Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Today’s Worship Service is online 4-1-20

Today’s Worship Link & Holy Week Schedule

WORSHIP LINK FOR TODAY:  
VIDEO (full service) https://vimeo.com/403072189
AUDIO (sermon only) http://tiny.cc/8mjbmz

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

  • Sunday, April 5: Palm Sunday Pancakes-at home
    • It’s been a tradition to have a pancake breakfast on Palm Sunday.
    • This year, make pancakes with your family before the 11am live worship service and send us a picture of your Palm Sunday pancake breakfast.
  • Wednesday, April 8: Zoom Prayer Meeting at 6:30 PM. Stay tuned for the link.
  • Thursday, April 9: Maundy Thursday Worship
  • Saturday, April 11: Easter Sign Celebration (follow the instructions below)
  • Sunday, April 12: Easter Worship Online

EASTER SIGN CELEBRATION
Looking for a way to celebrate Easter with your family? Encourage the community by creating an Easter display to celebrate God’s love.

  • Include a heart and something related to Easter
  • Put sign or sculpture in two spots!
    • on church property (along E Ave to the corner and along Stoney Point Rd to the corner) on April 11th, so people driving by can see them Easter day
    • and in your own yard (to create conversations with neighbors and share hope!
  • Pray and read Acts 2:22-24 together (listed below with discussion questions).
  • Snap a picture and share on Cedar Hills Community Church Facebook page.

Sign Tips

  • Bigger is better!
  • It’s windy; make sure to secure your sign/sculpture.
  • We have “some” stakes near the entrance to the church, but bring your own if possible and something to secure it to the stake.

Acts 2:22-24 together:

22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Discussion questions:

  • Why did Jesus die? (We see here, it is part of God’s prearranged plan)
  • “Death could not keep him (Jesus),” how powerful is Jesus, that death couldn’t stop him?
    How does this give us hope in bad times?
Lent, Uncategorized

Lent 2020 – Day 30

Matthew 23:1-22

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14] [b]

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Marriage and Family, Missional Communities, News, Open Hands Food Pantry, Prayer, Sabbath, Saturate, Uncategorized, Volunteers Needed, Worship, Youth

How We Continue to Be the Church in Light of COVID-19

In light of COVID-19, we are convinced and convicted more than ever the need to be the church beyond the walls of our physical church building.  While our building may be a bit quieter as we wait out the social-distancing rules, our roles as the hands and feet of Jesus increases that much more.

A couple of unique and powerful opportunities for us to continue as a church:

Open Hands Food Pantry

We anticipate an increasing need for food in the next few weeks.  It is our desire to keep the pantry open and switching over to a ‘drive-by’ solution where pantry visitors stay in their cars and we go out to meet them and bring the groceries to them.  This means we need the help of more able bodies, able to carry groceries (or cart them) to and from the pantry to the front doors.  If you are off work due to the virus or have extra time on your hands, this is a perfect opportunity!  If you are able to help, please email pantry leader Darlene DeVries.

Pantry Hours: Mondays 5-6pm, Wednesdays 10am-12pm, Fridays 10am-12pm

WORSHIP – ONLINE

We’ll be both uploading pre-recorded content and streaming our worship services online, and not physically meeting onsite for worship beginning immediately.  Sundays will be live at 11am on Facebook.  Our Wednesday Lenten messages will be pre-recorded and released on Wednesdays with announcements and encouragement! As part of our regular worship, we encourage you to give online via the app or website, or to take time to mail a check.   Please continue to support the ministry of our church!

If you are unable to catch the live feeds, we post all our sermons online. They can be accessed in iTunes, Buzzsprout, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartradio, and on the website. (There is also a button in the Cedar Hills App – get the app!)

Watch Parties

We encourage you to keep worshipping with us on a regular schedule, and taking “Watch Party” pictures of your family or group as you join together to listen/watch online, submitting them in the ‘comments’ of the video feeds.

