Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 11, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

Next week the national meeting of the Presbyterian Church in America will take place in Memphis, TN. Rev. Tony Giles and yours truly, along with two of our ruling elders, Mr. Ron Moffatt and Mr. Jim Payne, will be attending as commissioners this year.

If this is your first Presbyterian church to be a part of, let me give you a brief—very brief—crash course in Presbyterian government. Historically, there are three ruling bodies, or courts, in Presbyterian polity. First, there is the Session which is the name given for the ruling body of a local church (e.g. the eldership of Cornerstone Pres). Second, there is the presbytery, which is the name given for the ruling body of a particular region. The presbytery is made up of all the teaching elders (pastors) and commissioned ruling elders from each member church in that region (e.g. Nashville Presbytery) Lastly, there is the General Assembly. This is the name given for the ruling body of the entire denomination. It’s made up of all commissioned teaching elders and the prescribed number of ruling elders from every church in the denomination.

Once a year the General Assembly (GA) of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) meets together for worship, discipleship, fellowship, and to conduct the business of the church. Before I attended my first General Assembly (GA) in 2005 as a seminary student, I wondered, “What happens at GA?” For simplicity sake, let me identify four main purposes of the GA.

First, GA is where our denominational organizations and agencies like Mission to the World, Mission to North America, Covenant College, Covenant Theological Seminary, Reformed University Fellowship, etc. meet yearly with pastor and elder representatives to submit budgets, make personnel changes, give reports on ministry health, and address other pertinent matters of business relating to their organization or agency.

Second, GA is a time for pastors and elders to receive ongoing education and training for the work of ministry. Every year there are dozens of seminars led by ministers, counselors, and scholars on a vast array of theological, historical, and practical subjects. (Our own Nancy Guthrie will be speaking at a couple of women’s events at GA this year!)

Third, GA is also a time for the whole denomination to come together for worship and fellowship. Each day’s session of GA is closed with a worship service, and the breakfast, lunch, and dinner slots are reserved for organized and casual opportunities for pastors and elders to spend time together in fellowship.

Fourth, the leading purpose of the GA is to address mission critical denominational matters of business. This includes, but is not limited to, matters of theological, cultural, and ecclesiastical importance to the denomination and its churches. As always, there are a number of significant matters of business facing the GA this year.

As per usual, I will pull together a brief summary of highpoints and key actions within a week or two of GA. In the meantime, if you have interest in learning more about the business of GA, please visit pcaga.org and click through the GA Overtures links. Most importantly, please take time to lift up the commissioners of GA and the PCA specifically this week. May all that is done bring glory to God (Heb. 10:22; 1 Cor. 10:31)!

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, June 4, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

We explored the richness of Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts last week in worship. Following the message, a number of you asked questions about how to identify spiritual gifts. As I pondered your excellent questions, several practical instructions came to mind.

First, pray for wisdom and guidance. Since the Lord is the gracious giver of all spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:7), it makes sense that we would seek His face for clarity regarding our spiritual gifts. I can’t tell you the times where I’ve been confused or perplexed about this or that, and, then, as a last-ditch effort, I will (finally) give concentrated time in prayer to the matter and, lo and behold, clarity comes. If you’re unsure as to the gifts God has given to you, or you would like to have greater clarity on how to best invest the gift God has given, start with prayer (Matthew 7:7- 11).

Second, give an honest assessment of your gifts, aptitudes, and abilities. Pay attention to what the Lord has given you a desire to do. Consider the kinds of things people come to you for. Reflect on the ways people look to you for direction and help. Note where you seem to make an impact. But do all this honestly. We have a remarkable ability to be deceived, don’t we? We’ve all had that roommate who sings in the shower and thinks himself to be the next big discovery on American Idol while everyone within earshot is cringing as if fingernails are being applied to a chalkboard. Involve people––preferably wise, godly people––who you know and trust to weigh in on what they see in you. I have found that doing this guards against the tendency to either exaggerate or dismiss gifts while laying foundations for an honest assessment of your gifts (Proverbs 11:14).

Third, look for opportunities to serve, and serve. It is interesting that the New Testament speaks of gifts often but spends almost no direction in how to find or identify your spiritual gift. A question more in keeping with the New Testament’s instruction regarding spiritual gifts would be, “Where is the need, and how can you best serve to meet it?” Studying and analyzing gifts will only get you so far. Ultimately, you must enter into the work of service and let clarity regarding spiritual gifts naturally emerge. You see it’s not musing about gifts, but, rather, active participation of service where clarity regarding spiritual gifts is revealed.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, May 28, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

As you can tell, renovations continued this week. Those heart pine floors you see were hiding out underneath the carpet. Once we saw how beautiful they are and considered the rich history of worship in the chapel, we simply couldn’t cover them back up. So, next week the hardwood underneath the pews will be refinished while the aisles, entrance ways, and the floor upfront around the platform will be recarpeted. I can’t wait to see the finished project!

During the Sunday School hour today, we are enjoying a church-wide coffee and donut fellowship on the church yard and at 203 3rd Avenue South. That’s right, it’s an open house! Please make your way safely across the street and take a gander at the new building.

As we near the end of our budget year (June 30), there will be several staff changes taking place. Let me briefly tell you about a few staff changes taking place in June.

