What's Happening?
Church News
July, 2003
The Great Kingdom Caper comes to Cornerstone Baptist Church
When we still lived in Illinois I recall a neighbor telling me that she had sent her child to vacation Bible school at our church for something to do during the long summer break. She had heard that there would be games and food and crafts, and she felt like her child would enjoy this recreation. But the first day her daughter came home from VBS this neighbor was shocked that the Bible school teacher told her little 6 year old that the only way she could go to heaven was to give her heart to Jesus. Why were we telling little children something like that?
Well, it's because it's TRUE!! And so VBS presents not only food and games and prizes and singing and crafts, but most importantly a way to share the Gospel of Jesus. And as the story above illustrates, it is not only an opportunity to share the Gospel with the children, but often with their families as well.
This year the theme for Vacation Bible School is "The Great Kingdom Caper", and we will be detectives searching for the mysteries of Christ. If you have been by church lately you have seen some of the props already on standby. There is a big red double-decker bus and a phone booth in the back of the sanctuary, for example just waiting for our caper to begin. Just about everyone in church is involved in some way with Bible school. We have 47 people formally signed up as staff for VBS, and everyone else is PRAYING!
If you know someone who would like to come to Bible school please invite them. We will be having pre-registration after the morning worship on July 6 and July 13. At 5:30 on July 13 we will have registration for anyone not pre-registered. There are classes for pre-kindergarten through rising 7th graders. I have registration forms available if you know someone who would like to come and cannot make it to any of the registration times.
Vacation Bible School starts on July 13 and will be held nightly from 6-8:30 p.m. at the church. The last day is Friday, July 18th and that will be our cookout and closing ceremony. Our theme verses are from Colossians 3:12-14:
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which bins them all together in perfect unity.
I hope to see you at Vacation Bible School,
Linda J., co-director (with Michael I.)
Youth News
I can't believe it, but it's already been a month since I've been here at Cornerstone. It's been such a great experience for me, and this is my chance to share some of it with you all. I reckoned since we're up here so close to the mountains, I'd express what the youth has been up to in an appropriate manner. So if you could use your imagination, try to read the rest of the newsletter to the tune of none other than the "Beverly Hillbillies" theme song. (If your not sure about the tune, give me a call at and I'll be glad to help ya out.) So sit back, warm up them vocal chords, and enjoy!
"I'm gonna tell ya a story 'bout the Cornerstone youth
We have a good time and learn about the Truth
All the things we do are a lot of fun,
But the most important thing is to know God's Son."
Sunday - Youth Group
Psalm 119:105 "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light onto my path.
"We have youth group on Sunday nights
The snacks are good and the games a delight
Then we spend some time in God's Word
It's the best news I've ever heard."
Tuesday - Girls' Breakfast
Prov. 31:30 "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
"Tuesdays are very special to me
"Cause the girls eat breakfast at Mickey Dee's
It's a great time for us to sit and talk
But we have to get up before nine o'clock."
Wednesday - Youth Worship
Psalm 47:6 "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises."
"On Wednesdays I bring the guitar
As far as skill goes, I'm not very far
But that's no excuse to not praise Him with song
So I strum a tune and we all sing along"
Thursday - Service Projects
Matt. 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
"Others can see Him in the way we love
So Thursdays we serve others to serve our God above
Sometimes we fold clothes at the Christian Mission
And once we cleaned the church and ended up fishin (in Pastor Bill's aquarium that is)"
Activities
Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
"In our spare time we get to do a lot of things
We play laser tag and we also go hiking
Once we went bowling and played Backstreet Boys
Getting closer to each other brings so much joy"
Caswell
James 1:22 (theme verse) "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
"Caswell was an amazing week
We sang, saw skits, and heard Steve Ayers speak
We fished, kayaked, and swam in utter bliss
And by the end of the week we all love Chris (lead singer of the Praise and Worship team)"
Thank you
1 Thes. 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
"I'm so glad God let me be hereIn a church family so full of cheer
Thank you so much for your love and prayers
God has truly blessed my with a family that cares"
(back to regular reading) This first month has been excellent. I'm looking forward to all that is still to come this summer. Thank you for everything, and please let me know if you have any suggestions.
Love,
Erica
MUSIC NOTES
This past Sunday morning we sang one of my most favorite hymns; ”It Is Well with My Soul” by Horatio G. Spafford. The words and melody of this hymn have a story to tell.
