Cedar Chips, Family and Children Ministry, News, Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark – February 2018 Update

February was full of fun activities! Everyone learned about the mail and what happens to your letter after you put it in the mailbox. We all enjoyed giving and receiving valentines! Our testing is all done for our 4- and 5-year-olds and evaluations have been sent out. The 3-year-old classes had fun learning about snowmen, dinosaurs, and creation. Second report cards for our younger classes will be sent out before spring break.

Our 2018-2019 registration is ongoing. If you know someone who would like information, have them call us at 396-3125 or email at office@noahsarkcr.org. All classes meet from 9-11:30.

Our spring break will be March 12-16, same as Cedar Rapids schools.

Please mark you calendars for March 19th to donate blood! Mississippi Valley Blood Center will come here and set up in the Gathering Space. Your time from check-in to check-out is less than an hour. Please sign up to donate; our area is in desperate need. Call Leslie at the Preschool to sign up at 396-3125!

I can’t believe there are only 3 more months left of school! I’m ready for spring and we can’t wait to see all those flowers come up in front of our windows again! I want to remind everyone that we will be offering a 6-week (two 3-week sessions) summer school program in June and July. This program is for current Noah’s Ark students only. I will give more details next month.

Have a great March!

In Christ,
Leslie Clauson,
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, News

Dwelling With Jesus in Lent

Lent is a 40-day walk through daily and sometimes hourly reminders of the gospel. We remind ourselves of the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus by giving up, or fasting from simple pleasures. We also take-on additional spiritual practices to grow in love. Lent, together with the celebration of Easter, focuses our lives on the wonderful love of God in the gospel.

During this season we remember the sacrifice of Jesus, we examine our hearts, and we look outwardly at what it means to live in light of the gospel. This is an opportunity to re-center our lives on the gospel of Jesus through disciplines of lament,  confession, and repentance.

The practices of Lent reinforce our unity as a congregation because focusing on Jesus and the Gospel creates community. As we learn and re-learn repentance, explore Jesus’ humility, embrace suffering, engage in communal lament, look to the sacrifice of Jesus for our redemption, and experience the death and resurrection of Jesus through this season, we grow closer to God
and each other.

Our time walking the road marked with suffering leads us to ask questions like: “What would it mean for us to foster humility like Jesus’?” and “What would it look like for us to lament the sin, destruction, and suffering in our city?” and “How can we actively sacrifice in response to God’s grace?”

Daily, we continue this journey toward the cross and resurrection, as we dwell with Jesus in the Gospels. Weekly, we journey together as we gather in worship. Hourly, we ask: What are we learning about Jesus and how is this changing us?

I love the season of Lent!

Dwelling in Jesus,
Pastor Kent

Family and Children Ministry, News

Easter Egg Hunt – Now April 15

Due to the storm Mar. 24, the Egg Hunt is now Sunday, April 15 at 1pm.

Join Cedar Hills for a “Spring” Egg Hunt Sunday, April 15 at 1pm. Children ages preschool to 5th grade are invited!  We section off different sections for each age group so that all have a fair chance.  BYOB – bring your own basket!  We will start promptly at 1pm inside the Worship Center and then will move outdoors for the hunt.

If you’d like to join us for worship beforehand, services are at 8:30am (traditional) and 11am (worship band) and are usually about 60-65 minutes.  It is also Noah’s Ark Preschool Sunday on April 15 and the preschool students will be joining us at the 11am service along with their friends and family.  They will make a short presentation and sing us a few songs. Always a great Sunday!

 

Weekly Readings

Daily Readings Mar. 4-10

Post your insights using #dwellingwithJesus and @cedarhillscr. Have you seen the audio tab on these links? It’s a nice touch with a little music and a little drama.

Sunday, Mar. 4 – Luke 20
Monday, Mar. 5 – Luke 21
Tuesday, Mar. 6 – Luke 22
Wednesday, Mar. 7 – Luke 23
Thursday, Mar. 8 – Luke 24
Friday, Mar. 9 – John 1
Saturday, Mar. 10 – John 2

Next week
Sunday, Mar. 11 – John 3
Monday, Mar. 12 – John 4
Tuesday, Mar. 13 – John 5
Wednesday, Mar. 14 – John 6
Thursday, Mar. 15 – John 7
Friday, Mar. 16 – John 8
Saturday, Mar. 17 – John 9

Family and Children Ministry, Journey, News, Uncategorized

Two Movie Events in March

We will be hosting two movie events in the month of March at Marcus Theaters on Council (between Collins and Blairsferry, just north of Panera Bread). RSVP below!

On Saturday, March 17 at 6:30pm we will be watching I Can Only Imagine.  This movie tells the story of how MercyMe ended up writing the popular song, I Can Only Imagine. It is a powerful story of forgiveness and would be a great message for all of us.  This movie is rated PG and the cost of the tickets are $10.  Watch the trailer.

The inspiring and unknown true story behind MercyMe’s beloved, chart topping song that brings ultimate hope to so many is a gripping reminder of the power of true forgiveness.

