Category Archives: Cedar Chips

The month newsletter of Cedar Hills Community Church.

Bright Spot, Cedar Chips, News, Volunteers Needed

Bright Spot: Caring Connections

Church Teams Take Communion to our Shut-in Members: Cedar Hills is blessed by the caring outreach of those who visit shut-in members on a regular basis. Although these members are unable to
attend Sunday worship due to physical disabilities, they are part of our spiritual family, and they are not forgotten. We are grateful for those who visit homes and care centers to bring communion to shut-ins.

Care teams include Crissie Rozendaal, Glenda Brislawn, Ken Viggers, Gary Mills, Ray Vander Wiel, Karen Bronkhorst, Collin Aarhus, and Al Avis. We can all have a part in caring for those who have lost their mobility. Please consider reaching out to one of the saints listed below. And thank you for sharing your time and love!

Cedar Chips, Easter, News

Rising With Jesus

I love Easter for lots of reasons. But, one of the big ones is the chance to work with all our fine musicians that call Cedar Hills home. Between the special choir that gathers to sing at the 8:30 and 9:45 services and the large ‘worship jam’ group that leads at the 11am, we may have 70+ musicians involved on Easter Sunday. This is huge! And it’s so much fun!

Why all the effort? Why all the special rehearsals? Why all the people?

On Easter, we celebrate that our Lord and Savior has conquered the grave! We celebrate that the sting of death, the chains of death no longer have a grip on us. For those who love and follow Jesus, death is not the final say. Our bodies may perish, but they will rise again with Jesus.

As a kid, I used to ponder this moment. I knew we died and went to heaven, but the concept of our
renewed bodies at the second coming always gave me spooky daydreams of bodies coming out of the ground all creepy-like, like a zombie movie.

This is not Easter.

On Easter, Jesus shows us what it looks like to rise. He is not a zombie. He is fully alive in a glorified body that looks and is like a real body, only better! And we, too, will rise and get our cool glorified bodies. Real and better. Jesus is coming to restore all things. To make things new—the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. We, as the saints, will rule in glory with Jesus. The separation between heaven and earth will no longer exist. We won’t need sunshine —Jesus’ light will light up everything we need to
see. And our bodies are perfected and new. We will rise with Jesus and it will be glorious! THIS is why we celebrate!

Leah
Director of Worship & Media

Cedar Chips, News, Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark – April 2019 Update

Telling a preschooler the real Easter story is a delicate matter. No bunnies or colorful eggs, just felt pieces to show the story. We tell the whole story, scary parts and all. We begin by saying, this is the most important story ever and it’s a real story.

We discuss, all the time, if a story we read is real or make believe. Most of them can tell you the real story about a little baby born in Bethlehem, but now that boy is a grown man, already a hard concept to imagine for a young mind. Then, we talk about how some people hated Jesus. What?! They thought he was a good guy. Yes, he is a very good guy, but mean people wanted to hurt him. They ask, “Why?” Well, Jesus told everyone that he was the Son of God and he performed miracles, but some people were threatened by his power and wanted to kill him. “What? Like really kill him?” they ask. Yes, they beat him badly and nailed his hands and feet to a cross. He hung there until he died.

Their eyes are as big as saucers and the room is very quiet.

Then, Jesus’ friends wrapped his body and put him in a tomb with a huge rock in front so no one would
bother him. His friends were very sad; they went to the tomb three days later, but the stone had been
rolled away! This is the good part! An angel appeared and told them that Jesus was risen and he was not in the tomb.

What?! Now their heads are spinning trying to think how that happened.

We tell them that God raised Jesus from the dead; he was seen by many people; and then he went to heaven and now sits with God. We finish the story telling them that Jesus was sent by God to die for all our sins, every one of us.

“Wait, what?! We are part of this story?!” Yes, we are all sinners and Jesus died for us. Young minds blown!

John 3:16-“For this is the way God loved the world: He gave His one and only son, so that  everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

Leslie Clauson
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, News

The Resurrection and Christian Mission

The Resurrection and Christian Mission
by Timothy Keller
from https://timothykeller.com/blog/2009/4/1/the-resurrection-and-christian-mission

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of
the age.” ~ Matthew 28:18-20

The famous “Great Commission” of Matthew 28:18-20 is almost studied in isolation from the rest of the chapter. We can only understand it fully when we remember that this charge to the church is from the risen Christ. One way to do this is to look earlier in the chapter at the angel’s claim—He is not here! And in response ask “All right, then where is the risen Christ?” Matthew 28:18-20 is the answer. Where is the Christ, now that he is risen?

