Category Archives: News

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

Noah’s Ark October 2019 Update

October is a busy month for us! We learn about fall with the changing leaves, pumpkins, and get to wear some fun clothes at the end of the month!

We are pleased to announce that Matt Houghkirk will be our Lead Teacher in our MWF 3-year-old class. We are sorry that Miss Mary has left our school to pursue another job. We are excited to get our school pictures taken on Oct 10 and 11. Bring your best smile!

In honor of our 50th Anniversary, we will be giving away 50 books this school year. Each student
will receive a book; we will draw five names each month, starting this month!

I’d like to offer a big shout out to the Noah’s Ark School Board that volunteers their time to keep the school running smoothly. The board is led by Kaci Maire. Board members include: Melissa Oberembt, Carrie Campbell, Allison Johnson, Sarah Lewis, Mellany Davis, Jan Fick, and myself. We meet monthly and are dedicated to continuing the fine tradition that has been established at Noah’s Ark.

Blessings to you!
Kris Crowther
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

60th Anniversary, Capital Campaign, Grow the Good, News

October Will Be Quite the Month!

October is going to be quite a month here at Cedar Hills! Celebrating 60 years as a congregation is an exciting accomplishment! Another huge accomplishment was when our church moved forward in faith
to build the amazing structure our church calls home today. We are blessed to have such a flexible and reliable resource. 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 our upcoming three-year capital campaign, we’ll tackle several projects. 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, usually used on eBay.

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.

If you would like to participate in the campaign preparations, please contact John Davidson.

Campaign Schedule

  • Oct 13: 40-day devotional available
  • Oct 15 & 16: Advance Commitment meetings
  • Oct 20: Campaign Kickoff!
  • 2nd & 4th Thurs in Oct: Prayer Vigil
  • Oct 27 – Nov 10: Testimonials and Discernment
  • Nov 10: Commitment Sunday
  • Nov 17: First Fruits
  • Nov 17, 2019 – Nov 17, 2021: Prepare for the future!
Cedar Chips, News, Uncategorized

I want to be a runner – pt. 2

(Continued from “I want to be a runner… pt. 1)

So what is the turning point of identity? When does one’s brain go from not identifying with something to embracing the identity?

I’ve had another month and many, many miles of training to ponder my running dilemma, meanwhile still wearing my runner’s clothes, reading my runner’s blogs, studying my runner’s strides. Doing all the things I know to do to look like a runner and blend in with the running crowd.

This last Friday, I set a personal distance record of 16.11 miles! And somewhere along that long, lonely road in the middle of a rain shower the mystery of my much-desired-running-identity hit me.

I can’t be a runner
until I give up my former
‘not-a-runner’ identity.

That’s it.

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks and I began to weep.  What is my former identify? (and I type this gently, because it sounds so harsh…)

Slow. Non-Athletic. Fat. Girl.

I can’t be both. I must choose.

I’ve spent ten years working on my health (physical, spiritual, emotional) after a lifetime of obesity that started in childhood.  I’ve shed almost 100 lbs, but thirty years of being that girl was going to be hard to shake.  Words, realities, capabilities, activities… a whole lifetime of things tied to an identity needed to be ripped out of my brain and replaced with the new.

Where is Jesus in all this craziness?

More to come next month.

Leah
Director of Worship & Media

 

60th Anniversary, Cedar Chips, News

60th Anniversary Celebration

60th Anniversary Celebration

Sunday, Oct 13

One Service – 9:30 AM

Did you know that our church will be 60 years old this year? We want to celebrate this achievement and we want you to be there! Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 13 for one service at 9:30 AM. RSVP online for the luncheon, immediately following the service.

Did you know these facts about our church?

  • It was chartered by six couples with young children.
  • We built our first church on Gordon Ave, in the new Skogman developed residential area of Cedar Hills.
  • It was initially named Cedar Hills Community Reformed Church.

Since our start, Cedar Hills has diligently and prayerfully served the Cedar Hills neighborhood, striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our neighbors in the entire Cedar Rapids/Iowa City corridor. Our mission is to be disciples making disciples in the everyday stuff of life.

