Immerse 2025 - Church-based

This Summer during Sunday Service we are offering space to reimagine and apply the key components of life and ministry within a framework of Christian Community Development. These Sunday gatherings will offer space for worship, conversation, insight and practical skills for engaging in the renewal of all things.This Sunday we will be leaning into the key component of being church-basedChurch-Based Definition - StephanieBeing church-based means that CCD bases its philosophy and practice on the belief that the community of faith in any neighborhood is a natural sustainable entity to contribute towards the redemptive and restorative purposes of God for the benefit of everyone in that local vicinity, neighboring communities, nearby cities, and beyond.A nurturing community of faith is “the gas, the guts, the glue” that hold the community development principles together. The gas provides the energy, the guts provides the core purpose and the glue keeps everyone on track, moving in the same direction.Flourishing Neighborhood Index Video

This Summer, during Sunday Service, we are offering space to reimagine and apply the key components of life and ministry within a framework of Christian Community Development. These Sunday gatherings will offer space for worship, conversation, insight, and practical skills for engaging in the renewal of all things. This Sunday, we will be leaning into the key component of Leadership Development.For CCD, the goal of leadership development has historically been to embolden and develop local leaders where CCD practitioners are present and working with residents to build a thriving community.Our role as CCD practitioners is to create a safe space for people to be inspired, reach their full potential, and recognize their God-given purposes. The point is to identify and encourage existing leaders. We must also find potential leaders who might need guidance or resources to build their capacity and confidence. CCD emphasizes the importance of building into budding leaders, especially youth. Leadership development in CCD is not about a hierarchy of power. It is not about title, position, or credit. It is about building up those around us and letting others build into us as we all seek to become who God created us to be. Developing leaders and being developed as a leader are not short-term programs, but built on long-term mutual relationships.

This Summer series of Embodiment Sundays is inspired by Richard Foster who wrote in his book ‘Celebration of Discipline’: “Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people.”This series will provide guides to grow deeper with God in the ordinariness of our lives in connection with the Immerse Series during Sunday Service where are offer space to reimagine and apply the key components of life and ministry within a framework of Christian Community Development.As we paying attention to the movements of God in the ordinariness of our lives, the more and more we are able to recognize God’s movements in all things. On this Embodiment Sunday, you will be (re)introduced to a habit worth cultivating at the end of the day as a of reflecting and remembering our experience of life. This reflective practice is loosely based off of the Examen Prayer and guides us to end the day with the grace, gratitude and awareness of God’s movements in the ordinary of our lives.

This Summer, during Sunday Service, we are offering space to reimagine and apply the key components of life and ministry within a framework of Christian Community Development. These Sunday gatherings will provide space for worship, conversation, insight, and practical skills for engaging in the renewal of all things.This Sunday, we will be leaning into the key component of listening to the Community.The CCD practice of listening to the community may be one of the most practical components, yet it is one of the most challenging to execute effectively. We often sabotage the sacred act of listening because we feel the pressure to produce results, whether the tension comes from external institutional constraints or our internal drive to make something happen. It also seems counterintuitive to sit, listen, and wait to act in situations where there seems to be so much that needs to be done. Listening to the community involves a posture of learning and empathy.“A listening heart is always open, sensitive to the joy and pain of others, offering a space within itself for the other to enter. It gives each person what is so badly needed—an affirmation of their place in this world.” —Eliezer Shore

On Pentecost Sunday, we invite you to engage in the sacred practice of Lectio Divina—a slow, prayerful reading of Scripture—as we reflect on the powerful imagery of wind, a symbol of God’s divine presence and movement.In the Pentecost story, the disciples are gathered in prayer, awaiting the promise of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly, a violent wind rushes in from the heavenly realm—a roar so overwhelming, it fills the entire house. This wind is not just noise; it is a divine force breaking into the ordinary, signaling the arrival of something entirely new.As the Spirit descends, Jesus' followers are empowered to speak in languages they do not know, connecting them with people who are different—in voice, culture, land, and story. This moment marks the birth of the Church—a new way of being together, shaped by God’s boundary-breaking love.Luke, the author of Acts, paints a picture of the Spirit disrupting settled ways of living. It is a holy wind blowing through comfort and control, ushering in a revolution of connection, compassion, and courage. The Spirit does not wait for our plans—it moves through pain, longing, struggle, and hope.As we embody Lectio Divina, you will be invited to allow the element of wind to guide us. Let it stir your soul. Let it awaken you to the unexpected and uncontainable movement of God. Listen. Breathe. Be open. Where might the Spirit be blowing in your life?

Stories Among Us VisionAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God’s transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that 16 I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. 20 God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Stories Among UsAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God’s transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that 16 I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. 20 God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.Amara Andrews is a mother, businesswoman, entrepreneur and community leader. She has lived and worked in the Cedar Rapids area with her family for over ten years. She and her husband have four kids: Amanda, Tyler, Aidan, and Hope. They run businesses together in Coralville and have been married for 25 years.https://youtu.be/uL2K0i4Xo94?feature=shared

Stories Among Us At Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God’s transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that 16 I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. 20 God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

Stories Among Us VisionAt Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God’s transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that 16 I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. 20 God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.

At Wellington Heights Community Church, we believe that God’s transforming and abundant love is revealed through the lived experiences of His people. Through our Stories Among Us series, we are intentionally offering individuals the creative freedom to share their unique journeys of embodying peace, justice, reconciliation, and hope. We trust each storyteller to speak from their heart, aligned with the spirit of the Good News and the mission of our community. Their voices will help us see more clearly how God is at work among us, inviting us all to live more fully into the resurrection life. May these stories awaken us to the beauty of the Way of God breaking in and inspire us to join with courage and joy in the stories unfolding around us.Scripture Focus for Stories Among Us: Ephesians 1:15-2315 Since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, this is the reason that 16 I don’t stop giving thanks to God for you when I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that makes God known to you. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, 19 and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength. 20 God’s power was at work in Christ when God raised him from the dead and sat him at God’s right side in the heavens, 21 far above every ruler and authority and power and angelic power, any power that might be named not only now but in the future. 22 God put everything under Christ’s feet and made him head of everything in the church, 23 which is his body. His body, the church, is the fullness of Christ, who fills everything in every way.