Cedar Chips, November 2020 Chips

Don’t Give Up

NOVEMBER 2020

Don’t Give Up

I used to think that naptime was only for young kids. Now, I love a good nap even though I’ve found lately that even when I get enough sleep I still feel tired.

Did you know that your mind is capable of producing 50% more stress than your body can handle? When we experience trauma, stress hormones dull our pain and boost our energy so we respond quickly. Stress makes us alert and hyper-vigilant but over time it causes overload and fatigue.

2020 has created its share of trouble and weariness. Somebody encouraged me recently with this advice, “If you are weary, cut yourself some slack. Be good to yourself – get some rest.” Jesus invites us to this same place. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

Maybe you can find rest in this promise from Isaiah 4:29-31: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

We are the kind of people who invite weary people – including ourselves – to find rest in Jesus that restores hope. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9).

We face challenges but don’t give up! Keep doing the good God calls you to do. And if you need a nap – that’s okay.

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news.” ~ Proverbs 25:25

 

 

 

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    Cedar Chips, November 2020 Chips

    Dare 2 Share

    NOVEMBER 2020

    DARE 2 SHARE

    Dare2Share LIVE is an international youth event focused on training teenagers in evangelism and discipleship. The core of their strategy first is to make sure that teens know and understand the essentials of the gospel so that they can share it clearly.  Please, ask one of our teens who attended what G.O.S.P.E.L. stands for!

    Once students know the gospel, Dare2Share strategy continues with Prayer, Care, Share.  Pray for your unsaved friends and family.  Show the power of the gospel by caring for others well.  Finally, boldly have gospel conversations.

    Along with training this past weekend, October 10-11, our group CARED for our community well by distributing free produce to our neighbors on D Ave, and cleaning the ditches along E Ave.  We didn’t find “everything and the kitchen sink” in those ditches, it was a bathroom sink! 🙂

     

     

     

    Steve Poole
    Director of Youth & Young Adults

     

     

     

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      Cedar Chips, November 2020 Chips

      Bread

      NOVEMBER 2020

      BREAD

      Bread is one of the essential foods of most cultures around the world. It is a staple in many diets, and for centuries, it has been one of the most accessible foods for people of all wealth and social status. Bread is pretty amazing in the Bible too. It is mentioned at least 492 times in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. We still celebrate it today in both Jewish and Christian faiths.

      After Jesus feeds the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, He tells them “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Jesus repeats himself in verses 48 and 51, when he reminds the people about the manna the Father gave their ancestors in the wilderness, after leaving Egypt. He states, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51).

      Jesus was born in Bethlehem, which translates as the House of Bread. In Hebrew alphanumerically, it also means nativity, the occasion of a person’s birth. The place of Jesus’ nativity is in the House of Bread. It is a place of life. Jesus did not come into the world mainly to give bread, but to be bread. We need bread to physically live, but God’s bread of forgiveness enables us to spiritually live. It makes the Lord’s Prayer a little clearer. When we ask God to “give us this day our daily bread,” we are asking for both His provision and that He would come and fill us up with His everlasting grace.  When we go to the House of Bread to accept God’s forgiveness of our sins, we see again how God feeds our souls with something we must have to spiritually survive. His bread is the only kind that leads to eternal life.

      For those of us, who are followers of Christ, there is more. We join Jesus in being bread in the lives of others. Whenever Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, he summarized from His own life that He is chosen from all eternity, blessed at his baptism in the Jordan River, broken on the cross, and given as bread to the world.  When we submit to Christ’s calling on our lives, we are expressing our commitment to make our lives conform to the life of Christ. We too want to live as people chosen, blessed, and broken, and thus become food for the world.

      Henri Nouwen shares the following regarding our call as Disciples of Christ:

      “Like the bread taken by Jesus, we are chosen by God, selected for a unique role to play in God’s story. And as we recognize that we have been chosen, so also we recognize the chosen-ness of all people.

       Like the bread blessed by Jesus, we, too, are blessed by God. We are called to claim our blessing and to bless others as we live each day.

       Like the bread broken by Jesus, we also are broken in so many ways…in our bodies and in our hearts, in our homes and in our world. Jesus asks us to take up our cross, to claim our unique brokenness, and to join it with our blessing as we move into service to others who hurt.

       Like the bread given by Jesus, we also are given. Each of our lives is a gift to those close to us: family, friends, those we serve, as well as to people we will never know. God has given us each one of us as a sacred gift to the world.”

       Take a moment to consider how you have been taken, blessed, broken, and given in your life and ministry. When has this been most evident? How have you been changed by your work in service to others? How have you come to know Jesus through your service?

      Gary Sager
      Ambassador of Care

       

       

       

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        Day of Fasting and Prayer 10-25-20

        Day of Prayer and Fasting – Sunday, October 25

        Join Cedar Hills in praying for our nation.

