E-Post – August 2, 2010
CONTENTS
Church Community News
1. Discipleship Groups This Summer
Getting Connected: Opportunities to Live, Learn, and Grow With Cedar Ridge
2. Beginning August 24: Embark on the Journey
3. Prayer Practice
4. Student Promotion Dates for the Fall and Potluck Lunch
Getting Involved: Meeting Needs In Our Church, Community, and World
5. Opportunities to Help Children Grow This Year
6. Opportunities to Serve on Sunday Mornings at Cedar Ridge
7. Our Community, Our Farm
8. Cedar Ridge Workdays
9. Middle School Coffee Sales
Postscript
Contact Information
CHURCH COMMUNITY NEWS
1. Discipleship Groups this Summer
We are currently immersed in the book of Ephesians through a Sunday message series called "Free to Live". The theme of this series is embracing the vibrant, beautiful, fulfilling, challenging, difficult, simple life that Jesus calls us to. Through Discipleship Groups, individuals and families meet mid-week to support one another in pursuing the dynamic Christ-centered life. Each week's message will be accompanied by questions suitable for discussion in groups or for self-reflection. Questions will be available on the web under the "Messages" tab and on handouts available in the commons.
Many groups currently meet throughout the summer, sharing meals, fun and meaningful discussion together, farming at Cedar Ridge, leading children's groups on Sundays, or serving the community in other ways. If you would like more information about groups at Cedar Ridge, contact Patsy Fratanduono.
GETTING CONNECTED: OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE, LEARN, AND GROW WITH CEDAR RIDGE
2. Beginning August 24: Embark on the Journey
The Journey is a four-week group experience that is a fun and meaningful introduction to Cedar Ridge and its vision, values and people. It's a time for sharing conversation and food (dinner is provided each week) and joining fellow companions in exploring the spiritual walk together. All are welcome, even long-timers at Cedar Ridge or those who have done Journey in the past. It's current and relevant to what is happening at Cedar Ridge now, so come and focus on growing into God's greatest potential for you! The Journey group will gather on Tuesday evenings: August 24 and 31, and September 7 and 14 in the barn, first floor. The deadline to register and pick up your materials is Sunday, August 15. To register or for more info contact Patsy Fratanduono.
3. Prayer Practice
The third Thursday of each month there is an opportunity to join with others and take time to slow down from the busyness and stress of life. We engage in different methods of prayer together that may help us be more deeply present to God and to our lives in the present moment. All are welcome to join us Thursday, August 19, from 7-9PM in the first floor of the barn. No registration or prior experience required. No food or childcare. Contact Patsy Fratanduono for more information.
4. Student Promotion Dates for the Fall and Potluck Lunch
Students, Parents - please mark your calendars. We have scheduled our student promotion dates for next year: new 9th graders on Sunday, August 15, and new 6th graders on Sunday, August 22. Throughout the summer students should remain with their current groups. On their promotion date, students should first report to their current room and allow their leaders to ceremoniously walk them and help welcome them into their new group. If you have any questions, please email Steve Mather for High School or Lisa Dyer for Middle School.
We are inviting everyone to a potluck luncheon in the barn on Sunday, August 22, at 12:45PM. We'll share a meal and look at plans for the new school year for both Middle School and High School groups. While this is an important meeting particularly for youth parents and leaders, this will be an opportunity for everyone to connect with the teenagers in our community. Come learn what the youth have in store for next year!
Elementary students will move up to their new groups on Sunday, August 29.
GETTING INVOLVED: MEETING NEEDS IN OUR CHURCH, COMMUNITY, AND WORLD
5. Opportunities to Help Children Grow This Year
If you're an adult or teen who enjoys being around kids, we'd love to have you join our Children's Ministry Sunday Morning teams. Those serving on our Nursery Teams provide a safe, consistent and predictable environment for babies and toddlers. Leaders on our Preschool Teams guide young children through a series of hands-on activities that help them learn about God, the world He has created, and ways that we can show kindness to others. Leaders on our Elementary Teams engage children in grades K-5 in discussions and active experiences that help them understand more about the story of God and the way of Jesus. If you're interested in joining one of these teams, please contact Bryan Peterson, ideally by August 25.
6. Opportunities to Serve on Sunday Mornings at Cedar Ridge
We could use your help in two important service areas. First, we need several people to join our greeter team and welcome our community as they arrive Sunday mornings. Second, we need one or two additional coffee brewers to provide our fantastic Sunday morning brew. Please contact Kirk Hoffman or catch him in the Commons.
7. Our Community, Our Farm
In 2008-2009, Cedar Ridge prayerfully considered the ways in which we could use our property to serve God in line with our vision. We believe our farm will provide opportunities for personal spiritual growth, for growing in authentic community and for serving each other and our neighbors.
Getting Involved
Farm Parties: These are small groups of people who arrange times to farm and are inviting our community to join them. You’ll find August party dates below.
Show Up: You can come farm any time! All necessary instructions are in the white farm shed out front—with a contact phone number listed there if you have questions
Sign Up: Sign up at the farm table in the Commons and a farm team leader will contact you to help you through the process.
Email: Email farm leaders if you have questions or would like some help.
Talk to Kirk: Kirk Hoffman, our Director of Facilities, oversees the farm project and would love to help you! His contact information is listed in the bulletin or find him in the commons after each service.
Farm Parties
Every Sunday from 12:30-1:30PM: Farm Team
Every Wednesday from 9-11AM: Parents w/kids
Evenings from 6:30-8PM:
Aug. 2 – Hope Dolan Aug. 18 – Patsy Fratanduono
Aug. 4 – Kirk Hoffman Aug. 20 – Hope Dolan
Aug. 6 – Lisa Cobb Aug. 23 – Tinica Mather
Aug. 9 – Kirk Hoffman Aug. 25 – Men’s group
Aug. 10 – Matthew Dyer Aug. 26 – Bryan Peterson
Aug. 12 – Lisa Cobb Aug. 31 – Betsy Mitchell-Henning
Aug. 17 – Matthew Dyer
Deliveries
On harvest days, you could have the opportunity to hand-deliver the crops fresh from the ground to places like Elizabeth House, Shepherd’s Table and St. Camillus Church Food Pantry and see what God is doing in our community at large.
8. Cedar Ridge Workdays
Workdays are held every other Saturday. The next ones are scheduled on August 7, August 21 and September 4. We start at 8AM and work until noon. Please contact Kirk Hoffman or just come by Saturday morning.
9. Middle School Coffee Sales
JDKA, a local business in Silver Spring, is our fair trade coffee supplier. We think, as many others do, that JDKA’s coffee is superb. Try it and make up your own mind. The coffee can be purchased from the middle school students in the commons between the first and second services. The proceeds are planned to fund outreach opportunities in Guatemala. Support missions, drink awesome coffee! For more information please contact Lisa Dyer.
POSTSCRIPT
Contact Information
Cedar Ridge Community Church
2410 Spencerville Road, Spencerville, MD 20868
Phone: 301-384-7444