Spafford, one of the primary lawyers of Chicago in the late 1800’s lost a fortune in real estate during the fire of 1871. He lost his 4 year old son to scarlet fever in 1872.
Having been through several tough years Spafford and family chose to take a vacation to Europe. At the last minute Horatio was detained, so Anna and his four daughters went on alone. On November 22, 1873 the French luxury liner Ville du Havre collided with another ship and went down. Only Anna survived the peril. Immediately boarding a ship to rush to her side Spafford, while en route wrote the words to this beloved hymn.
Philip Bliss, composer of the melody and his wife were tragically killed in a train accident in 1876 in Ohio.
As we learned Sunday, from Mark 4:35-41 our Lords power can subdue any storm.
These two musicians found our Lord as their refuge from the storms of life and comfort in the body of Christ, his church. Having been through so much they continued to praise God and give him the glory for their lives. From Psalm 27, remember to Trust in the Lord and Be not Afraid.
May God bless each of you and your families during the coming days.
Janet
Adults: Adult choir meets for rehearsals on Wednesday night after service. 7:30pm This is the perfect time to join. Easy Summer time anthems
Children: Grades K-5- Bible School is coming. July 13-18
Children’s choir will resume Sunday, August 17th
Youth: Grades 6-12- Check the calendar with Erica. You’ll be busy.
July Birthdays
1 – Tonia B.
1 – Betty C.
6 – Linda J.
9 – Louise P.
10 – Mandy R.
13 – Matthew F.
15 – Karen A.
16 – Cathy L.
23 – Jamie A.
23 – Jeremy A.
24 – Ashley B.
24 – Justin D.
24 – Kenny M.
24 – Barbara W.
26 – Cindy M.
28 – Linda B.
28 – Ted G.
28 – Casey S.
29 – Tynessa I.
30 – Dennis H.
The Pastor's Message
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5: 1
“Let Freedom Ring”
It was in Philadelphia that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th 1776. Near Independence Hall stands the Liberty Bell from which the American slogan came, “Let Freedom Ring.” I understand that from the top of Lady Liberty one can see Ellis Island where so many refugees came seeking a new beginning in a land of freedom and opportunity. Many of these refugees were Christians and came seeking religious freedom. Their dream, and their goal was to build a nation under God in which persons would have freedom from repressive state churches, and the tyranny of monarchs and tyrants.
Let us always remember that this desire for freedom is expressed throughout the Bible, from Moses declaring on behalf of God to the Pharaoh:
“Let my people go!”, to the passage from Galatians:
“For freedom Christ set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” God wants all people to be free!
For many years we have considered ourselves to be a godly nation. We call ourselves, “One Nation Under God,” “A New Israel.” Our motto has been, “In God We Trust.” We pride ourselves as being, “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” Truly, America is at best a miracle.
However, our forefathers wanted freedom for themselves but not for the native Americans. A sad chapter in our national history was our participation in the slave trade whereby thousands of Africans were kidnapped at gunpoint, herded into the holes of ships, and forced to work like animals. Slavery brought our nation to a devastating war that pitted brother against brother, Christian against Christian, and thousands upon thousands died. Following the war we continued a form of slavery called segregation. We still to this day are trying to eradicate racial discrimination. But we still have a vision given to us by Jesus Christ and that is freedom for all. Place your finger on any part of the globe and there Christ wants all men and women to be free. “So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.” John 8: 36
Through Christ we are called to the high ideal of living unselfishly for the common good. We are able to “stay free” by respecting governmental laws that protect the rights and liberty of all. We no longer have freedom to sin, but our focus must be upon freedom to serve. Freedom to love God with our whole hearts, minds, soul, and strength, and at the same time a freedom to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.
If we are ever able to win the world to the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be when we discover the freedom to love our next door neighbor. How easy it is for us to love those in need across the ocean that we will never meet, but what about the person or family that lives next door? We must grasp the opportunity, the freedom to love those whom God brings into our lives, those who come from other countries, and those who speak another language. Isn’t this the secret of Pentecost, and how the Holy Spirit wants to work?
Surely if we experience the freedom of Christ, the evidence will be: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control” in our lives. This July 4th may you celebrate your freedom as an American but also as a Christian in your freedom to serve!
