Category Archives: Cedar Chips

The month newsletter of Cedar Hills Community Church.

Cedar Chips, News, Worship

Marked.

Marked.

Marked.

When we first came up with the title for this Lenten series I was especially moved by the word, “Marked”. Enough that I’ve been lingering on it for over a month and reflecting on what this could mean. We are each marked with life. The good, the bad,
the ugly. But I think those places where suffering has marked us are the places where God can do the coolest work. Suffering sucks. Don’t get me wrong! But it can produce a harvest of good when God gets involved and we let Him do what He does best.

Have you ever had the moment where you meet someone and they share a part of their story that matches a part of your story—and suddenly the two of you are friends for life because of the suffering you have shared together? That doesn’t happen to me
when I share good stuff. I am bonded with others through the bad stuff. It’s like a deep brotherhood/sisterhood suddenly takes place in a communal suffering narrative.

I think we have the same communal suffering with Jesus. He took on the largest, biggest, baddest, worst imaginable suffering ever. He understands our story. He understands our struggles. We share together in suffering and a brotherhood happens. He
gets it. We are bonded in friendship for life. It is good to be marked.

It is GOOD to be marked.

We enter into the suffering of Christ this season because it is good to be marked. Come, let us draw closer to the heart of God.

Leah Carolan
Director of Worship and Media

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

Noah’s Ark – February 2018 Update

February was full of fun activities! Everyone learned about the mail and what happens to your letter after you put it in the mailbox. We all enjoyed giving and receiving valentines! Our testing is all done for our 4- and 5-year-olds and evaluations have been sent out. 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.

Our 2018-2019 registration is ongoing. If you know someone who would like information, have them call us at 396-3125 or email at [email protected]. All classes meet from 9-11:30.

Our spring break will be March 12-16, same as Cedar Rapids schools.

Please mark you calendars for March 19th 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. Call Leslie at the Preschool to sign up at 396-3125!

I can’t believe there are only 3 more months left of school! I’m ready for spring and we can’t wait to see all those flowers come up in front of our windows again! I want to remind everyone that we will be offering a 6-week (two 3-week sessions) summer school program in June and July. This program is for current Noah’s Ark students only. I will give more details next month.

Have a great March!

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

Cedar Chips, News

Dwelling With Jesus in Lent

Lent is a 40-day walk through daily and sometimes hourly reminders of the gospel. We remind ourselves of the sacrifice and suffering of Jesus by giving up, or fasting from simple pleasures. We also take-on additional spiritual practices to grow in love. Lent, together with the celebration of Easter, focuses our lives on the wonderful love of God in the gospel.

During this season we remember the sacrifice of Jesus, we examine our hearts, and we look outwardly at what it means to live in light of the gospel. This is an opportunity to re-center our lives on the gospel of Jesus through disciplines of lament,  confession, and repentance.

The practices of Lent reinforce our unity as a congregation because focusing on Jesus and the Gospel creates community. As we learn and re-learn repentance, explore Jesus’ humility, embrace suffering, engage in communal lament, look to the sacrifice of Jesus for our redemption, and experience the death and resurrection of Jesus through this season, we grow closer to God
and each other.

Our time walking the road marked with suffering leads us to ask questions like: “What would it mean for us to foster humility like Jesus’?” and “What would it look like for us to lament the sin, destruction, and suffering in our city?” and “How can we actively sacrifice in response to God’s grace?”

Daily, we continue this journey toward the cross and resurrection, as we dwell with Jesus in the Gospels. Weekly, we journey together as we gather in worship. Hourly, we ask: What are we learning about Jesus and how is this changing us?

I love the season of Lent!

Dwelling in Jesus,
Pastor Kent

Cedar Chips, News, Open Hands Food Pantry

Open Hands Food Pantry Needs You

Our Open Hands Food Pantry is a great way to help others in need in our community. Can you help to fill bags? Help is needed Mondays, 4:45-5:15pm, Wednesdays & Fridays 9:45am-1:15pm. No experience is necessary; sign up outside the door to the pantry (located down the left side hallway). Questions? Call Darlene, 223-5652 or Karen, 360-5410.

In 2017, 3,111 families visited the food pantry. This includes 4,668 kids, 4,657 adults, 1,677 Seniors, and a grand total of 11,002 people! Praise God for the caring volunteers who make this possible!

Bright Spot, Cedar Chips, Family and Children Ministry, Marriage and Family, News

Children & Family Ministry – Welcome Kyle!

Kyle French, his wife Alisse, and their daughter Hadley will be coming in February. Kyle will begin his role as Director of Family and Children’s Ministries. He will be responsible for the oversight of ministry to families with children, birth through 5th grade. His primary roles will be to encourage and empower parents in their call to disciple their children and to equip others to intentionally focus on developing children into life-long followers of Jesus. (Make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life. ~Matthew 28:18-20).

Picture Kyle’s role as more of a school principle rather than a classroom teacher. He will give oversight, encouragement, and training to help families carry out the vital role of shaping the faith of their children. His top priority will be equipping parents and other adults to be disciple-makers.

Please welcome Kyle, Alisse, and Hadley!

Cedar Chips, News

Cedar Hills App

Have you installed the Cedar Hills App yet? It is a connection tool for you!

  • Daily Gospel Reading—Click the Dwelling with Jesus button and read today’s chapter!
  • Give—Click the Give button to make a gift or schedule a recurring gift.
  • Community Builder—Click the CCB button to login to CCB and match a face to a name.
  • Listen to Sermons—Click the Listen to Sermons button to catch up on a sermon you may have missed.
  • Quick Question—Click on the Question Mark. Every Thursday evening, a new Quick Question will be added. This Question will be used in the service on Sunday!
  • Sign up for new classes as they are offered.
  • Order Super Bowl subs.
  • Find links to online registrations for area conferences.
  • Submit pictures and videos of Cedar Hills in action!

