THIS WEEK AT CORNERSTONE
Following Sunday evening’s Annual Congregational Meeting, the recommendations for Elder Board were overwhelmingly approved by the congregation.
Our Elder Board now includes:
Pastor Terry Schoenfeld, Jack Kennedy, Millard McDonald, Mike Nehre of Immanuel (a one year term), John Ritland, Paul Scherfling, Allan Steele and Mike Thurman - Alan Smith and Pete Woods are leaving and we thank them for their service the past three years.
And our Deacon Board now includes:
Doug Boyd, Cindy Gunderson, Lockwood Hill, Eric Jost and Chad Stuemke - Steve Chesnut, Ric Oppelt, Carolyn Otterson, Allan Steele and Mike Thurman as Treasurer and Jan Scherfling as Financial Secretary are going off and we thank them for their service also.
The 2010 Budget put together by the Deacon Board was overwhelmingly approved, as was adding Aaron Goldstein to our full-time staff. He will serve as Assistant Pastor of Students and Community Life effective June 1 after he graduates from Covenant Seminary mid-May.
This Sunday is Communion Sunday. “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Corinthians 11:28 (ESV)
A new small group started last Monday, March 1, for anyone who is new to Cornerstone or never been in a small group and would like to see what it is like. They meet from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday through April 26th led by Pastor Terry in his home. If you meant to sign up and did not, you can still do so by calling Pastor Terry and Karol at 314.260.9748.
♥ Do you have time to touch a heart while you play? The Cornerstone MOPS ministry still needs additional adult caregivers the first and third Thursday morning of each month from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Homeschoolers who have a desire to work with children are more than welcome. The pay is $20, or you can volunteer your services to further benefit the ministry of MOPS. Contact Christine Mosley (314.324.3886) or Dana Stuemke (314.646.7597).
¿Te gustaría hablar mejor el español? Would you like to speak better Spanish? Omar and Astrid Orozco teach an intermediate class in the Garage Room every other Friday, 7:00-8:30 p.m. The next class will meet on March 12th. This class is for people who know some Spanish and just need to “bone up”. It is open to teens and adults, and if you have a bilingual Bible, bring it with you as they plan to use the Bible for their teaching. Please RSVP to the church office if you would like to attend.
Special Service – On Sunday, March 21, Peter Blitshteyn of Jews for Jesus will speak at Cornerstone during our 1st hour and at 12:30 p.m. to present the message that Jesus is the Messiah to all people around the world. He and his wife, Olga, are from the former Soviet Union and are now U.S. citizens. Jesus’ Last Supper was actually a Jewish Passover. Peter Blitshteyn will recreate the traditional Passover service with a Seder and explain how it foreshadowed Jesus’ death and resurrection. Join us in a presentation called “Christ in the Passover” which will take us from Egypt to Calvary to what it means for us today.
This Sunday, March 7th, will be the last day to sign up for our Souper Suppers. ALSO, two families volunteered to be Hosts for people with children. There is limited space, so if you have children and are interested, sign up Sunday or email Nancy at nancphill@sbcglobal.net before Sunday and she will put you on the list.
GENERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS
♥ ThriVe St. Louis, formerly Pregnancy Resource Center, is looking for individuals who can help with numerous needs of the center. More and more people are troubled by the tragedy of abortion and want to do something positive and life-affirming, but aren’t sure what to do. Copies of the extensive list of needs are posted on the “Life” bulletin board in the church hallway. Please stop by, pick one up and give them a call. You will be welcomed with open arms!
The St. Louis BACKSTOPPERS will have a fundraiser on Friday, April 9th, 6:00 p.m. to Midnight at the Masonic Lodge, 12 W. Lockwood, (next to the Webster Groves City Hall) featuring music and comedy. The cost is $25.00 per person. Started in 1959, The BackStoppers provides needed support and financial assistance to the spouses and children of all local and county police officers, firefighters, publicly-funded paramedics and EMTs and volunteer fire protection units, who have lost their lives performing their duty. Deaths from natural causes, illnesses or injuries are outside the organization’s scope. More information can be found on www.backstoppers.org.
BIBLE STUDIES
Rich Cartier leads a class on 1st Corinthians every Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the church office. The plans are to continue this class into the fall. Please call, email, or tell Rich if you want to attend.
See “Men’s Ministry” below for information about the Friday Morning Men’s Bible Study.
