Sunday Summary 3/15/09

Title: Passing the Torch

This last week we moved from Abraham to his son Isaac.  In order to continue God's promise-plan, and not halt it in its tracks, Isaac needs to find a wife and have kids of his own.  Abraham's fear is two-fold: Isaac should not take a wife from the area in which they live who knows nothing of God, and he cannot be allowed to go back to where they came from.  Abraham's solution?  Send his servant to find a wife for his son from among the family they left behind so long ago.

The servant prays for God's guidance in this task, and prays very specifically.  He wants a wife for Isaac that is kind, generous, hospitable to strangers... and sure enough, that is what God provides.  Rebekah offers not only to give the servant some water, she waters all of his camels (this was a task that probably required her to make about 150 trips to the well).  

The real provision that God makes here is what he still does for us today.  He gives Isaac exactly the teammate he needs to continue in Rebekah.  Rebekah has strengths that complement Isaac perfectly.  That is what the church is made up of today.  We are truly family together that have various talents, gifts and strengths.  Not one of us can make it on our own.  

We have an amazing gift here at Cornerstone to be surrounded by so many people with so many incredible gifts.  

Songs: Friend of God, Enough, Mighty to Save, Rescue, How Great is Our God, He Reigns

As always, please feel free to continue to ask questions that may have come up for you during the week, or comment on what God has been teaching you through this lesson.

Leadership Team

This Sunday Greg introduced our proposed slate of leadership team members. Many are returning members (Carl, Greg, Terri, Lorie, Sue, Brian) even if the roles are shifted, and several are new candidates (Mary Feikema, Kitty Petraw, and DeAnne Leone).

Co-chairs: Carl Gerriets and Greg Carlson
Treasurer: Mary Feikema
Secretary: Terri Wade
Facilities: Kitty Petraw
Missions: Lorie Sauro
Spiritual Care: Sue Fisher
Children/Youth: DeAnne Leone
Community: Brian Thoreen

I am excited about this slate. Our leadership team and pastoral staff have been in prayer about this selection and are pleased that these have all volunteered to serve Cornerstone.

We still have one opening for a leadership team member that is willing to volunteer to help oversee our Sunday morning ministries (Greeting and Ushering, Communion, and Hospitality). Please be in prayer about this opportunity to serve.

The Cornerstone body will be asked to vote to approve this slate on April 19th at our Annual Business Meeting. This will mark the start of their terms. Please be in prayer about this over the coming weeks. Please feel free to talk to a leadership team member or Scott or Barry if you have concerns or questions.

I have been very blessed to be able to serve this body over the last couple of years. The experience has been humbling, and has offered me an opportunity to grow in my faith and to form many close friendships that are such an important part of my life today. Thank you all.

In Christ,
John

Sunday Summary 3/8/09

Title: Finish What You Started

We reach the point in Abraham's journey where he starts to say goodbye.  In Gen 23, he loses his wife, Sarah, and looks for a place to bury her.  As a nomad in this land, he doesn't have a place to bury his wife and must purchase one.  This marks the first piece of fulfillment of God's promise of a land for this nation that Abraham will father.  He has received a son of promise, who is the beginning of this great nation; he has received wealth and a great name in this country; now he begins to take possession of the land itself, according to God's promise.

Hebrews talks about Abraham's faith in God, even though he never truly got to see the end result of his faithful following.  In Heb. 11, we see ourselves with Abraham, waiting for this heavenly land, and our King who will welcome us home.  

Songs: Wonderful Savior, Bless the Lord, You Are Good, Call to Worship, Take Me In, Lord Let Your Glory Fall, Our Great God, Shine, You Never Let Go, All Creatures of Our God and King

As always, please feel free to continue to ask questions that may have come up for you during the week, or comment on what God has been teaching you through this lesson.  

Next Week: Gen 24

Sunday Summary 3-1-09: A Time of Celebration

This last Sunday truly was a time of celebration.  As you know, we have been traveling together over the last few weeks in a time of fasting.  We were able to end this time with a Sunday of reports of hearing from God, singing and worshipping together, and at the end of the service, we all took communion together. 

Pastor Barry gave us a devotion from Mark 4, the story of Jesus calming the storm.  The imagery he brought out was that instead of taking what life sends our way--the storms and waves--our eyes need to be focused on our Savior, standing at the front of the boat, who has the power to calm all of those things, and carry us through.  Our task as a church and as Christians is to have the faith to look to him at all times, not only the crises.  

In my mind, communion was the wonderful way to begin and end our fast.  We started by taking communion as a church together, and ended the same way, coming forward beneath the cross to acknowledge that we cannot do this journey on our own.  We need our brothers and sisters beside us, and we need the power and leading of Christ above all.  

As a side note, I also want to say that although the official fast has ended, that doesn't mean that we need to go back to how things were before.  In fact, I hope we are unable to get back to that place in our life, and in the life of our church.  I pray that God would give us his discipline to keep him before any of the distractions that keep us from hearing his voice.  Let our spirits continue to fast from everything that is not the living Christ.