We started moving dirt last week for the new Luke Project storage building! Thanks to everyone who has pledged or donated to the Luke Project. The project has received 92 pledges for a total of $109,165. Another 16 households have also made donations of $4291. This brings the total committed funding for the Luke Project to $113,456. Total donations received to date are $43,226.

Over 40 people have indicated they will be volunteering in the construction of the project.  Anyone still interested in participating in the construction can contact Wayne Josifek (wjosifek@southslope.net) or Larry Pottebaum (ldpott@gmail.com).

We expect to be needing volunteers for construction of the side walls around October 7^th.

That’s right, because of your generous support, we are able to help two ministries in Niger—Jeremy and Susan Beebout and
Words of Hope. Susan is a physician while Jeremy specializes in agriculture, both vital services. Currently, one of their main projects is building a much needed nursing school. Words of Hope is working with the Evangelical Church of Niger to plant 52 new churches within a span of 5 years! Radio programs are produced in local tribal languages of the people they are trying to reach. Contact phone numbers are provided at the broadcast.

— Cedar Hills Missions Team

Update – Registration is now full.

How would you say your marriage is doing?

Introducing “The Marriage Course”, a 7 week study designed to help couples learn practical ways to build a stronger foundation, communicate more effectively and resolve differences well.  Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship while others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime. Space is limited so register early.

Brief Description

• The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage.
• Nicky and Sila Lee, authors of The Marriage Book, developed The Marriage Course for couples looking for practical support to strengthen their relationship. The course is designed to help couples build strong foundations, learn to communicate more effectively and resolve differences well.
• The Marriage Course is for couples who are seeking to strengthen their relationship. Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship, others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and practical ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime.
• The Marriage Course is based on Christian principles but designed for all couples with or without a church background.
• On The Marriage Course you are seated at your own table for two. Each course is unique, but usually every session will include: food, a practical talk and a time for private discussion between you and your partner.
• You never share anything about your relationship with anyone other than your partner. Background music ensures that you can chat in complete privacy.

Dates/Times

• Sundays from 5:30-8pm
• September 24 – November 5, 2017

Cost

• $35/couple
• Includes books, course, and main food course
• Couple will be asked to participate by bringing a dessert or side dish for 5 of the 7 sessions

Childcare

• Childcare can be made available based on the needs of the registered participants.
• Dinner for the children will also be determined based on the needs of the registered participants.

Registration is full. Register now. After filling out the form, you’ll be given a link to complete payment. You may pay via this link or in the church office. Registration is not complete until payment has been made.

COMPASSION SUNDAY – JUNE 2017

In 1952, a Chicago evangelist, Rev Everett Swanson went to South Korea to minister to US soldiers during the war.  His heart was touched by orphaned children abandoned and living on the streets.   It was here that God gave him a vision.  He began a program to support the orphanages through funding of a few dollars a month from individuals in the Western world.  His mission was providing Biblical teaching while assisting with basic needs for these children with the ultimate goal of enabling them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.   Compassion International was born!

In 1968, the program expanded to Indonesia and has continued to grow worldwide as a child development and child advocacy ministry.  Today, Compassion serves in 25 developing nations. It is their three “C’s” that make their ministry strong:

• Commitment to Christ – Jesus is the center of the ministry. This may be the first experience that children have to learn about Jesus.
• Commitment to children – Each individual child receives the holistic care they deserve.
• Commitment to church – Partnerships with local churches.

Compassion International has become a recognized non-profit organization.  They are in the top 26 non-profits with Forbes’ 50 Largest US Charities, Philanthropy 400 List, and The Non-Profit Times Top 100 List.  All contributions are tax-deductible.  As a requirement of the 1993 Revenue Reconciliation Act, they verify that no goods or services of value are given to you for your contribution.

On Sunday, June 11^th, Cedar Hills will sponsor Compassion Sunday 2017 before and after both services.  There are almost 38,000 children looking for sponsorships.  Here is an opportunity for you to sponsor a child looking for a special one on one relationship with someone across the globe.  Your letters bring hope and encouragement.  Your monthly donation of $38/month per child, will bring medical check-ups, nutritious food, health and hygiene training, educational assistance, and foremost hearing about Jesus Christ.

