Category Archives: Bright Spot

Bright Spot, GLS, News, Uncategorized, Worship

Aug 7 Worship Service

Global Leadership Summit Worship Service

Join us for a pre-Summit worship gathering Wednesday, August 7 at 7pm.  The worship service is part of the Global Leadership Summit kick-off, and is free and open to the public. You do not need to be registered for the Summit to attend.

The worship will be streaming live out of Willow Creek church in Chicago, IL.  Cedar Hills is blessed and excited to be a host site for this year’s Global Leadership Summit – August 8-9.

If you’d like to attend the Summit at Cedar Hills, you can register online.  Cedar Hills attendees are encouraged to contact the office for a special promo code.

Bright Spot, Cedar Chips, Fall Kick-Off, Music, News, Worship

Worship Ministries – Jump In!

Worship Ministries—Jump in!

If you have ever been interested in joining a worship ministry music team, this is the time of year to jump in.

Sanctuary Choir: This group sings about every three weeks in the 8:30 AM service. Choir is open to anyone high school aged and above who can read music (primarily SATB). Choir rehearses on Wednesdays, 6:40 PM in room 132A and will begin rehearsals August 21. All current choir members and any interested in choir are invited to sing at the Fall Kick-Off worship services August 18. The choir will sing along with the hymns at 8:30 AM service. Practice is just prior to the service at 8 AM that day. Choir is directed by Stuart Geiger.

1st Service Worship Teams: These SATB groups rotate and sing/play one week a month. Teams rehearse on Wednesday nights at 6 PM, prior to the Sunday they sing. Singers must be able to read music, as we sing parts on the hymns. We currently have openings for tenors and sopranos, but all are encouraged to apply, including pianists and organists!

2nd Service Worship Teams: These teams are a mix of singers and instruments (guitars, piano, keys, bass, drums, and occasional string instruments). Music at this service is led from chord charts, so some ‘playing-by-ear’ is required, and great for those who don’t read music. To participate in 2nd Service teams, the first step is to join a Worship Jam. (see below)

Worship Jams: Jams are open to all musicians and are held quarterly throughout the year. We pack all our voices and instruments on stage at the 2nd service and lead as an entire team! The next Jam is Wednesday, August 14 at 6:30 PM and will lead the 2nd service worship on Kick-Off Sun, Aug 18. To express interest in worship ministries or for more info, contact Leah.

Leah
Director of Worship & Media

Bright Spot, Cedar Chips, Consistory, Journey, News, Youth

Consistory August 2019 Update

From the Consistory – News and Notes

Our vision as a congregation is to make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life so that every man, woman and child in our community has a daily encounter with Jesus in word and deed.

Our goal as Consistory is to work toward alignment of all our staff and programs with this vision. When Jeremy shared his calling to move to Allison to become the pastor at Trinity Reformed Church, we started our discernment process for seeking a new Director of Youth and Young Adults.

The Search team processed dozens of candidates, interviewed four, and recommended two candidates
to meet with our congregation, youth, parents and youth sponsors. After processing feedback from the
candidate visits as well as references from the candidates we concluded that we had two excellent candidates.

Both candidates loved the Lord, had a passion for student ministry, had successful experience leading and growing student ministries, have built and led ministry teams, communicated well publically, and have developed solid biblical/theological foundations for ministry. Both candidates were well qualified!

When we discussed vision alignment, discipleship strategy, and chemistry we agreed – unanimously – that Steve Poole was the best fit for our ministry at this time. Consistory unanimously agreed with this recommendation and offered Steve the position.

We are very excited for the gifts that Steve brings to ministry. Here are a few of the qualities that led to our decision:

 Steve has a highly relational approach to ministry.

 Steve’s focus on disciple-making, mentoring, and small groups fits closely with our vision.

 Steve has a humble, curious, and teachable spirit.

 Steve is youth culture savvy and also in touch with the latest youth ministry trends.

 Steve has current and past connections with RCA people, events, and culture. (Rocky, Power Connection, Central College, Adventure Life Reformed Church, Lakeview Camp, etc.)

 Steve’s camp experience offers unique opportunities and also represents experience working with younger children.

Please pray for Steve, Cathy, and their children, Abby and Christopher, as they relocate to Cedar Rapids. Steve will begin his ministry here August 11! Thanks to all who helped in this process and thanks for your prayers!!! God has blessed us!