Maxwill Shell and Kelley Crampton

·      Miss Kelley Crampton (soon to be Shell) was hired as a Youth Ministry Assistant (starting June 1). She will be discipling our junior and senior high female students and provide added support to the youth ministry as a whole. In addition, Kelley will be our next Administrative Assistant for Discipleship (starting July 15), a role currently occupied by Mrs. Martha Brooks. Martha has done a fabulous job in this role, but this transition will free up some of her time to focus on women’s ministry and her family, which is where her gifts are best served, and her greatest sense of call resides. We are excited to see Kelley’s gifts deployed in these two roles.

·      Mr. Maxwill Shell was rehired as Worship and Music Assistant (starting June 1). Max was a Worship and Music Intern this last year, but upon completing his internship and graduating from college, his title changed to match this slightly expanded role. We are delighted to have Max for another year on staff.

Noah Aikens

·      Mr. Noah Aikens has served as a Worship and Music Intern for three years. He completes his internship on May 31, 2023. Noah has served Cornerstone faithfully, and we are going to miss his presence on staff. Thankfully, Noah isn’t going anywhere right away. Noah will remain at Cornerstone this next year as he finishes his studies at New College Franklin.

Ethan Vroom

 ·      Mr. Ethan Vroom was rehired as Pastoral Assistant (starting June 5). Ethan has been a Pastoral Intern for two years at Cornerstone. Upon completing his internship and graduating from college, his title changed to match his slightly expanded role. We are grateful to have one more year with Ethan on staff.

Simply put, the Cornerstone staff is the best. They are selfless and hard working. They are creative and steady. They are tremendously gifted. I’m always learning from them! It’s a joy to be partnered up with them in the work of the gospel. 

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, May 21, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

At the end of last year, your session erected a search committee for a Minister of Youth and Families. Ruling elder, Randy Allen, led an all-star cast of search committee members––Liz Taylor, Matt Suits, Lauren Smith, Elle Terrell, and Tony Giles––who have been hard at work collecting names and interviewing qualified candidates for the position.

Nearly two months ago, I asked you to pray for the work of the search committee as they narrow their list of candidates and take several important steps in the process. Suffice it to say, the Lord heard your prayers!

I’m pleased to announce that this week Mr. Drew Abercrombie accepted our call to be Director of Youth and Families. Drew grew up in Florida but spent his college years down the road in Dayton, TN, at Bryan College studying English. After college, Drew spent seven years on the mission field in Korea where he served in an international church doing campus ministry, teaching Bible studies, and leading home groups. It was also in Korea where he met and married his lovely wife, Kelly.

In 2019, the Abercrombies moved to Atlanta, GA, so Drew could begin his studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. Two weeks ago, that journey came to an end when Drew graduated from RTS with a Master of Divinity degree. While in seminary, Drew was a part time Student Director at Sojourn Church in Marietta, GA. In working with youth and families at Sojourn, Drew gained valuable ministry experience while his sense of call to pastoral ministry continued to grow and mature.

Drew is thoughtful, wise, and ministerial. He has a passion to see people grow closer to Jesus Christ and grow more into his likeness. He feels a particular call to work with youth and youth families, but he is grateful that this particular role provides regular opportunities for service to the whole Cornerstone family.

As you may have noticed, Drew is being called as Director of Youth and Families not a Minister of Youth and Families. That is because Drew is not yet ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America. Drew will begin the process of ordination in the PCA – a process that could last 18 months – when he arrives at Cornerstone. Upon completing the ordination process, Drew will become Cornerstone’s first Minister of Youth and Families.

Drew, Kelly, and their two little boys, Samuel and Silas, are planning to transition to Franklin in mid-July. In the meantime, remember them in prayer. They have a myriad of details to figure out––including finding a place to live. Furthermore, they will be giving many tearful goodbyes to their loving community in Marietta over the next several weeks while preparing to say hello to a whole host of new smiling faces at Cornerstone. It will be a whirlwind of a season, and your prayers will most certainly be a tremendous blessing to them.

Your servant,

 

Pastoral Notes for Sunday, May 14, 2023

Dear Cornerstone family,

For nearly four years, Mr. Todd Russell has served as chairman of the deacons. In that time, Todd has been a servant’s servant, organizing and mobilizing the deacons for the physical care of the church and the wider community. Under Todd’s leadership, the diaconate has grown in health and effectiveness. In a word, Todd has been God’s man of the hour for us, and I can’t begin to express how grateful I am for his example of Christ-like leadership.

 Todd’s term as chairman is drawing to a close at the end of this month. Given his long and faithful service as an officer, the session was pleased to extend Todd an officer sabbatical. It is customary at Cornerstone for officers to be granted sabbaticals in order to be freed from any regular officer responsibilities for a season in order pursue rest and spiritual renewal. Todd will go on sabbatical June 1, 2023 until July 1, 2024.

 Looking ahead, the time has come for one of our other qualified deacons to take the helm. I’m pleased to announce that Mr. Wes Pittman is that man. Wes has a wealth of ministry experience in a variety of churches and leadership roles. Wes served as an officer previously in other PCA churches before being installed as a deacon at Cornerstone two years ago. Wes possesses the necessary leadership skills to carry the mission of the diaconate forward, building on the already strong foundation laid by previous deacon chairman. Please pray for Wes as he steps into this new role on June 1, 2023.

In other news, the long-anticipated renovations will begin this week! We’re starting with small augmentations to the platform in the chapel to slightly increase seating capacity. In addition to the platform changes, a number of other changes, including sound upgrades and new carpet, will be made over the next couple of weeks. Please pray that everything goes smoothly and according to plan!

Your servant,