing the hard stuff with a few of my Christian friends in a small group. In my case, my small group of women I study the Bible with. It means letting them in on the inner struggles, my own bad behavior, and the difficulties of parenting.

    Authenticity is not about sharing an open wound on social media. It’s not about shouting to the world in anger. Those things are easy to do.

    Authenticity is about letting a few Christian friends see what’s really going on in your heart, and letting them speak into the mess and the brokenness and the shame. This path of sanctification also leads to growth in faith.

    Being authentic is messy and hard and requires the grace of God.

    For the body of Christ, practicing authenticity is a way of strengthening our muscles. These are the muscles that allow us to glorify God as we move towards others in love.

    Lindsey Ungs
    Connection & Communication Architect

     

     

     

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      Cedar Chips, COVID-19, Derecho, January 2021 Chips, News, Noah's Ark

      We Love Our Staff

      STAFF

      “That a staff signifies power, is because it is a support; for it supports the hand and arm, and through them the whole body; wherefore a staff takes on the signification of the part which it immediately supports, that is, the hand and arm, by both of which in the Word is signified the power of truth.” from www.biblemeanings.info

      We had a pretty significant change in our staff this year. Prior to this year, most staff had been here for over 10 years. This year all staff are new to Noah’s Ark except one with a partial year under her belt. Change like this can be very difficult for a preschool program, but NOT ours!

      We have been incredibly blessed with new teachers that are supportive and strong and bring the truth of Jesus to our students. Our program hasn’t missed a beat this year. They have been able to adapt to a new environment and expectations.  COVID-19 changes were implemented and not one teacher complained of all the extra time and effort it took to make those guidelines work for our school. We added in the derecho and had to postpone one of our classes for a week, then start in different rooms that had to be set up/taken down every day. Nope, even then, not one complaint. School has been closed for 3 ½ weeks so far this year and they still came in to do packets and videos. They lost income due to the closures and still….no complaints.

      These teachers certainly have supported our school and are an example of the ‘power of truth.’  I thank the Lord each and every day that He brought these wonderful women to Noah’s Ark Preschool. May the Lord bless and keep them always!

      Kris Crowther
      Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

       

       

       

       

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        Cedar Chips, January 2021 Chips

        LAUGHTER, SMILES, AND COMMUNITY

        LAUGHTER, SMILES, AND COMMUNITY

        Here you see some of the youth wearing their festive Christmas sweaters. Some of them, mine chiefly, seem to be as messy as 2020. In December, Journey Youth Group continued to build Christian community with youth who need connection more than ever. We have been celebrating Christmas most of the month with special events. We sang Christmas carols outside The Views assisted living facility. This was a fantastic opportunity for our teens to share the joy of the season by caring for others well.

        Next, we laughed together during a Christmas movie night complete with Christmas PJ’s dress-up. Finally, we celebrated with a Christmas party including a Christmas escape room, Christmas games, small group discussions about the real meaning of the season, and a white elephant gift exchange. Our students have been challenged to invite others to join us in Christian fellowship, experience the gospel in community, and hear the gospel. God has blessed their efforts with many new faces joining us.

        Our God, the triune God, is a God of community. It is part of His identity. He has created us in His own image. Therefore, Joy has been overflowing to see students who have been quarantined with their families for months experience the community they have been missing. The laughter and smiles are contagious. This is the Christmas present Journey youth group is celebrating this December!

        Steve Poole
        Director of Youth & Young Adults

         

         

         

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          Authenticity

          Authenticity

          Brene Brown, who has become our modern day “evangelist” for authenticity and vulnerability states, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” In other words, authenticity occurs when the relationship between who we are inwardly and how we act and appear outwardly are in harmony.

          There is nothing wrong with our quest for harmony between our inner person and outer personage, it’s just not enough. Even if we succeed and express perfectly what we are within, our deepest longing for authenticity will not be satisfied.

          There is a deeper level where authenticity is missing. We long to have a genuine, permanent identity, by virtue of being rooted in and formed by some ultimate reality. Jesus alone can satisfy our longing for authenticity. He not only gives the freedom to be outwardly what we are inwardly, but he also, and more importantly, enables us to be inwardly what we were designed to be by God.

          Ultimately, Jesus is the standard for authenticity. He defines what it means to be an individual, to be loved in God’s own community, and to offer real hope to the world. Every day, we need to let go of ourselves more and more, that Christ might be displayed in us increasingly and endlessly.

          With that in mind, let’s consider a few steps to possessing authenticity, using Jesus’ words in Luke 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” as a guide.

          Deny yourself daily:

          Jesus reveals that the ultimate purpose of God for humans is that we bow under Christ’s lordship—that we yield to be his possession, depend on his provision, and aim at his honor. We are to repent of our rebellion and submit to Christ’s Lordship. God’s purpose in sending Christ to die for our sins and rise again was to purchase us out of slavery to the lordship of sin and bring us over as servants under the lordship of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18).

