“I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” ~ John 10:10
Sunday Morning Services: 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM
The top five Google hits for “life is” are:
How do you complete the expression “life is?” Is life a journey, a song, a game, a dream, a sacrifice, a gift? Is life grand, depressing, inspiring, gloomy, joyful, discouraging, hopeful, dull?
As we kick off another season of ministry, we celebrate life—the life we have in Jesus. Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
This statement comes after Jesus warns about the thief who wants to harm the sheep. The thief steals, slaughters, and destroys. But Jesus, the Good Shepherd, loves the sheep. Jesus offers an abundance of green pastures and refreshing. The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep giving them life to the full.
We are the sheep and Jesus offers us life to the full—abundance. We discover this abundance when we abide with Jesus. Life is full in Jesus!
Of course many of us sheep still feel tension between life as we live it and life as Jesus describes it. We sometimes live lives less full. Jesus invites us to an upside-down life by worldly standards, but really this life is life turned right-side-up.
We celebrate life lived to the fullest. We celebrate hope for life in this world (and the next) as we follow Jesus the Good Shepherd. We celebrate the impact that the abundant life has on our world. We celebrate life.
In this season I hope that we do not forget our lessons learned about finding rest, but that we live these lessons out in the everyday stuff of life. This fall, abide with Jesus and discover what life is.
The Lord be with you,
Pastor Kent
Saturday, August 17 – the Bruce & Virginia Petrzelka Memorial Ride & Poker Run. All proceeds benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters. This cool memorial event starts at Cedar Hills Community Church with breakfast.
Today order a special memorial ride shirt, visit https://www.companycasuals.com/
Visit the official event site on Facebook: Wild Hogs Events
Congrats to Steve Poole, who was selected as the best fit for our ministry! Steve will began at Cedar Hills on August 11. Please pray for Steve, his wife Cathy and their children Abigail and Christopher as they make plans to relocate to Cedar Rapids.
Our vision as a congregation is to make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life so that every man, woman and child in our community has a daily encounter with Jesus in word and deed. Our goal as consistory is to work toward alignment of all our staff and programs with this vision.
When Jeremy shared his calling to move to Allison to become the pastor at Trinity Reformed Church, we started our discernment process for seeking a new Director of Youth and Young Adults.
The Search team processed dozens of candidates, interviewed four, and recommended two candidates to meet with our congregation, youth, parents and youth sponsors. After processing feedback from the candidate visits as well as references from the candidates we concluded that we had two excellent candidates.
Both candidates loved the Lord, had a passion for student ministry, had successful experience leading and growing student ministries, have built and led ministry teams, communicated well publicly, and have developed solid biblical/theological foundations for ministry. Both candidates were well qualified!
When we discussed vision alignment, discipleship strategy, and chemistry we agreed – unanimously – that Steve Poole was the best fit for our ministry at this time. Consistory unanimously agreed with this recommendation and offered Steve the position!
We are very excited for the gifts that Steve brings to ministry. Here are a few of the qualities that led to our decision:
Welcome Steve and Cathy!
Please pray for Dave LaKose and family as the grieve the passing of his wife, Deb.
(from https://www.thegazette.com/obituaries/debra-lakose-20190723-0000175536-01)
Debra Jean (Grissom) LaKose, 62, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Saturday, July 20, 2019, at home following a battle with lung cancer. A Celebration of Life will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 26, at the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2272, 1735 11th St. NW, Cedar Rapids.
Deb is survived by her husband, David Dwayne LaKose; two children, Adam (Kirsten) LaKose of Concord, N.C., and Cody LaKose of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, Madyson, Kenzie and Greyson LaKose of Concord; and five siblings, David Grissom (special friend Deb Heins) of Robins, Dennis Grissom of Marion, Daniel (Sherry) Grissom of Fairfax, Donald (Emili) Grissom of Robins and DeAnna Grissom of Cedar Rapids.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold Wayne Grissom and June Olive (Theel) Grissom; three siblings, Douglas Wyatt, Donna Jane and Denise Joan; two sisters-in-law, Denise Grissom and Stephanie Grissom; as well as other aunts, uncles and cousins.
Deb was born Feb. 5, 1957, in Manchester, Iowa, the daughter of Harold and June (Theel) Grissom. After moving to Robins and various houses in Cedar Rapids, Deb graduated from Cedar Rapids Jefferson in 1975. On March 27, 1982, Deb married David LaKose at Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. She spent her latter years working for the Cedar Rapids Community School District as a food service worker for various elementary schools, which she truly enjoyed. Nothing gave Deb greater joy than the time she spent with family, especially her children and her grandchildren. She loved to read, spend time outdoors, support her children in their various athletic endeavors, and travel, particularly if the destination resulted in spending time with her grandchildren.
The family would like to extend a special thank-you to the caregivers at Mercy Hospice. In lieu of flowers, please plan on sharing stories and uplifting memories at the aforementioned Celebration of Life.
Eva Ellen Kriegermeier, 88, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, July 13, 2019, at Willow Gardens Care Center in Marion, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 17, at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. Burial will follow in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Eva is survived by her children, Patricia Sorensen and Michael (Debra) Kriegermeier; six grandchildren, Chad (Shane) Kriegermeier, Tara (Lari) Chesmore, Tracy Sorensen, Corey (Andrea) Kriegermeier, Eric (Laura) Kriegermeier and Nathan Kriegermeier; seven great-grandchildren (with one on the way); a sister, Juanita Traxler; and many loving extended family members; and her special dog, Zoey. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wayne Kriegermeier; a son, Gregory Kriegermeier; and five siblings. Eva Ellen Kriegermeier was born on Aug. 3, 1930, in Albia, Iowa, the daughter of Willie and Eva (Rouse) Daugherty. She was a teacher in a one-room school house before meeting her future husband, Wayne Kriegermeier. They were united in marriage on May 29, 1948, in Albia, Iowa. Eva was employed at Rockwell Collins as a lead operator from 1972, until retiring in 1991. She worked on space shuttle parts. Eva was a member of Cedar Hills Community Church, where she taught adult Bible study. She always will be remembered for being a loving and wonderful mother, wife, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Cedar Hills Community Church or the Alzheimer’s Association. Online condolences may be conveyed at www.cedarmemorial.com.
With VBS activities happening all night throughout the building, the Open Hands Food Pantry will be closed Monday, July 15. It will be open for regular hours on Wednesday (10-12pm) and Friday (10-12pm).
VBS runs Sunday, July 14-Thursday July 18.
The Open Hands Food Pantry will be closed July 5. It will reopen for regular hours on Monday, 5-6pm. And the again Wednesday and Friday, 10am-12pm.
On Sunday, June 30 the students and sponsors who attended Dare to Share gave an awesome update on their trip, what they learned and how evangelizing in Chicago challenged them in their faith.
On Sunday, we welcomed our newest baptized member: Briar Davis Dahm, daughter of Bobby and Melissa Dahm. Please join us in praying for Briar!
