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Journey Bible Class Back By Popular Demand

04Posted on by joshagerton in Leadership Blog
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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.

AUTHOR: joshagerton - [other posts by joshagerton]
Josh serves as the Pastor of Connections at Cornerstone Church. His role is really about people…helping to connect people to each other and to God. He is married to his best friend Leslie, and has 3 beautiful children.

My Man David

29Posted on by Jack Fisher in Leadership Blog
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The Lego Lowdown | King David from Granger Community on Vimeo.

The story of King David is powerful. It is a story I have read and heard taught many times. King David is the famous David who slew Goliath. It wasn’t until I saw The Lego Lowdown about King David that his story really stuck. David was a sinner, he did some really bad things and still God forgave him.

Two things to point out

David was a sinner. Even though he sinned, God referred to David as a man after His own heart. He made mistakes, but his heart was always pointed towards God. David asked for forgiveness and God forgave him. We sin too, but like David we can “hit our knees and beg God for forgiveness and get back on track.”

We all learn differently. It took a three minute Lego video to bring David’s story together for me. It might not have the same impact for you. That is why at Cornerstone we are committed to being relevant. We know it takes different ways of communicating the story of Christ to impact the variety of people we touch every week. We might never tell a Bible story using Legos, but we want to find our best way of communicating. We are committed to “not using elements that appear outdated or irrelevant to how people live today.”

So, I hope you enjoyed the video about King David. If you liked it you might want to pass it on to a friend. Speaking of being relevant, try using Twitter to pass it on. That’s how I discovered the video, someone Twittered about it and I happened to read their Tweet.

Repost from Jack Fisher’s Blog

AUTHOR: Jack Fisher - [other posts by Jack Fisher]
Jack serves on staff at Cornerstone Church. His primary responsibilities are in the areas of finance, communication, building & grounds maintenance, First Impressions Team and support staff leadership.

Uganda // Info meeting

19Posted on by bslash in Leadership Blog
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“Three years ago, Cornerstone received an invitation. It was an invitation to join a movement in Buloba, Uganda…We’re extending that invitation to you.”

Over the past few days, I’ve been editing some video that we were able to capture on our most recent trip to Uganda. The words above came from Josh Agerton, our pastor of connections, as we talked through how to tell people about what we are doing in Buloba. Genuinely, this is our heart. We joined a movement, a movement to partner with other believers in a completely different part of the world, for the sake of the Kingdom, for the sake of hope, for the sake of the gospel.

Cornerstone has been given the opportunity to help with a permanent structure for the local church, carry bibles to local families, give clean water through a bore hole well, sponsor over 200 children (on the way to 300, let me know if you’re interested) and so much more. We’ve also been given the opportunity to see Believers worshiping in new ways, lose our inhibitions in finding new ways to grow and serve, and what love looks like by watching our friends in Buloba. We are in a partnership of advancing the gospel with the followers of Christ in that community.

This Sunday, after the 11:30 service, we will be having an informational meeting about two of the three trips we currently have planned for this year. The first trip, May 25th-June 3rd, will be geared for university students. The second trip June 8th-June 18th, will be for families. If you’ve ever been interested at all in what we are doing in Buloba, then come join us this Sunday to find out more about what we will be doing on each of these trips. Attendance at this meeting doesn’t lock you in to going or anything, but it will help you be more informed about how you can join us this year.

We could continue doing what we are doing in Buloba, or we could take some next steps together as a community of believers. We can’t do this alone. It must be an united effort. And we’re inviting you to join us in that work.

AUTHOR: bslash - [other posts by bslash]
Brian serves as worship/creative leader at Cornerstone Church. He is passionate about investing in the local body of Believers and leading people in authentic worship that leads to life transformation.

Cornerstone Responds to Haiti

17Posted on by Jack Fisher in Leadership Blog
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haiti

Tomorrow Cornerstone Church will take up a special offering for the people of Haiti at our three services. The staff leadership met this past Wednesday and talked about how we can most effectively help. While our hearts were tugged and we wanted to go immediately to Haiti, we realized it wasn’t the right time. That time will come but for now the reality is cash donations are the best help.

The donations collected will go directly to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). From there they will be used as UMCOR determines best to help the people of Haiti. There are many relief agencies pouring time, resources and money in to Haiti but we landed on UMCOR because of their history of results and our connection with the United Methodist Church.

Established in 1940 by the General Conference of the Methodist Church, UMCOR works with and through partner agencies. Their focus is to coordinate with local groups who know the people and their needs. When the earthquake hit Haiti, there were already members of UMCOR in the country doing relief work unrelated to the current tragedy.

Know that your donations will be used effectively and properly.

