Uncategorized

The Marriage Course

Update – Registration is now full.

How would you say your marriage is doing?

Introducing “The Marriage Course”, a 7 week study designed to help couples learn practical ways to build a stronger foundation, communicate more effectively and resolve differences well.  Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship while others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime. Space is limited so register early.

Brief Description

  • The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage.
  • Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book, developed The Marriage Course for couples looking for practical support to strengthen their relationship. The course is designed to help couples build strong foundations, learn to communicate more effectively and resolve differences well.
  • The Marriage Course is for couples who are seeking to strengthen their relationship. Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship, others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and practical ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime.
  • The Marriage Course is based on Christian principles but designed for all couples with or without a church background.
  • On The Marriage Course you are seated at your own table for two. Each course is unique, but usually every session will include: food, a practical talk and a time for private discussion between you and your partner.
  • You never share anything about your relationship with anyone other than your partner. Background music ensures that you can chat in complete privacy.

Dates/Times

  • Sundays from 5:30-8pm
  • September 24 – November 5, 2017

Cost

  • $35/couple
  • Includes books, course, and main food course
  • Couple will be asked to participate by bringing a dessert or side dish for 5 of the 7 sessions

Childcare

  • Childcare can be made available based on the needs of the registered participants.
  • Dinner for the children will also be determined based on the needs of the registered participants.

Registration is full. Register now. After filling out the form, you’ll be given a link to complete payment. You may pay via this link or in the church office. Registration is not complete until payment has been made.

Fall Kick-Off

Fall Kick-Off T-Shirts

Already ordered your shirt in person? Go here to pay online.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

The Fall Kick-off is quickly approaching and the new t-shirts are ready to be ordered! Demo shirts will be on display in the Gathering Space in men’s and women’s sizes to try on and find the perfect fit.  Final orders and payments must be received by Monday, July 31.  Shirts are $15.  Payments can be made by cash or check to the church office, or in the Cedar Hills App.  If paying online or in the app, use the “give” button, and make sure you choose “Fall Kick-Off T-shirt” from the ‘fund’ menu. (See designs below). Order online or  pay now for an existing order.

Kick-off Sunday is August 20.

All classes and ministry teams that took a break for the summer will begin again that week. Join us for an open house on August 13 to find your new Cross Training classes, meet the teachers, and get oriented before the big day.

Men’s Shirts
Women’s Shirts
Paying in the app
Cedar Chips, Journey

Rocky Mountain High 2017

On July 21, 13 students and three adults will be making the trip to Rocky Mountain High. During this week, they will have an opportunity to engage in worship with over 2,000 other students, rise early to spend time in God’s Word, enjoy the Rocky Mountains and much more. This is always an impactful week spiritually for the students. Families still talk about this trip decades later. Here are some ways to join us this week:
#1: Pray our students grow spiritually this week.
#2: Pray that God protects this group as they travel to and from Colorado.
#3: Ask God to have the impact of this week make ripple effects in the lives of those the students came in contact with when they return.

We believe Journey Student Ministry is extremely valuable in the lives of each student and we need your help to keep reaching out to more students.

If you are interested in joining the student ministry as a leader, please let me know. We are currently in need of 2 male leaders and 2 female leaders to round out our fall leadership team.

Jeremy Van Genderen
Director of Youth and Young Adults

Cedar Chips, Worship

Where Are You Today?

Have you ever had a season where the Christian journey is fascinating and awe-filled? When God seems to step-in in the biggest way possible and intervene at just the right moment with an awesome answer to prayer, a miracle, a deep revelation of something in His Word, or the advice from a friend at just the right time that somehow just ‘clicked’ in your brain?

Have you ever had a God sighting? A moment where something supernatural took place and you are not even sure how to describe it? And you’re not even sure you want to share it because you think those around you might think you’re crazy or not truly understand what just happened to you?

Have you ever had a season where the Christian life seemed kind of hum-drum? Where you go about your regular routine but there are no significant God sightings, no huge moments of revelation, nothing new that strikes you in the Word? When prayer seems dull, and God’s voice seems silent or a little too quiet? And life just seemed to drag on and on and on without anything happening?

Have you ever wanted and needed so desperately to hear from God and for Him to intervene and yet He seems silent? And you wonder to yourself, “Maybe this time He won’t answer even though He’s answered so many times before?” When life seems hopeless, but you cry out for help anyway? And you cannot find a way out, but you hold a glimmer of hope that maybe God has a way out? But he’s not moving when you NEED Him to move?

Have you ever just been content with your Christian life. You have no expectations of God doing anything miraculous, but you enjoy His Word and prayer, and fellowship with other Christians, but have zero expectations that there could or should be something more than this?

Just curious. Where are you today?

Leah Carolan
Director of Worship & Media

Cedar Chips

Consistory Governance

The Consistory is the governing board that leads our congregation. We govern by writing policies to keep us on mission. We exist so that people will grow in their love for God (Love). We exist so that people will grow in their faith in Jesus Christ (Grow).  We exist so that people will grow in their love for each other (Serve). We exist so that people will find hope through faith in Jesus Christ (Seek).

Culture is not something we usually think about. It’s like water to a fish or air to a bird. It’s simply the environment we live in. Culture is one of the most important factors driving an organization. Unhealthy cultures produce bad results. Healthy cultures produce good results.