The second movie is The Passion of The Christ.  This movie depicts the crucifixion of Jesus and came out in 2004.  We will be watching it on Sunday, March 25 at 3pm. This movie is rated R for the graphic depiction of the crucifixion and costs $5.  Watch the trailer.

The Passion of The Christ focuses on the last twelve hours of Jesus of Nazareth’s life. The film begins in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus has gone to pray after sitting the Last Supper. Jesus must resist the temptations of Satan. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, Jesus is then arrested and taken within the city walls of Jerusalem where leaders of the Pharisees confront him with accusations of blasphemy and his trial results in a condemnation to death. —Adam Ward

To rent out a theater for our group we need the number of seats by March 3. RSVP below or sign the bulletin tear-off on Sunday with the number of seats you would like. At each movie, you’ll pay cash/check to Jeremy Van Genderen at the theater door.

RSVP your family today!

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Chiccs, News

Feb. 24 Women’s Lenten Breakfast

All the ladies ages 12 and up are invited Saturday, Feb. 24 for the annual women’s lenten breakfast at Cedar Hills.  The event begins at 9am.  The women’s ministry lenten breakfast is a long standing tradition at Cedar Hills.  The morning consists of breakfast, great conversation, songs and a presentation.

“We All Betray Him” is the theme of this year’s breakfast.  Women from inside and outside the church are welcome to join! Invite your moms, sisters, aunts, daughters, coworkers – and enjoy a morning of conversation and fellowship.

Please help us plan accordingly by signing up in the Gathering Space on Sunday mornings or contacting Jennifer Curtis using the form below.

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Uncategorized

Daily Readings Feb. 25-Mar. 3

Post your insights using #dwellingwithJesus and @cedarhillscr. Have you seen the audio tab on these links? It’s a nice touch with a little music and a little drama.

Sunday, Feb. 25 – Luke 13
Monday, Feb. 26 – Luke 14
Tuesday, Feb. 27 – Luke 15
Wednesday, Feb. 28 – Luke 16
Thursday, Mar. 1 – Luke 17
Friday, Mar. 2 – Luke 18
Saturday, Mar. 3 – Luke 19

Next Week
Sunday, Mar. 4 – Luke 20
Monday, Mar. 5 – Luke 21
Tuesday, Mar. 6 – Luke 22
Wednesday, Mar. 7 – Luke 23
Thursday, Mar. 8 – Luke 24
Friday, Mar. 9 – John 1
Saturday, Mar. 10 – John 2

Uncategorized

Daily Readings Feb. 18-24

Post your insights using #dwellingwithJesus and @cedarhillscr. Have you seen the audio tab on these links? It’s a nice touch with a little music and a little drama.

Sunday, Feb. 18 – Luke 6
Monday, Feb. 19 – Luke 7
Tuesday, Feb. 20 – Luke 8
Wednesday, Feb. 21 – Luke 9
Thursday, Feb. 22 – Luke 10
Friday, Feb. 23 – Luke 11
Saturday, Feb. 24 – Luke 12

Next Week:
Sunday, Feb. 25 – Luke 13
Monday, Feb. 26 – Luke 14
Tuesday, Feb. 27 – Luke 15
Wednesday, Feb. 28 – Luke 16
Thursday, Mar. 1 – Luke 17
Friday, Mar. 2 – Luke 18
Saturday, Mar. 3 – Luke 19

News, Uncategorized, Worship

Final Worship with Pastor JR

Leaders and staff praying over JR – 1st service

We were blessed to be able to pray over Pastor JR as he joined us for his final services at Cedar Hills. JR has discerned that God is calling him to something new outside the walls of a traditional church setting and we join him in prayer as he presses into God for guidance along the road ahead.

What a beautiful day of love! We were able to shower JR with gifts and letters, celebrating his time at Cedar Hills (and his love for Starbucks coffee) ?.  Do you have pictures to share from the day? Submit them via the church app and we’ll add them to the gallery.

“Thank you Pastor JR for your love, leadership and dedication. You are an amazing person and have left a strong and positive mark on our congregation that will last forever. You are in our prayers for discernment of how God wants to use you next. I’m sure it will be amazing.”

“I wish you the best in your future endeavors wherever they might lead you. God is good…all the time!!”

“Thank you for an amazing sermon Sunday. What a blessing you have been to our church! We know the Holy Spirit will guide you into your next exciting adventure. Praying for you as he leads you.”

“I am not a registered member of Cedar Hills, but have been attending off and on for the past 4 years. I want to thank you JR for helping me find a church family again.I had been searching for some time when I heard you speak at a prayer service for my niece who was put on life supports after a major heart attack She was not a member of your church, but you did it for her sister and brother in law . Your passion touched my heart, and made me feel as if perhaps your church was a place where I could feel welcomed despite my imperfections. You are truly a fisherman of all people….you have a way of reeling people back to the Lord. May he go with you on this new journey you are about to begin. And know that you have a lot of people whose lives you have touched that will be praying for you. God bless!”

In case you missed JR’s last sermon on January 28, you can listen online.

 

Love. Belong. Serve.