Cedar Chips, Holiday, Just Love, News, Worship

Post-Christmas Slumps

The glitz and glam is over.
The warm fuzzies have reset
back into a reality of cold winter weather.

There are no more lights.
No more sparkly tinsel decorations.
The days are short.
No holiday music.
And the manger is emptied
and put away for another year.

Your wallet may be slimmer.
And time with family and friends
may have been a little stressful
and not of the Hallmark Channel quality.

What do we do now?
Where do we
go from here?
A King
has been born.
And His parents
have escaped with Him
to Egypt.

They’ll eventually return to their home.
He’ll learn the ways of a carpenter.
Soon, He will stay behind in the temple
And cause His parents to worry.
The leaders will be amazed
At His understanding of the Scriptures.

“Who is this boy?” they will ask.
“Isn’t He just a carpenter’s son?”
He will teach the ways of love.
Love that is so different, so controversial,
They’ll kill him.

They do not want to hear the way of love.
They want to leave things just as they are,
Their religious practices, their hierarchy.

Leah
Director of Worship & Media

Cedar Chips, News, Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark December 2018 Update

December was a fun and fast month at preschool! We were very busy learning about the very first Christmas. All the classes visited Pastor Kent and he told them about that special night that Jesus was born. Acting out the very first Christmas was a big
highlight for the children and their families. Thank you to everyone who attended.

Thank you to all the families who donated items to help preschool! I cannot believe how generous our families have been. Thank you for the teachers’ gifts, too.

Registration for our 2019-2010 school year is open to everyone. If you know someone who needs information, have them stop by our office or call us at 396-3125 or visit the website: noahsarkcr.org.

In January the 4– and 5-year-olds will begin their kindergarten readiness testing. These tests are designed to be fun and playful and non-stressful. Testing will help the teachers give an accurate report card for parents so they may decide if Kindergarten
or Alternative-Kindergarten is best for their child. It also helps parents identify some areas they may wish to work on with their child.

Thank you for supporting Noah’s Ark Preschool; we feel very blessed to be doing something that we love and sharing God’s Word.

For the Staff,
Leslie, Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, Consistory

January 2019 Consistory Update

Our December meeting celebrated the gift of leadership. We expressed deep gratitude for those who have serviced faithfully in the past year – Deb DeHaan, Jim Flamming, Mike Robinson, Karen Schumacher, and Kate Ulmer. We also welcomed elders and deacons who will begin serving in 2019. We are blessed with wise leaders who love the Lord, love the church and love one
another! We also celebrated bright spots in our ministry over the last few months:

  • The Open Hands Food Pantry served 1,115 people in November. 25+ volunteers shared food and love with over 331 families.
  • Journey Student Ministry held a successful retreat with many answers to prayer including five students making first time commitments to follow Jesus.
  • Explorers Children’s Ministry currently has 22 preschool students on the roll.
  • Open Table has grown as a path to connecting new and old families. This fall they have averaged 60-80 people in their monthly gatherings.
  • The vision of Missional Communities making disciples in the everyday stuff of life keeps expanding as more than 40 participants have now completed the training.

Please pray for our consistory, staff, and key leaders as we follow the calling that God is giving us.

From the 2019 Consistory:
Deacons: Alan Brockette (Chair), Bruce Boldt, Melissa Dahm, John Davidson, Allison Johnson, Nancy Josifek, Josh Oberembt
Elders: Lois Deerberg (Vice-president), Pastor Alan Crandall, Bruce Crowther, Robin Joens, Pastor Kent Landhuis, Gary Mills,  Diane Potter, Crissie Rozendaal, Jeremy Van Genderen, Ken Viggers

Cedar Chips, Just Love, News

Love One Another

Last year, I gave Mary a book of love poems for Christmas. This was one of my favorites:

Roses are red,
Bacon is too
Poetry is hard,
I love bacon and you.

It was a hit, but a lot of work. This year I gave her gift cards.

Our goal as a congregation in 2019 is that we would just love. Love our families, love our neighbors, love our co-workers, love our teachers and classmates. Just love one another. Love requires attention to grow and to keep growing.

Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Sunflowers are yellow,
Daffodils are, too.

You were expecting something romantic, but instead I give you gardening facts to remind us that love is nurtured like a garden. Love flourishes and grows with devotion. What specific investment will we make in the new year to grow love? Will we invest time with one another? Encouraging words? A listening ear? Care and support?

Roses are red,
SpongeBob is square.
We are called,
To love everyone, everywhere.

To love is risky business and so I guess our goal for 2019 calls us to risk. I pray that God’s spirit will empower us to take
the leap so that we love one another really well!

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Kent

 

 

P.S. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. “To love is to be vulnerable” ~ C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves.

Uncategorized

Financial Peace – Free Class Preview

Invite your friends, family and neighbors to something new for 2019 – Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace! Updated videos and materials along with small group discussions will help you learn how to achieve financial peace! Free class preview on Sunday, January 6th at 9:30am OR 12 pm (right after each worship service). See how this class is changing lives: 

Registration is required. To register for the class go to http://www.fpu.com/1077698.

Fundraiser, Journey, News

Dec. 9 Chili & Bread Cook-Off

The 2nd annual Journey Student Ministry Chili cook-off is this Sunday, December 9, and we want you to join in the fun!

This year we are also adding the homemade bread bake-off competition to our event.  If you want to enter a chili or bread into the competition please contact Jeremy by Friday, Dec. 7.  Entries should make either a double batch of chili or 2-3 loaves of bread.  If you are not able to make something, please join us after the 2nd service and vote for your favorite. This is a fundraiser for our youth program so you will vote by putting cash into the bucket of your favorite chili or bread. Bring cash!

Once you have had your taste of each chili and bread you may go back for a full bowl and full slice of bread to enjoy for lunch.  Have a great week and we will see you on Sunday

Cedar Chips, Family and Children Ministry, Financial Peace University, Marriage and Family, News, Transform the Corridor

Financial Peace University coming in 2019

Image result for financial peace universityDave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University is coming! Our church wants financial peace for you.  Join us for a free class preview on Sunday, January 6 at 9:45am or 11am.

Ready to jump in? Register today.  Classes will be held on Sundays at 9:45 beginning Jan. 13.  Kits can be purchased at time of registering or from your FPU teachers.

Love. Belong. Serve.