United Methodists have had a long-standing relationship with Haiti through the Methodist Church of Haiti. The strong ties between the Methodist Church of Haiti and The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) helped in facilitating the opening of the UMCOR Haiti field office in 2005. 100 percent of Advance gifts made will go to support relief and development efforts due to emergencies in Haiti. -from the UMCOR Web Site

We haven’t figured out what our long term commitment to Haiti will be. I do know it will not be done without a lot of prayer, research and discussion. For now though our biggest impact will be felt through our prayers and our donations of cash.

This is a repost from www.jackfisher.net.

AUTHOR: Jack Fisher - [other posts by Jack Fisher]
Jack serves on staff at Cornerstone Church. His primary responsibilities are in the areas of finance, communication, building & grounds maintenance, First Impressions Team and support staff leadership.

Love Haiti

14Posted on by Rusty Hutson in Leadership Blog
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Devastation in Haiti

Devastation in Haiti

“Devastation” seems to be about the only way to describe what happened in Haiti this week as a result the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. While an earthquake in any part of the world is a problem, in a country like Haiti it is a catastrophe. Consider the fact that 80% of the 9 million people in the country live below the poverty line.

Consider the fact that only about 50% of the population is literate. Consider the fact that most of the buildings constructed on the island are significantly below proper codes and standards. These statistics just make a situation like a major earthquake even more of a crisis with a much longer recovery time.

Let the Church Be the Church

This is the time when the church should be at it’s best. After all, we are Jesus in this world today. I believe He would bring help to the people of Haiti. So, this Sunday we are preparing to take up a special offering to assist in the relief effort. If you are going to write a check, you can make it out to Cornerstone United Methodist Church and put UMCOR in the memo line. UMCOR stands for United Methodist Committee on Relief. They are one of the relief organizations on the ground in Haiti right now. Your money will go directly to helping those who have been affected by the earthquake.

For more information on our collective response as a church, please go read our news release, Responding to the Haiti Relief Effort, posted earlier today.  Thank you in advance for your generosity and helping our church be Christ to a hurting people.

AUTHOR: Rusty Hutson - [other posts by Rusty Hutson]
Rusty is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Auburn Alabama, husband, father, son, and Believer.

Recapping our 10th Anniversary Sunday

12Posted on by Rusty Hutson in Leadership Blog
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A Quick Recap of our Anniversary Sunday

Our tenth anniversary celebration this past Sunday was amazing! It was so good to take a minute as a church and just appreciate what God has done in the life of Cornerstone. I still connect with that passage from 1 Peter 2:4-6 as much today as I did ten years ago…

As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him (5) you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  (6) For in Scripture it says: ”See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

When you do church in a skate center, this verse is very important! It is a reminder that church is not about a building, it’s about people. The building is just a tool for evangelism. In light of this I remain forever grateful to every person who along the way has been a “living stone” placed here by God to do His work. It has been a crazy, exciting, scary, incredible, exhausting, unbelievable journey!
I am equally excited about what’s in store for us in the years ahead. Like the prophet proclaimed in Isaiah 42:9,

See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.

New things are on the way for Cornerstone. I am praying for us as a church and asking God to do greater things. I hope you will pray this with me!
Well, that’s it. See you under the ball!

-Rusty

If You Missed This Past Sunday

If you were not able to make it on Sunday you can still be a part of our celebration.  Click “play” on the audio player below and while you listen take a look at a few of the photos that we shared with everyone.

 

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Leaving Lambert's for the Final Time

Cattle Trough Eric Stevens

Ground Breaking

Mangwanzi Choir

Pictures for Anniversary-news

Buloba Well-2

AUTHOR: Rusty Hutson - [other posts by Rusty Hutson]
Rusty is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Auburn Alabama, husband, father, son, and Believer.

Sun, Jan 10th 2010 // 10th Anniversary!

07Posted on by Rusty Hutson in Leadership Blog
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It’s Here, Sunday Jan 10th

WOW, just WOW! I cannot believe our church’s 10th anniversary is this Sunday! As I think about my message for this special occasion I thought I would just give you a little preview of what you will hear.

“Skate center, disco ball, smells, noises, uncertainty, faithfulness, commitment, free skate nights, packed trailers, “Cletus” videos, worship, loving people, difficulties, perseverance, salvation, baby pool baptisms, free bottled water, free movie nights, Ecuador missions, Vacation Sunday, Trunk R Treat, groundbreaking, 20 acres, $1.2 million, sacrifice, new building, sausage biscuits, vision, believing, creativity, KidzTown, Seaside, Youth, College, Pay it Forward, community, giving, grace, Cindy Wall, Buloba, Uganda, Hiram pulls a bus, the playground, the Well, the children, Patrick, Sarah, Eva, Isaac, Zariah, Jesus, love, hope, partners, Gospel, Leading people, knowing, serving, 10, church, Cornerstone, one, you, us.

