Pastoral Notes for Sunday, February 14, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
February 14th is not only Valentine’s Day this year; it’s also the last Sunday in the season of Epiphany. This coming Wednesday marks the beginning of the six-week season in the Christian calendar known as Lent. The word Lent comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word for “length,” signifying the time when the days are just beginning to lengthen—namely, springtime.
It’s a season that begins in the dark, cold dead of winter. But by the end of the six weeks (40 days), the natural world will be bright, warm, and burgeoning with new life. This death unto life pattern of nature is symbolic of the Lenten to Easter season. The slow and somber work of repentance that characterizes Lent is what prepares our hearts for the resurrection renewal that marks Easter.
One theologian I read this week said, “Lent is like walking in a still darkened valley, even as the morning sun lights the tops of the mountains around us.” Yes, that’s it. Reminds me of the writer of Hebrews words, “For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross.” (Heb.12:2). From Bethlehem all the way to Golgotha, Jesus walked the valley of the shadow of death, but he did so with the top of Mount Zion shining in the distance.
As we enter Lent this year, please join us (either in-person or livestream) for our Ash Wednesday service on February 17 at 6:30pm. This brief 45-minute family service (nursery provided) is intended to remind us of our mortality and lead us into the grace of repentance. I do hope you’ll come and enter whole- heartedly into this season with your Cornerstone family.
Looking ahead, on Wednesday nights throughout the rest of February through March 24th, we will read and discuss several short pieces of literature together—pieces that invite reflection on the biblical theme of death unto life. Now, please don’t let the word “literature” intimidate you. These are truly brief pieces; in most cases, able to be read in a single sitting. As you’d expect, thoughtful reflection will be part and parcel of the reading experience and gatherings, but don’t forget—we’re reading these stories together. We will offer and gather insights from one another, and the facilitator will be our guide.
The first week we will read The River, by Flannery O’Connor, and will discuss it together on February 24. It can be found in her collection of short stories entitled; A Good Man is Hard to Find. O’Connor lived most of her life in Georgia, and many of her stories are set in the rural South and wrestle with the relationship between God and man. Although she wrote novels, O’Connor became known as the master of the short story before her death at the age of 39.
Subsequent weeks include:
March 3: The Death of Ivan Ilych (novella) by Leo Tolstoy led by Greg Wilbur
March 10: TBD poem by Wendell Berry led by Will Kesler
March 17: “The Wreck of the Deutschland” ode by G.M. Hopkins led by Nathan Johnson
March 24: “The Greatest Drama Ever Staged” & “Triumph of Easter” essays by Dorothy Sayers led by Dave Raymond
I sincerely hope you’ll join us during these five Wednesdays as we read, talk, and learn, and together “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, February 7, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, February 7, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
When I look back on the years of my life up till now, the years between 18-22 years old were among the most formative. I was away from home for the first time, having to do my own laundry and wash my own dishes. I was making my own decisions about the use of my time, money, and energy. I was learning (slowly) what it meant to be an adult and take responsibility for myself and others.
At the same time, I was coming into a deeper understanding of and commitment to Jesus. One the primary channels through which that happened was a campus ministry and a college pastor. In fact, I can still hear Rev. Larry Goff’s voice. I can quote specific lines from meetings we shared. He was the first person to encourage me toward pastoral ministry. Humanly speaking, it’s hard to know where I’d be without his influence.
Though it’s not everyone’s story, a significant number of folks credit the years post high school in college or entering the work force as a critical time for Christian growth and development. This is part of the reason why Cornerstone has actively supported our denomination’s campus ministry, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), from the very beginning. Today in worship, we’re taking time to focus on the ministry of RUF and introduce you to one of the campus minister’s we support, as well as the area director of RUF for our area.
Richie Sessions is the RUF Campus Minister at Vanderbilt University. Richie is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. He and his wife, Laura, met in college and were married in 2000. He graduated from Belmont University and attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS. In 2004 he graduated from RTS with a Master of Divinity degree. Richie ministered as the Associate Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, MS from 2004-2007 before becoming the Assistant Pastor to Young Adults at Independent Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2009, Richie was called to be the Senior Pastor at IPC where he served until 2015. In 2015 Richie accepted a call to minister with RUF at Vanderbilt. Richie and Laura have three children, Mamie, Griffin, and Margaret.
