Day 5

“I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:3-6

I love to read Paul’s letters to the churches that he had visited because they are real letters to real people that he actually knew and loved!  His trips and experiences are historical events that cannot be denied.  In these letters, Paul shares his deepest feelings, shows us his heart about how much he loved these people, how much he loved God, and how much he wanted to share with them the TRULY GOOD NEWS about life in Jesus Christ!  What an example for each of us to be bold and compassionate with our faith, simply because we also love our friends and family and neighborhoods.

In this letter, Paul is so thankful and joyful as he remembers the Philippian church!  And it is so cool… Paul not only remembers them. He gives thanks and prays for all of them because they have been his partners in the work of God, knowing that God will never stop his work in their lives until the day of Jesus.  Wouldn’t you love to get such an encouraging letter?  I know that I would.  I wonder if Paul received as much joy from writing this letter as the Philippians received when they read it? When is the last time that you shared some joy and good news with those around you, simply because of your love for them?

Father God,

Thank You for the joy that You give us with our life in Jesus.  While life can be tough, we know that You work all things for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.  Please allow us to share our joy in Jesus with those around us. Amen.

-Gary Mills

Day 4

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil.1:6

Why would an old man plant a row of trees in his front yard that he will never enjoy in his lifetime?

Someone asked this question recently as they taught on principles of leadership.  Leaders invest in the next generation. Leaders can see beyond the current situation to build for what’s coming next.

When I read Philippians 1:6, I ask myself, “What is my role in the ‘carry it on to completion’ part of the verse? How can what I am doing right now bring fruit for the generations to come? How can I be like the old man who has the foresight to plant a tree and care for it even though I will never see the fruit or the shade of that tree?

I have to admit my thoughts are often in the ‘now’ and often revolve around me.  The day to day tasks seem like enough! I fail to look ahead and ponder my role in the future generations of the church. It’s hard to get my heart to focus there as well. But I want to be a tree-planter. I want to participate with God in the completion of His good work until Jesus’ return!  And so, I must make a change! I look around and I see the trees surrounding me:

Someone, somewhere, had a grand-enough vision of tomorrow that stirred them to plant a tree that they would never see, to love a generation they would never know.

Dear Father,

I praise You for the work You are doing on earth.  I praise You that You know what is to come and you continually work towards that day, using people just like me to accomplish your will. Give me a heart that is softened towards Your plan for the future. Give me a vision for how I can advance Your kingdom and help the next generation of followers to love You as well. Help me to see beyond the circumstances of today so that I may be a tree-planter for tomorrow.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.                                          

-Leah Carolan

 Day 3

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” Phil. 1:4-5

This fall, Cedar Hills Church will be celebrating our 60^th anniversary!  What a blessing when you consider the difficulty of starting a church and keeping it going.  According to Christianity Today, only 68% of church plants still exist after four years.  Sixty years is a blessing from God.  We should consider the words of Paul to the Philippians and pray with joy because God has provided for our church. We have partnered in the gospel from the beginning, starting with a small group of believers in their local neighborhood, and God is still working today.

As we celebrate, we also need to consider what God would have each of us contribute to the future of Cedar Hills Church.  We have created a building that provides a home for many different community activities, as well as church events.  Our building is being used at all hours of the day and night, sometimes even overnight.

Prayerfully consider what your role is in this partnership in the gospel.  Could you give sacrificially to extend the life of our building?  Could you volunteer in the nursery, food pantry, kitchen, or outside pulling weeds and mowing?  We have a partnership with God who did His part by sending His son to die for our sins.  What is your role in the work of the gospel for Cedar Hills as we look to the next 60 years?

Dear Heavenly Father, 

We have been so blessed to be thriving as a church for 60 years.  We know it is only through Your faithfulness and the partnership of those who have gone before us.  Help us to do our part with joy to further the gospel in our community and throughout the Corridor.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

-Lois Deerberg

 ^{Day 2}

^“So when the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him. And every tongue will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone will give honor to God the Father.” Phil. 2:10-11

“Every tongue will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.”  What a glorious day that will be!  At Cedar Hills, our goal is to spread the gospel and make disciples as Jesus told us to do in Matthew 28.  We believe that the church facility is an essential component of the ministries and missions at Cedar Hills.  Our vision is that people will go out every day to “Grow the Good” and make disciples in the everyday stuff of life.

Our facility will be 15 years old next year.  In that 15 years, our building has been used for good by the church and our community. We have approximately 50 active groups and ministries within Cedar Hills. In addition to our church ministries, several community groups use the facility daily, including the Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous, Family Promise and many others.

We will be inviting you to join us in a capital campaign with a commitment to refresh our space, replace outdated equipment, and reduce our current debt. As you begin to hear about this campaign, please pray that we can be a light in our community, a haven for the weary, and a place to refresh ourselves as we go forth to make disciples.  Pray for the ministries that serve others.  Pray for the growth of families who love Jesus.  Pray for God to use His people, His Church, to “Grow the Good” and bring our community to Christ.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the land here on the corner of E Ave and Stoney Point. Thank You for Your building where we can provide services for our community. Thank You that we can serve You and reach out to others so that we may see the day when “every tongue will say that Jesus Christ is Lord.”  Amen.

-Spiritual Life Committee