Roots
Cornerstone is a part of a greater Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) movement that began in the St. Louis area in 1983 with the founding of First Evangelical Free Church of St. Louis County. Shortly thereafter, Calvary EFC of St. Charles, MO came into being having made the conversion from another denomination to the EFCA. The first church plant of First EFC was Christ Community EFC in South St. Louis County in 1988. First EFC also helped in starting the First EFC of Franklin County and was instrumental in the recent transition of St. Paul’s Evangelical Church into the EFCA.
In the fall of 1994, the elders of First EFC made a decision to move forward with a new church plant in the Webster Groves/Kirkwood area by beginning a mini-congregation of interested families. Chuck Monk, serving a year long internship following graduation from Denver Seminary, was available to lead this new mini-congregation beginning in January of 1995. Chuck led a study of the book of Acts over the next nine months leading up to the church plant in September. In March, a leadership team was formed and in June, Brad Harper, Associate Pastor at First EFC, accepted a call to be the first pastor of Cornerstone EFC. On September 10, a Cornerstone “commissioning ” service was held at First EFC in the morning followed by the Cornerstone’s first Annual Congregational Meeting in the evening. Elder and Deacon boards were elected at that meeting.
Beginning
Cornerstone’s first service was held in the cafeteria of Hixson Junior High in Webster Groves on September 17, 1995. Gene Moniz, Associate Pastor at First EFC, preached that first service to about two hundred members, visitors and well wishers from First EFC as Pastor Brad was in California to attend the funeral of his father. In the first four years of our existence, Cornerstone’s Sunday morning attendance has grown from about 100 to about 250. During that time, John Richardson was called to serve as Associate Pastor of Community Life.
Transitions
During the spring of 1998, Pastor Harper accepted a teaching position at Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. Cornerstone entered into a period of transition during which Associate Pastor John Richardson was selected to replace Pastor Harper as senior pastor. Pastor Harper preached his final message on June 13, 1999. John Richardson preached his first message as Senior Pastor the following week, June 20, 1999.
Cornerstone entered into another period of transition during the spring of 1999 as the facility of South Webster Presbyterian Church, 921 Edgar Road, was offered for sale. On the evening of June 27, 1999, Cornerstone Congregation voted to purchase the facility. Cornerstone began renting the church facility for worship on the 4th of July, 1999 until August 25, when Cornerstone took possession of the Property.
Pastor Richardson led Cornerstone through years of growth and in the fall of 2001, oversaw Cornerstone’s commencement of a million dollar capital campaign to renovate the church building. Through sacrificial and joyful giving, the goal was met. Modernization included a new west entrance and terrace, expanded fellowship hall, new kitchen and classrooms for teaching and ADA compliancy. On Sunday, February 19, 2006, Senior Pastor John Richardson left Cornerstone after 10 years of faithful service.
New Beginnings
Daughter Church – Covenant seminary student Todd Brooks joined Cornerstone as an intern in 2002, with a heart for urban ministries and church planting. To fulfill God’s calling, Todd’s obedience and Cornerstone’s vision to “Glorifying Jesus By Bringing People In, Training Believers Up & Sending Disciples Out” plans began to plant a church in the Carondolet Park area of St. Louis city. Upon graduation, Todd and Katie Brooks (vocation ministers since 1990) and their family, led several families from Cornerstone to plant Immanuel Evangelical Free Church. In September, 2006, Immanuel celebrated their first worship service at Wardack Presbyterian Church, where they continue to worship and reach out to the community. Immanuel, meets at 4919 Minnesota Ave in the city at 9:15am Sunday mornings.
Church in a Church – In the spring of 2007, we called Ion (John) Cheptene as an interim pastor of ministry, and in 2008 as Director of Ministries, and a new chapter in the life of Cornerstone began. Ion had developed a relationship with a Russian-speaking congregation, Word of Life. The fascinating story of our relationship with Word of Life can be read in an EFCA Today article entitled, Church in a Church with a Russian Accent.
Word of Life has blended with Cornerstone and today, we worship God and fellowship together-in two languages.
New Pastor - On Sunday November 4, 2007, Terry Schoenfeld preached his first message to mark the beginning of his tenure as Cornerstone’s third Senior Pastor. Terry came to Cornerstone from the Atlantic, Iowa, where he had been the pastor for 24 years. Terry’s vision is to promote a culture of loving God, loving others and loving the lost.
Sister Church – In March of 2009, Cornerstone invited Sanctuary Fellowship to use our facilities for their Saturday evening service. Sanctuary Fellowship is a 4-year old church plant that is seeking affiliation with the EFCA. Our plan is to support them as they transition their ministry to the Affton area. They will begin a Sunday Worship service at Rogers Middle School on MacKenzie Rd on Easter Sunday, 2009.