The Saturday morning Barnabas Project, open to men and women, is led by Pastor Terry and meets from 7:30 to 8:30 in the Fireplace Room using the Student Copy of the Men At The Cross One2Won cross training study guide. We encourage discipleship among ladies/young ladies as well as men/young men and this study helps each of us become familiar with and comfortable using a great tool for one-to-one or one-to-two discipleship. It is an extremely practical way of equipping men and women of Cornerstone to multiply disciple makers. Please come.
Two Russian Bible Studies continue every Wednesday, 6:15 p.m., at the Parkway Baptist facility. The adults are led by Ion Cheptene and the youth by Terry Reznikov. Child care is provided.
Our Women’s Ministry has two studies currently on the calendar. See details under “Women’s Ministry” below.
Many small groups meet at individual homes each week to fellowship and study the Bible. If you are not in a group and would like to be, contact Aaron Goldstein for more information or to be plugged in. aaron@cornerstonestaff.org
MISSIONS
♥ Plans are underway for this summer’s mission trip to Moldova. Would you like to go? The first youth camp will be Monday, July 5 through Saturday, July 10 studying the book Josef , led by Uliana and Ion Cotorobai –– The second youth camp will be Monday, July 12 through Saturday, July 17 studying the book What Does the Bible Say About Sex? , led by Svetlana and Nicolai Syli. If you would like to accompany Ion Cheptene on either or both of these trips, please contact Ion at ion@cornerstonestaff.org.
♥ The Brockman family (Ernie, Denise, Trey and Eli) is going back to Mexico on another mission trip this summer (Saturday, June 19 through Saturday, June 26). They invite anyone interested in joining them. Contact Ernie or Denise at 314.963.1295 or emb2x2@juno.com to learn more.
We have been running the following article for several months now: “Be part of those who teach English to people overseas using the Bible and Skype right from their own home. ♥ This is a commitment of an hour per week. The number of students depends upon your comfort stage (i.e. 1 student, 5 students, 20 students, etc.). There are three levels: 1st is basic English; 2nd is for those who know some English; and, 3rd is those who speak fluently and want to learn conversational English. We would like to continue this through April. If this interests you, please contact Ion or the church office.”
Here is one result from Lynn Moeckel, one of our “Skypers”. If you were in our 9:00 a.m. service last Sunday, you saw that Lynn brought her laptop and actually put our entire service on Skype and invited her “student” to be at church with her. “I SKYPE with Timur, a 21-year old man from Kazakhstan. He has a basic understanding of English and excellent pronunciation, however, his conversational English is limited because his vocabulary is limited. We meet every Saturday morning for 60-90 minutes, to talk about the “lessons” I email him throughout the week. So far we have spoken about both our churches and how we are involved in them, the Olympics, and current events in his country.
When I asked him if he wanted to “come to church with me”, he thought that would be interesting. So I simply brought my computer to church and seated Timur next to me, just like anyone else would bring a friend to church. He knew a couple of the songs we sang, and I could hear him humming along. Later that evening, I received an email from Timur saying:
Lynn, hi! thank you that you took me with you in church this morning. it was great! =). that you showed me your church and introduced me to your friends. They are very interesting people. the skype gives many possibilities: to see and to talk. I’m impressed by this chance to meet your friends. Today’s meeting at church reminded me Nashville and all my friends there. We are still keeping in touch with each other. It’s my dream to travel to your place, to know you and your family better, to introduce with your friends.
I look forward to continuing my SKYPE relationship with Timur and will turn our conversations towards a Bible study in the near future. He indicated that he was not very familiar with the story of Moses and the Israelites, so we will probably start there!
God is so amazing that from the beginning, He knew that Timur and Cornerstone would be connected. This is not a random relationship; God is in control and I am just going along for the wonderful ride, where ever it may take me. Lynn Moeckel
MEN’S MINISTRY
A Friday, 7:00 a.m., Men’s Bible Study meets at First Watch in Webster. The topic is One2Won discipleship, similar to the Saturday morning study, and all men are welcome to attend.
A new men’s Bible study led by Ernie Brockman will begin on Tuesday, March 16th, 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Room. The first meeting will decide on the study. Please contact Ernie at 314.963.1295 with questions and to RSVP.