Britton Wood is an RUF Area Coordinator. Britton is from Birmingham, Alabama and attended Vanderbilt University. He and his wife Elizabeth met serving RUF at the University of Tennessee. After attending Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, MO, they served RUF at the University of South Carolina for four years before moving to Stanford where they served for seven years. They have two sets of identical twin girls: Mary Walton and Shelby; and Britton and Katherine. (You read that right!) As an Area Coordinator for RUF, Britton provides pastoral care and guidance for campus ministers in WesternKentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
Super excited to have these brothers with us this morning! I have no doubt you’ll be blessed by sitting under their ministry and learning about the mission of RUF.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 31, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 31, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Last week in the new Sunday School class, Built to Last: Enduring Faith in Turbulent Times, we asked the question, “Where do you get your news?” We asked that question not to lobby for one news or media outlet over another. (I wouldn’t touch that with a 39 1⁄2 foot pole!) We asked that question to be reminded that the most important news in the world at all times is the gospel.
Here are the five key points we considered:
The gospel is news. In a culture that is focused on what we need to do to change the world, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize that the most important thing for the changing of the world is not something we do but something God has already done. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from what we do but from what God has done (news) in sending the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to be our Savior.
The gospel is good news. In a culture that is swallowed up with bad news, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the goodness of the gospel. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from fear of the bad news about men and nations but the good news of the death, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christ.
The gospel is true news. In a culture that’s increasingly bombarded with perspectives, opinions, and even fabrication, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the truth of the gospel. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? Therefore, Christian identity and calling arises not from the latest headline, hot take, theory, or conspiracy of the world but the true news of the gospel that works within, behind, and reigns over everything that takes place in the world.
The gospel is powerful news. In a culture that grasps for every type of worldly power—especially political power—for the changing of the world, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the gospel as the power of God unto salvation for the advance of the Kingdom of God (Rom. 1:16, Mark 1:15). What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from the gaining of worldly power but from the powerful news of the gospel entrusted to us for the changing of men’s hearts working through the agency of the Holy Spirit (Acts 17:8, 1 Thess. 1:5).
The gospel is enduring news. In a culture where change is increasingly considered the only certainty and shared virtue, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the gospel as enduring news that never changes and will last forever (Rev. 20-21). What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from ever changing worldly or cultural circumstances (good or bad), but from the never changing realities present in the enduring news of the gospel that lead to Christ’s victory in the end (Heb. 13:8; Phil. 2:9-10).
As 2021 gets off the dime, I hope these brief reminders serve to ground your life in what really matters—the good, true, powerful, and enduring news of the gospel.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 24, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 24, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Last week in our new adult Sunday School class, Built to Last: Enduring Faith in Turbulent Times, we considered the relevance of the prophet Jeremiah’s words to Israelites exiled in Babylon under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. These Israelites grew up in a place where God was worshipped and where the law of the land—business practices, educational commitments, civic institutions, arts and media outlets—was (in principle) under the rule of God and His Word. But now, these Israelite exiles were waking up in a strange land, in a culture that was polytheistic, pagan, and antagonistic to almost everything they believed. In a word, they were experiencing spiritual and cultural whiplash.
In Jeremiah 29, the prophet speaks to their experience with clear and enduring instruction. My summary of Jeremiah’s words is this: Be in the world, but not of the world, for the good of the world, and the glory of God.
Let me break that summary down citing the specific verses in Jeremiah 29 for each point:
Be in the world – “Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their produce” (vs. 5). In other words, settle down, find a place to live, and (literally) put down roots that will bear fruit. You’re going to be here a while, so don’t live lightly. Live deeply into the place I’ve sent you.
