Category Archives: News

Funeral, News

Norma Schmitt Funeral Details

Norma Schmitt passed away on Saturday, Nov 2. Please keep her family in your prayers. Her funeral arrangements will be as follows:

Wednesday, November 6 at Cedar Hills Community Church
9am-10am – Family Visitation
10am-11am – Public Visitation
11am-12pm Funeral Service
Luncheon to follow.

(The a recording of the service is now available online for 90 days, until January 4, 2020).

Obituary (from the Gazette).

NORMA JEAN SCHMITT, 86, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, at Cedar Hills Community Church in Cedar Rapids with the Rev. Alan Crandall officiating. Interment will be held at Dubuque Memorial Gardens in Dubuque.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until service time Wednesday at the church. Memorials may be directed to Camp Courageous.

Norma was born Dec. 15, 1932, in Dubuque, the daughter of Arthur John and Winnifred (Baumgartner) Farley. She graduated from Dubuque Senior High School with the Class of 1950. Norma lived and raised her family in Oelwein from 1956 until 2009. She worked as an administrative assistant with the Oelwein School District and Husky Hub for 26 years. She was a caring, devoted and selfless mother, who devoted her life to her family. She loved spending time with her family and friends, she enjoyed watching her grandchildren grow up and participate in their activities.

Norma moved to Cedar Rapids in 2009, where she was actively involved in Bible study at Cedar Hills and enjoyed volunteering at the Cedar Hills Food Pantry. She is survived by her children, Diana (Dan) Richardson of Cedar Rapids, Darryl (Brenda) Schmitt of Rosemount, Minn., and Ron (Mignonne) Schmitt of Urbandale; eight grandchildren, Jason (Piper) Gloede of Cedar Rapids, Chad (Lindsay) Gloede of Cedar Rapids, Corey, Anthony and Megan Schmitt, all of Rosemount, Minn., Jacob, Joseph and Jackson Schmitt, all of Urbandale; eight great-grandchildren; her sister, Janice Becker of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and her brother, James (Mary) Farley of Arvada, Colo..

In addition to her parents, Norma was preceded in death by her son, Thomas; and her brothers, John and Dick Farley. Online condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com.

Family Adventure, Family and Children Ministry, Holiday, News, Transform the Corridor

Family Adventure Potluck & Game Night

Image may contain: people eating, pizza and foodDo you love food? Do you love to laugh and play some games? Well, we think you can enjoy the best of both worlds at the Family Adventure Potluck and Game Night.

Come out and join us on November 20th, from 5:30pm-7:30pm for food and fun! All we ask is if you can bring a dish or dessert to share, we’ll prepare plenty of ham and beverages for everyone! We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out, so PLEASE, PLEASE invite someone who you know might be feeling a little down during the holiday season so they can share in all the fun!

Grow the Good, News

Two Bible Studies

This Sunday, Steve will challenge us to read one of these 7-day plans as a followup to his “Surprising Humility” sermon. Both are available through the YouVersion Bible app.

[Real Life] Abide To Achieve – 7 Day Study
Where is real life found? The Bible tells us that we find it abiding in Christ. In this second devotional plan from the Real Life series, we learn that to abide is to experience a restful residence and a desperate dependence on Christ. We are not earning our salvation by abiding in Him. We are responding to who we are in Him and that changes how we walk.

Unity – 7 Day Study
We all face challenges and struggles in every day life, but some people seem to be able to overcome them better than others. How do they do it? What has God provided for us to live an overcoming life? Find the principles that lead to a harmonious and peaceful life. (http://thejesusalliance.org/)

Cedar Chips, Funeral, News

The Symphony of Me

THE SYMPHONY OF ME

Written by Selma Phillips-Williams

The Symphony of me!
Me, with my wide range of depth and height.
Low tones from the bass to the high of 
the flute and violin.
Some times I sink into the mire of the
tuba and other times I dance like the
strings. Oh yes, I am a symphony and you,
oh Lord, are my conductor.
So simple and yet so complex am I.
Created of many rhythms and tones.
I listen. I groan. And he comes.
Again I move to the stirring within.

Selma Phillips-Williams, Oct 11, 1943—Sept 11, 2019

Capital Campaign, Cedar Chips, Grow the Good, News

How Generosity Grows Us

I heard someone say this today, “Generosity makes you a better person.” What do you think about this comment? True? If true, how does generosity make us better? I’m conflicted about this comment because I  have a very strong aversion to legalism. Following rules for self-improvement has never worked for me.
Generosity doesn’t make us better people just because we follow some moral code. But what if generosity makes us better because it makes us more like God? At the core of God’s character we find generosity. “For God so loved the world that He GAVE…” (See John 3:16)!

God made us in His image, so we are made to be givers. Not takers. Not hoarders. Not pennypinchers.  Givers. I don’t know about you, but I want to reflect the image of God. Be more God-like. And so, I want
to be more generous. By God’s grace, I’ve never given less than 10% of my income, and often I give more. And I still want to grow.

Growth in giving is not a legalistic desire to earn more from God. This growth is a joyous response to the God who has blessed my life beyond imagination. This growth is a spiritual issue.

I hope to grow more in the next few weeks as I listen for God’s calling to give to our Grow the Good Capital Campaign.

  • How about you? Interested in growing spiritually by growing in generosity? Consider a few Bible passages as you prayerfully consider your next steps.
  • The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)
  • Jesus considered money to be the primary competitor to following God. (Matthew 6:24)
  • Money is a thermometer that reveals the spiritual temperature of our hearts and a thermostat that determines the spiritual temperature of our hearts. (Matthew 6:21)
  • Generous giving is intentional, voluntary, and cheerful. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
  • When we have true riches in Jesus, we are able to give freely because we know what our real treasure is! (2 Corinthians 8:6)

Generosity grows the good in us and all around us. I am excited to see what God grows!

