For most of this time we have provided childcare on-site at the Church on two nights of the week.  As we have grown and had more people engage in small groups, providing childcare that is both cost effective and excellent has become more and more challenging, causing us to re-evaluate and ask a number of questions.

We’ve wrestled with questions like, “Can we sustain this level of childcare as the church and small group participation continues to grow?  Are we doing our best at stewarding the resources entrusted to us?  Is providing childcare at the church a barrier for people to participate who live or would meet far away from the church?  What more intentional ministry to our children are we missing out on by pouring time, energy and financial resources into in childcare?”  This has been a challenge for our leadership to say the least, but we’ve been ready to address it.

Through wrestling with these challenges, seeking wisdom from the Lord and in consulting with several other like-minded churches of similar size we have come to a conclusion.  Starting this fall we will no longer be offering childcare for small groups at the Church site – but moving to a reimbursement system.  In essence, parents will now be arranging their own childcare and then be reimbursed by the church.  While this is offered to everyone, it is our hope that families who do not need this financial support in order to participate will not take advantage of these resources. (Some may also choose to submit to be reimbursed only every other meeting or only in particular times of need.) On-site childcare will continue to be provided for other normally scheduled large group gatherings held at the church (Wednesday’s Beth Moore Women’s Study, Cornerstone 101, Cornerstone Connect, Journey Bible Classes, etc.).  Attached you will find a terms and conditions document as well as the reimbursement form for you to review.  This form will be accessible from our “Small Group” page on the website.

Our overall decision to go this direction involved a number of complex factors.  So I wanted to offer some more background on the “Why?” of this decision.

1. To give leaders and small group participants more flexibility. Groups can now meet on any day of the week at any time they wish – and are no longer limited to the Sunday/Tuesday evenings when childcare has been available at the church.  This also provides better alternatives for families that live and groups that meet far away from the church (Imagine living in and participating in a group that meets in Camden Ridge or on the other side of Opelika.  Offering childcare at the church actually becomes more of a barrier to these individuals.)
2. To provide a system of childcare that will accommodate Cornerstone’s growth and the future growth of small groups. If we were to double the number of small group (as we hope to) we would not be able to sustain the level of excellence, funding, space, etc. for childcare.  The reimbursement system is one that will better support more people being involved in small groups as the church continues to grow. Our consulting with several other like-minded churches of similar size or larger confirmed this.
3. To be better stewards of Cornerstone’s financial resources. A common problem we experienced in staffing for childcare was that we were often overstaffed.  The number of children expected was rarely the same as the number that actually showed up – often much less.  For example, we would staff 6 workers for the expected needs when only 3 would end up being needed.  The reimbursement system will allow the allocated resources to more precisely match the needs.
4. To save money. This reimbursement system is intended for those people who otherwise would not be able to participate in a small group.  It is our hope that families who do not need this financial support in order to participate in a small group will not take advantage of these resources. (Some may also choose to submit to be reimbursed only every other meeting or only at times needed.) Going to this system will also eliminate other hidden employment costs that the church incurs with childcare staff (FICA and Unemployment Tax matching, background checks, cost/time of recruiting, screening, interviewing, etc.).  Overall we expect the reimbursement system to reduce costs and while this is not the dominant reason for this change it is a significant one.
5. To free up Cornerstone leadership from time in managing/coordinating childcare, allowing them to invest their time and energy in more meaningful ministry to our children.

I am fully aware of the many implications of a change like this.  Myself and others involved in this decision are aware of the sacrifice, extra effort and responsibility that parents must take to continue to participate in a small group.  For some, it won’t be as easy as before.  People will have to arrange their own babysitters, and maybe do things differently.  So for those of you committed small group folks – I’m asking you to stick with it, stay committed, adapt, and be creative.  What we are doing here is that important.   These are the kinds of things we as the people of Cornerstone Church rise up to.  So as we go forward I ask for your understanding and flexibility as we all seek to be better stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

Leading People to Know and Serve Jesus…

Josh Agerton,
Pastor of Connections

Small Group Childcare Reimbursement Form

Small Group Childcare Terms & Conditions

In these 40 days of Lent I’ve been reading along with many of my Cornerstone friends through a common text of scripture by way of the Asbury Reader – titled Two Stories. It’s a remarkable journey we have been on so far. These words are finding their ways into our lives, showing up in our conversations, shaping our thoughts. I’ve seen a surprising surge of interest in this new way of reading scripture together in community (which is really an ancient spiritual practice).