WOMEN’S MINISTRY
Every Tuesday, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Susan Ritland leads a class in the Junior Church Room on the book, Devotional Classics. This is the same class she taught in the evenings last semester. RSVP to Susan at sritland@sbcglobal.net.
“The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children” by Stormie Omartian, a 14-week Women’s Bible Study, meets on Tuesday Nights and is led by Marilyn McDonald. This class will continue through April 27. They start at 6:30 p.m. with a bowl of soup, then study and pray until 8:30 p.m. If you have children in their late teens or beyond, please join them! To register and obtain required study texts, please e-mail Karol Schoenfeld at karolschoenfeld@gmail.com.
One More Time! The EFCA Central District Women’s Retreat for the southern part of our district is scheduled for Friday – Sunday, April 23-25 in Branson, Missouri and we are all invited!! The title of the retreat is “Beauty for Ashes for the Display of His Splendor” and features Michelle Rickett as speaker. She is founder and president of Sisters In Service, an international ministry mobilizing advocates to equip women against poverty, oppression, exploitation and spiritual darkness in the world’s hardest places through practical grassroots projects. The cost for the two nights and four meals at the Lodge of the Ozarks (a hotel) is $99-$219 per person depending upon the number in the room (up to 4 per room). This cost goes up by $10 per person after next Monday! If you have any interest in attending, please email karolschoenfeld@gmail.com ASAP!! OR sign-up on the sheet in the Welcome Center next Sunday morning!!
STUDENT MINISTRY
A middle school lock-in is planned for Friday, March 12th, beginning at 9:30 p.m. and ending promptly at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the 13th. ♥ ADULT VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED at 10:30 to Midnight to help with a scavenger hunt and Midnight to 2:00 a.m. for ice skating. Do you also have a camera that we can borrow for the scavenger hunt? Contact Luanne Steele at 315.963.1707 if you can help.
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Attention preschool parents – please pick up your children right after first service so teachers can make the transition to second hour.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We received the following prayer request through our website: Please pray for my mother. Lura Cordes. She has been in ICU now for about 1½ weeks. She is failing rapidly – thank you for your prayers. Yours in Christ, B. Sue Bement
Praise God for Doug Boyd’s successful back surgery! He thanks everyone for their prayers. Please continue to pray for pain relief and a quick recovery.
Our condolences go to Jack Kennedy upon the death of his father, the Rev. Jack Kennedy. Rev. Kennedy pastored for over 40 years and had been declining in health recently. Keep the Kennedy family in your prayers as they mourn this loss.
Continue also to pray for Lee Burns and the health issues he is facing, Tracey Calhoun as she receives a defibrillator on March 10th; for Marilyn Brown and her son, Mark; Cal and Sue Swan’s son, Ben; Oleg Reznikov and his family; and, for Karen Felton.
Praise the Lord – most of the Russian Jews who invited Jesus into their hearts last November have found mentors! Continue to pray for their growth in Christ. Also continue to pray for Cornerstone missionaries (see below), students and those going through personal trials and health issues; and, for Immanuel, Pastor Todd and their congregation (see end of this paragraph). We received a mission report and prayer requests from Russ and Alice Martin of Campus Crusade and from Pastor Todd of Immanuel. Copies of both are available on the Prayer Table in the Welcome Center.
Our Monday evening prayer group meets from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Junior Church Room; and the 50/50 prayer group continually meets every Thursday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. in the Fireplace Room. Everyone is welcome to join either or both groups.
| If and when you have prayer requests, be sure to call or send them to the church office by Wednesday Noon so they can be included in this communiqué and in Sunday’s bulletin. |
SERVING CORNERSTONE
We can always use help somewhere. Sign up through the Welcome sheet in your Sunday bulletin or call or email the church office to joanne@cornerstonestaff.org and we will plug you in. Did you see all the ♥ in this newsletter and wonder what they are all about? That shows just a sampling of the volunteer opportunities available at Cornerstone. We have many other opportunities that are not listed. You are what makes Cornerstone thrive so come and help us grow.
REMINDER! We continually collect used laser and ink jet printer cartridges and old cell phones for our silent recycling fundraiser – place them in the basket located by the elevator in the foyer.
| Note: If you need to schedule an event or meeting at Cornerstone, please call the church office to avoid over/double bookings and to have them posted on our web calendar. You can also check room availability on our church “web calendar” at www.cornerstonefreechurch.org where scheduled activities, meetings and classes are posted. |