We are thankful for all the good works accomplished in the last 60 years, mindful of the challenges, and excited to see what the next 60 years brings! Join us in praying that we continue God‘s work intentionally as His disciples.

Our 60th Anniversary milestone will be noted with a variety of activities and will culminate in one all-member worship service at 9:30 AM on Sunday, Oct 13, followed by a celebration meal.

Cedar Chips, News, Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark September 2019 Update

And…we’re off to another school year. It’s our 50th school year. That’s quite an accomplishment of trust between us and the parents, who have sent child after child to us. We are very excited for our classes this year and can’t wait to get to know the students and their families even more.

We are blessed with a staff that is certainly talented and educated. Miss Jan and Miss Lori will be in our MWF 4-year-old room, along with Miss Lorri on Wednesdays. Our MWF 3-year-olds will have Miss Mary and Mr. Matt. The Tue-Thurs 3-year-old class will have myself and Miss Lorri as teachers. Lunch Bunch is my favorite time of the day and I will be teaching this bunch of kids. An added bonus this year is our Student Teacher, Miss Chantelle who will be in the 4-year-old class and Lunch Bunch on Mondays and Fridays.

Noah’s Ark has been blessed to be housed in Cedar Hills Community Church since 1998. We appreciate all of the benefits the building has provided to us. As a mission of Cedar Hills, we graciously thank you for allowing us to partner with you in the community.

Blessings to you!
Kris Crowther
Director of Noah’s Ark Preschool

Cedar Chips, Consistory, News

Consistory Sept 2019 News

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 the alignment of all our staff and programs with this vision.

At our meeting this month, we heard the testimony of Lauren who shared how the people and ministries of our congregation led her to faith in Jesus. She shared God’s calling to reach out to hear family and friends and her hope of starting a missional community this fall.

Her testimony led us to discuss the ways we have been formed as disciples and helped in our discernment about growing a culture of disciple-making at Cedar Hills. We celebrate the good God is doing and ask for prayers as we invite more of our congregation into the exciting call of disciples making disciples. Pray for Lindsey and the Catalyst Team specifically as they grow disciple-making connections.

We give praise that Steve Poole has started his ministry here with youth and young adults. Please pray for Steve, Cathy, and children Abby and Christopher as they meet our congregation.

Core Value: Love.
Because God loves us, we love.

  • We Love God deeply.
  • We Love ourselves properly.
  • We Love our neighbors boldly.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:34-38).

Core Calling: Make Disciples
We make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life so that every man,  women, and child in our community has a daily encounter with Jesus in word and deed. We make disciples who seek, love, grow, and serve. “Go make disciples…” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Core Strategy: Missional Communities.
Grow missional communities through:

  • Gospel: Life in Jesus.
  • Community: Life together.
  • Mission: Life reaching out.

“I taught you out in public and I taught you in your homes, urging you to a radical life-change before God and an equally radical trust in Jesus.” (Acts 20:21, The Message).

Funeral, News

Selma Williams Funeral

We are sad at the passing of our sister in Christ, Selma Williams.  Visitation is Monday evening at Cedar Memorial, with the funeral at 10:30am Tuesday morning, Sept. 17 at Cedar Hills Community Church.  Please continue to pray for Selma’s family and friends as they grieve her loss, but also celebrate her new place with our Lord and Savior!

Memorial

Selma Phillips-Williams, 75, of Cedar Rapids, joined the angels on September 11, 2019. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 16 at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17 at the Cedar Hills Community Church.

She is survived by her seven children Renee (Michael) Miceli, Shawn (Jill) Phillips, Joel (Jenni) Phillips, Patrick (Karen) Phillips, Mark (Margaret Wong) Phillips, Robyn (Chuck) Luensman, and Amy (Chris) Schmidt; 23 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Williams.

Selma was born on October 11, 1943 in Duluth, Minnesota and moved to Cedar Rapids in 1961. Selma loved to quilt, crochet, read books, write poetry and play cards. Above all she loved spending time with her family. She was a spiritual woman and could find God in everything she saw. She has a deep relationship with Jesus, trusting Him for strength through many trials. Knowing that even with all of our imperfections as humans we are still loved by Him. She has passed down a legacy of faith to her family. She was resilient, strong and caring. She always had a smile and conversation for strangers and had the ability to make everyone she touched feel special. Selma loved her family dearly and her family will miss her immensely. Selma was looking forward for her reunion with her husband Joe and the many family and friends that have gone before her.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Unity Point Hospice.

