Category Archives: News

Cedar Chips, News

Six Everyday Rhythms of Disciples

Six Everyday Rhythms of Disciples

These six activities make up much of the everyday stuff of life. The gospel transforms each!

  1. We Are Story-Formed: Our stories intersect with God’s Story. Story-formed people grow in understanding of our neighbor’s stories and we share God’s Story.
  2. We Listen: We set aside regular times to listen to God by dwelling in the word and prayer. We take time to slow down, listen to others, and ask questions!
  3. We Celebrate: We gather together to celebrate God’s goodness and God’s extravagant blessings. We invite others into this celebration regularly and engage the celebrations of those around us.
  4. We Bless Others: We intentionally bless others through words, gifts, or actions because God desires for all people to be blessed through Jesus.
  5. We Eat Together: We regularly eat meals with others to invite them into the community. We see our dining table as the best tool for reaching out. We invite friends, neighbors, and the poor over for dinner.
  6. We ReCreate: We take time to rest, play, create, and restore beauty in ways that reflect God to others. Part of our recreation includes Sabbath rest and worship.
Cedar Chips, Consistory, News

Consistory News – February 2019

News and Notes

In the past the Consistory has worked to refine and clarify our disciple-making roadmap. We are called to  make disciples who make disciples in the everyday stuff of life. In 2019, we hope to see increased fruit in this vision as we live it out together answering three questions:

1. Who is God?

Discipleship begins with God because every attitude, thought, and action of our lives is an outpouring of what we believe about God. Our everyday struggles with fear, control, approval, and satisfaction can all be traced back to who we believe God to be.

2. What has God done?

God saves. The Gospel is the good news about Jesus saving and restoring all things. The Gospel is the fuel for all mission and the glue for all community. God, in and through the work of Jesus and by the power of His  Spirit, accepts us, empowers us, and changes us.

3. How does the Gospel impact me?

Disciples follow Jesus and take on his identity. In Jesus we are family, servants, and missionaries. We live out our identity in the everyday stuff of life, learning to follow Jesus 168 hours a week. Disciples who make disciples follow Jesus together. Through life-on-life, we connect with others one-on-one. Through life-in-community we experience the encouragement of a whole group of people to grow. Through life-on-mission we reach out with the love of Jesus in Word and deed to friends and neighbors.

Cedar Chips, Missions Team, News

Love in Any Language

Love in Any Language

Thank-you to everyone who prayed for me while I was in Guatemala. Or, should I say, “Gracias!”

Before I left on this mission trip, the language barrier concerned me the most. I want to understand and be understood, which is typically accomplished with words. The inability to communicate in a foreign tongue worried me.

My concerns were unfounded for two reasons. First, we had a great translator Josue’ (Joshua), who traveled with us everywhere we went and translated everything we wanted to know. And, he laughed a lot. We were blessed by his love for the Lord, love for the people, and love for language. He worked above and beyond the call of duty to help us understand. “Gracias Josue’!”

Second, some understanding transcends culture and language. The biggest blessing I received in Guatemala was to love and be loved – even without words. The mothers and fathers we met, the children we met, the brothers and sisters in Christ we met all conveyed love to us through their warm welcome, their generous hospitality, and their beautiful smiles. Each day I appreciated more their love for us. “Muchas gracias!!!”

As I reflect on my trip I hope that I shared love back even when I could not express it with words. And, I hope that I learned more about sharing love across barriers because we face barriers even in our own community that sometime feel like we are speaking different languages. When that is the case, I hope we can discover how to love with a love that transcends words.

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Kent

P.S. “God demonstrated His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

News, Open Hands Food Pantry, Uncategorized, Worship

Church Closed Wed. Jan 30

The church will be closed Wednesday, Jan 30 and all activities cancelled or postponed.

Open Hands Food Pantry – Closed. It will reopen for normal hours Friday 10am-12pm.
1st Service Worship Team – Rehearsing Sunday 7:40am
2nd Service Worship Team – Rehearsing Sunday 9:45am
Sanctuary Choir – rehearsal next week Wednesday, 6:45pm
Family Adventure – event postponed until Feb. 13.

All other meetings, please contact your group leader for reschedule information.

In an emergency, please contact the pastors on their cell phones. (The numbers went out in a church-wide, but are also available in the online directory–CCB.)  Don’t have the CCB app? It’s a great resource for staying in touch with your Cedar Hills Church family. Get the app.

News, Open Table

Open Table

Come, join others for fellowship, conversation and good food.  Open Table is for anyone, young and old alike. We particularly wish to encourage anyone new to Cedar Hills to join us and meet some others along the same journey!

Open Table is in between services at 9:45 in the Gathering Space (church lobby area). There is no cost to attend.

Cedar Chips, News

Active Shooter Readiness Training

The Linn County Sheriff’s office will provide active shooter readiness training for our congregation on Sunday, Jan 13 from 3-5:30 PM. This training is open to anyone and will involve training to enhance your safety in any situation. The training will also assist us in helping others in our community should we ever face any incidents involving a violent attack. This training is open to others in our community who may benefit—invite them to come with you!

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

Family Adventure Update 2019

Family Adventure is an opportunity for families to be equipped for and to experience living out a gospel-centered life together. We meet each month during the school year, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month (unless otherwise noted).

During our program meeting, we will meet together for dinner and family discipleship from 5:30-7 PM, Nursery will also be provided after dinner for children under 3 years old. We hope you‘ll be able to join us!

 

Kyle French
Director of Family and Children’s Ministry

(with Alisse and Hadley)

Cedar Chips, Journey, News

Journey January 2019 Update

“Thank you to those who generously supported the Youth Ministry at the Chili Cook-off! We raised $800!”

Sunday, Dec 9 was our 2nd annual Chili Cook-off, after 2nd service! People from the congregation voted on their favorite chili and favorite bread with cash to support the Youth Group.

There were nine people who entered the contest with chili recipes and five people entered with homemade bread. The winner of the chili contest was Bruce Crowther and Dana Chapman won the bread contest! Again, thank you for your generous support for the Youth Ministry!

Jeremy Van Genderen
Director of Youth and Young Adult

Cedar Chips, News

Theodicy*

Theodicy*

By Pastor Alan Crandall

Weeping Savior,
Bleeding grace,
Reckless love,
God‘s open face.
Light and darkness
make it clear,
Through the pain
Our God comes near.
Suffering
Purifies the soul,
By his stripes,
We‘re all made whole.
Hanging naked
On a tree,
Heaven‘s great
Theodicy.
*An answer to the question of why a loving, omnipotent God permits evil.

Pastor Alan Crandall
Pastor of Care

Cedar Chips, Holiday, Just Love, News, Worship

Post-Christmas Slumps

The glitz and glam is over.
The warm fuzzies have reset
back into a reality of cold winter weather.

There are no more lights.
No more sparkly tinsel decorations.
The days are short.
No holiday music.
And the manger is emptied
and put away for another year.

Your wallet may be slimmer.
And time with family and friends
may have been a little stressful
and not of the Hallmark Channel quality.

What do we do now?
Where do we
go from here?
A King
has been born.
And His parents
have escaped with Him
to Egypt.

They’ll eventually return to their home.
He’ll learn the ways of a carpenter.
Soon, He will stay behind in the temple
And cause His parents to worry.
The leaders will be amazed
At His understanding of the Scriptures.

“Who is this boy?” they will ask.
“Isn’t He just a carpenter’s son?”
He will teach the ways of love.
Love that is so different, so controversial,
They’ll kill him.

They do not want to hear the way of love.
They want to leave things just as they are,
Their religious practices, their hierarchy.

Leah
Director of Worship & Media