Pastoral Notes for Sunday, May 7, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

Last week, you, the congregation, overwhelmingly approved the session’s unanimous recommendation to pursue the purchase of 203 3rd Avenue South, the gray two-story antebellum home cattycorner to the chapel. This past week we informed the current owner of your approval. As particulars regarding the closing date are firmed up, we will let you know.

In addition to the property across the street, the plans for slight changes to the chapel and renovations of the 1st and 3rd floor continue to move forward. Several meetings with the architect and various teams happened this past week. If all the various approvals from the city come through and the crews and materials can all be lined up, the plan would be to begin and finish the renovation over the course of the summer.

Now, you’ve probably heard the old Woody Allen line, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” That’s doubly true when talking about construction timelines! Thankfully, our owner’s representative, The Riverstone Group, has done a fabulous job ordering and directing the process thus far. That said, we still have a number of ducks to get in a row (ducks don’t queue easily!) before we get a clearer read on the timeline. So, for now, we’re diligently nudging things forward resting in God’s sovereign control every step of the way.

Before I go, a few thoughts on moving through a season of change. First, let’s own the fact that change can be scary. Whenever change is on the horizon, we know a “new normal” is coming down the pike, and life will be topsy turvy for a bit. Whether it’s sending a kid to college, moving cities, entering retirement, the reality is the same––there will be losses and gains, joys and sorrows.

When a community – like a church – moves through a season of change, those same realities are present. Add to that the complexity that people respond differently to change. Some love change, others don’t. In change, some will focus on the gains; others on the losses. People will even disagree on gains and losses. (One person’s gain may be another person’s loss!) This is normal and should be expected.

So, as we move through this season as a congregation, I want to encourage you (as you already are doing) to exercise an extra measure of wisdom and care with your fellow brothers and sisters. Due to space constraints, let me offer just two (brief) instructions.

First, be patient and respectful with those who respond differently than you (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Just because someone doesn’t see or experience a certain change in the way you do, doesn’t mean they are wrong. The goal is not to convince everyone that you’re right and they’re wrong, but to ensure that Christ is honored and that your brother or sister is loved well and built up in the faith (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Second, stay focused on eternal matters in the midst of temporal changes (2 Corinthians 4:18). The physical church building pales in importance to the true and lasting temple of God, the church (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1). Therefore, let’s set our mind on things above and commit to relate to one another as if the church and its mission is far more important than its meeting place. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). If we do these things, I have no doubt that we will grow together all the more through this season of change.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, April 30, 2023

I asked Preston Brooks, Cornerstone’s Acting Youth Director, to tell us about the upcoming Youth Mission Trip for this week’s Pastoral Note.

Dear Cornerstone Family,
A little over a year ago, the Women’s Ministry hosted a retreat and invited Martie Kwasny to be the speaker. That weekend was plagued with several issues, not the least of which was an ice storm that nearly prevented Martie from being able to come. But Martie made it, and after the close of the retreat, my wife, Martha, and the Women’s Ministry team went to dinner with her where she told them all about her role in Joni and Friends Ministries and the organization as a whole.

Martha came home that night telling us all about the camps they put on, how they always need volunteers, and how our family could possibly plug in. In fact, the whole Women’s Ministry Team was enthusiastic about this ministry and was thinking of ways to participate—specifically how we could get our kids involved.

Fast forward to January when Ben Griffith and I were making decisions about the summer. While we liked the idea of something new, with my position being temporary (see “acting” youth director) and the possibility that we might have new leadership by the summer, the thing to do seemed to be to go back to RYM (Reformed Youth Ministries) for the third time—the Youth love it, RYM does an amazing job at teaching and equipping teens to live for Christ, and it would be familiar should there be a new face leading the Youth by summer.

The day registration opened for RYM, Ben hopped online and couldn’t get through. RYM’s website was overloaded with users, and the camp (1,000 spots!) was filled in six minutes. Six. Minutes. Our group was waitlisted. We kept our name on the list but began to think of how we could pivot. Joni and Friends came to mind again. Martha texted Martie, and within an hour I was on the phone with her assistant chatting about a camp they put on a mere two hours from here in Dayton, Tennessee. They were opening registration for volunteers that week. My call could not have been timelier. Almost as if it were orchestrated beforehand...We took our names off the RYM waitlist.

We put the opportunity out to our Youth Group and quickly put a group of folks together. They have begun preparing for the trip, completing paperwork, submitting references, and participating in phone interviews sharing their personal testimonies with Joni staff members. It’s already been a growing exercise for our kids. We are all set to head to camp July 15 - 20. Our Youth will be paired up with a child or teen with special needs and serve as “buddies” for the week. As a “buddy” they will become a part of their family, participating in VBS and summer camp-type activities and even eating meals together. There will be times where our group will have time to enjoy the camp together as a Youth Group, and we will stay in cabins of our own, but most of our time will be spent with our buddies and their families. We are already so excited about this good work the Lord has prepared for us!

