All posts by Cedar Hills

Bass Farms

Our next Faith, Family & Fun outing is Sunday, October 20 at Bass Farms for their Fall Festival.  They are open 10pm-6pm… Plan to grab a few friends and family members to be there after church starting around 12pm.

Enjoy a hay rack ride, pick out your pumpkins, or shop our specialty food store for the best tasting apple butter or a scoop of Snap O’ Lantern ice cream on a crunchy waffle cone!

No RSVP is needed for this event.  Pay the regular price at the door. $12/person or $10/person (plus tax) – if you pay cash, 2 and under free.

Located just off of Hwy 30, on the way to Mt. Vernon.

Bass Farms
840 Bass Lane
Mount Vernon, IA 52314

Hope and Blue Bracelets

Hope and Blue Bracelets

As a parent of a child in the U of I children’s hospital, you are tagged with a blue bracelet as soon as your child is admitted.

This blue bracelet comes with some degree of privilege.  You’re able to roam the entire hospital, soaring through security check points with ease.  You never have to make sure your name is on a list somewhere to be let in.  You just sort of wave your bracelet at every security check point and you’re in.

Before I knew this, I stood in line to check-in until the security person said, “Oh, you’ve got a blue bracelet! You’re in!”

It also is a sign that you’ve got a child in the hospital.

Spotting another blue bracelet signifies a type of comradery as if to say, “I get it,” without any words at all. We’re all kind of going about the same routine–trips in the morning down the hall for coffee in the morning.  Trips to and from the various food courts to try and find a bite to eat.  And endless trips up and down the tall elevator to the various floors we’re all assigned.  And then just waiting with our children in their rooms in between nurse visits, latest updates, blood draws and scans.

I’ve discovered there are certain emotions that also surround the blue bracelet.  If you’re new bracelet-barer, your face can show a fear of the unknown, an unfamiliarity with new surroundings, and sometimes panicked tears.  I’ve seen a number of new patients arrive with mom and dads in tow, recently marked with their blue band. They don’t know its significance yet as their child is wheeled on a bed into their new room.

But after time has settled in, and you settle into a new routine of day and night here.  You’ll find us blue bands wandering around the hallways in our PJS, staring at the artwork on the walls, taking elevator trips up to the 12 floor to take in the best view of Kinnick Stadium. You chitchat with other parents around the coffee pot lounge about how long you’ve been there, what happened to get you there, and when you get to go home.  Once the initial crisis of what brought them here has passed, we enter this new phase  on a slow-moving continuum that swings between hope and despair.

U of I does their best – bright and cheery hallways, child-friendly nurses and staff, and daily kids’ activities, access to movies and X-boxes and bingo games, and even surprise visits from the Iowa Hawkeye basketball teams.  But there is an accompanying sadness everywhere.

“I lift my eyes up on the hills – from where does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth…”

We can do our best to manufacture hope from within, but there is no source of hope like the TRUE HOPE I find in knowing and being loved by God.  I’m doing my best to choose positivity, think happy thoughts, but the true source of HOPE from God is so different than any man-made technique we can try to apply.

I can’t change this scenario. I can’t change the strange journey that landed us here. And while I’m angry this infection got into my son and so drastically turned our family’s life upside-down overnight, it’s a trial He has called us to walk through as a family.   But, I can choose to trust His promises for us that He will never leave nor forsake us.  I trust that He is battling on our behalf and holds all things together in His hands.  I am thankful for promptings of the Holy Spirt, that when I start to feel despair, He reminds me of His promises and often puts a Scripture song on my heart.  I can’t manufacture hope, but I can “put on Christ” and experience the real thing.

“He will not let your foot be moved, He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your Keeper. The LORD is your shield at your right hand.”

This isn’t the case everywhere in this hallway and among the blue-bracelet people.  In the dark, it becomes so apparent where there is a Hope in the Lord and where that light is missing.  Without seeing this contrast, it’s so easy to underestimate the true beauty of what we have in Christ! His hope, His peace, His joy — it is so diabolically different than the lies the world has to offer.

“The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all evil, He will keep your life.
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth, and forevermore.” Psalm 121

We so appreciate the giant army of prayer warriors surrounding us! Thank you to everyone who has taken this journey with us.

Leah Carolan
Pastor of Worship & Media

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

    Wear Pink Oct. 6


    WEAR PINK OCT 6 –
     Support the race against breast cancer by wearing pink to a worship service Sunday, October 6. (Or by wearing the official Especially For You race t-shirts… they are lavender!)

    While many of our members will be at the race downtown, we also want to join the effort to end breast cancer which has affected many within our church community.

    For each individual who wears pink or the lavender race shirt, the deacons have decided to donate $2/person in support of the race against breast cancer. Thank you for helping support free mammograms and other related services for area individuals in need and the many families in our church and community affected by breast cancer.

    Where is the Hope?

    Where is the Hope

    Chapter six in Ephesians explores spiritual warfare. Here we discover that the battle against evil is real. And very intense. Our battle is not against other people (flesh and blood) but against an enemy (spiritual forces of evil) that want to devour us.

    Sometimes in this battle, it feels like the enemy is winning. Suffering and pain, discouragement and doubt, despair and hopelessness – the enemy can be unrelenting in his attack. Sometimes – in the face of so much evil – I feel like throwing in the towel. Do you ever feel that way?