The other buttons are always changing. Go to your app store and check it out. Search “Cedar Hills”

Cedar Chips, Journey, News

Journey – February 2019 Update

In early January, I spent 10 days learning about the culture and ministry on the border of the United States and Mexico. I admit that I went on this trip with a bad attitude. I didn’t want to be away from my family for ten days, I didn’t want to just hear the political banter back and forth and I didn’t know most of the people on my trip. As always, God has a way of showing up and flipping everything upside down. Each day as we spent time in the gospel of Mark, God opened His Word to me personally and as I listened to the group. This soon became one of my favorite times during the trip, as men and women of God were speaking His truth to each other. There is power in dwelling in the word with others!

Two other thoughts that I brought back from this experience were to meet real needs instead of assumed needs, and to be content in all things. My lesson in contentment came on our third night there as we drove down a dark dirt road into a neighborhood with tin homes and no lights. We pulled up to a cinder block home and stepped out of the van into darkness. As we opened the door, the light from a few bulbs and the heat from a wood burning stove met us with warmth, but what was even warmer still were the smiles of the family inviting us into their humble home. This family of four exuded hospitality, contentment, and peace. Something that, if we are honest, is not experienced much in America. Most homes are filled with the stress of busy schedules and things to get done. This family welcomed 12 strangers into their home for a meal and fellowship.

There are so many stories I would love to share, let me know if you would like to hear more and I will try to set up a special presentation. My hope, returning from this trip, is to be more content, be more hospitable, and to know others well enough to be able to meet real needs instead of assumed needs. I welcome anyone interested in joining me on this mission, to sit down and talk.

~ Jeremy Van Genderen
Director of Youth and Young Adults

Cedar Chips, News, Worship

Identity in Christ

Have you ever had a testimony burning in your heart that you just couldn’t help but share?

I’ve been pondering victory and my identity in Christ a lot lately. I shared a few Sundays ago how for years I would ask God for victory in certain areas of my life and used multiple versions of the same type of prayer for years. “God, help me with this thing!” was the gist of it.

And then it dawned on me that was asking for something that God had already given me! As a follower of Jesus, I have certain rights and blessings already established. I didn’t need to keep asking for them—they are already mine in Jesus! I needed to STAND on them.

So my prayer changed. No longer “God, can I have this thing…” It became “God, I stand on Your Word and declare that I have victory already in Jesus!”. Even when I wasn’t feeling it. That became my prayer. And I continue to pray it until I truly believe it!

When I’m feeling down, I now pray, “I have a glorious hope in Christ Jesus!” whether I feel it or not. When the finances are tight, I praise Jesus for His great provision. Because He has already provided whether I can see it or not.

When I’m tempted, I often will say out loud, “I am victorious in Jesus!” or “I am a victor!” (This is usually me in front of the refrigerator). And yes, I really do say it out loud. Sometimes my kids think I’m nutty. I don’t care. I know who I am! I know my identity! And I won’t let doubt take that from me. I no longer whine before the throne of the Most High God—I commune with Him in all the benefits and joys of being a Beloved Daughter.

Do YOU know who you are in Christ?

~ Leah
Director of Worship & Media

Cedar Chips, News, Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark Preschool – January 2018 Update

In January we began testing our 4-year-old classes. Testing is presented in a game format on a one-on-one basis with the teacher. Most children really enjoy the time with their teacher. After testing is completed, teachers will send out a final progress report. Then, each family will decide if Alternative Kindergarten or Kindergarten is best for their child. Our 3-year-old classes focused on spatial concepts, shapes, daytime/nighttime, and pockets. The younger classes have come a long way since September!

Noah’s Ark will have another blood drive for the Mississippi Valley at church on March 19. Please donate if you can.

Our 2018-2019 enrollment is underway. If you know someone who wants to register their child, please have them call preschool at 396-3125 or email us at [email protected]. Reminder: any CHCC active member whose child attends Noah’s Ark Preschool will receive 10% off tuition. We feel as a member you already support CHCC financially and Noah’s Ark, as a ministry of this church, wants to support your child’s Christian education.

If your child is attending AK or Kindergarten in the fall, you should be receiving a letter from your child’s school soon. If you have not been contacted, please call the school your child will be attending.

We are amazed with the amount of growth in the children already and feel privileged to be a part of their lives.

In Christ,
Leslie Clauson, Director

Cedar Chips, News

Missional Communities

We just completed our annual consistory retreat celebrating the leaders God has called to serve Cedar Hills. Our guest speaker, Dave Bartlett, raised our awareness of the two key callings we have as Elders, Deacons, and staff. We are called to grow and lead.

Our first priority as leaders is grow spiritually as we follow Jesus. We grow in our walk with God in the same ways we expect the congregation to grow. Our next priority is to lead as people surrendered to God’s plans for the congregation. It is God’s
church not ours, and so we lead with our hands open ready to receive from God. Leaders lead by surrendering to God’s leadership.

God has been leading us to grow a ministry to make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life. (Matthew 28:18-20) This means that we want every disciple to follow Jesus 168 hours every week. In 2018 we believe that God is calling us to grow disciples who make disciples by developing missional communities. Missional communities are committed to look out to those we live with every day—family members, co-workers, neighbors, classmates—and love them in intentional ways.

Missional communities are not an activity or program added to our already full lives, they are communities who take Jesus everywhere they go. Please pray for the Consistory and staff as we grow and lead! Pray for the vision of missional communities as we explore and discover God’s leading in the next year.

Cedar Hills Consistory