Though Jesus is the very Son of God, he did not come to earth to be served by humankind. Instead, he came to serve and put others above his own interests and needs. As disciples of Jesus, we serve others by building up the body of Christ and our surrounding community. SERVE The church is more than a building—it's the people. Every impactful moment we create is made possible by dedicated volunteers. When you offer your time and talents, you move from simply attending church to actively being the church. Our weekend services and weekly programs happen because of individuals like you, eager to be part of God's work in our community. JOIN THE TEAM SIGN UP HERE SIGN UP HERE MINISTRY PARTNERS

On January 21, we're kicking off 7 days of prayer and fasting. For this one week, we want to disconnect from the world through fasting and spend that time praying, connecting with God for three things. For personal revival and a vision of His promises in our lives. For specific opportunities to share the gospel with people in our lives. For our church family and the accomplishment of God’s mission here in the DMV area. GUIDE & JOURNAL PRAYER PROMPTS On February 1, we're kicking off 7 days of prayer and fasting. For this one week, we want to disconnect from the world through fasting and spend that time praying, connecting with God. Prayer is a lifeline. I have tried so hard to make prayer first in every situation. However, I’ve discovered many times that I often act first then want God to rescue me out of a situation, but prayer should be our premier choice, not our last resort. You see, recognizing the value of prayer as a lifeline is not enough. For prayer to become a part of our life, it needs to become something we look forward to doing, something that doesn’t give us a headache or makes us feel bad doing, but something that rejuvenates us, giving us hope and tangible peace. That’s the purpose of this week, and my ultimate prayer and hope for each of us, is that by practicing praying will help us experience what Paul the Apostle spoke of in Ephesians 3:18-19, to know how wide, how long, how high, and how deep God’s love is for you – a lifeline for our daily lives. So whether it’s before the day begins or before you go to bed, whether before you send that text or before you walk into that meeting, whether when bad things happen or before bad things happen, make prayer your lifeline. If you’re a well seasoned Christ follower or need to supercharge your prayers, then add the spiritual discipline of fasting to this week. And as you do so, I’m sure you’ll experience God and his grace for you. I can’t wait to hear the testimonies of all that God is doing and accomplishing in you and through you as you pray and fast. The sections below will guide you through how you can pray or fast, and what we’re praying for each day of this week. I’m praying God moves mightily in your life this week as you take a step of faith in prayer and fasting! Pastor Jonathan P.S. If you want prayer this week, click this link and submit a prayer request so the staff, elders, and other church leaders can pray for you. How Should We Pray? How do we make prayer a part of our everyday life? We can learn from two things that Jesus did in Mark 1:35. And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (Mark 1:35 ESV) We should pray at a CERTAIN TIME . Jesus got up very early in the morning to spend time with His Heavenly Father. For prayer to work, we should do the same. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the morning or evening, but make sure it is a time you can be consistent with praying. Make a daily appointment with God and keep it. We should pray at a CERTAIN PLACE . Jesus had a prayer place. The place Jesus went was desolate on purpose. Your prayer place needs to be an undistracted environment where you can pray aloud and hear from God. Consider finding somewhere distractions can’t find you, or where you can’t access distractions. Maybe have some worship music playing in the background to muffle out the distractions. What Should You Pray? To make the most of your CERTAIN TIME and CERTAIN PLACE , you should go into prayer with a CERTAIN PLAN . Go into your prayer time with a plan. If it changes, that’s fine. For example, when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He gave His disciples a prayer outline. We call it the Lord’s Prayer. This is our plan this week. We are going to pray a little bit of the Lord’s prayer each day for 7 days. The Lord’s prayer can be found in Luke 11:2-4 and in Matthew 6:9-13. Below is the version from the Gospel of Matthew. 9 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for yours is the kingdom, the power, and glory forever. Amen.* (Matthew 6:9-13 ESV) Daily Prayer Prompts 01 Our Father in heaven... God loves when we call him, “Our Father...” Look at what the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” Speak the Name: Begin your prayer today by simply by saying, "Father." Don't rush past it. Let the reality sink in that the Creator of the Universe invites you to call Him "Dad" (Abba). Give Thanks: You are not an outsider or an employee; you are a child of God. Thank Him for adopting you, for removing the spirit of fear, and for giving you a seat at His table. Go Deeper: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the Father's love to you in a fresh way today. Pray, "Lord, take me from knowing about You to truly knowing Your heart. Show me how to live as a confident child, not a fearful slave." 02 …hallowed be your name… To "hallow" God’s name is to set it apart as holy. It is an act of pure worship. Jesus teaches us that before we ask for anything, we pause to honor who God is. Who has God been to you recently? Read through the names below. Does one jump off the page? Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Who Provides El Shaddai: The Almighty Sufficient One El Elion: The Most High Ruler Jehovah Nissi: The Lord’s Banner of Victory Jehovah Shalom: The Lord Our Peace Jehovah Mekadesh: The Lord Who Sanctifies Jehovah Rophe: The Lord Who Heals Jehovah Tsikenu: The Lord My Righteousness Jehovah Robi: The Lord My Shepherd First, identify one name that describes how God has already shown up for you and write a prayer of thanks. Second, identify the name you need Him to be today. Call upon that name, trusting He will meet you there. 03 Your kingdom come, your will be done... "Your Kingdom Come" is a dangerous prayer. When we pray this, we are inviting God’s will to take the lead. Our duty is to align our hearts with God’s. These are the priorities of God’s kingdom: Salvation: Intercede for those who do not yet know Jesus. People in Authority: Ask for God's guidance over our leaders in government, school, church, and home. Transformation: Invite God to shape your character and competency to look more like Christ. Jesus says in Luke 12:30-31, “For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” What personal priority is hardest for you to lay down today? Write a prayer surrendering that specific desire to God, trusting His promise in Luke 12 that when you seek His Kingdom first, He takes care of the rest. 04 Give us this day our daily bread... This petition is about acknowledging our source of life. Just as the Israelites sang on their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV) We must remind ourselves where our help originates. It does not come from our job, our bank account, or our connections. Ask God for exactly what you need today, whether that need is physical, emotional, or financial, once you asked, rest in the knowledge that the One who made the earth is capable of taking care of you. 05 ... and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Forgiveness is a two-way street. We cannot freely receive what we refuse to give. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —1 John 1:9 (ESV) Ask God to check your heart and motives right now. Is there unconfessed sin or hidden pride? Write it down, then draw a line through it as a symbol of receiving His faithful cleansing. Who has offended you? Whether the wound is fresh or old, holding onto it only hurts you. List the names of those you need to forgive. beside their names, write: "I release you." Decide now to guard your heart against future offenses. Pray, "Lord, I choose to forgive in advance anyone who hurts me today." 06 ... and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Spiritual warfare is rarely a physical fight; but it definitely is a real fight. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12-13: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13 ESV) Our enemy may be real, but so is our armor. Today, identify where you need to stand firm in the gospel. Is it your patience, purity, or peace? See if you can pinpoint the specific lie the enemy is using against you and find Scripture that silences it. Finally, turn that Bible passage into a prayer, inviting God to fight this battle on your behalf. 07 “...For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever.” Today, we’re sealing our week by making three faith declarations: Yours is the Kingdom - Remind your situation who is in charge. Write a sentence declaring that God rules over your specific circumstances. Yours is the Power - Jeremiah prayed, "Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens... Nothing is too hard for you" (Jeremiah 32:17). Write down the "impossible" thing you are trusting God’s power to handle. Yours is the Glory forever - Faith thanks God before the answer comes. Write a declaration of praise, thanking Him in advance for the victory He is bringing. Look back over your prayers this week. Now, write the biggest one as a declaration of God's capability. Something like, "because God is faithful, I believe that..." What is Fasting? Fasting is withholding from something we want so we can set our attention on God. Food is an important part of life, but Scripture is full of invitations to go without it for a period of time to connect with God and be more mindful of our reliance on him. Types of Fasts: Complete Food Fast In this type of fast, you drink only liquids. Drink a lot of water, and then add in juice and shakes as needed. Partial Food Fast This fast involves abstaining from eating any type of food for a certain period of time each day. For example, you can choose to skip a certain meal or abstain from eating until sunset. Selective Food Fast This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food. Soul Fast If you don’t have much experience fasting food, have health (or other) issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance, this is a great option for you. For example, you might choose to fast social media or television for the duration and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast. How to Journal: W rite down your thoughts in following areas using two sentences or more: Write specifically the things you are grateful to God for. Write specifically the action steps you are going to take today or the next day to address any insights you received from God while you were praying or clinging to God through fasting. Write specifically the things you want to see God do for your own personal revival, opportunities to share the gospel in word and deed to the people around you, or through the church in our area. At the end of the 7 days, you should review your journal entries. In reviewing your journal entries, ask yourself: Are there any patterns in your gratitude toward God? Are there specific action steps that should be incorporated into your everyday routines? Are there any opportunities to minister the gospel in word or in deed that you need to step into?