But not of the world – “...Take wives and have sons and daughters... multiply there, and do not decrease” (vs. 6). As you settle down and establish a presence in Babylon, marry in the faith. In Deuteronomy 7, Israelites could only marry someone within the faith. To be unequally yoked, to marry a polytheistic Babylonian, was forbidden. So, as you settle in Babylon, be sure you’re not of Babylon. As God’s people, you are not separated out from Babylon or assimilated into Babylon. Instead, you are to be set apart (holy) within Babylon. In the language of Augustine, the City of God rising up from inside the City of Man.
For the good of the world – “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (v. 7). The word translated “welfare” is the Hebrew word shalom, meaning complete well-being. Shalom is fullness of peace; the kind of peace that pervades every dimension of life—spiritual, material, physical, and relational. Notice, he says “seek” the welfare of Babylon. That is, work for the shalom of the place you live (even if that place is godless Babylon). Also, “pray to the LORD” for Babylon. That is, acknowledge that Babylon is God’s Babylon and, ultimately, only he can bring about the shalom she needs.
And the glory of God – Three times in Jeremiah 29 God says, “I sent you” (vs. 4, 7, and 14). Despite how it may feel, Israel’s exile is not a parenthesis in God’s plan. God sent Israel to Babylon. They are on mission there to accomplish his purposes to show forth His glory.
In the days ahead, let’s help each other follow Jeremiah’s instruction. Let’s be the elect exiles we are. (1 Peter 1:1) Let’s refuse to reduce the kingdom of God to political parties or ideologies, but rather live for the good of the world as citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:19-20). Let’s refuse to fall prey to petty divisions over temporal matters, for that’s a losing battle every time. Instead, let’s rejoice in the battle already won on the cross and resurrection and give our energies for the kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36). In other words, let’s be Christians. For that is who we are.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 17, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 17, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Today is the beginning of our winter Sunday School quarter at Cornerstone. Our Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Meredith Suits, has been hard at work recruiting teachers and making preparations for our children’s Sunday School. She’s also reviewed our COVID-19 plans and protocols and made some minor adjustments in order to more smoothly conduct ministry in a safe way this winter. If you have any questions about children’s ministry or Sunday School in particular, do not hesitate to reach out to Meredith at elementary@cstonepres.org or 865-250-3579.
Speaking of Sunday school, please join me today in the chapel for the new class we’re starting for adults, Built to Last: Enduring Faith for Turbulent Times. In this three-week course, we will rehearse the key foundations of the Cornerstone vision, making specific application for how our philosophy of ministry is designed to meet the challenges and opportunities of our cultural moment. This class will instruct, inspire, encourage, and strengthen your faith as together we answer God’s call on our lives in this generation. Don’t miss it!
In other matters, I want to say (again) how thankful we are for your faithful giving to Cornerstone. You dug deep this past year and gave sacrificially to the work of ministry. Though we’re only halfway through our budget year— our budget year runs from July 1 to June 30—the steadiness of your support so far has helped us meet our needs and increase the reach of our ministry in several key areas! Please take a look at the mid-budget-year financial report below. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Susan Bumpus in our church office at office@cornerstonepres.org.
FINANCIAL UPDATE 2020-21 July-December
Actual Budget Over/Under
Total Giving $535,307 $485,862 $49,445
Total Expenses $499,754. $443,950 $55,804
Difference $35,553 $41,912 ($6,359)
Finally, let me note one important area where your contributions are helping us increase the reach of our ministry. Early last year, the Personnel Committee began prayerfully discussing how to better support the needs of our growing women’s ministry. Since the beginning of Cornerstone, the women’s ministry has been led by able volunteer leaders—women who sacrificially gave of their time and energy to serve the women of Cornerstone. As Cornerstone has grown, the ministry to women has grown, and the workload of women’s ministry has grown precipitously. It’s grown to the point that the volunteer team leaders, the Personnel Committee, and the elders all agree—it’s time for a part time Women’s Director.
To that end, on Tuesday night this past week, the elders met and approved the hire of Mrs. Martha Brooks to be our first Women’s Director of Cornerstone. For the last two years, Martha has done excellent job serving as a volunteer co-leader of our women’s ministry with Mrs. Julie Kesler, and we are looking forward to seeing how Martha’s presence on staff will advance the ministry to women and help us further realize our vision—to glorify God in the gospel together as disciples who make disciples.