Pastor's Corner - Return to Sunday School!

Dear Friends, I've got some exciting news to share with you about Cornerstone ministry!  The RETURN OF SUNDAY SCHOOL!  The Session met this past week and we are happy to report that we will return to Sunday School on Sunday, March 14th! This is exactly one year to the date that Sunday School was suspended due to the pandemic. Please be in prayer for all the planning and preparation that must take place before we begin. Because we are still in a pandemic, things will look a little different than they did before the pandemic. The number of folks in our congregation, the size of our classrooms, the layout of the building, and the fact that we now have two worship services will dictate how we do things. The children will gather in classrooms in the children's ministry area on the 2nd floor. Mrs. Paige will be in touch with the parents on classroom divisions. The youth will gather on the first floor in the adult Sunday School classroom area. There will be two youth Sunday School classes - middle school (6th-8th grade) and high school (9th-12th grade). The adults will gather in one class in the fellowship hall. Ideally, we want to go back to multiple adult Sunday School classes, but we need to wait until more progress has been made defeating the pandemic before we cram back into small Sunday School classrooms.  The adults and youth will be doing a study on the Apostles Creed taught by various teachers.  New Sunday Schedule:  Returning to Sunday School has necessitated a new Sunday morning schedule for Cornerstone. Beginning Sunday, March 14th, we will observe the following schedule: **First worship service, 8:30am-9:30am **Sunday School, 9:45-10:30am  **Fellowship time, 10:30-10:45am **Second worship service, 11am-12noon Masks are still required. The Session has greatly wrestled with this decision and for a season, we believe that we should continue to wear masks while we are gathered in large groups at the church. We will continue to evaluate this decision as we monitor local hospitalizations, congregational health and progress with the vaccine.  We have made this requirement with one goal in mind and that was the fact that we want to continue to gather. I am grateful to say that we have been able to gather safely for 4 Sundays now and it has been wonderful. Thank you all for supporting this effort to continue in-person worship, Sunday School and other ministries. Please pray for us. Let us also “encourage one another and build one another up" as we navigate all these issues (1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV). All Cornerstone ministries are now welcome to gather, but are encouraged to do so safely. We welcome fellowship before and after worship. We want you back in church!   Of course, you need to do so when it is safe for you with your current health requirements. I will say that I believe we have a very safe and effective way to gather now on Sunday mornings. If you still want to come and you are just not quite sure, then consider worshiping in the Fellowship Hall. It is a nice, big, spaced out room and you can easily exit to the outside via the side door if you do not feel comfortable. We would love to see you back!  New Building Update A letter was mailed out to the congregation a few weeks ago detailing the specifics of the challenges that are ahead with breaking ground. In the meantime, please know that we have a great subcommittee of leaders helping us chart a way forward. The Lord is leading and guiding and we trust Him during this time. However, I think it is prudent for us to acknowledge that we are still in a pandemic and that has slowed our momentum. The good news is the Lord is providing and the leadership is striving to be good stewards of the mission, the vision, and the resources that He has given to us. If you are a church member and did not receive the letter referenced above, please contact the church office.  I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday and meditating on The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus from John 17.  “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”  - John 17:3 ESV By His grace and to His praise, Pastor Wilson

Preparation for Worship - February 14, 2021  This Sunday's sermon: "The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus: The Preincarnate Glory of Christ"- John 17:4-5 Click here for this week's bulletin. In preparation for the sermon:  "The way to measure the greatness of this salvation is to look at the greatness of the person and his glory and to realize something of what he has done." - Martyn Lloyd-Jones Hymn of the week:  How Deep the Father's Love for Us Catch up on sermons on iTunes. We are LIVE STREAMING! Click here.

Wilson's Weekly I think this new book could be very helpful: The Wisdom Pyramid A Proper Christian Response to Sexual Sin in Our Culture Three Truths About Anxiety from Philippians 4:6-7