All posts by Cedar Hills Community Church

Communication, Connection, Marriage and Family, Missional Communities, News

I’m a mess and so are you

I’m a Mess and so are you
Cedar Chips – February 2020

We all have a public life, a private life, and a secret life. Authentic faith and sanctification, becoming more Christ-like, is about integrating all three of these lives. Many of us, myself included, have been in a place where all three lives are at odds with one another. Years ago, the thought of allowing someone to move in with me would have caused great distress. A roommate would have seen clearly that my private life was not consistent with my public life.

As I have been drawn towards Christ, my three lives have become more aligned. This leaves more room for gratitude and less scrambling to cover up the messiness that exists. This allows me to invite people into my home as needed, for a dinner, or for a month’s stay. This year we’ve hosted two families (each having two or three kids) into our home, for a month or more.

This is not a result of some great “cleaning up” of my messiness. Perhaps the opposite, it’s that I’m more willing to expose my messiness (my sin struggles) in my public life. Because of this, I’ve allowed brothers and sisters in Christ to speak the healing Gospel into my mess. Hopefully, the families that have lived with us (and have seen my private life in my home) are less than
shocked that I’m a mess.

Lindsey Ungs
Connection and Communication Architect

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

Noah’s Ark Update – February 2020

Noah’s Ark Preschool
Cedar Chips – February 2020

We are now enrolling students for the 2020-2021 school year. We have a few spots left in our 4-year-old classes, which you can choose three, four, or five days of school. Our 3-year-old classes are offered on Mon/Wed/Fri or Tue/Thurs. The application can be downloaded from our webpage and the $50 registration fee paid online to hold your spot for next year. Contact us with
questions at 396-3125, by email, or visit the website: www.noahsarkcr.org.

We will have a Valentine card exchange, pajama day, and a visit from our favorite Dental Health Professional this month.
We will be hosting another Blood Drive on March 3 – register online! The stipend we receive after collecting 20 blood donations helps us purchase supplies. You can always donate supplies for the preschool. There is a box under the mission table in the Gathering Space.

Kris Crowther,
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, Family and Children Ministry, News, Worship, Youth

Children & Family Ministry Update – Feb. 2020

Children & Family Ministry
Cedar Chips – February 2020

Have you ever been amazed by the wonder of a child? How cheerful their faith seems to be? Or maybe it is how quickly they can absorb what is being taught or modeled for them? All of which are very true, our children are incredibly insightful and relentlessly curious. While the answers are not always hitting the mark, or maybe not even on topic for that matter, but the effort alone is palpable. The beauty of it is, that even if they’re wrong, kids will never stop trying to find the “right answer” or the “right way.”

Unfortunately, there are record numbers of teenagers and young adults that are leaving the faith in the 21st century, why? While there are a myriad of reasons, the most pressing and practical is this: our churches have continually sectioned-off
(intentionally and unintentionally) the various generations from worshipping together. To be clear, it is a very good thing that as a church we are tending specifically to the hearts of our youngest members. But we can’t lose sight, does our “ends justify our means?” What I mean by that is threefold: 1) While it’s common sense, children and youth don’t stay that way for long,
and thus must transition into something at some point; 2) How will our children learn to participate in a corporate worship service if they never get to experience it for themselves; 3) Children tend to learn best from having something modeled for them.

So then, what can we do to help our children? How about a resolution for the New Year? Keep it simple and start small. Designate one Sunday a month for your whole family to worship together for the entire service. That’s step one. Step two—talk about it! Ask your children not only about what they learned, but what they saw and how they felt about it. Even if they spent their time in “la-la-land.” If they know you’ll consistently be asking, they’ll start paying attention. There is no time like the present to begin setting the foundation for a lifetime of faith.

Kyle French
Director of Children & Family Ministry

Cedar Chips, Easter, News

Lent Begins Feb. 26

The Season of Lent
Cedar Chips – February 2020

Lent is a season of forty days (excluding Sundays) leading up to Easter. This year it starts on Wednesday, February 26. It is a time of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are different practices associated with the season of Lent, but the intention is that Lent serves as a season of growing closer to God. Consider using the special services and practices of Lent to help you grow closer to God!

