Cedar Chips, March 2022 Chips

The Math Supports Hospitality

The Math Supports Hospitality

Once again I am challenged with contemplating the importance of hospitality and I encounter my own stinginess as a result.  I love what John Piper says about the power of hospitality:

“When we practice hospitality, we experience the thrill of feeling God’s power conquer our fears and our stinginess and all the psychological gravity of our self-centeredness. And there are few joys, if any, greater than the joy of experiencing the liberating power of God’s hospitality making us a new and radically different kind of people, who live to reflect the glory of his grace as we extend it to others in all kinds of hospitality.”

“The psychological gravity of our self-centeredness” really hits home with me. It seems like all my hesitancy toward hospitality is me-centered.  ‘I don’t have the energy.’ ‘I am too busy.’ ‘My life/house is too messy.’ These are all me-centered excuses.  Now, let’s consider the joy and freedom we feel in practicing and receiving hospitality. What were some of your best moments in the past three months?  I am willing to bet they had some element of hospitality. Maybe your Christmas gathering with family, where you either shared or received hospitality.  Maybe the game night you had with family friends.  I loved the Super Bowl party we had here at church.  We shared games, food, conversation, and even some football!  That party brought such joy to me and my family.  In January, our leadership shared a couple of meals together as part of our weekend-long retreat.  The conversations I was able to have, the opportunity to build and renew relationships, was all possible because of the hospitality we received during the retreat.

To quantify this and illustrate it I want to ask, “How long did it take you to read this article?”  Maybe two minutes?!  Think about all the two-minute conversations you have with neighbors, coworkers, family, and church family.  I think I may have 20 different two-minute conversations on any given Sunday.  Now imagine I invite you to my house for supper.  How much time will we have together?  60-90 minutes at least!  Wow! That amount of relationship-building time is equivalent to 30-45 two-minute conversations!  The math:

1 X 90-minute meal = 45 X 2-minute conversations

That is why ‘conquering our fears and our stinginess’ and practicing hospitality is worth it.  One supper or game-night is worth 45 chance conversations with that neighbor, friend, or family member.  God also honors the sacrifice we make when we get out of our comfort zone. We show we care by offering hospitality and God does the work of healing people’s hearts (including our own).

“…we do the caring and Jesus does the healing” – Dustin Willis

Steve Poole
Director of Youth & Young Adults

What did you think of this article? Let us know.

    Cedar Chips, March 2022 Chips

    Hospitality and Prayer

    Hospitality and Prayer

    What would it look like to be both a prayerful and a hospitable people? Both prayer and hospitality are concrete examples of the greatest commandment, to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

    Both prayer and hospitality are open and attentive activities.

    Prayer and hospitality mean openness to what guests and strangers bring to us. We receive a revelation from the guest which can change us and enrich our lives and open us to new possibilities and ways of thinking and living.

    Openness makes us welcoming to God and others in our prayer and prayerful in our hospitality. There’s no recipe it just takes practice. The natural posture of an upturned hand relaxed tends towards a fist. There is effort required for it to be opened. There is effort required to be openhanded towards God and to be openhanded towards others. It takes intentionality to nurture intimacy and ongoing dialogue with God, to learn when and how He wants us to respond to a need or a cry.

    Prayer and hospitality also imply attentiveness to the other and to the needs of others, even anticipating their needs. We have to get out of ourselves and become interested in others.

    Often our lack of hospitality is simply the failure to notice and acknowledge others and their needs, the needs of the larger world and the needs of those closest to us. Jesus models attentiveness. He noticed the sick, the excluded, the hungry, those that others passed by.  As we contemplate the ministry of Jesus, we are called to heighten our awareness of others so that we can carry on the ministry of Jesus.

    It’s true that our world is in a constant state of emergency. Jesus responded to crises by healing, feeding, and raising the dead, but the life of Jesus was also a lifelong conversation with His Father. His prayer and hospitality were connected. We are called to practice openness and attentiveness through the disciplines of prayer and hospitality.

    When Jesus becomes more and more welcomed into the conversation of our thoughts and time is set aside for openness to God in prayer, we’ll feel freer to be hospitable in heart and deed.

    Again, there is no recipe here. Learn from Him. Make mistakes. Go back to Him again. Walk with Him through the day, and ask Him to point out His way and direction. Listen, talk, share, and most of all “welcome.”

    Gary Sager
    Ambassador of Care

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

      Uncategorized

      Cups of Cold Water to the Thirsty

      Cups of Cold Water to the Thirsty

      My husband and I became volunteers for “Safe Family” years ago. We saw that it would give us an opportunity to serve families when they were in need. Primarily the safe family hosts children while their parents are busy lining up a job or transportation or childcare. Years ago, we hosted a child for four months while his mother got a job, a car, and an apartment in place. This was a great thing to be a part of.

      In October this year we started hosting 1- and 2-year-old little girls. Each week they have become more and more a part of our lives. In November, we were asked by their mother to adopt them. We prayed and discerned that we should say, “YES.”

      Since then we have been working on adjusting to life as a family of six. We are meeting with a lawyer and planning our home study. We have been fundraising to pay for the fees that come with adoption (up to $10,000 is what we were told to plan for).

      And YOU dear church have been caring for us through this process. You have been giving us cups of cold water when we are thirsty. Those cups have come in the form of diapers, wipes, encouragement, a place to share sorrows and joys, clothes, little shoes, funds towards the adoption, and Christmas gifts for the new family members.

      Thank you for the hospitality you have offered us! It’s a joy to see how many are supporting these little girls without even knowing them!