Along the way JD Walt – Sr. Editor of the Common Text Project and Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Seminary – is offering us some short teaching video clips that compliment our readings. This one in particular captured me this morning and wanted to share it with you all.

Today we are only on day 14 of 40 so come and read with us. You can pick up a hard copy of the reader at or Cornerstone bookstore or just read daily at asburyreader.com. Come follow Him with us.

Journey Bible Class, Mondays at 6:30

This week we started out again for our latest Journey Bible Class session, “How to Study the Bible.”  This is my second time around teaching this particular material and I’m loving it even more than before.  I think what I love the most about this class is how it opens up the scriptures for people. What we are learning is very basic…nothing more than a method for how to study the Bible.  But light bulbs are constantly going off all over the room.  People are getting a glimpse of just how beautiful God’s word is and come away with the confidence to actually read and understand it on their own.

I’ll never forget a comment from a woman after our first session last year:

I have been in the church all my life – ever since I was a little girl – and no one has ever taught me how to study and read the Bible for myself…I can’t believe it.

I was so excited for her and many others who expressed the same thing.  But at the same time I was a bit disappointed because I could believe it… because this was true for me as well.  How could it be that people could be in the church for years and years, yet not have learned how to study for themselves the very centerpiece of our faith, given to us from God?  Interesting huh.

So, enter into this scene.  Journey Bible Class!  Come jump in with us as we go on from here.  We have 4 weeks left and are just getting started.  See you Monday night at 6:30pm. For more information just head over to Journey Bible Class 2010.

Spending a lot of my mind share right now thinking about our next Journey Bible Class that’s starting on October 5th. For those who want to come along we are going to be spending 5 weeks, 35 days, living in the letter Paul wrote to the Philippians. I’m really looking forward to this because I know there is something God is going to show me. Something about myself and him. A new place he wants me to go. A new way he wants me to be. Not exactly sure what all this looks like but that’s OK. I’m just expectant.

In preparing for this I’ve been thinking about these words that the Prophet Isaiah spoke out, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11.

I’ve been thinking about how the word of God that we will study together will be like receiving the rain and snow from heaven…it will nourish, make bud and flourish, yield seed. This gets me excited for all of us. And not just for us, but for the world as well.

I’m praying that we would be shaped by His word and be transformed more like Christ. But not just for us, so that we can feel good about ourselves and that we are all spiritual and in good with God. But for the sake of the world that we will engage with the love of Christ that lives in us.

So come and be shaped by his word.

Journey Bible Class from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.

(Props to Matt Leroy and Love Chapel Hill for the cool video inspiration.)

I love this picture. It’s a picture of the church. It showed up yesterday in The Valley Times under the “Lifestyles” section (which of course is the appropriate to put this picture rather than the “Religion” section). The caption tells about how several groups came together to help feed some hungry friends in LaFayette, AL: A Baptist Church, a grocery store, a car dealership; a funeral home, Cornerstone “Unity” Methodist Church, a bank, and a barber shop.

But there is a great story behind this picture. It started with a few Cornerstone folks who had a connection with Carl Ashford, a gentleman who operates “A Vision to Feed” (a donations based organization, that simply feeds hungry people). These few people rounded up their small groups and even called up some new faces that they had just met at the last Cornerstone 101. There was nothing published on the website, no strategic mass communication, no announcement at the end of the service on Sunday. Rather, it was more like a groundswell…a buzz between friends who knew other friends who knew some other people. It was an organic movement that turned into something beautiful.

It get’s better. They all showed up in LaFayette last Saturday morning to help cook 435 meals. They served alongside each other and were ready to feed those who came hungry as Carl had planned. But not many folks showed up. The group waited around looking at each other until Brian Caldwell in true UPS fashion said, “Pack ‘em up, we’re gonna take it to the people.” (Brian just so happens to be the UPS driver for this area and knew exactly where the most needy people lived…he was the one who delivered their meds.) So this little band of people loaded up with to-go boxes and went to the neighborhoods, knocking on doors, passing out smoked chicken, veggies and hot-dogs for the kids.

I love this story. It was a shared experience among these friends and they saw a new side of each other that day. And this happened because these people have a fundamental understanding that they are the church…the very hands and feet of Jesus Christ in East Alabama today. I chalk this up as a great win for the Kingdom.

Be the church.