And, we leave you with a prayer from Selma:
Lord, this is one of those times when
I just need to climb up on your lap.
Father/Mother God,
I just need you to hold me for a while.
I just need for your arms to circle about me
And to rock me. Just for a while…
And then I’ll be able to slip down and face the day again.
I’ll be able to go forth into what I cannot see ahead.
Because I have touched your love,
I will be strengthened with courage, and trust.
Because you have touched me
As gently as a breath breathing life once again.

Capital Campaign, Cedar Chips, Grow the Good, News

Cedar Hills Campaign 2020

Grow the Good

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:4-6).

God started a good work here at Cedar Hills nearly 60 years ago through the joyful partnership of a few families committed to God’s calling to Go Make Disciples. As we begin the next 60 years for Cedar Hills, we will use the same recipe to “Grow the Good” that God has already started.

This year, we will set the foundation to “Grow the Good” for the next 60 years by funding critical upgrades and mortgage reduction.

This will ensure that we are well prepared to serve the needs of our congregation and community. Below is our tentative campaign schedule, we’ll share more information as it becomes available. Your opportunity to participate in a committee and to support this effort
is coming soon!

  • Aug/Sept: Team organization and preparation
  • Sept: 40-day devotional reading available
  • Oct: Prayer Vigil for the campaign
  • Oct 20: Campaign Kickoff!
  • Oct 27 – Nov 10: Testimonials and Discernment
  • November 10: Commitment Sunday
  • November 17: First Fruits

John Davidson
Campaign 2020 Team

Cedar Chips, Communication, Connection, Missional Communities, News

Being Anonymous or Being Known

The idea that the pastor of the church should intimately know everyone, might scare some people and might be an expectation of others. Either way, if the local church only had ten people in it, that would be appropriate. But we have hundreds at Cedar Hills. So how can one be truly known or feel a sense of belonging?

Remaining anonymous by blending in to the hundreds of brothers and sisters on Sunday, is a choice. If you choose to go to Sunday service and never get to know anyone beyond a surface level, you will not be known or feel belonging, especially during times of crisis.

In churches all across America people are showing up on Sunday and remaining anonymous so they never have to be vulnerable. So no one knows if they don’t show up or are struggling with a difficulty.

Being known, finding belonging, becoming discipled (also known as becoming more Christlike) requires vulnerability. Missional Communities are made up of people willing to be known, to be discipled, and to be vulnerable. Consequently, they are your support system when the next crisis occurs.

Lindsey Ungs
Connection and Communication Architect

Cedar Chips, News, Uncategorized

I Want to Be A Runner – Pt. 1

I’ve been pondering a lot lately about identity and how one comes to identify with a group or a title. What got me started on thinking about this was a desire to begin training for a half marathon this Fall.

Though I may not look like someone who might frequently run, this will be my 6th half marathon. That’s part of my problem. I want to be runner but am somewhat convinced that because I don’t look like one, I am not. So I began listing the things I’m trying to do in order to become a “runner” (beyond the obvious thing of ‘running’).

  • I own a large attire of running clothes.
  • I have special running shoes.
  • I have a special running app for logging all my runs and stats.
  • I have a running playlist on Spotify that matches my running cadence.
  • I study running cadences.
  • I have special hair bands for running.
  • Running is a part of my weekly schedule. Short runs on Tuesday/Thursday/Fridays, and long runs on Saturdays.
  • I read running blogs and research strides, warmups, and recovery activities.
  • I make homemade electrolyte solutions for post-run recovery.

So I am a runner, right??? Why can’t my brain accept this list and identify with a runner’s identify?

Because I’m slow. And I look wimpy and kind of sloppy when I run. And I’m chunky. And I’ve only been in active training for seven weeks.

So what is the turning point of identity? When does one’s brain go from not identifying with something to embracing the identity? This is my question! There are soooo many parallels to our spiritual walks I don’t even know where to start! But I will keep pondering this and come back with more next month.

(see part. 2 here)

Leah
Director of Worship & Media