All posts by Cedar Hills Community Church

September 2022

Little Lights

LITTLE LIGHTS

The more I get into Scripture the more the fake versions of Jesus I have held in my head slowly get melted away.

I just finished up another journey through the Bible and the last thing that caught my attention was in the final scenes of John’s revelation where we are told there is no longer a need for the sun, moon, or stars because Jesus is our light. We sing songs about this!

“No need for the sunshine in heaven we’re told —the light of the world is Jesus.” 

I’ve gone my whole life understanding that Jesus would be the light in heaven. Then I read this in Revelation 22:5: “Night will be no more; people will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will give them light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Isn’t that beautiful? Not only is Jesus the light, but we are each given light and reign with it forever.  Someone said to me, “Oh, like how the moon reflects the sun!” and I had the thought, “Yes, it must be something like that!” Jesus is the light and the source of our light that we are each given is Jesus.

Imagine a place where each walks around glowing in the glory of the son, and in the glory of the son’s light enveloping them as well.

Does that change your view of heaven?

The more I get into scripture the more I discover these little details that I had gotten “wrong” or maybe just “not quite right.” But these details matter!

I want to be LIKE JESUS—but I want that view, that Truth, that understanding to be completely and fully true. As we press in to know Him more and more may He continue to show us more of His Truth!

Leah Carolan
Director of Worship & Media

 

Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry, or learn something new?  Let Leah know.

    July 2022

    Where Is the Battle?

    Where Is the Battle?

    We live in days of deep divides. Right and Left. Democrat, Republican. Conservative, Progressive. Pro-choice, Pro-life. Gun Control, Gun Rights. Enemies, Allies. Us, Them. We often talk about our divisions with “war” language. We are in a battle.

    But where is the battle?

    All of us who use social media are fed divisiveness by algorithms that stream battle cries. Or maybe I should say, scream battle cries. Basically, we get yelled at all day every day about our enemies. This is exhausting and counterproductive.

    Yelling to create outrage has the same effect as repeatedly crying wolf. To stoke a response the yelling must intensify or we stop paying attention. Constantly yelling at tired people is not a great strategy. Yelling is a bad strategy for another reason – it creates greater division. The tone we take toward our enemies might determine our success in turning them into allies.

    We are the kind of people who seek peace, reconciliation, and restoration. Our goal is not to deepen the divide but to build a bridge. Or course our actions alone do not guarantee the outcome – we rely on the Holy Spirit for that. We are simply called to love God and love our neighbor.

    Holy Spirit reliance is key for another reason. The Bible tells us where the battle lies:  “For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

    We engage in the battle to defeat the enemy of our soul and rescue our neighbors. We fight the battle to restore peace. We fight to make the world better for everyone!

    I am thrilled to join you in this battle!

     

    Kent Landhuis
    Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

    P.S. I recently read a very helpful essay by John Goerke entitled “How Should We Fight the Culture War?” His words challenged me: “Should we relish too much the false glory of finding what is wrong with the world, we may blind ourselves and our opponents  to what is actually right with it.” To read his essay: click here. 

    Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

      July 2022

      Calling All Enneagram 7’s

      Calling All Enneagram 7’s

      One of the places I struggle the most with authenticity is being authentic with myself. I’m a 7 on the Enneagram personality test.

      When I am at my best the test says I can “assimilate experiences in depth, becoming deeply grateful and appreciative for what I have. Become awed by the simple wonders of life: joyous and ecstatic. Intimations of spiritual reality, of the boundless goodness of life.”

      However, when I am unhealthy I can “Get into conspicuous consumption and all forms of excess. Self-centered, materialistic, and greedy, never feeling that I have enough. Demanding and pushy, yet unsatisfied and jaded. Addictive, hardened, and insensitive.”

      That explains a lot.

      Or worse yet I can be “Desperate to quell my anxieties, can be impulsive and infantile: do not know when to stop. Addictions and excess take their toll: debauched, depraved, dissipated escapists, offensive and abusive.”

      I’ve noticed how easy it is for me to fool myself about how I’m doing mentally, physically, and spiritually.

      The place I am most authentic is in my journal. I write most days of the week. It’s the first thing I turn to in the morning before my kids get up. Somehow this process of journaling allows me to suspend judgement for a bit while I pour my heart out. Then, I’m better able to get a true look at what’s going on in my heart. As an external processor it’s really the only way I can process my feelings without the help of another person. Although, my friends and spouse help me work through my heart issues often.