Facebook Groups

There are couple of Facebook groups we want to draw your attention to that you might like to join. We believe within these groups we can support each other, hear of needs, and respond from what we have! Toilet paper, childcare, meals delivered, etc.  We are especially excited about how we can respond to needs as they arise.

Children Singing Video

The children ages 3 to 5th grade have been working for weeks on a song they planned to sing Palm Sunday.  We would like to collect videos of your child singing along with the song to create a video montage.  The recording and lyrics are here.  When completed, send your video recording to Leah Carolan by March 29 (email, dropbox, ishare… whichever way you prefer!)

Journey Youth

Pastor Steve has created a YouTube channel for the Journey Youth.  He’ll also be touching base with the youth via texts and email.

Zoom Meetings, Marco Polo and Other Video Apps

If your small group decides to forgo physical meetings, consider setting a time once a week where you will all login together for a Zoom meeting or other video meeting app.  Or begin a Marco Polo group and stay in touch via video messages with encouragement, prayer support and community.

Stay Connected

Please call your friends. Check on your neighbors.  Connect with those who live alone and let them know they are not alone.  Respond to needs you hear as best you can! (Or share them with us in the Facebook groups.).  We need each other.

Pray

Continue to pray.  Join our prayer chain to lift up others in prayer.  Pray that God would help our lights to shine brightly as we minister to those around us.

Follow us on Social Media

Facebook – @cedarhillscommunitychurch
Instagram – @cedarhillscr
Twitter – @cedarhillscr

 

Job, Uncategorized

Job Opening – Ambassador of Care

Cedar Hills Community Church is seeking a part-time Ambassador of Care to join our staff.

General Job Summary:

The Ambassador of Care will oversee the care ministries of Cedar Hills as they relate to individuals in our congregation and community who need support and encouragement. This role will focus on welcoming new faces and pastoral care for special needs. This position reports to the Pastor of Preaching and Leadership.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Recruit and train a team of ambassadors to help individuals find their way into the life of Cedar Hills Community Church.
  • Recruit a team of caregivers to provide support for individuals facing illness, hospitalization, death or other life crisis.
  • Work with Elders and others to provide care and Communion for shut-ins.
  • Track members and friends of the congregation who have been absent or disconnected.
  • Champion missional communities as the preferred path for both welcome and care.

Performance Expectations:

  • Exhibit a passion for God and a Christ-like spirit.
  • Demonstrate skill in applying Biblical principles.
  • Encourage spiritual growth.
  • Team building.
  • Self-starter.
  • Creativity, flexibility, and responsiveness.
  • Represent the church in a positive manner.

Qualifications:

  • Experience in pastoral care.
  • Ability to respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints.
  • Ability to deal effectively with a wide range of interpersonal situations.
  • Ability to define problems, collect data, and draw valid conclusions.
  • Ability to communicate effectively.

This is a half time position (20hrs/week).  Ordination is not required.

To apply:

  • Send a cover letter that includes a personal statement of your faith journey.
  • a resume with references.
  • by e-mail: Pastor Kent Landhuis

This is intended to give a general overview of the position of Ambassador of Care and is not meant to be a complete list of duties. February 13, 2020 – LC

Uncategorized

State of the Church: Growing Good

“I am confident of this, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6).

Last night I heard a testimony about God’s faithfulness in a time of personal crisis. When this individual encountered trauma, she discovered that God provided comfort, support, and hope through the community around her. Friends at Cedar Hills acted like family, wrapping their arms of love around someone in need. Thanks be to God!

While this testimony was one person’s story, it could be repeated countless times. God’s goodness, experienced through the hands and feet of a loving community, becomes real as we live out our lives of faith together. This is one of the many “goods” that God is growing in us and through us.

God is good and God’s faithfulness endures forever. God makes and keeps promises. God finishes what God starts.

For 60 years our congregation has experienced God’s goodness in times of joy and trauma. Thanks be to God!

As we plan for the future, we do so with confidence knowing that God’s love never changes. The truth and certainty of God’s unchanging character provides stability in times of change.

This is the foundation of our faith. “Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

The Lord be with you,
Pastor Kent

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

 

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