Friends,
We have lost our natural rhythms of life. We’ve lost our normal patterns of giving and receiving encouragement. We’ve lost our normal ways of serving people with our gifts. And yet, Christ’s Church is a body made up of many invaluable parts (see 1 Corinthians 12). Together we use our gifts to build up the body and serve the LORD. If we quit using our gifts for one another, our souls will shrivel and we’ll miss out God’s plans and purposes for good works (Ephesians 2:10).
With normal and natural ways on hold, would you creatively think of fresh ways to use your gifts and serve the LORD? For example, could you commit to make 5 personal contacts each day, such as, write a letter, initiate a video chat, make a phone call? Would you offer to shop for someone in need? Give blood? Sew some masks? Donate to an organization or ministry? Post a video or write a message sharing how God is sustaining you in this season? May God use us as we use our gifts for Him.
1) I’m preaching Job 19 this Sunday during our Facebook Live service at 9:30AM–https://www.facebook.com/cornerstoneefca/ (service bulletin attached, join us online 5-10 minutes in advance to say “hello”).
2) Another mid-week pastor encouragement video has been posted on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pwyR1P6urp0
3) Join us online at 6:30PM tomorrow (Friday, 4/3) for Church Family Encouragement and Prayer. Instructions on how to participate here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NmJHOA3M6D0vxO8Y8lg2Fr8yHSMEm9axThhGhNA6MAk/edit
4) Our Good Friday Service with Northbrook Baptist will be held on our Facebook page at 6PM, Friday April 10.
5) Pray for Resurrection Sunday. Most likely this will be held online, and we’ll have to wait for a joyful corporate gathering down the road. We grieve over this, but we grieve with hope.
6) Thanks for your continued prayers and financial support of Cornerstone Church. We’ve already assisted two families and expect more opportunities in the coming weeks. To give, you can use online giving options (https://cornerstone-marion.org/wordpress/2017/07/20/give-online/) or you can send any checks to 925 Blairs Ferry Road, Marion 52302. Our finance team is counting monies received every Wednesday.
Nothing is meaningless, no labor is in vain,
Pastor Matt