Category Archives: Cedar Chips

The month newsletter of Cedar Hills Community Church.

October Women’s Retreat

Saturday, Oct 13 at Cedar Hills Community Church.

Join us for a time of rest and relaxation as we explore the truth of Jesus’ unending love.

Doors open at 8:30 AM; program begins at 9 AM-3 PM (lunch provided).
Fee of $20 is due at registration. Register in the church Gathering Space Sept 16, 23 or 30.

For more information, contact Joyce Firzlaff, 310-4552.

Donating Items

We are blessed to be a part of a very giving congregation. At Cedar Hills, we invite non-perishable food or hygiene donations for the Open Hands Food
Pantry. The pantry doesn’t have space to be a donation site for other types of items. Please take other items directly to:

Medical Items?
Donate to: Grace Episcopal Medical Lending Closet.
Contact: 362-1929

Clothing, jewelry, purses, baby equipment, and some furniture?
Donate to: Treasures.
Contact: 364-1988
(*larger items to Salvation Army)

Building Materials?
Donate to: Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Contact: 319-294-1500

Thank you for delivering directly to an organization, who is better equipped to distribute these types of items. If you have other ideas,
contact Jennifer to share: 396-6608.

Only One Life

from http://followingthecalm.blogspot.com/

One of our “senior saints” shared this rhyme with me recently. It’s a motto that has determined his priorities through many busy years. He’s retired now, and not strong physically any more, but he’s still living his life, every day, for Christ. When our care team takes communion to his home, we recite the rhyme together like a creed.

And it’s made me think a lot about my own life. Each of us has the same twenty-four hours each day, seven days a week. I’ve been given just one life to live. And God made me for the purpose of centering that one life around Him. If I try to build my life around me at the center, that is no life at all, at least no life of significance.

Jesus said, “If you try to keep your life for yourself you will lose it, but if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” Living our lives as the family of God, in loving service to others, is the life we were made for. That is truly life. In fact, it’s the beginning of eternal life.

“Only one life . . . .” Take a moment right now to say the little creed out loud. “Only what’s done for Christ . . . .” Keep it in your heart today, and Christ will transform all your hours, days, weeks and years to be a stream of love that will last forever.

God bless you!
Alan Crandall
Pastor of Care


Noah’s Ark September ’18 Update

We have been very busy gearing up for the new school year. The classrooms are clean, toys sorted, crafts are prepped, and lesson plans are pre-pared. We had our orientation night on Aug 23. Orientation allows the children an opportunity to meet their teachers, see their classroom, and meet their classmates. While the children are busy playing, I meet with the parents to go over our Parent Handbook and any other questions they may have. Our goal is to have a smooth transition for everyone when school begins.

God has blessed us with 51 students enrolled for fall! There are a few openings in our program. If you know anyone interested, have them contact us at 396-3125. We are excited for classes to start Sept 4, the day after Labor Day. We have lots of new ideas that we are excited to see in action.

Jan Fick, Lori Larson, Kris Crowther, Lorri Anderson, and I will all be returning to teach this year. These people are a pleasure to work with every-day and make my job a lot easier. I feel blessed to work with fellow Christians who are passionate about teaching young children.

Please pray for all of us as we begin this new school year. Thank you!

In Christ,
Leslie Clauson
Noah’s Ark Preschool Director

From the Consistory – Sept 2018

News and Notes
This month we reviewed our nominations process and discovered that we need to keep communicating about the value of the congregation’s nominations of Elders and Deacons. In the past several years we have de-emphasized the “election” part of the process and elevated the “nominations” process. Some in the congregation feel like they have lost their voice in that the election is now simply an affirmation of the full slate of nominees.

As the congregation has grown, it became more difficult for the congregation to know which candidates are gifted and called to leadership. We now have a nominations team of individuals who invest hours into the process so that they can pre-sent the best single slate of nominees possible. The best way to influence this process is to give the nominations team the names of individuals you know who may be gifted and called. Participation in this part of the process is the most helpful in getting the outcome of great men and women called to serve our congregation as Elders and Deacons.

We are looking for individuals who can help us accomplish the mission of disciples making disciples in the everyday stuff of life.

Contact Pastor Kent or Jack Ulmer if you would like to place a name into nomination.

September Sermon Topics

A Vocabulary of Transformation

We pray that God will use us to transform the corridor. As God grows us to be agents of trans-formation we will develop the gospel in the eve-ryday stuff of life. Come explore the vocabulary of our faith so that every man, women, and child in the corridor has a daily encounter with Jesus in word and deed!
Sept 2: Gospel Community
Sept 9: Gospel Fluency
Sept 16: Gospel Transformation
Sept 23: Gospel Glory
Sept 30: Gospel Identity
Sunday Morning Services: 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM

Kick-Off Worship Jam

All musicians and singers are invited to take place in the Fall Kick-Off worship service Sunday, August 19. The first service choir will gather at 8 AM to sing at the 8:30am service. All singers and instruments are invited to the kick-off worship jam team that will lead the music at the 11 AM service. Practice for the jam is Wednesday, August 15 at 6:30 PM. Please pre-register for the Jam.

No Fear—You Are Empowered

I love the theme and vision we have for the coming year of ministry: Transform the Corridor.

When our cities are transformed, everyone benefits! (Jer. 29:7). And what we often fail to realize is the great transformation taking place inside of us through the power of the Holy Spirit is a transformation that spills into our every day lives. We are literally little walking balls of transformational light and we carry this power wherever we go.

This is no fear needed. The power of the Holy Spirit inside us gives us everything we need for this calling. As a church, we believe God has uniquely called each one of us to some place specific this year where our empowerment by the Holy Spirit will be super evident. In this specific place He calls you, you are an agent of transformation.

You have the great potential to get to know people, to listen to their stories, to jump to their aid when they need you, to build relationships beyond a ‘hello’, and to share the Gospel. And to share it in unique and awesome ways that are already built into your specific personality and wiring.

Again I say, there is no fear needed in this journey. You are empowered! You are called! And you have all the right tools built within you. The simple beauty of this task is that it is not another thing to do, but instead, a change of focus from just being present to being intentional—to not just being a person present, but being an empowered follower of Christ.

Ask yourself — where can I live out the Gospel this year? How will that change my daily interactions there? What little steps can turn into big transformation? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, that’s okay! We’ll be teaching on this transformation with specific steps on how to put this all into action. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we will Transform the Corridor.

Leah Carolan
Director of Worship & Media

Noah’s Ark Preschool – August 2018 Update

In July, we started our second session of summer school. What a great group we have this summer! I’m not sure who is having more fun, the kids or the teachers!

A quick reminder that we have a few openings for the fall for 3’s and 4’s. For more information, visit www.noahsarkcr.org.

Summer school is so rewarding and we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Everyone is familiar with our routines, knows the rules, and feels comfortable with the teachers. In just one month, we will be back to the beginning: new students, who are very unsure and sometimes very unhappy to say goodbye to their moms and dads. It is very stressful on them and we need to tend to all their needs. Our job as teachers is to create a safe, loving environment so we can actually teach, but that can take time. Consistency, love, and honesty is what makes Noah’s Ark so special. Once children feel safe, we can pour in God’s love. The transformation is so beautiful.

Are you creating a safe loving environment at home, work, school? Once people feel safe with you, they can open their hearts and you can start pouring in God’s love, too. Beautiful!

Leslie Clauson,
Noah’s Ark Preschool Director