      Back to the authentic part. If I’m not processing what’s really going on in my heart, I can easily trick myself into thinking that all is well even when it is not.

      Do you ever do this? Do you ever lie to yourself about the state of things?

      If you’re interested in learning more about your personality, you can take a free enneagram test: click here.

      If you’re looking to get to the bottom of things, buy a journal and use it as a way to be honest with yourself and God.

      Lindsey Ungs
      Connection & Communication Architect

      Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Lindsey know.

        July 2022

        Your Home is a Hallway Out of Hell

        Your Home is a Hallway Out of Hell

        I borrowed this title from a great article on the Desiring God website, which you can find here and which I quote from below.

        “Your home may be someone’s hallway out of hell. There’s a spiritual power that pulses through the floors and walls and furniture of a Christian home – a strong, even overpowering aroma, a wild and compelling story unfolding for anyone who comes close enough to hear. Beneath the dirty clothes, behind the unwashed dishes, just below the dusty surfaces, a glory hums and unsettles and woos. A 1,500-square-foot sermon.”

        We discussed this article in our Sunday Class this week. As a church body we do our best to live out the call of hospitality. We are inviting friends, neighbors, and even strangers into our home and offering them a “1,500 square foot sermon” just by opening the doors. A little food and drink can help the stranger set their burdens down and experience the peace that is being offered.

        In our Sunday class is a family that has opened their home to a stranger that happens to be a neighbor. They offered to watch the children so the mom could keep her job. The children kept them up late at night, but also the kids picked up on the peace that resides in their home. The family mentioned Jesus because He’s a part of their everyday language.

        It was at this mention of the name Jesus that the 5-year-old wanted to know more. He had so many questions that his mother asked for a children’s Bible, so she could help answer his questions.

        This is hospitality at work. One family who opened their home to strangers and now a 5-year-old knows who Jesus is and wants to know more every day.

        This a beautiful example of hospitality. One that has touched my heart and encourages me to open my doors.

        Lindsey Ungs
        Connection & Communication Architect

        Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Lindsey know.

          July 2022

          Exceptional Hospitality

          Exceptional Hospitality

          Cathy recently experienced exceptional hospitality.  She attended a kids craft event and was deeply impressed by the quality with which she was cared for and the communal feeling of belonging it fostered.  Chick’fil’a workers greeted her and the kids at the door, and even offered to help her carry some of the “baby stuff.”  However, the hospitality didn’t end with a greeting, Cathy felt valued by the way staff members engaged our kids.  They didn’t just hand over a craft bag, but they sat. They did the craft with your kids.  The staff talked and listened well to all the children.  Cathy left feeling loved, heard, and humanized. This reminds me of Ephesians 5, which we have been studying on Sunday mornings: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

          One of the challenges I think we all face in our over-stimulated, over-distracted, and over-entertained world is to remain present in each and every moment. Instead of just passing the time during “boring” tasks like crafting with little kids, we can “make the best use of the time” by really engaging, talking, and listening to them well. This is an example of the wise way to walk that Ephesians 5 is teaching us. I am also reminded of Colossians 3: “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23).

          So I guess my challenge this week is to NOT let Chick’fil’a one-up the BODY of Jesus!  Let us all strive to show this type of hospitality to our co-workers and neighbors this week.  Let’s be people that make someone else’s day by making the most of every moment and every opportunity God gives us to love others through our words and deeds.  Because whatever we do, we do it for the Lord!

          Steve Poole
          Director of Youth & Young Adults

          What did you think of this article? Did you laugh? Cry? Learn something new? Let Steve know below.

            Uncategorized

            Where Do I Put It?

            Where Do I Put It?

            On Father’s Day, I got the chance to take a trip home to my home- town church (where I grew up) to surprise my dad. We knew where he sits every Sunday, so we filled his row with our family and my sister, and then waited for my parents to arrive. To see their faces walking in was priceless.

            From far away, they could see someone was in their row and looked frustrated.

            As they got closer, their puzzled look changed to “I think I know those people.”

            Then as they approached and could see us up close, it finally dawned on them that the people sitting in THEIR ROW was THEIR FAMILY and that we were surprising them for Father’s Day.