          Take up your cross daily:

          Accept that this journey is a painful process, and cooperate with God as He initiates and carries out change in your life. As surely as you experience the death and burial of your broken self, you’ll also experience the resurrection of it.

          Matthew 16:24-26 says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

          Follow Jesus daily:

          After you’ve denied yourself and have stayed at the cross, receive God’s Word, letting it be what covers you. Jesus’ story is yours, like a new garment to cover your nakedness.  One passage that sums it up well is Ephesians 4:22-24, in which believers are called, “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

          Authenticity Occurs in Community:

          All of us need redemption and renewal in all of life, and so we must be intentional to communicate that every day “right now” need to others regularly. How did you need Jesus yesterday? How do you need Him today? How do you need Him tomorrow? Tell that story to God, yourself, and to others.

          What is true about you because of Jesus? What is true about the others in your church because of Jesus? What does that mean for your life with others? That is your new reality, and it’s theirs too, and it’s how we should see and treat ourselves and one another.

          Authenticity in the Church is the quality of our exposure of brokenness and adornment in God’s grace. An authentic person is one who is both privately and publicly putting off the old self and, by God’s grace, putting on the renewed self.

          Gary Sager
          Ambassador of Care

           

           

           

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            Cedar Chips, January 2021 Chips

            Real Church

            Real Church

            Yesterday somebody shared a silver lining he experienced in his pandemic quarantine. The losses he felt created a deeper appreciation for the things lost. He now enjoys getting out for a cup of coffee, meeting up with friends, connecting with co-workers even more. He said, “Digital connection bridged a gap but there is no replacing the real thing.”

            This struck me because earlier in the day I started to read the book Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age. The author, Jay Kim, expresses the idea better than I could: “True human connection is fueled by empathy – the God-given ability to step into another’s shoes and open ourselves to another’s story, not to compare and contrast, but to be overwhelmed by compassion to ‘rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn’ (Romans 12:15). This requires patience, depth, and the risk of stepping into real community with real people and their real lives in real time and in real space.”

            “At their best, social media and other digital spaces can be wonderful initiating spaces that lead to true human connection, but they can never become home for those connections. They’ll always fall short and leave us wanting. When I Facetime with my wife and kids (our digital gathering space when I’m away) it’s a wonderful benefit of technology – but ultimately it only makes me eager to get home and give them real hugs. That’s digital at its best – increasing our appetite for the real thing.”

            My prayer for 2021 is that we will all grow in our appetite for real connection, with real people, in their real lives, in real time, and in real space. Real church.

            Kent Landhuis
            Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

             

             

             

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              Uncategorized

              George Milligan Memorial Service

              Please continue to lift up the family of George Milligan.  Funeral service is Monday, Dec. 28 at 10am. The service will also be live streamed on our Facebook page.

              George William Milligan, 90, of Cedar Rapids, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, at Mercy Hospital.

              George was born April 9, 1930, to McKinley and Elsie (Wertz) Milligan in Grinnell. He graduated in 1948 from Montezuma High School, then enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War aboard the USS IOWA. When George returned home, he attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree in civil engineering. June 19, 1954, George married Marlene Watson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. Together they raised their family in Cedar Rapids. George began his career as a civil engineer with the City of Cedar Rapids and then with Howard R. Green Engineering. In 1969, he was appointed as director for the Water Pollution Control facility. In 1990, his position expanded to superintendent for Water Purification and Water Pollution Control, retiring at the age of 70, in 2000.

              George was a member of many groups and associations: Elks Lodge, American Public Works Association, Water Pollution Control Federation, Friendship Force, and took an active role in volunteering for Muscular Dystrophy Association and Habitat for Humanity. He was a charter member of Cedar Hills Community (Reformed) Church, where George and his family actively worshipped for 61 years.

              He was an avid mushroom hunter, enjoyed playing church softball, loved the outdoors and had a passion for his grandchildren’s activities and Iowa State sports. George also loved to travel, especially enjoying his trip with his son on the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight in 2014. He was a kind, hardworking and humble man. He deeply touched the lives of many and left this world a better place. He will be missed. We love you Papa.

              George is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marlene of Cedar Rapids; children, Steve and Jody Milligan of Wister, Okla., Sheri and Jim Smith, and Cindy and Mark Espe, both of Swisher; grandchildren, Aricca Smith (Brian Heacock), Trevor (Katie) Powell, Spencer (Ashley) Powell, Courtney Lamb, Casey (Nathan) Cooper and Ryan Espe; and great-grandchildren, Kaylee, Ashlyn, Kharington, Emmalyn, Landon, Emerson, Adelyn and Autumn.

              He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Lori Powell Seivert; grandson, Brady Smith; siblings, Mildred Peterson, Doyle and Delmar Milligan.

              Memorial Service is 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 28, at Cedar Hills Community Church, with Kent Landhuis officiating. The service will be livestreamed facebook.com/cedarhillscommunitychurch. A private family burial will take place at Anderson Cemetery, Swisher, with military honors.