      Lindsey Ungs
      Connection & Communication Architect

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

        Uncategorized

        Glittering Vices: The Seven Deadly Sins

        A sermon series beginning March 6, 2022. Sundays at 8:30am and 11am

        We’ll be looking at the “7 Deadly Sins” and why they have such a powerful hook into God’s people – and how to combat them! In Christ, we have VICTORY! Amen!

        Sunday classes will continue at 9:45am in between services.  Nursery is available for ages 0-36mo at both services, and Children’s Worship is at 11am for ages 3 to 3rd grade.

        Small groups are meeting throughout the weeks of Lent. The videos for small groups are here.

        Easter, Event, Lent, Uncategorized

        Ash Wednesday 2022

        Our Ash Wednesday worship service is March 2, 2022 at 6:30pm.  A dinner is provided beforehand 5:15-6:15pm.  An RSVP is helpful, but not required. (Call the office 396-6608)

        Nursery (ages 0-36mo) and children’s worship (ages 3-3rd grade) will be available starting at 6:15pm.  Children are always welcome to stay with their families in the service as well.

        Come, receive the ashes, and enter into this Lenten season of reflection as we await Easter Sunday together.

        Uncategorized

        Pure Gold

        in 2022, will be focusing on memorizing scripture. The sermon series will explore why this is an important habit for Christians. Our goal is to memorize two short Bible verses every week and have 100 memorized by the end of the year.

        if you’d like to start memorizing your scripture verses, here’s a document with the layout of the year, and also a link to YouTube where our Worship Director has set everything to music.

        Full year plan printable

        Scripture verses to music. 

        Cedar Chips, December 2021 Chips

        Life Together

        Life Together

        Loving my neighbor doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s not like I dislike my neighbors, but it is difficult to love people you don’t know. Authentically speaking, apathy is my basic feeling toward my neighbors. It is far too easy and comfortable for me to isolate myself in my home. I’m not sure if it is my own struggle with the busyness of life, or feeling relationally spent by the time I see my neighbor as I return home from work, or take out the trash, but God uses my kids to challenge me to better love my neighbors. For my kids it just seems so simple.

        “Can Roman stay for dinner?” Abby asks as they play together in our backyard. There is no concern; what are we eating? Did we make enough food for a guest? Does Roman’s family have plans? Did Quinn’s family already prepare their dinner? My adult brain can overcomplicate it, but my kids understand there’s food and we can share.

        Abby and Cathy are my heroes in loving our neighbors right now. Abby has been attending AWANAs on Wednesday night, so one Wednesday she just says, “Roman, you wanna come to AWANAs with me?” Such a simple, caring, care-free invitation. He says, “Yes.” Then Cathy is left with figuring out all the details. Do we have room in our car? Do we have an extra booster? Has Roman eaten?  Is it ok with his mother to (a) be gone all night at a new place, (b) ride with us, and (c) attend a church function? All issues to which Abby and Roman are joyfully oblivious. Roman is now attending AWANA with Abby regularly, where he sings Bible songs, hears Bible stories, and memorizes Bible verses. This all makes me wonder if I overcomplicate loving my neighbor. Do I allow the messiness of caring for others cause me to miss the opportunity to share the Gospel by raking yards, sharing meals, and talking about my faith? So let’s all grow together as we seek to follow Jesus’ instruction to love others well.

        Steve Poole
        Director of Youth & Young Adults

        What did you think of this article? Let us know.

          Cedar Chips, December 2021 Chips

          Insert Catchy Title Here

          Insert Catchy Title Here

          I’ve been around Cedar Hills for 14 years—the longest I’ve ever been at any job x7.  Fourteen years is a lot of connections, a lot of friendships, a lot of holidays and team members and special projects. A lot of lessons and one-on-one meetings and coffee dates and times of prayer. And a lot of volunteers. And by the time this article goes out, a lot of Sundays—738 to be exact.

          The title is not a mistake — “Insert Catchy Title Here” really is my title. Because I carry titles—Director, Worship Leader, Worship Pastor, Worship Coordinator, Music Director, Media Leader, Graphic design, Songwriter–all these titles give me privilege to relationships within my church body.  They come easily by nature of the job.

          So in 2021 I had to ask myself, “Where am I NOT connected?”  And the easy answer was my children’s school.

          We ask you all to connect, like, all the time.  But what have I learned going after this myself? Connection takes deliberate effort.  Like rearrange-my-schedule-and-make-it-a-priority type of effort.  I learned that it’s super easy to blow off.  It’s much easier to drop off the kids or pick them up and move a long with my regular day.  It’s harder to connect without a title, where I am just one parent among hundreds.  I have to take real initiative, setup appointments, watch newsletters for opportunities to help and plug-in and most of all LOOK FOR A NEED and be willing to fill it.  As an introvert, this process was sometimes painful.  I’m very happy in my little quiet corner by myself. 🙂  But the desire for connection drove me forward.

          I can’t say I’ve had any major “aha!” moments, but the Word says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…” (Zechariah 4:10).  The work has begun! I’ve connected with a few moms for mentoring, try hard to make deliberate chitchat at birthday parties, and have been able to help out classroom teachers where there was a volunteer hole.  The office staff knows me by face and name.  And I tried to turn my children’s conferences into, “But how are YOU doing?” with their teachers.

          Small beginnings with no catchy title needed.  But you have to start somewhere, right?

          Leah Carolan

          Director of Worship & Media

          Just a Human Trying to Connect

           

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

            Love. Belong. Serve.