Cedar Chips, News, Saturate, Transform the Corridor

Transform

According to the dictionary, transform means to make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of something, some place or someone.

If I ask you to think about our world, can you think of anything, place, or person who needs a thorough dramatic change?

What about a dramatic change in your neighborhood?
Dramatic change in your home?

If I can name some things ripe for dramatic change: weeds and gnats. I could stand for a lot fewer of both. And  also, a lot less violence, poverty, abuse, suffering, prejudice, injustice, sickness, and hatred. And don’t get me started on the need to transform access to good education, clean water, affordable housing, adequate nutrition, decent jobs, and quality healthcare.

When you imagine a world thoroughly and dramatically changed, what kind of world do you imagine?

Ever imagine a world covered by the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea? (Habakkuk 2:14) A world where everyone enjoys life abundantly? (John 10:10) A world overflowing with forgiveness and reconciliation?
(2 Corinthians 5:18-19) A world with a multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language united as one? (Revelation 7:9) A world with more joy? (Philippians 4:4) I would love a world with fewer gnats and more joy. That would be great!

Put your thinking caps on. In about one month we are going to launch a year-long conversation about the kinds of transformation that God desires for our neighborhoods. If God decided to thoroughly and dramatically change something or someone in the Cedar Valley Corridor in which we live – what kind of change would God bring?

You think and pray about this and I will ask for your answer next month.

The Lord be with You,
Pastor Kent

Family and Children Ministry, News, Noah's Ark

Donate Blood. Save Lives. Raise Money. :)

On Tuesday, July 10 from 3:30-6:30pm, the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center will be at Cedar Hills for our bi-annual blood drive.  Did you know if we get enough donors, the blood center gives a grant to Noah’s Ark Preschool? Come, save lives, and help us meet our quota of people needed for the grant.  Every donation stays local and helps 3-4 people!

The blood center writes, “Summer is especially challenging for the blood supply, so if you’d like to make a difference in your community we’d love to team up with you.”  Our drive is also a part of the 100 Days of Summer campaign – “all those who come to donate blood or platelets between July 2, 2018 and August 12, 2018 will receive a voucher to redeem a $5 plastic gift card to Amazon or Subway.”

An hour or so of your time helps ensure that when someone in our community needs a blood transfusion, blood will be “on the shelves” at the hospital. Email Leslie Clauson with the time you’d like to schedule. Together, let’s add saving lives to Noah’s Ark list of accomplishments in 2018!

You can schedule through the blood drive coordinator, Leslie Clauson, or by using their online scheduling system.

Donate blood, save lives, and give a gift to Noah’s Ark Preschool.

Noah’s Ark Preschool is a ministry of Cedar Hills, offering preschool for 3 and 4 year olds, including a 5-day advanced pre-k program for those not quite ready for Kindergarten.

 

Error: Contact form not found.

Cedar Chips, News

What Happened to Stephen

What Happened to Stephen?

The preacher Charles Spurgeon said that the goal of salvation is not just getting our souls to heaven (someday) but getting heaven into our souls (right now). In a similar vein, C.S. Lewis wrote that belonging to Christ means more than pie in the sky by and by. It means we are becoming “little Christs,“ transformed day-by-day to be like Jesus.

This is what happened to a Christ-follower named Stephen. His story is told in Acts 6-7. At the end of the story, Stephen was banished from this life by spiteful foes and welcomed into heaven by a loving Jesus. But even more fantastic is what happened before Stephen died. He got heaven into his soul. He became a little Christ!
Stephen‘s life was remarkably like Jesus—

 He was full of faith and the Holy Spirit.
 He channeled God’s healing power to the
sick.
 He glowed with joy and enthusiasm.
 He opposed bigotry with God’s unlimited
mercy.
 When persecuted, he forgave his enemies.
 When facing death, he entrusted himself to
God.
 He gave his life as a ransom for others.

What a miracle of grace! Not just life after death, but a new life before death. Someday we will all be with Christ in heaven. In the meantime, Jesus has another gift for us. Are you becoming a little Christ?

~ Alan Crandall
Pastor of Care

Feedback: If you like this article, would you let me know? Text or call me at 319-382-9675, email, or put a note in my church mailbox.

Uncategorized

Something Big is Coming

Can I tell you how excited I am for this Fall? We have discerned a direction for us as a church to take in spreading the Gospel in a unique, uncomplicated, change-bearing, simple, and time-sensitive way that I think has huge potential for changing the life of our Body! But… I can’t tell you what it is yet. 🙂

Over these last few months I’ve been asking myself, “Where am I already spending time and what kind of impact can I make?” I’m not going to lie—life as a mom called to full-time ministry is stressing me out. I am constantly torn between work and home life, getting everyone where they need to be, feeding them enough to keep them alive, and providing a living habitat that is at least ‘somewhat’ clean, and safe. And that’s all I can muster. Have you ever had seasons like that?

I’ve been reminded again and again that these days are short, that they’ll be grown up and self-sufficient in no time (and come with a whole new set of problems! Ha!) and then I’ll reflect back on these days and long for them. Sounds good, but what do I do while I wait for this lesser-messy life to happen? Can I make a Gospel impact in this mess I’m in right now?

I’ve discovered that every day, for 10 minutes, I am at our daycare. I walk the boys in, chit chat with their teachers, and walk out. In those 10 minutes, I have a real opportunity to be a witness to the 8 staff of our daycare. I can ask questions, see what’s going on in their lives, make friends of them, and discover their needs. I am intentionally getting to know these ladies with the goal of bringing the Gospel to them. I am committed to get to know them and to help them know Jesus.

This Fall—YOU TOO! will get to bring the Gospel uniquely into some place you already spend time. You will make a difference in ways you didn’t know how! Even if you don’t know where that is yet!

~ Leah
Director of Worship & Media

Cedar Chips, News, Saturate

Growing Missional Communities

When we feed our hearts with the gospel, we will be strengthened to fulfill our calling to make disciples. I love this promise because it is the explanation of how we will fulfill our mission of disciples making disciples in the everyday stuff of life.

Sooner or later everyone hits a wall. We wake up one morning exhausted and uninterested in fulfilling our calling. When life gets busy and our schedules overflow, it we have a tendency to question the purpose and impact of our lives. When that happens we need to feed on the gospel.

At its core, belief that life is too busy to follow Jesus is a gospel unbelief issue. If we are so busy that we don’t make time to hear from God through His Word and His people, then we must take a step back to evaluate our busyness. It is through meeting together that we gain perspective on our circumstances and remind each other of the gospel. “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Living life together can be messy. Laying all of our messes on the table can be humbling.

Sharing our messy stories allows us to apply the gospel in everyday ways. The gospel reminds us that our identity isn’t found in our strengths but in our weakness. The gospel becomes real in the mess of life!

The calling to love each other with no limits sounds grand and noble, but when the rubber meets the road it can be tough. If pursuing people and wanting to see change in them stems from glorifying yourself by being their Savior, it’ll never work. The gospel isn’t meant to be a tool to make you look good, it is a truth that points to Jesus. A truth we all need.

Through Jesus we have been changed and so we get to be the hands and feet that carry the gospel to those around us in the everyday messes of life. There is no limit to what God can do through one disciple delighting in and submitting to Jesus. As we seek to believe the gospel in our own lives, we are then equipped to bring the sweetness of it to others. The gospel strengthens us to be disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life!

Loving the gospel,
Pastor Kent

Love. Belong. Serve.