Pastor Kent

Capital Campaign, News

Church Trivia

Cedar Hills By the Numbers

Can you match the right numbers with the questions below?

  1. What year did Cedar Hills purchase the land of our current location?
  2. Number of classrooms in the building?
  3. Number of acres purchased for current site?
  4. Total cost of the land purchase?
  5. Number of concrete columns throughout the building?
  6. Number of parking spots in the lot?
  7. Number of HVAC units used for heating and cooling?
  8. Number of light fixtures in the building?

Fundraiser, Holiday, Journey, News

3rd Annual Chili Cook-off

Sun, Nov. 17, will be our 3rd annual Chili Cook-off, after 2nd service! The cook-off supports the Journey youth.  Bring cash to vote for your favorite chili and favorite bread.  Dollars, quarters, spare change, whatever you’d like. After voting (and enjoying samples of each chili and bread) you’ll be able to enjoy a full bowl (or 2 or 3) of your favorite recipes.

Do you have an awesome chili or bread you’d like enter into the contest?  Sign up below (on the web version there is a signup form…)  Contestants are asked to prepare a double batch of chili or 2-3 loaves of bread for the contest.  Food should be at the church by 11:30am. We will have an assigned table for your chili and bread submissions, as well as name cards for your recipe names.   Bring copies of the recipe to share! (You’ll get lots of requests!).  This also helps those with food sensitivities.  We can help make photo copies in the office if needed.

No Fields Found.
Grow the Good, News

Why Should Everyone at Cedar Hills Be Involved in Growing the Good?

Have you ever been part of a really good team?  It could have been a sports team like volleyball or soccer, or maybe a performing team like band, show choir or drama….or maybe your “good team” experiences occurred while participating in a school, work, church, or home project. Regardless of the context, all these good teams had 3 things in common: a clear common purpose; effective leadership & communication; and trust, respect, and engagement from every team member.  Working on a good team allows each member to share their unique gifts, making the task both fun and fulfilling.

The Apostle Paul knew the importance of teamwork in the church. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he uses the analogy of a Body to make this same point.  “God put our bodies together in such a way that even the parts that seem the least important are valuable. He did this to make all parts of the body work together smoothly, with each part caring about the others. If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy.” (I Cor. 12:24 – 26 CEV). With a common purpose to glorify Jesus and with the engagement of all body parts to do their jobs, the church and its members will find joy and fulfillment.

Over the next few weeks, you will hear more about our “Grow the Good” Campaign. By funding critical facility upgrades and significant mortgage reduction, the campaign will position Cedar Hills to reach even more people with the good news of Jesus Christ than ever before. Whether you can give a lot or a little, God promises to use each commitment to both grow us as disciples, as well as provide a solid foundation at Cedar Hills for many years to come. While campaigns can be stressful, working as a team allows everyone the chance to lighten up and enjoy the journey together. We believe that God is calling each of us to be a part of the “Grow the Good” team!

Annual Report, Capital Campaign, Grow the Good, News

Capital Campaign – Grow the Good

Over the next few weeks, you will hear more about our “Grow the Good” Campaign. By funding critical
facility upgrades and significant mortgage reduction, the campaign will position Cedar Hills to reach even
more people with the good news of Jesus Christ than ever before.

We are blessed to have such a flexible and reliable facility. Though it’s still in great condition, with nearly 15 years of heavy use, it’s time to prepare for some major upkeep work with a three-year capital stewardship campaign. In the immediate term, our audio/video system in the worship space is in desperate need of replacement. The system has lasted long past its expected life and is currently maintained using used parts we find on the Internet!

When you enter the Gathering Space, hallways, and classrooms, I’m sure you’ve noticed how worn and stained the carpet is and how banged up some of our walls have gotten over the years. Plans are underway to update these rooms and prepare them for another 15 years of service.We also want to plan for future needs, which include roof replacement and new heating/cooling systems. We’ll also raise funds to reduce our remaining building mortgage and cover the city tax assessment for the street and sidewalk updates in our neighborhood.

For more information, visit the official Capital Campaign table in the Gathering Space on a Sunday morning.

Annual Report, Cedar Chips, Missions Team, News

Missions Team – Annual Report

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

We are the kind of people who reach out. We live in the middle of a large and growing mission field in Eastern Iowa known as the corridor. Every one of us has a call to bring transformation to the corridor by sharing the gospel in word and deed.

We also reach out through partnerships with local and regional ministries like Open Hands Food Pantry, Matthew 25, Safe Families for Children, Family Promise of Linn County, Bridgehaven, Mission of Hope, Salvation Army, Power of Women and Children, Geneva Ministries, Cru (Katie Smith), Lakeview Camps, and the Gideons.

We reach out globally through partnerships with individuals and organizations that spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. We support Linda Deboer and Chinese Family Fellowship (International Student Ministry), Beth Larson reaching the Czech Republic (church planting), John and Becky Leverington in Turkey (Olive Tree Counseling), Jeremy and Susan Beebout in Niger, Africa (RCA missionaries ), Andy Smothers in Bahrain (RCA missionary), Words of Hope (Radio Broadcast), Blessman Ministries in South Africa (Days For Girls).

Thank you for your support and participation in 2019. Your giving allows us to continue our mission of outreach locally and globally.

Pastor Kent & Missions Team