acb4eaa3-8f24-4b27-8466-aa731ba75967 Follow me: a disciple knows and follows Jesus When we look at the life of Jesus, it is very clear that his mind and his worldview were deeply formed by the Scriptures. As we read the Gospels, we see that he was literate, conversant, and passionate about the Word of God. And he calls his followers to be the same. A disciple of Jesus needs to understand and embrace the essential teachings of the Bible. Each month we will explore an essential doctrine of God’s Word through video and print resources. We hope that you will find these helpful in your discipleship journey. The Doctrine of God the Father BOOKS Knowing God by J. I. Packer The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith ARTICLES God as Father by Gerald Bray What is the Doctrine of the Trinity? by Matt Perman VIDEOS The Doctrine of God by Village Church Resources 3 Minute Theology: What is the Trinity? NOTES COMMENTS head page

be7ce2f8-13a9-489b-9a21-4ba4910edb99 Fishers of men: a disciple is committed to the mission of Jesus A fully-formed disciple of Jesus will live as Jesus lived: loving others as we love ourselves, caring for the marginalized, and sharing the good news of Jesus wherever we are. We do not have to quit our jobs and move to a foreign country to participate in the mission of Jesus. We do it right where we live and work and play. Each month on this page we will offer practical guidance on how to join Jesus in the work he is already doing in the lives of those around us. Incarnational Living BOOKS Analog Church: Why We Need Real Places, People and Things in the Digital Age by Jay Kim Placed for a Purpose by Chris and Elizabeth McKinney ARTICLES Living Incarnationally by Greg Boyd Incarnational Living by Jay Ferguson VIDEOS Sustaining Incarnational Mission by John Tyson Incarnational Mission by Jeff Vanderstelt NOTES COMMENTS hands page

Assist Gaithersburg Help: Call Center - Food/Infant Coordinator Assist Work at home using your phone and computer with Internet access; return calls to schedule clients to receive food or infant needs at our food pantry; phone hours are M-F 9 am to 12 noon; commitment is 6 hours per month. 1 hour monthly Monthly 5

Assist Men's Ministry: Moving Team Assist Help someone in need with a local move 3-4 hours sporadically Sporadically 6

WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING Our mission to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) finds its roots in God’s original mission: to go and be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:1-3). Blessing others and helping people come to know and love Jesus are closely linked together. If we build one of the BLESS practices into our lives every day, we will not only look more like Jesus, we will help others find Jesus, too – which is exactly what God calls us to do. Want to be part of the BLESS experience? Text BLESS to 833-237-0443 to sign up and receive weekly encouragement, practical next steps, and simple ways to love the people around you like Jesus. Tap each icon below to learn more. BEGIN WITH PRAYER LISTEN WITH CARE EAT WITH OTHERS SERVE WITH LOVE SHARE YOUR STORY

Join us at Cedarbrook this Easter weekend as we reflect on the cross and celebrate the hope of the resurrection. We’ll begin with our Good Friday service, a meaningful time to slow down and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Together we’ll reflect on the cross and the truth that Jesus took our place, giving his life so we could be forgiven and welcomed into God’s presence. Then come celebrate the joy of Easter Sunday, when we gather to remember that the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive. His resurrection declares that he is the risen King with authority over life and death, inviting us into the new life he offers. Easter Sunday services will begin with a sunrise service (rain or shine), followed by additional services. Come celebrate the risen King with us! We’d love for you to be part of it. Good Friday Friday, April 3 6:00pm For the Kids Preschool & Younger Easter Sunday, April 5 Sunrise Service 6:30am (rain or shine; indoors if there is rain) 9:30am & 11:15am Livestream at 9:30am For the Kids Promiseland: 9:30 & 11:15am Middle & High School: 11:15am Digital Invites Download and share our Easter invites! Use the Story size for Instagram or Facebook Stories, and the Social Post size for regular posts on Instagram, Facebook, or other platforms. Share them with your friends and invite someone to join you this Easter at Cedarbrook.

Encourage Worship: Lighting Technician Encourage Lighting technician on the A/V production team. 8 hours Monthly, bi-weekly, weekly Monthly, bi-weekly, weekly 4

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 1 REPRODUCE MORE 4 REFINE MORE 2 RECOGNIZE MORE 5 REFLECT MORE 3 RECRUIT MORE 6 RELEASE MORE

Assist Hospitality: Coffee Team Member Assist Set up/refresh/ tear down the coffee bar for Sunday worship services. 0.75-1.25 hours monthly Monthly 20

Find Care: Community Outreach Team Member Find Help the elderly, shut-in, disabled with home assistance and/or advocacy. 2 hours monthly Monthly 10