There are two main ways our congregation can help:

  1. Prayer: Please be praying that the Lord will bless the trip with safety and good health and that the Youth of

    Cornerstone Presbyterian can show the love of Christ to all those who will be in attendance. The names of our kids participating are listed below. Cut them out and stick them on your fridge or in the pages of your Bible—somewhere you are likely to see and pray for them often.

  2. Financial giving: The cost for each of our Youth to go on the trip will be $450. We are opening up giving toward our trip and ask the congregation to support us as you feel led. You can go straight to the giving page by scanning the QR code below, access the link through the church website and app, or drop a check in the offering box with “Youth Mission Trip” in the memo line.

Thank-you in advance for participating in this good work! We are grateful.

Preston Brooks

Give Here


Pastoral Notes for Sunday, April 23, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

I asked Meredith Suits, our Children’s Coordinator, to share with us about the soon-in-coming Cornerstone Vacation Bible School for this week’s Pastoral Note.

Summer is quickly approaching, and I hope you are relishing these 70-degree days before it gets much warmer here. The children’s ministry at Cornerstone will be kicking off our summer fun with Vacation Bible School, and I have lots of information for you today—including how you can sign up your children, be a volunteer, and help even if you can’t volunteer during VBS week.

This is Cornerstone’s third VBS! We’ve had such fun the last couple of years hosting our Cornerstone kids and their friends at Jim Warren Park. The theme this year is The Wind and the Waves, and we will look together at Jesus calming the storm from Mark 4:35-41. We will be learning what happens when we look at the big waves instead of looking to Jesus, and we will be thinking about how our fears often prevent us from trusting in the only One big enough to overcome any storm that might head our way.

Hopefully, you’ve seen the save-the-dates in our newsletter, but if you haven’t, VBS will be May 30-June 2 at the Jim Warren Park enclosed pavilion and surrounding grounds. May 30 is our family kick-off night— we will have pizza for all, a craft for the kids, and a great time fellowshipping. VBS formally begins Wednesday, May 31, from 5:30-7:30 and will continue at the same time and place on Thursday and Friday nights. All children, ages 5 to rising 6th graders, are invited to join us. Parents, please sign up as soon as possible with the QR code below. We want to have plenty of materials for your kiddos and enough volunteers to make it all possible. Knowing who’s coming is pivotal in our planning right now.

Our next request is for volunteers! I am currently looking for three more group leaders—these are the adult volunteers who lead a group of kids from station to station each evening and get to know and encourage their group through all the events. This is an easy and fun way to serve our kids during VBS and be a part of all the action.

Lastly, please pray for VBS. Pray for the safety of all our children, for their hearts to hear and receive the good news about Jesus, and for God to use these early experiences with scripture and with the church to form them into adults who walk faithfully with Christ all of their lives. Thanks, everyone, for your support and your prayers as we prepare for such a large, multi-day event.

Sincerely, Meredith Suits

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, April 16, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

Last week was amazing. From the solemn sweetness of the Maundy Thursday service, to the sacred sadness of Good Friday, to the overflowing joy of Easter morn, it was, in my humble opinion, one of the most edifying Holy Weeks on record.

I want to personally thank the New College Franklin choir and the Cornerstone choir and musicians for their outstanding performances. Words fail to express how deeply we were blessed by your ministry. Behind the work of both choirs is our chief musician, Mr. Greg Wilbur, whose tremendous talents were on full display last week. What a gift he is to all of us! Let me also mention how grateful I am for our worship interns, Mr. Noah Aikens and Mr. Maxwill Shell, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and upfront all weekend.

I’d be remiss not to mention Palm Sunday, and our lovely children’s choir led by Mrs. Jessica Michaud and Mrs. Jennifer Westerbeek. Not only did the students perform excellently in both worship services, but they also performed for the residents of Morning Pointe nursing home for our afternoon service. Needless to say, it’s always special to be led in worship by our covenant children.

Shifting gears, let me briefly update you on the work of your Security Team. In the wake of the Covenant School shooting, our security team revisited the current practices and protocols of our Watchman Team. After that evaluation, it was decided that in addition to the work of the Watchman Team, we would partner with the Franklin Police Department in order to secure an officer presence in front of the church each Sunday from 7:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. As you may have noticed, this new addition started on Easter Sunday. Our officer each week will be Lt. Clayton Cates, who is in the Special Investigations/Intelligence Unit. Though an important step forward in our commitment to maintain the safety of our fellowship, this is not the last step. The security team continues to work on additional protocols, including a lockdown plan in the event of an attack. If you have any questions about security or would like to know more about the Watchman Team, please contact Mr. Todd Russell. His contact information is on the back of the bulletin.

Finally, your Finance Team has pulled together a 3rd quarter financial summary. Please review it and rejoice with us, for the Lord has provided abundantly! On the behalf of the leadership, thank you for giving faithfully to the church. Through your tithes and offerings, we are able to invest in the expansion of gospel ministry like never before! May God give the grace, wisdom, and courage to do just that.

Your servant,