Webster defines culture as “the predominating attitudes, values, and behaviors that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.” In this sense, culture in inescapable. You can’t not have a culture, and every culture is either healthy, unhealthy, or somewhere in between. Our calling as a Consistory is to build a God-honoring, Christ-centered, grace-filled, biblically sound, kingdom-focused congregation. This culture will be healthy and result in these kinds of fruit:

  • Real Community. Everyone matters. Everyone belongs. Everyone contributes. Together is better.
  • Speaking the truth in love. Truth is not hoarded but shared.
  • Great teams. The right people serving in the right places at the right time.
  • Passionate. Everyone is free to follow God’s calling which results in passion.
  • Grace-full, grateful and generous. We are blessed to be a blessing!

What would you add to this list? Share your suggestion with any consistory member or staff.

Pray for us as we seek to build a kingdom culture.

Cedar Chips

Go Make Disciples

I meet regularly with individuals and small groups for the purpose of making disciples. My picture of discipleship used to be flinging mud against a wall. I dumped as much information as possible on people and crossed my fingers, hoping that the Holy Spirit was shaping them (and me). I am thankful that the Spirit did work in spite of my ill-conceived efforts, but I became curious if there was a better way.

While reading Michael Horton’s book, Core Christianity: Finding Yourself in God’s Story, I came across this insight, “We study things we care about” (15). If that’s true about our hobbies and work, it’s even more true about our faith and how we make disciples. Discipleship is about what we love. One practice that helps me grow as a Jesus loving disciple is reading the Bible with the four Ds in mind – drama, doctrine, doxology, and discipleship. These four Ds are knit together by Jesus Christ. Every drama points to him; doctrine is about him; doxology ends in praising him; and discipleship happens as a response to him.

As we dwell in the Word, the Word dwells in us, Dwelling in the story of Jesus shapes and forms us as his followers. Horton, in his book describes it this way: “Jesus is not swept into your story. You are swept into his” (150). Getting swept into the story deepens our understanding of the reason for our hope as Christians.

Drama refers to the unfolding story of God from Genesis to Revelation. Drama yields doctrine, the truths of the Christian faith. Doctrine, rooted in the drama, creates thankful hearts of praise – doxology – which is our worshipful response to who God is and what God has done. Doxology yields the fruit of love and good works which is discipleship that turns outside of ourselves, looking up to God in faith and out to our neighbors in love. When disciples know the story and its meaning, they will respond appropriately to the God who acts. And, they will be increasingly conformed to the central character as they serve others. To know what we believe and why we believe it lies at the heart of making disciples.

Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching and Leadership

Bright Spot

Global Leadership Summit site in Cedar Rapids!

We are excited to partner with Antioch Christian Church in Marion and be able to bring the Global Leadership Summit to the Cedar Rapids area. This year’s summit is Thursday and Friday, August 10th-11th.

Our staff and consistory have been attending the Summit for the last number of years but have always had to travel out of town to attend.  This year, we’ll save lots of time (and gas money!) by traveling just across town to Antioch Christian Church in Marion.

Because we are a satellite host, we are also able to offer our members and regular attendees a discount rate to attend the summit.  Contact the office for the special code, and use this link–> to register before June 27 for only $99!

Uncategorized

Compassion Sunday, June 11, 2017

COMPASSION SUNDAY – JUNE 2017

In 1952, a Chicago evangelist, Rev Everett Swanson went to South Korea to minister to US soldiers during the war.  His heart was touched by orphaned children abandoned and living on the streets.   It was here that God gave him a vision.  He began a program to support the orphanages through funding of a few dollars a month from individuals in the Western world.  His mission was providing Biblical teaching while assisting with basic needs for these children with the ultimate goal of enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.   Compassion International was born!

In 1968, the program expanded to Indonesia and has continued to grow worldwide as a child development and child advocacy ministry.  Today, Compassion serves in 25 developing nations. It is their three “C’s” that make their ministry strong:

  • Commitment to Christ – Jesus is the center of the ministry. This may be the first experience that children have to learn about Jesus.
  • Commitment to children – Each individual child receives the holistic care they deserve.
  • Commitment to church – Partnerships with local churches.

Compassion International has become a recognized non-profit organization.  They are in the top 26 non-profits with Forbes’ 50 Largest US Charities, Philanthropy 400 List, and The Non-Profit Times Top 100 List.  All contributions are tax-deductible.  As a requirement of the 1993 Revenue Reconciliation Act, they verify that no goods or services of value are given to you for your contribution.

On Sunday, June 11th, Cedar Hills will sponsor Compassion Sunday 2017 before and after both services.  There are almost 38,000 children looking for sponsorships.  Here is an opportunity for you to sponsor a child looking for a special one on one relationship with someone across the globe.  Your letters bring hope and encouragement.  Your monthly donation of $38/month per child, will bring medical check-ups, nutritious food, health and hygiene training, educational assistance, and foremost hearing about Jesus Christ.

We look forward to talking with you about Compassion International and the many blessings we have received by our sponsorships. Please, prayerfully consider sponsoring a child on June 11th.   “Releasing Children from Poverty in Jesus’ Name”

Jack & Kate Ulmer

App Question

“How do you see your home?” Quick Question Results

For Sunday, May 21, we asked the question in the Cedar Hills app, “How do you see your home? As a sanctuary to stay safe from the world? Or as a tool to reach out to the world?”  Here are the results:

This was followed by an inspiring message from Brett Erickson of Safe Families on Biblical Hospitality.  To listen to this message online, visit cedarhillscr.buzzsprout.com or listen on iTunes.

Love. Belong. Serve.