First, he is at the right hand of God. “All authority is given to me” (v. 18). He is not merely ‘in heaven looking down.’ Rather, he is now in a position to exercise power in the world and history. He is spreading his kingdom-authority in the world through the ministry of the church.

Second, he is in the ministry of the gospel. “Go and make disciples” (v.19). As the gospel is preached, it changes men and women into disciples. This life-changing ministry is intimately connected to the risen Christ. (All authority is given to me, therefore go…) In Ephesians 2:17, Paul goes so far as to say to the
Ephesians that “Christ came and preached…to you” through the physical incarnate Christ never went to Asia Minor. Paul means that in the preaching of the gospel, Jesus comes to us.

Third, he is in the community of his people. “Surely I am with you” (v.20). When the risen Christ says, “I am with you” he uses a second person plural. The risen Christ is with ‘you-all.’ This is not a promise to the individual Christian, but to the community of believers. In Luke 24, the disciples on the road to Emmaus only discerned Christ ‘in the breaking of the bread.’ Luke is probably drawing a reference to the Lord’s Supper. In the corporate worship of the church, Christ comes into focus. In the ministry of  Christians to one another, loving, serving, confronting, comforting one another, using the spiritual gifts from the hand of the risen Christ—we experience his presence.

Lastly, he is waiting for us at the end of history. “I am with you…to the very end of the age” (v.20). The
old KJV translation says, “I am with you unto the end of the world.”

To the English reader that may seem to have a spatial reference; (i.e. “I’ll be with you no matter where you go in the world.”) but actually the word has to do with time. Jesus is thus promising to be the ‘happy ending’ of the world’s history and our personal history. Christians move out into a violent world as agents of peace, into a broken world as agents of reconciliation, into a needy world as servants of the poor. We do so knowing that it is God’s will to eventually end all war and division, all poverty and injustice. The resurrection of Christ assures us that God will redeem not just souls but bodies, and will bring about a new heaven and a new earth. As the risen Christ, he stands not just with us in our present time, but he waits at the end of history to heal and renew everything. That is his promise; therefore, we will not
fear.

Cedar Chips, Consistory, News, Noah's Ark

Consistory News – March 2019

 

We started our meeting sharing in the grief of losing our friend and teammate, Paul. We prayed together.

Our agenda included:

Approved moving forward to seek candidates to fill the Congregational and Staff Coordinator position. The focus of this position is development of missional community and communication of our mission and vision. We pray that this position will accelerate missional community growth by supporting our strategic focus on disciple-making. Two key goals:

1. Get congregation members heading toward small groups.
2. Having a leader ready to lead each small group.

We reviewed building needs and agreed to move forward on developing a campaign to fund needed improvements that range from updated Audio system to flooring replacement to a new roof to potential HVAC repair to new sidewalks as required by the city. We approve forming a planning team.

We approved hosting the Global Leadership Summit in August. A team of leaders has already been established to offer this event as a way to transform the corridor by helping leaders in our community. Everybody wins
when leaders get better.

We discussed the transition at Noah’s Ark. Leslie will retire at the end of this school year and a team has been formed to find a replacement director to lead Noah’s Ark into the future as a viable ministry to our  community.

Cedar Chips, Family Adventure, Family and Children Ministry, News

Children & Family Ministry March 2019

For March, the Family and Children’s Ministry will be focusing on the concept of creativity! We will be looking at everything that is all around us to see how beautiful and wonderful God’s creation is. He is the ultimate Creator who has made everything all around us, from absolutely nothing. Remarkably by design, God has created mankind to be special in the ways in which we are able to create, and the cognitive abilities to be able to process remarkable amounts of information and feelings.

So, no matter if we are a gifted musician or a math whiz, we have all been given the ability to create! Not only are humans able to create, we have been given a purpose by God to do so. It is not by mistake that you desire to create, you have been given everything by God through His careful and thoughtful design.

Kyle French
Director of Family and Children’s Ministry

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

Bible Memory Songs (They Ain’t Just for Kids)

Bible Memory Songs (They Ain’t Just for Kids!)

