By Series

Devotion to Jesus: An Exploration of the Letter to the Philippians

Philippians is a relatively brief letter written from the Apostle Paul to the newly formed church in Philippi (in Ancient Greece), and it is packed with practical material that challenges us to follow Christ with our whole being. We will spend six weeks exploring the letter beginning with an opportunity for us all to examine how we approach the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) in general. We’ll also consider Paul, the person himself, and reflect on the social, political and historical context in which he wrote. But for the most of the series we’ll be attempting to develop a deeper understanding of the Letter to the Philippians and how we can apply it to our lives.
Peace on Earth

This is the season of Advent when we wait with great expectation for the birth of Jesus. At this time we celebrate the miracle of Incarnation and God’s love for us all, expressed by being with us in human form. Our series this year is called “Peace on Earth” and we will be celebrating the peace and wholeness of life that Christ brings to us. We will be celebrating the incarnation through valuing people more than things, letting go of anxiety that the holidays can often bring and by loving others through simple acts of service. In fact on Sunday, December 11, we will hold an Advent Day of Service with just one brief worship service for all ages at 10AM, and then we’ll all go out to serve on projects in our community.
Is There Another Way? Experiencing the Kingdom of God in Everyday Life

The fall series is called "Is There Another Way? Experiencing the Kingdom of God in Everyday Life” and will be based on Jesus’ radical and counter-cultural teaching in the Sermon on the Mount found in chapters 5-7 of Matthew’s gospel. Each week we will use this passage to address a specific discipleship challenge about practical everyday life… the kinds of issues with which we all struggle.
Do You Believe in Life Before Death?

In this series, we will examine Jesus’ vision for the world and his challenge to live in the kingdom of God. We’ll ask ourselves if we believe Jesus’ dream of heaven on earth (“life before death”) is possible and wrestle with the challenge to follow after him and partner with him in making this dream a reality.
Compañeros de Guatemala

Come to the Cedar Ridge worship services this Sunday August 7 at 9AM & 11AM (all ages together) to hear all about the recent youth trip to Ipala, Guatemala. We’ll also be sharing about plans for our partnership with the people of Ipala and opportunities for all of us to serve.
The Book of Micah: Justice, Mercy and Humility

This coming Sunday August 14 we begin a series exploring the Book of Micah. This eighth century (BCE) Hebrew prophet was challenging the nation of Judah to return to true, heart-felt spirituality at a time of great political and sociological upheaval. We’ll look at some of the historical and cultural background to the book and then experience the challenge of Micah’s message through his themes of justice, mercy and humility and seek to apply those to our own lives today. This series will continue on into September and on Labor Day weekend (September 4) children will join us in the main auditorium for an All Ages Together service. There will be opportunities for involvement for all ages. Our “Wiggle Room” will also be available in Room 202.
God in the Movies

On June 26, we begin our annual "God in the Movies" series. Each week we will examine a film or series and look at spiritual themes and ways in which God can speak to us through this art form. This is a great opportunity to get together with your small group or friends to watch one or more of the movies and to discuss their impact on us.

June 26: Little Town of Bethlehem (Speaker: Eric Sarriot)
This is a documentary about people on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict who are seeking non-violent solutions for peace. It is not available for rental but can be purchased from Amazon

July 3: Up (Speaker: Betsy Mitchell Henning)
This is a PG rated movie suitable for adults and children widely available for rental and purchase
Experiencing God
Awakening to the Life Within

May 8 begins our next Discipleship Series, Awakening to the Life Within. For six weeks we will draw primarily from the gospel of John and look at Jesus' message in a fresh way, as we seek to get in touch with the Love of God at our core. We hope this is a gentle invitation to embrace the incredible reality of who we are called to be as followers of Jesus: God's offspring and image in the world.
Commitment Sunday and Farm Celebration

While we look forward to what God will do this year on our farm and how we can contribute to being God's kingdom on earth, we will celebrate New Members (from The Journey), Child Dedications, and Baptisms. If you are interested in participating, please contact Betsy Mitchell Henning by Wednesday, April 27.
Resurrection

Easter services at 9 AM and 11 AM
Becoming Agents of Love, Peace & Hope

On March 9 we will mark the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday service, and then for 40 days (not including Sundays) we will observe this traditional season of self-examination and personal reflection where we acknowledge our human frailty and weakness (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”) and open ourselves to the Holy Spirit and inner transformation. For some, going without an outward item (like certain food or certain practices or activities) can help reveal a deeper inward reality or need. Fasting in this way is another tradition of this season. During Lent we will focus on the issue of commitment to Christ through service to the world around us.
Origins: An Exploration of the Book of Genesis

This seven week series is ideal for group study, and we are encouraging all discipleship groups to meet for discussion. Each Sunday message will address a different aspect of the book of Genesis, and there will be accompanying discussion questions available each week which are ideal for groups. There will be a package of introductory material and guidelines for discussion available for pick-up at the info table in the commons on Sundays, January 9 and 16. If you would like to join a group, please sign up at the info table on those same dates or contact Laura Moffitt.
Renewed!

Happy New Year! This month we will start where we left off at Christmas: reflecting on the incredible hope we can have for our lives because God is present. Specifically we’ll all have an opportunity to look at our year ahead in terms of our inner life and also in terms of how we view and interact with the world around us and on Sunday January 16 we’ll all have an opportunity to renew our commitment to Jesus and his way.
Shine Like Stars

This is the season of Advent when we wait with great expectation for the birth of Jesus. At this time we celebrate the miracle of Incarnation and God's love for us all, expressed by being with us in human form. Our series this year is called "Shine Like Stars," and we will be celebrating the Incarnation (the "witness" of God) by being "with" others and letting God's love shine through us in simple acts of service.