michigan state university
Cedar City Church
A heart for michigan state
We are Jay and Mallory Leadley. We have been married since 2011 and we have been blessed with 3 children, Ira (8), Thea (6), and Cora (3). We are both from Southeast Michigan but have moved around quite a bit throughout our childhood and adult lives. Most recently we have sensed God calling us to move to central Michigan to plant a church in the city of East Lansing.
We believe that God has prepared us and called us to plant a church in a college town. Growing up I, Jay, have many core memories of watching MSU football and basketball games with my family. Over the past few years, my son and I have had season tickets to MSU hockey games and I have enjoyed creating some of those memories with him. We love MSU, but that’s not the reason that we feel called to plant a church in East Lansing. We believe that college students desire to have mentorship in their lives. And with a campus that is less than 2% evangelical believers, we believe that there is a need to disciple this generation of young people and equip them to walk with Jesus and be transformed by Him.
why cedar city?
If you’ve been to East Lansing you know that Red Cedar trees are everywhere. The Red Cedar River runs through the heart of the city and is even mentioned in the first line of the MSU fight song. The cedars provide the backdrop for our city and they remind us that both students and community members can live in unity with one another since we all live under the shade of the same cedars. Psalm 92 tells us that if we learn to follow Jesus in our lives, then we will be like the cedars of Lebanon transplanted in the house of the Lord. Given the landscape in the city of Jerusalem, it would be nearly impossible to transplant a cedar tree into the house of the Lord. Yet, that is the picture that the psalmist paints. If we live Godly lives, then we can flourish in a dry and lifeless place. How amazing would it be to see students living their lives on fire for Jesus, and see them plant themselves in places that so desperately needs more of Him.
how to partner
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prayer
Join us in praying for our family, our launch team, those who will be joining our church, the provision of resources, receptivity to the Gospel in East Lansing and on the campus of MSU, and our ability to make an impact where God has called us.
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sending
The churches we each call home today exist only because of those in the past who gave sacrificially for our sake. Today, we have the opportunity to do the same for the students and community members of East Lansing. Would you prayerfully consider investing with us over the next 4 years?
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joining
The power of your connections cannot be overstated. Who do you know who might share our vision and desire to invest in this movement?
partner with us
If you are interested in partnering on this project, fill out the form below. You will be added to an email list that will receive updates about this, and other projects in the Church for the Campus network.