During Lent, we meet on Wednesday nights for a meal (5:15pm-6:15pm) and a short reflective worship service 6:30pm-7:00pm. The season begins with Ash Wednesday on Feb. 26 and continues until Maundy Thursday on Apr. 9.  All are welcome for this season of reflection and going deeper into the Word.

Cedar Chips, News

Fear Not

Fear Not
Cedar Chips – February 2020

When we preach, we tackle questions that come up for people who follow Jesus. Many people— even people who take faith in Jesus seriously— wonder about how to deal with fear and anxiety.

Feb 2: Fear of Failure. Communion
Feb 9: Fear of Intimacy
Feb 23: Fear of Being Ordinary

Cedar Chips, News

Fix Broken Things

Fix Broken Things
Cedar Chips – February 2020

Today, somebody sent me a copy of an old Chips article I wrote in 2008 about Baxter, our yellow lab. I loved that dog and I was grateful for the trip down memory lane.

I love my dogs Sammy and Quincy, but Baxter was my first pet love. It is true love when the sound of a puking dog wakes you up in the middle of the night and you think “poor dog” not “poor carpet.” As Baxter aged it hurt to watch him suffer. I wanted to wave a magic wand to fix him.

When people tell me their problems, I have the same reaction. I wish all their brokenness could be repaired. I feel the same way when I watch the news and see so much brokenness in the world. I guess my desire to wave a magic wand of restoration means that I love the world, too.

My wish for the repair of broken things has turned into a prayer. Probably one of my most frequent prayers, “Lord fix broken things.” And the good news is this: God loves this world even more than I and God wants to fix broken things and promises to do so in Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new.” In Jesus, God promises to fix all broken things. Someday. Maybe we can hold on to that promise when the sadness of brokenness hits. Also this promise from Philippians 1:6, “I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God loves us and wants to fix broken things and one day everything that is wrong will be set right. I’m sure of it!

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Kent

News, Open Hands Food Pantry

Food Pantry Sunday

The first Sunday of every month is Food Pantry Sunday! Bring an item for the pantry this Sunday morning. Items can be placed in the bin under the Mission Table or placed outside the Food pantry doors (down the left hallway, just past the fireplace area).

Last year, our food pantry served almost 12,000 in the greater Cedar Rapids area. Thank you for your support and generosity!

To pantry is open Mondays 5-6pm, Wednesdays 10am-12pm and Fridays 10am-12pm and can be visited once per calendar month.  If you are in need of food, please do not hesitate to stop by!

“I would like to give a BIG ‘thank-you’ to everyone who has supported the Open Hands Food Pantry in 2019. Those who worked in the pantry, hauled food, gave donations of food and money, and for every prayer that was said for us. This past year we served a total of 11,800 people and a total of 3,693 families. None of this would have happened without you!”

Darlene DeVries,
Open Hands Food Pantry Leader

 

Journey, News

Rocky Mountain High Youth Conference!

Rocky Mountain High is almost here!

For the “BEST” registration options, sign up by Sunday, February 2, 2020.

  • Rocky Mountain High is an transformational summer retreat organized by the RCA. We would love to have ALL our students (entering 9th-12th grades) join us on this trip.
  • The cost will be $200/student.  This does not include the Recreation Plus costs.  This does not need to be paid at registration, but will be due after our fundraising is completed.
  • Registration can be completed online now!  Our deadline for getting registrations online is Sunday, February 2nd.  On February 3rd, Steve (Director Youth & Young Adults) will be sending in our group’s registration, this is to ensure that we get our #1 choices for Rec Plus. Late registrations can be added until May 15th.
  • Register online at https://apps.synodyouth.org/form/rmh or just get more info at https://synodyouth.org/rocky-mountain-high/
  • Please contact Steve Poole if you would like more information.

News

Fear of Stillness and the Mindful Christian

PictureWe’ve been looking at different fears we hold and putting them in line with the truth of the Gospel.  This Sunday, we’ll look at the fear of stillness.  What does it mean to be still? And why is it so hard?

In Kent’s message, he’ll mention this beautiful blog by Irene Kraegel on being a ‘Mindful Christian’.  She writes,

“Mindfulness is clear-sighted attention to the present moment, making it a great gift to the Christian believer who desires a deeper relationship with God. When we cultivate the ability to pay attention, we cultivate the ability to see God and receive his good gifts in each moment. We also cultivate the ability to be fully present to those around us.”

Intrigued? Take a look.