Dear Saints,

The Book of Judges begins with early compromises and will end in utter chaos. That’s how sin always works. Sins looks small, insignificant, and minor. But like an air-borne pathogen, small sins can quickly contaminate. The judges cycle feels all too common. Baby sin grows into full-grown evil; the evil wreaks havoc internally and externally; then, God’s sheer mercy brings deliverance; peace prevails; but in the midst of calm, compromises rear their head again and again. O, Lord send us a Deliverer, a Judge that can save us from the consequences of our sin and the ruinous hearts that delight in sin. Come, Lord Jesus.

A few quick updates:

#1: Honoring Life: This Sunday we begin a 3 week drive to bless Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center. This Christ-exalting, life-protecting ministry will join us this Sunday. We also have an opportunity to stock their ministry with many items for babies, families, and moms. Click here for what to buy:

#2: Membership and Next Steps classes: We have two opportunities for people to deepen their belonging at Cornerstone. On February 5th, people who’ve visited in the last few weeks or months should stick around during the Sunday School hour (11am-12pm) to participate in the entry level, Next Steps Class. Then, the following week, February 12th, those who have been worshipping with us 5/6 months or more are highly encouraged to move toward membership. The Membership Class is a 3-4 hour affair with a Jimmy John’s lunch included 🙂 The class will start at 12:15pm in Room 103.

Unworthy before God…and yet loved by God,

#3: AbideCR, February 17-18: Multiple churches and ministries will join forces again to host a local conference in February (hosted at New Covenant Bible Church). There will be top-notch music, gifted speakers, and multiple ways to find rest in the LORD. You can sign up today: https://abidecr.com/

-Pastor Matt

Cornerstone Family,

As we begin 2023, I felt it encouraging to see signs of growth and health to celebrate from 2022. There’s more growing to do, faithfulness to pursue, and service to render to the LORD. Still, it’s Biblical to pause, take note of the past, thank God, remember His faithfulness, and then press on in humble obedience to Him.

Don’t forget our all-church prayer meeting this Wednesday at 7PM in the sanctuary.

Take a look at this encouraging year-end report: 

I love serving the LORD with this family,

-Pastor Matt

Cornerstone Family,

When my kids were little, I would wrestle them four-on-one. They would try to knock me over and dog-pile on me. I would try to grab all four of them at once. One by one, I’d secure a kid, until I could wrap my arms around all four for one, big, daddy hug. Today, my kids are too big for 4-on-1, and my arms are too short to wrap them all. But not so our God. God declares, “Is my arm too short to save?” Our heavenly Father’s love has a love with an incomparable length. He can wrap all of His children in His arms and hold onto them for eternity. You are secure in God’s embrace. No one can be snatched out of the Father’s hands. Dear friends, rest in that powerful love.

As 2022 draws to a close, I want to thank you for your partnership in the gospel. By God’s grace, our church holds to the gospel. By God’s grace, there is unity. By God’s grace, there is love. The Spirit has moved you to give of your time, talent, and treasure. Thank you for honoring your membership vows, for maintaining covenant with Christ and one another, and for worshipping among the saints at Cornerstone.

A few notes on end-of-the-year items:

#1: If you would still like to give to the work of Cornerstone under 2022, you need to make an online donation by the end of the day tomorrow.  https://ccmarion.churchtrac.com/give

​#2: This Sunday, January 1, we will gather for our Lord’s Day Worship Service, but there will be no 11AM Sunday School.

#3: Our 2023 Sunday School classes will relaunch on January 8th. For adults, we have a new doctrine class meeting in the sanctuary at 11AM. We have a smaller study on being a disciple-maker led by Pastor Gary. Anne Cunningham will continue to have a women’s Bible Study in Room 102 (studying Isaiah).​ Our PreK-12th grade classes will resume on January 8th as well.

#4: Please mark January 11th at 7PM as an important all-church gathering. We will pray together, worship together, and call out to our God together to bring in the new year. This will be held in our sanctuary.

I’m filled with gratitude to be a fellow servant of the LORD with you.

Under grace,

Pastor Matt

Our Christmas Eve Service will be held Saturday December 24 at 3:30PM. There will be the singing of Christmas carols, a Christmas Message, special music, and the lighting of candles.

Then, we’ll have a totally different Lord’s Day service at 9:25AM on Christmas Day Sunday December 25. Pastor Matt will continue our Advent Series in Romans 1, we’ll take the Lord’s Supper, and we’ll worship in song our Lord and Savior.