If you grew up attending a church and Sunday School, most likely your childhood included lots of fun and silly songs on various biblical themes.
Many of these were Scripture verses, whether you knew it or not! But then something happened— and suddenly silly Bible songs weren’t cool anymore. As teenagers and adults, we moved on to more sophisticated things, songs, hymns, and the memorization of Scripture is something very few of us do. And if we do, it’s not usually in the form of silly songs. We have to repeat it out loud, over and over, and do it the “grown up” way. This works for some… this sounds like a chore to the rest of us.

That was me until about six months ago when my oldest child started Kindergarten. Part of the curriculum is memorizing a verse every week that corresponds with the alphabet. Being the cool worship-leading-mom that I am, we starting singing the verses at home for fun. This led down a path of setting the entire alphabet of Scripture to
music and turning it into a full album.

And you know what? It was EASY to remember Scripture! So easy, that I’m convinced these silly songs should not be reserved for kids—these are for all of us. So I talked to our Family & Children Ministry staff and put together a plan to write songs for our Cedar Hills kids to memorize their Scripture, too. We’ve occasionally added these to our worship service—have you noticed??

I can proudly say I’m up to 30 verses memorized because of these silly songs. That’s 30 more verses than I’ve memorized in my entire adulthood.
Ready to learn your Scripture passages to heart? Click to listen to the ABC Bible Verse album.

Leah
Director of Worship & Media

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

Noah’s Ark – March Update

March 2019 Update

I’ve had a feeling lately… You know, that feeling when the same things look different to you? I feel a change a comin’! I’ve prayed a lot about this and have decided I need to change my focus and say goodbye to Noah’s Ark.

I started in 2003 as a sub, and the next year became an assistant in the classroom. In the spring, I was hired as the Director. I never would have
guessed this path for myself, but what a blessing this journey has been! God has a funny way of leading you where you need to be. The best part has
been the connections. I’m talking about LOVE connections! I have loved so many kiddos, so many families, and of course my teachers and church
staff. What a gift I have been given to lead this ministry! I know God is working on someone who might not even know Noah’s Ark will be in their future.

February was full of fun activities! Everyone learned about what happens to your letter after you put it in the mailbox. We all enjoyed giving and receiving valentines!

Our testing is complete and evaluations sent for our 4– and 5-year-olds. The 3-year-old classes had fun learning about snowmen, dinosaurs, and creation. Second report cards for our younger classes will be sent out before Spring Break.

2019-2020 registration: If you know someone who would like information, have them contact us at 396-3125 or [email protected]. Classes meet: 9-11:30 AM.

Spring Break will be March 18-22.

Mark your calendars for March 11 to donate blood! Mississippi Valley Blood Center will come here and set up in the Gathering Space. Your time from check-in to check-out is less than an hour. Please sign up to donate; our area is in desperate need. Contact me to sign up!

In Christ,
Leslie Clauson
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, News, Worship

Lenten Worship Services

“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people,
that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” ~ Revelation 2:2-4

Sundays in Lent

Lent is the season of 40 days that lead up to Easter. This Lenten Season we will focus on falling in love with Jesus again. Each Sunday, we will look at one part of the passion narrative—that is the story of Jesus’ final days—to discover (or rediscover) why we love Jesus so much!

Wednesdays in Lent

To help us fall in love with Jesus, we will meet midweek during Lent to focus on Jesus “I Am” statements. These statements reveal why Jesus came and how much Jesus loves us.  These nights together are about an hour long, beginning with a meal and followed by a 30-minute reflective worship service. Meal serving from 5:15-6:15 PM, Lenten Service 6:30– 7 PM

2019 Lenten Service Schedule

Wed., Mar 6: Jesus: The Bread of Life (Ash Wednesday)
Wed., Mar 13: Jesus: the Light of the World.
Wed., Mar 20: Jesus: The Good Shepherd.
Wed., Mar 27: Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life.
Wed., Apr 3: Jesus: The Way, Truth, and Life.
Wed., Apr 10: Jesus: The True Vine.
Thurs,. Apr 18: Jesus: The Lamb of God (Maundy Thursday)
Sun., Apr 21: Easter services at 8:30, 9:45 and 11:00am.

To help us plan accordingly for the meals, if possible, please RSVP each week on your Sunday bulletin tear-off or by contacting the office (396-6608) and letting us know you will be dining with us.