Bright Spot, Family and Children Ministry, Journey, News, Youth

New Director of Youth & Young Adults

Congrats to Steve Poole, who was selected as the best fit for our ministry! Steve will began at Cedar Hills on August 11.  Please pray for Steve, his wife Cathy and their children Abigail and Christopher as they make plans to relocate to Cedar Rapids.

Our vision as a congregation is to make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life so that every man, woman and child in our community has a daily encounter with Jesus in word and deed. Our goal as consistory is to work toward alignment of all our staff and programs with this vision.

When Jeremy shared his calling to move to Allison to become the pastor at Trinity Reformed Church, we started our discernment process for seeking a new Director of Youth and Young Adults.

The Search team processed dozens of candidates, interviewed four, and recommended two candidates to meet with our congregation, youth, parents and youth sponsors. After processing feedback from the candidate visits as well as references from the candidates we concluded that we had two excellent candidates.

Both candidates loved the Lord, had a passion for student ministry, had successful experience leading and growing student ministries, have built and led ministry teams, communicated well publicly, and have developed solid biblical/theological foundations for ministry. Both candidates were well qualified!

When we discussed vision alignment, discipleship strategy, and chemistry we agreed – unanimously – that Steve Poole was the best fit for our ministry at this time. Consistory unanimously agreed with this recommendation and offered Steve the position!

We are very excited for the gifts that Steve brings to ministry. Here are a few of the qualities that led to our decision:

  • Steve has a highly relational approach to ministry.
  • Steve’s focus on disciple-making, mentoring, and small groups fits closely with our vision.
  • Steve has a humble, curious, and teachable spirit.
  • Steve is youth culture savvy and also in touch with the latest youth ministry trends.
  • Steve has current and past connections with RCA people, events, and culture. (Rocky, Power Connection, Central College, Adventure Life Reformed Church, Lakeview Camp, etc.)
  • Steve’s camp experience offers unique opportunities and also represents experience working with younger children.

Welcome Steve and Cathy!

Bright Spot, Cedar Chips, Chiccs, Days for Girls, News

Bright Spot – Days for Girls Trip

Paula Blessman is preparing for her next Days for Girls outreach in South Africa. Her team will be gone from 7/18 – 7/30. They are hoping to distribute kits to 2,000-2,500 girls/women. The kits have been completed, packed, and transported already. The combined Cedar Rapids and Gold Canyon AZ DfG teams have now completed over 10,200 DfG kits since 2014 thanks in large part to the wonderful volunteers each month at Cedar Hills.

We’ve been able to send these kits to South Africa, Zambia, Liberia, Mozambique, Haiti, Uganda, Congo, Kenya, and beyond. We also recently committed to provide 500 kits to be part of a DfG International 11,000- kit distribution in a refugee camp this
fall.

Days for Girls is “Turning Periods Into Pathways” — “When we mobilize girls and women, their communities and our world grow stronger. We are changing the status quo through quality menstrual care solutions, health education, and income-generating opportunities that give back days of opportunity and health.” Visit DaysForGirls.org

Bright Spot, Family Promise, Fundraiser, News, Volunteers Needed

Corvette Club Car Show – June 8

The Cedar Rapids Corvette Club is hosting a car show Saturday, June 8 in the Cedar Hills parking lot.  This amazing show give its net proceeds all to local charities.  Cedar Hills will be running the concession stands – our proceeds go towards the ministry of Family Promise.

View the Car Show Flyer

Register for the Car Show

If you would like to help in the concessions, contact the office.  Otherwise, bring out the entire family on Saturday, June 8 for a great show! Lots to see and do.

Bright Spot, Journey, News, Uncategorized

May 19 – Goodbye, Jeremy!

L-to-R: Kara, Jeremy, Ben, Jeanette, Bree

This Sunday, May 19 will be Jeremy Van Genderen’s final day preaching at Cedar Hills.  He has accepted the Senior Pastor position at Trinity Reformed Church in Allison, Iowa.  So we are celebrating he and his family! The service will have a few surprises, but another one that requires your help! (If you are part of the Van Genderen family… stop reading at this point!!!)

Continue reading May 19 – Goodbye, Jeremy! →