            Not only did we witness this take place—but those around us saw the entire drama play out as well. Many got a good chuckle out of it. It was awesome. I’d been wanting to surprise my dad like that for over a decade. 🙂

            It had been almost 15 years since I’d been to worship at that church. It was barely the same church I’d left years ago. New faces, new system, new renovations, new stage… pews gone, chairs added, and entry doors moved! A happy, vibrancy filled the room that wasn’t there before. What I thought to expect was not the case at all. It was so different! Including minor details like…where do I put my money?

            We came prepared for the offering—and then it never happened!  I asked my husband, “Did you see an offering? Or baskets or plates or trays?” He replied, “Well, it said in the bulletin where to put it.”

            Ugh. I didn’t read the bulletin. I was so caught up in the moment with my family that I never read through the entire thing.

            Not a big deal, but a minor hospitality detail.

            You may wonder why it seems we sometimes repeat the same things every Sunday. The truth is—from one week to the next, the makeup of the congregation can be completely different. Are they new? Are they returning after a long absence? Are they visitors from out-of-town? Did they grow up here but came back for short visit? Is this their first Sunday back post-COVID?

            But we try to hospitable, which sometimes sounds like we’re repeating ourselves if you are a regular attendee. Children’s Church, Offerings, Connect Cards, Bulletin Response forms, location of the restrooms… these are all things that not everyone knows about.

            I’ll admit I was nervous to return to a building I’d spent the majority of my younger years in—nervous we’d go in the wrong doors or my kids would make a scene or the baby would have a blow-out and we didn’t know where to change her or that we’d be late after our 90- minute drive and have to walk in after the service started and not be able to find a seat!  It’s good for me to remember that all these points of anxiety might be someone else’s points of anxiety when they enter the doors of our church.

            I believe at the core of hospitality is removing the anxiety of entering a foreign place! And sometimes that means repetition for the natives. 🙂

            Leah Carolan
            Director of Worship & Media

             

            Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry, or learn something new?  Let Leah know.

              June 2022

              What’s Next?

              What’s Next?

              The Reformed Church in America (RCA) has been a spiritual home for me for almost 60 years. A few weeks after I arrived in the world, I was baptized into the First Reformed Church, an RCA congregation in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. For almost six decades I never imagined leaving the RCA. Until now.

              A few weeks ago a friend of mine shared these words of Jesus, “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins” (Mark 2:21-22).

              We then discussed the ways God works. God sometimes repairs the old. God remodels and revives and remakes. God restores broken things. And sometimes God restores by doing a brand new thing. God makes something out of nothing. God brings new creation. God breathes a fresh wind.

              Honestly, I tried for a long time to avoid the question, “What’s next for Cedar Hills and the RCA?” But, following the Vision 2020 report last fall, the RCA called the question. Every church was called to discern. And so we’ve been discerning and the more time we’ve invested, the clearer it seems to us that God wants to do a new thing.

              For years the RCA has tried to sew new cloth on an old garment and it appears that the tear this created is getting worse. I believe that now is the time to pour new wine into a new wineskin for the sake of the kingdom. By doing this we will see even greater faithfulness and fruitfulness.

              This is my hope and my prayer.

              Kent Landhuis
              Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

              Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Kent know.

                June 2022

                Easter Worship Then and Now

                Easter Worship Then and Now

                Easter of 2020 was difficult for many all over the world. The church building was empty and the actual church (the people) were fumbling around trying figure out how to share fellowship and encouragement while not being together in person.

                Those of us who are leaders in the church found ourselves in the church building, standing on a platform speaking to empty chairs and a video camera. Without a congregation to speak to face to face, it was a challenge to believe that anything we shared on the platform mattered.

                Easter of 2020 found us as a church staff reeling from the changes in the way we gathered and sharing a simple meal of ham, rolls, and deviled eggs in the gathering space.  It was a far cry from Easter of 2019 and involved much lamenting on my part.

                The people (paid and unpaid) that showed up on in those first weeks and months became linked in our efforts to continue to share the Good News despite having to navigate constant changes.

                Thankfully Pastor Kent had hope and developed a plan with the consistory. Thanks to the leadership of this church body, we were able to function with a core group of courageous ministry leaders and volunteers to make it to August of 2020, also known as The Derecho.

                As bad as the Derecho was, it also was a time of people remembering that people matter. It was as if people came out of their own homes and remembered that other people existed and had needs as well.

                It was as if our whole city took a breath and then used the strength from that breath to chop wood and patch roofs.  It was a beautiful group of people that came together to serve the church body and the community at large. This was a new level of fellowship we hadn’t seen since March.