        When the survival of King Jehoshaphat’s nation was at stake and his people were in danger from their enemies, he called for a fast. The people sought the Lord and His help—and He delivered them. Today, our nation is at a critical juncture. We need to call out to God for His help, His intervention, and His mercy. It is only by His hand that America will survive and be able to thrive again. We have an election coming up with so much at stake—two vastly different directions for the future of this country. This not only affects us, but our children and our grandchildren.

        Here is a great guide in the basics of fasting if this is a new thing for you.

        “And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4).

        Followers of Jesus Christ are urged to fast and to pray for our nation SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25. Mark it on your calendars and prepare now. I hope individuals, families, and churches will join me in asking for the Lord’s help and for His will to be done in this critical election. Will you?

        (day of fasting and prayer organized by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. More information available here.)

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        Operation Christmas Child 2020

        Operation Christmas Child is a yearly event at Cedar Hills.  The concept is simple – fill a shoebox with fun toys, necessities like socks, and it gets shipped around the world to a child in need, including a beautiful message of God’s great love for them.

        Put together your Operation Christmas Child box now!  Boxes will be available in the Gathering Space beginning Sunday, October 25. These go fast, but don’t worry! You do NOT need an official OCC shoebox to participate.  Directions for filling the box can be found on the box itself or at the website: https://samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/

        Boxes need to be returned to the church by Sunday, November 15.  Another option is to build an online box at https://samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/buildonline/ –  a new feature for 2020!

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        Drive Thru Prayer – Cancelled

        **These events have been cancelled**

        Drive Thru Prayer Fridays, October 16 & 23, 5-8pm.

        In need of prayer?

        Drive through the Cedar Hills parking lot this Friday. You’ll find a prayer team waiting for you.  They’ll ask your prayer request(s), pray for you while you sit in your car, and send you on your way! Easy!

        Spread the word to family and friends who could use a little encouragement in the form of prayer. All are welcome to this fun and COVID-19-friendly event.

        Family and Children Ministry, Journey, Marriage and Family, Missions Team, News

        Lake View Camp Update

        Lake View Camp is one of the ministries we support as a church. We send many kids and families to camp each summer. Here is their latest update letter:

        Despite cancelling our regular summer camps due to COVID-19, over 200 people (kids, parents, grandparents, and friends) took advantage of our “Spend a Day at Camp'” opportunity this summer. All enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation, learned how they can see 20/20 with God, and made many camp memories! As we look to fall/winter, we are exploring possibilities to safely provide some fun camp activities for those interested.

        We are excited to announce that earth moving equipment will be arriving soon to begin site work for Phase 1. We are looking forward to taking this next step in our camping ministry! Striving to live within our means, the board has decided to start work only on the new Lodge (includes dining, kitchen, gathering area) and the necessary infrastructure and to hold off on our large, multi-story cabin units until more funds are received. Instead, we will be building 3 to 4 stand alone cabins with restroom/shower facilities.

        These buildings will be built by skilled, volunteer labor (let us know if you can help!). A separate fund has been established for this and if you would like to contribute, please designate “cabin fund” on your contribution. $40,000 has been contributed to this fund so far, primarily from former campers and counselors who remain passionate about the power of camp. If you would
        like to make a donation in honor of a camp counselor or Sunday school teacher who made a significant impact on your life (or your child’s life), we would love to hear about it when you send your donation! If you prefer giving to the new Lodge, those donations would be welcome and appreciated as well. Please indicate your desire by writing “capital campaign” on those gifts.

        If you would like more information, please feel free to contact Lake View Camp’s director, Diana Brummel, at 641-628-2160, or board members Bob and Dort Kampman (Kesley) at 319-830-8958 or Lance and Lindy Ibeling (Parkersburg) at 319-883-1264. Also, we would love to have you visit Lake View camp this fall to see this beautiful piece of property God has entrusted
        to our care. Give us a call or visit lakeviewconference.com!

        Coffee Shop

        Coffee Shop Reopens October 18

        We are so excited to have our coffee shop back and open! Of course with some new processes and precautions due to COVID-19, but come early and grab a cup of joe this Sunday.

        Coffee will be available just prior to the 8:30am service, in between services, and prior to the 11am service.

        We love this ministry, but are in need of more volunteers. If you are passionate about hospitality, coffee, service or any of the above, consider joining the coffee shop staff.  Express interest using the form below.

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          Journey Students Attend Dare 2 Share

          Saturday, a group of students from our Journey youth attended the Dare 2 Share conference. Dare 2 Share has become the go-to teen evangelism training resource for youth leaders in the United States. It is a one-day evangelism training event that equips teenagers to start a gospel revolution in their own communities.

          At LIVE, thousands of students are trained to pray, serve others, and share their faith—all at the exact same time. Inspired and trained in the morning, attendees then go out and serve their local communities, sharing the gospel with their neighbors and participating in a simultaneous, nationwide gospel movement.

          God is moving among the heart of the young. We are excited to see the continued work He is doing in the lives of our middle school and high school Journey students.

          Love. Belong. Serve.