              Visitation will be 3 to 5 p.m. at the church Sunday, December 27. Memorials may be directed to the church or Matthew 25. Online condolences can be sent to the family at www.neuhausfuneralservice.com.

              Uncategorized

              Atmosphere Team Joy!

              Has this year’s Christmas atmosphere brought you joy? We are so blessed by this group of talented ladies who have given much leadership to the redesign of the building with carpet, painting and design input, as well as their efforts and work on creating a Christmas stage spending ZERO dollars. Amazing!

              May you be blessed this Christmas Day with great JOY!

              The Worship Atmosphere team dreams, designs and creates our stage concepts for Christmas, Easter, and the major church seasons as well as other creative projects around the church.

              Uncategorized

              Urgent Budget Needs

              A NOTE FROM THE DEACONS

              On behalf of the Deacons, we want to give the congregation another update on the current budget. As Alan said last week during our annual meeting, our congregational giving is historically the highest in November and December; which we typically rely on to get us through the first few months of the new year.

              After Sunday’s annual meeting, we received the accounting reports for November and unfortunately, we did not receive increased giving in November, as in previous years. In fact, we are $100k under our giving levels compared to this same time last year. This is concerning as we head into our historically slower giving months and leaves us with our reserve funds lower than we would like to see.

              That being said, we do not want it to be lost on the congregation that we fully understand & have also felt the trials 2020 has thrown — whether it has been the pandemic, employment loss, derecho storm damage, political divide, racial injustice and overall world unrest.

              We also want to point out all the BLESSINGS our church building and family continue to provide for our community like the recent drive-up events like Salvation Army’s Coats for Kids, Families Helping Families Christmas Toys, our Open Hands Food Pantry, offering our facility to other church families after the derecho and on and on!

              Today, we come to you in the spirit of being fully transparent and communicating the most updated state of the church’s financial position. As we enter this season of giving and reflect on all of the blessings we have received, we remain prayerfully hopeful that by God’s grace our church family will help us meet our financial needs so that we can continue serving our congregation, our community and our missions.

              On behalf of all the Deacons,
              we thank you.

              Funeral

              Ray Vander Wiel Funeral

              photoFUNERAL LIVE ON FACEBOOK – Friday, Dec. 11 at 10:30am

              Please pray for the family of Ray Vander Wiel as they continue grieve his passing.

              Funeral services for Raymond Vander Wiel , 82, of Cedar Rapids will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. at Cedar Hills Community Church in Cedar Rapids with a live feed on the Facebook page of Cedar Hills Community Church. A private burial will occur at a later date. Memorials may be directed to Noah’s Ark Preschool in Cedar Rapids.

              Raymond was born on February 26, 1938, to Gerrit and Anna (Stam) Vander Wiel at home on the family’s farm in Prairie City, Iowa. He started school in a small country school near Vandalia, Iowa. The family moved to Pella, Iowa, and Ray attended Pella Christian Elementary School and Pella Christian High School, graduating in 1956. Ray attended Calvin College for his BA in education and earned his Master’s degree from Michigan State University.

              He was married to Arlene Van Gorp of Pella on August 6, 1958. The couple were devoted parents and grandparents and enjoyed camping, puzzles & games, spending time with good friends, and being with family. Together, they spent countless hours creating a fun and creative learning environment at Noah’s Ark Preschool. Arlene died on March 25, 2002.

              Ray worked for Cedar Rapids Schools as a teacher and administrator, then as an administrator with AEA 10 until he retired in 2003.

              Ray enjoyed creating and building all sorts of gadgets, inventions, and practical things in his shop. He enjoyed activities as a family, including camping, trips, and church. He took pleasure in supporting and attending his kids and grandkids events. Most of all, Ray loved sleeping.

              Ray’s faith was always an important part of his life. He was a member of Cedar Hills Community church for over 50 years, serving in numerous leadership roles. He remained active as a leader, teacher, and encourager.

              Ray was married to Shirley Rasmussen on April 3, 2003, in Cedar Rapids. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling and camping in their RV, visiting friends, family, and several national parks across the country. More recently, they loved the company of their two shih tzu pups, as well as their home at the Stoney Point Meadows community.

              Ray was preceded in death by his wife Arlene, his father Gerrit, and mother Anna, his brothers Gerald, Frank and Henry, and his sister Ruthie.

              He is survived by his wife Shirley Vander Wiel; his sisters Anna Mae Vander Wiel and Marjorie Keur; his children: Brenda, Scott (Linda), Kurt (Kara), and Russ Vander Wiel, and Dean, Diane (Tom), and David (Holly) Rasmussen; his grandchildren: Deanna (Nick) and Alexandra Lines; Janelle (Casey) Kinman, Jonathan (Amanda), Micah, and Gerrit Vander Wiel; Logan (Lauren), Caleb (Claire) and Ethan (Delaney) Vander Wiel; and Taylor, Garrett, and Elena Rasmussen; and his great-grandchildren: Evelyn and Asher Kinman and Juniper Vander Wiel.

              Love. Belong. Serve.