Afternoon Students and Families of CornerStone youth group,

I’ve been holding off this email until I was sure this was the right decision.  I really wish the weather would have been different but tonight’s youth group is CANCELED.  I’m totally bummed as I was looking forward to doing the white elephant gift exchange and other fun Christmas Party stuff we had planned.

I looked at the KCRG weather report to help me with this decision – https://www.kcrg.com/2022/12/21/pre-christmas-blizzard-will-lead-dangerous-holiday-travel/

If you know of someone in the group that won’t get this email please let them know.

Be safe if you have to get out in this weather and I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating our Savior’s B-day.

Mark Eades

Church Family,

C.S. Lewis called the incarnation of Jesus Christ “the grand miracle.” He compares Christ’s incarnation to the climax of a great story. Can you imagine your favorite story without a climax? It just wouldn’t make sense. Some truths are so central everything else hangs on them. And there’s no greater truth than the Son’s deep love for us that he was willing to go down–way down, to infancy, to a manger, to a human body, even unto death–so he could “bring the whole ruined world up with Him” (in Miracles by C.S. Lewis). Christians for north of 1500 years have considered it a wise practice to center our thoughts around this grand miracle at Christmas. Let us do just that…come and adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Upcoming Events:

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service – 12/24 @3:30PM – Invite friends and family for a solemn remembrance of Christ’s birth.

Buy Cornerstone Shirts, Pull-Overs, and other Apparel – The Cornerstone Apparel Webstore will be open through the weekend. Visit the store and purchase some new items to show your love for our church. The store will be open until December 21 and apparel will be delivered the early part of January. CLICK HERE:  Cornerstone Apparel

Worship on Christmas Day December 25 @9:25AM – We will hold a Lord’s Day worship service and take the Lord’s Supper on Sunday December 25th. We’ll finish our Advent Series in Romans 1:1-17. We will have normal childcare that day during the worship service, but there will be no Sunday School at 11AM on 12/25 or 1/1/23.

January 2023 Discipleship Offerings… 

Christian Doctrine Class – 11AM starting 1/8/22 – (Go buy yourself a copy of “Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know” by Wayne Grudem) 

Microgroup Discipleship Training Class – 11AM starting 1/8/22 

If you want to find a new small group to study the Bible and pray in 2023, shoot me an email.

For the sake of His name,

Matt

Dearly beloved in Christ,

Christ’s beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) depict the lifestyle of one who is a part of the kingdom of heaven. Such ones have no higher allegiance than Christ, the LORD. They sit at his feet and accept his instruction. Such ones are salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). 

There’s so much talk today about “being an influencer” or “shaping culture.” Christians try to make a splash on Facebook or change the world through politics. Jesus has given his followers a clearer path: meekness, persecution for righteousness sake, mourning, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and later we’re exhorted to private prayer, fasting, and giving alms. Paul in 1 Thessalonians encourages Christians to ambitiously pursue a quiet life of godliness. Heaven will reveal that those who made the “biggest splash” quietly dispensed cold water in Jesus’ name. Salvation comes through the simple sharing, hearing, and believing of the Gospel. For the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe. The world is turned upside down politically by men like Telemachus who gives his life to see the brutality of the Colosseum games come to an end. The call of Jesus’ beatitudes have pierced me this fall. I fall so short. This sort of righteousness is only possible through Christ’s saving and sanctifying grace. So too, this sort of life is only worked out in authentic community in a local church. We need Christ; we need each other. Let us press into the LORD together.

Announcements:

#1: Baptism class October 23rd, 11AM: have you professed your Christian faith through receiving baptism from Christ’s church? Do you have a child who has expressed faith in Christ and desires to be baptized? Please let us know if you would like to attend a baptism class on October 23rd during the 11AM Sunday School hour–office@cornerstone-marion.org

#2: Church family meal and meeting, November 13. Please join us for a church family meal at 11AM on November 13th, and then a church family meeting will follow around 11:45am.

#3: Our Anamosa Church Plant team has a potential church planter candidate that plans to come visit in the next 30 days. Pray for clarity and discernment for this planter and the Cornerstone and Anamosa leaders. There will be discussion at the November 13th congregational meeting, but the goal is to cover 50% (or more) of the church planter’s salary in 2023. Lord willing, the planter can raise the other funds, and we also can pursue a grant from our district and national offices. What a joy to invest in this new work of God. Keep praying.

In fact, could you pause right now and give at least 60 seconds for praying for your church family, your pastors, and the Anamosa church plant?

It’s a privilege to serve the LORD with you,

Matt