    Our hope for winning this battle is not in the kingdoms of this world but in another kingdom. I like the way Charles Colson said it. “Where is the hope? I meet millions who tell me that they feel demoralized by the decay around us. Where is the hope? The hope that each of us have is not in who governs us, or what laws are passed, or what great things that we do as a nation. Our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people, and that’s where our hope is in this country; that’s where our hope is in life.”

    Colson said this years ago, but it is still true today. Centuries ago, Peter said, “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (1 Peter 1:13). That is also still true today.

    Peter wrote letters (1 & 2 Peter) to people living in exile in a hostile kingdom. He told them how to live in exile and not lose hope. Basically, Peter echoed an old Gospel song that said, “This world is not our home, we’re just passing through.”

    We too are living in exile but while we are strangers living in a strange land we have hope. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

    Where is your hope? My hope is in Jesus!

    Pastor Kent

    Kent Landhuis
    Pastor of Teaching & Leadership

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

      Complete “MY FIT” Spiritual Gifts Survey

      Take the MY FIT Survey

      How to find and complete the “My FIT” survey in Church Community Builder (CCB):

      Begin by logging into CCB here.   If you have never had access before, you can request it on the login screen. (And also reset your password if you’ve forgotten).  Your user name is your email address.

      After logging in, click on your profile in the upper right corner.  Choose ‘profile’ to edit, and scroll down near the bottom of your profile to find the “My Fit” section to complete the survey.

      If you need help, follow the steps below.


       






      Once you have saved your work, you are done! Thank you for completing the “MY FIT” survey!

      Becoming a Foster Parent

      We wanted to share a desire that is stirring among our congregation – and that is one of becoming a foster parent, knowing their are hundreds of children in our area that are in need of sturdy, loving families.

      Is God placing that call on your heart as well? If so, please let us know.  We are pondering the need to host a foster family class at Cedar Hills and want to connect the families whom God is stirring.

        Red Sand Sunday

        Sunday, July 28 is Red Sand Sunday.  Cedar Hills is partnering with the local nonprofit organization, Chains Interrupted, to bring awareness to the reality and dangers of human trafficking–even in our communities and will participate in the Red Sand Project.

        SATURDAY RALLY – Marion

        Red Sand Rally & Family Safety Event
        Jul 27, 2024, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
        Marion, 1048 7th Ave, Marion, IA 52302, USA

        This event is incredibly poignant. By pouring red sand into sidewalk cracks you are raising awareness for the millions of children and adults who often fall through the cracks and are exploited daily for commercial sex or forced labor. It’s a powerful visual that reminds us how human trafficking is right before our eyes, yet often goes unnoticed. The rally begins at 10am and includes someone affected by trafficking, businesses and local trafficking experts all sharing. The safety fair includes law enforcement, fire safety, technology safety, children’s activities and vendors. Plan to join us for this great family event.  MORE INFORMATION

        SUNDAY SPEAKER – Cedar Hills

        To help bring awareness to this dire situation, a special speaker from Chains Interrupted will be speaking in between services this Sunday, July 28 at 9:45am in the Teal Classroom to help us as a congregation be educated about trafficking and prevention among our youth.  It is a big problem!

        We will also have red sand available to take home for use on your driveways and sidewalks.  The red sand is a great conversation starter to bring awareness to the problem of human trafficking.

        MORE INFORMATION: https://redsandproject.org/

        STATS

        Did you know in 2021 Iowa was #3 in the nation for human trafficking? It is a bigger problem than many of us know or want to acknowledge.

        49.6 million people were living in a human trafficking situation in 2021 – International Labor Organization

        57% of the nearly 450 human trafficking cases in US Criminal Court in 2021, were minors – 2021 Federal Human Trafficking Report
        83% of active sex trafficking cases in 2020, involved online solicitation – 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report

        Women’s Retreat and Family Fun Event

        Ladies! You and your families are invited to a special day event that begins with a retreat for the women, followed by an evening of activities for the whole family.
        SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, September 28
        RETREAT: 10am-4pm
        FAMILY EVENTS: 4pm-8pm (bonfire, games, etc.)
        WHERE: John’s Place in Fairfax – a country-themed, barn-turned-event center, nestled in the countryside just minutes from the church!
        More information will be coming soon on how to register.  Be sure to watch the bulletin and the Women in Fellowship & Faith Facebook Page. 

        Blank Park Zoo and Adventureland!

        We are planning a weekend getaway for our August “Faith, Family & Fun” event.  You can come for the weekend, or pick and choose which events you’d like to plug into.

        BLANK PARK ZOO –  Saturday, August 3

        Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines is open 9am-5pm. Our special group discounted price is $5 for children, 3-12 years old, and $10 for 13-year-olds  through adults. To receive this discounted rate, please pay by Sunday, July 28. You can drop-off payment to Kathryn in the Nursery on  Sunday, or pay Jennifer in the church office.

        ADVENTURELAND AMUSEMENT PARK – Sunday, August 4

        We don’t have discounted ticket rates for Adventure, so you’ll want to prchase tickets directly from Adventureland and look forward to joining other Cedar Hills families at the Park on Sunday.  Click here for info.