                Then, in fall of 2021 we saw a whole new wave of those interested in meeting together as a body of Christ. This was a new level of fellowship and was certainly encouraging to me. New faces started to walk through the doors of our church building. Others decided to become members. People who hadn’t been around in a year and a half decided that being together in person was worth the risk.

                And that brings me to Easter Sunday 2022. As I looked around on Easter, it brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful sight to behold! The worship space was filled and some services were better attended than Easter of 2019. What a joy to see the restoration God has brought to our local church body two years later.

                Lindsey Ungs
                Connection & Communication Architect

                Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Lindsey know.

                  June 2022

                  Renewing Our Minds

                  Renewing Our Minds

                  This past week as I was reading our weekly memory verses for our 100 verse challenge, I discovered a familiar favorite that has meant a lot in my journey of restoration. God has renewed my mind over time as I have followed Him.

                   “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” ~ Romans 12:1-2

                  To me this is one snapshot of what Christian living looks like. It is me. It is you. It is us together, offering ourselves body and mind to God. Our lives become a living offering. Our actions every day take on a new meaning, as they become our offering to please God by obeying Him. In Romans 12:1-2, I have discovered this purpose and identity that is more important than myself, and my own wants and needs. As verse one gives us the why, I think verse two helps us understand how we act as living sacrifices. We are transformed! God transforms us by renewing our minds.  As we pursue God’s good will instead of being tossed about by our own whims and feelings, God makes our thoughts more like His! Wow! This is an amazing truth, which the creator God of the universe, who came and died on the cross to redeem us from sin and death, now wants to transform us into His image. He wants us to be His body here on earth as we live sacrificially. What a great privilege and honor! However this is not an easy call. We are to shun the ways of the world. We should not be consumed with worldly pursuits of money, recognition, fame, sexual gratification as is the world around us. My heart breaks to know that statistics say there is very little difference between those in the American Church and the world.  If we are honest we have mostly failed this Romans 12:1-2 challenge. So this month I was inspired by our Ephesians series, and Romans 12, to think about what Kent said, “welcome is our language and transformation is our vocabulary.” How have my thoughts, my mind, been transformed to be more like God’s? What actions can I do to be more transformed, to be a better living sacrifice?

                  I challenge you to spend more time with God! It never fails in my life. The more time I spend with God the more I think like Him. I start to see the temptations of the world as fleeting and false. I find I have more love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. So, the nearer we draw to the goodness of His light the more we reflect that goodness to those around us. The great truth of Christian restoration and transformation is that it is not accomplished by our own strength or power, but through more surrender to God’s awesome power and love in our lives.

                  Steve Poole
                  Director of Youth & Young Adults

                  What did you think of this article? Let us know.

                    May 2022 Chips

                    To Whom Do I Owe Forgiveness?

                    To Whom Do I Owe Forgiveness?

                    My brain keeps coming back to the same topic when I consider what to write about in my article on forgiveness.

                    For six months we cared for two toddlers through the Safe Family program. We were asked to adopt them a few months into caring for them and we agreed. Several months after agreeing to adopt them, their father decided he wanted to have some custody of the girls. So, the girls were ripped from our home and put back into the care of their mother, who had asked us to adopt them. After all this, their father has seen them four days out of the last month and a half.

                    So it’s to their father that I owe forgiveness.

                    If I think of it from the perspective of the girls, I cannot get there, to forgiveness. I cannot push my heart that far up the forgiveness hill. The journey is too far and my heart too heavy.

                    But, if I think of their father as an individual, a human struggling in this world, it’s more possible to find forgiveness.

                    I too am a struggling human in this broken world. I make all kinds of rash choices. I have made plenty of messes for myself and others to deal with. I cut people down. I’m short with my kids and husband. I am selfish and want what I want regardless of how it affects others. When I finally turn my head to look fully in the mirror, I see a lot of mistakes and poor choices and sin.

                    Thankfully, the Lord can wipe that away and replace what I see in the mirror with His image. Pure beauty and love and truth.

                    Thankfully I don’t have to push my heart into forgiveness. All I have to do is open my hand to find the gift of forgiveness already inside my fist.

                    And so, I can offer forgiveness to their father. He is a human, struggling just like me.

                    Lindsey Ungs
                    Connection & Communication Architect

                    Did you enjoy this article? Did you laugh, cry or learn something new? Let Lindsey know.