When Cal and I moved to Cedar Falls after he graduated from Iowa State University, we did a bit of church shopping among Presbyterian churches in the area. I really wanted to sing in a church choir. When we visited First Presbyterian in Cedar Falls,and the choir stood up to sing their anthem, everyone had to move over a place to accommodate their large numbers. When we visited Cedar Heights Community Presbyterian Church, I noticed right away that the choir seemed very small and could use some extra altos. Of course we chose CHCPC, and have been members for over 50 years..
I just retired from the choir last spring, and I do miss the camaraderie, the singing and the feeling of family very much. To show you how special our choir director is, Sue Feltman insisted on throwing me a retirement party at her lovely country home. Most of the choir attended. She also worked very hard to make me a beautiful retirement photo book with many nice thoughts from our wonderful pastors, Jay and Eric, and other friends in our congregation. I will treasure this book always.
We have stayed active members of CHCPC because the love for one another in the choir is reflected in the wider community. We really try to :”love one another as I have loved you.” This love really resounds not only within the church and for the church, but throughout the Cedar Valley as we give to a great number of local agencies who care for the needy, and then throughout the world as our church and the other Presbyterian churches in Cedar Falls and Waterloo continue to transform the lives of the Bihembe village families.
We have been blessed with amazing pastors from Bob Roof to Cathy Young to Shelly White Wood to Eric Sunderland and Dave Kivett, who have led by example as they have shown us how to love one another.
We are looking forward to celebrating the CHCPC’s 100th anniversary, and are so happy that we have been able to share that wonderful love for half that time!