Today as we celebrate 10 years of ministry here is East Alabama and around the world, I am reminded and humbled in the presence of the God who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, who holds the keys to life itself, who is the keeper of gates and doors through which we have passed, are passing and will pass. He is the God who decided this church should exist. He gave us the power and focus to stay true to our mission and vision. He is the reason we can celebrate the last ten years, he is the reason we celebrate the right now, and the incredible future He has in store for the people and ministry of Cornerstone Church. Personally I am so grateful on this special day to be a part of this movement.

I could never have imagined the night before our first worship service, nervously sitting at my desk, so much would happen in ten years. I couldn’t get beyond the next morning. I couldn’t get out of the bathroom! I remember my prayer went something like this, “Oh God, if you don’t make this happen it will never work.”

God has certainly done more than I could have asked or imagined through Cornerstone. I am deeply thankful for every person who gave, served, sacrificed, loved, worked, prayed and were faithful to helping us move forward. It has been an amazing decade. But, we will only look back for a moment. We have always been a church that kept our vision forward. I am more excited about the Kingdom work that has yet to be done!

So, come join us this Sunday at 8:30, 10:00, or 11:30 as we celebrate ministry past, present and future.

AUTHOR: Rusty Hutson - [other posts by Rusty Hutson]
Rusty is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Auburn Alabama, husband, father, son, and Believer.

Resolution Help

28Posted on by Jack Fisher in Leadership Blog
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youversionI am not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. The few I have made in my lifetime have typically not lasted more than a couple of months. You, on the other hand, might make resolutions a part of your New Year and if one of them includes reading the Bible I can help.

Well, actually I can’t help but I can refer you to a great resource. YouVersion.com has a tag-line of being “A Revolutionary Online Bible Reader”. I would agree.

Here is a short list of some of the features YouVersion offers:

  • It’s free!
  • 41 different translations, in 22 languages
  • Collaborative, builds community
  • Parallel reading
  • iPhone, Android & Blackberry apps
  • Mobile web version
  • Personal online journal

YouVersion.com is a ministry of LifeChurch.tv. They have just added more than 20 new reading plans, everything from 30-day to two year plans.

I have been using YouVersion.com for almost two years. The way God’s word is presented has helped me grow as a Christian. The easy access and depth in content has been good for me. There is a small learning curve with all the different features, but it is worth it.

Let me know what you think.

(This is a repost from www.jackfisher.net)

AUTHOR: Jack Fisher - [other posts by Jack Fisher]
Jack serves on staff at Cornerstone Church. His primary responsibilities are in the areas of finance, communication, building & grounds maintenance, First Impressions Team and support staff leadership.

The Story of Scrooge, a Brief Version

22Posted on by Jack Fisher in Leadership Blog
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Granger Community Church in Indiana is known for their innovation and creativity. Some members of their worship team put together this melodic overview of the story of Scrooge. It will make you chuckle a little, I did.

Christmas Carol of the Bells from Granger Community on Vimeo.

AUTHOR: Jack Fisher - [other posts by Jack Fisher]
Jack serves on staff at Cornerstone Church. His primary responsibilities are in the areas of finance, communication, building & grounds maintenance, First Impressions Team and support staff leadership.

Want To Go to the Holy Land??

08Posted on by Rusty Hutson in Leadership Blog
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Visit the Holy Land

How awesome would it be to go to the places you read about in the Bible?? Places like the Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. How about to walk on ground that Jesus walked on? Well, just thought I’d let you know that Becky and I will be helping lead a trip to the land next year and we really want you to come. The dates are December 26 (2010)-January 3 (2011). I have been to this part of the world 3 times and toured all of the sites. It is amazing! Once you have gone, reading the Bible becomes a whole new deal because you’ve been to that mountain, or city or river they are talking about. So, go ahead and put it on the calender.

Information Meeting Coming Up, Jan 31st

We will be having an informational meeting about the trip on Sunday, January 31st in the Cornerstone Church worship area.  If you are the slightest bit interested in going on this trip, don’t miss the first initial meeting.  It will provide general information and answer any questions you might have.

If you want to go in December 2010 you can always call Lynn Blount (334-887-1152) in the church office or send her an email at Lynn@CornerstoneBuzz.org and let her know you’re interested. She’ll put you on a list so you can be updated about the meeting in January and the details of the trip. It’s going to be great, so come on!!

AUTHOR: Rusty Hutson - [other posts by Rusty Hutson]
Rusty is the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in Auburn Alabama, husband, father, son, and Believer.