We look forward to talking with you about Compassion International and the many blessings we have received by our sponsorships. Please, prayerfully consider sponsoring a child on June 11^th.   “Releasing Children from Poverty in Jesus’ Name”

Jack & Kate Ulmer

Thursday, May 4 White Ribbon Day and The Elim Arrival will be in concert at Cedar Hills, along with musical groups from local churches, all a part of a fundraising event for Fresh Start Ministries--a service that provides personal, personal, private and confidential counseling for individuals incarcerated in the Linn County Correctional Center (County Jail) and the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center. They also provide support and counseling to the staff of the Linn County Corrections systems.  This ecumenical program is focused on the needs of the individual. Weekly worship services are also provided at the Correctional Center and at the Juvenile Detention Center.

Also part of Fresh Start is the R.I.S.E. program: Reintegration Initiative for Safety and Empowerment.  RISE provides positive social support and influences for participants as they transition from incarceration back into the community.

The event starts at 6:15pm with a social and acoustic music, followed by the concert at 7pm.

White Ribbon Day is a ministry with a simple vision – to use music, the spoken word, and the creative arts to reach as many people as possible with the life-giving message of freedom, forgiveness, and salvation available to everyone through relationship with Jesus Christ. As a band, White Ribbon Day has a strong, vocal-driven, R&B influenced pop sound, and front man Zach Blickens is an experienced evangelist with a passion to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Elim Arrival team believes that God is putting forth a statute and ordinance upon this land just like He did before the Israelites years ago. He is calling all men to rise and up and become the men of valor they were created to be. He is calling all women to stand up and be the courageous women that they were created to be. He is reminding all the lonely souls that He can fulfill their every need. We believe that God is calling us out of our little comfortable lives to proclaim this message to any pair of ears that will hear – and most importantly use the gifts and talents God has given us (music, teaching, preaching, writing) to communicate these truths to this generation.  Listen online.

Donate Online

To donate online to Fresh Start Ministries, visit www.freshstartministriescr.com

One of our visions for ministry is to engage in collaborative partnerships with others in the community who are doing good. For many months the consistory has been discussing entering into an intentional partnership with the ministry of Matthew 25 to use some of our property for refugee gardens, urban gardens, and student gardens. At our February meeting we authorized the deacons to pursue this partnership and draft memorandum of understanding for how this collaboration will work. We anticipate that some gardening will begin this spring. The board is excited to see how this kind of partnership develops and hope that this will be a learning process for future collaboration that will bless our community.

The project will teach children and families how to grow, eat, and preserve high quality food right in their own neighborhood. More details coming soon. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask Willis Sneller or Alan & Beth Brockette. For more information about Matthew 25, go to www.hub25.org.

Our quick question in the app for 2/26/17 was “How do you keep your heart passionate for God?” Here are the results!  Check back in the app weekly for another ‘quick question’.

Services for Jean Vandivier will be Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 11am at the church. Visitation is Monday evening, 5-7pm, and again at 10am Tuesday morning before the funeral service.

Please take a moment to visit the funeral home website to read her full obituary and leave a note for family and friends in the guestbook.  Jean’s obituary.

Sunday, January 8 our new Elders and Deacons were installed into consistory (our name for the church board.). Thanks to those who served faithfully on the board in 2016 and welcome to our new Elders and Deacons. This year we will be exploring what it means to make disciples and how we can do this more effectively. Your continued prayers for us are very much appreciated. Pray for us on January 21 as the board and staff retreat together to explore God’s leading. We are excited about a new year of reaching out with the love of God here and around the world.

Deacons

Alan Brockette, Jim Flamming, Jim Humphreys, Nancy Josifek, Karen Schumacher, Willis Sneller (Chair)

Elders

Lois Deerberg, Deb DeHaan, Mike Robinson, Jerrad Swestka, Kate Ulmer, Ken Viggers

Pastors

Alan Crandall, J.R. Henderson, Kent Landhuis (President)

Reset Love Rē-ˈset (verb) – 1. to move back into an original place or position | 2. to put back in the correct position for healing | 3. to restore

Remember the big, red easy button from Staples? Whenever someone is stuck, push the button and start over. “That was easy!” I wish resetting my heart were that easy. Sometimes my heart gets all muddled and disordered. I can feel the tug of fear. Envy. Failure. Pain. Bitterness. Greed. And my heart grows hard. The Bible says I should love God fully and love my neighbor as myself, but my hard heart has trouble loving. I need a reset.

Scripture can sometimes help. I read John 13. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” I read that and think, “Good idea.” But, my heart is not in it. I need to recalibrate my heart. My heart needs a reset button. As the new year starts I am praying that God will do a work in me and the first work I am asking for is on my heart to grow in love. “God reset my heart.” That is my prayer. You can pray for that, too.

Pastor Kent