R A N D O M

Tim’s random prayer request of the week:

My whole family (except me) will be leaving for Berlin on Friday. They’re going on a missions trip to hopefully reach some of the people that are in Germany for the finals of the World Cup soccer tournament. Please pray for Randy, Judy, Tiffany, Tom, and everyone else going from my home church...for their safety and effective ministry.


Tim’s random answered prayer for the week:

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Sharon’s funeral last week. The service was a powerful testimony to the life of a devoted believer in Christ, and I also received a lot of comments from people that appreciated my piano solo. “Tim, will you play at my funeral too?” :) Anyway, please continue to pray for Pastor Spencer during the next few weeks and months.


Tim’s random worship-leading experience for the week:

I have had the privilege of spending a portion of my afternoons this week in Cedarville, leading music for the devotions at the university's jr.high & high school girls basketball camp. Today is my last day doing that, but I’ve had a good time getting to worship through song with this group of 150+ girls.


Tim’s long-term task for the week:

I spend part of every week, it seems, trying to find just the right Christmas musical for 2006. Listening to new musicals that get mailed to me, looking through old musicals we already have, scouring the Internet for ideas that I may have missed somewhere, etc. I will be spending a couple days in Michigan in July going through the music library at my home church, and will hopefully return with the perfect musical drama for December!


Tim’s short-term task for the week:

Cleaning off my desk! Especially CDs and sticky notes! As a musician, I spend most of every day at the office listening to some kind of music…looking for some kind of inspiration, I think. Gospel choirs, solo worship leaders, hymn arrangements, solo artists, jazzy arrangements, rock arrangements…I have a very eclectic CD collection. I’ll listen to a few songs, then pop the CD out and replace it…and it gets piled somewhere on my desk. If you haven’t seen my office…good! :) Walking space is at a premium, and desk space is usually covered with three-foot-tall piles. Right now, there are… (hang on, let me count) approximately 31 CDs on my desk, which means they’re not put away in the CD tower on the opposite side of the room. As far as sticky notes, I write everything down on sticky notes. I can’t have a phone conversation without scribbling little notes to help me remember later. So every once in a while, I get tired of not being able to see my desk, or knocking over one of those three-foot-tall piles, and start cleaning. This means putting away the dozens of CDs and throwing away the millions of sticky notes…


Tim’s random birthday plans:

I get to spend my birthday in July watching the Cubs play at Wrigley Field! I’m very excited! That same week will also commemorate the start of my third year at Cornerstone…wow!


Tim’s random plans for this weekend:

Spending time with my Grandma Burgess, who lives in Florida, spends the summer in Michigan, and is visiting us in Ohio this weekend. Grandma is the choir director at her church in Florida, so she, Mom, and I always get stressed about our Christmas musicals at the same time. Family bonding, I think it’s called….


Tim’s random current reading:

I have been reading through the book of Acts. As a pastor, I have enjoyed studying how God built the first church. Yesterday, I read chapter 17, where Paul testifies to the people of Athens about the “unknown” God they worship.
I also spent part of yesterday reading through the worship surveys that the congregation filled out (before I started at CBC…It’s amazing what you can find when you start cleaning out your office!) Anyway, it was interesting to read the blatant opinions about Sunday morning music. “I like…I don’t like…I want…I don’t want…We should…” People were VERY convinced of their preference, and that their preference was the way church music should be. Not a lot of room for contrary opinions! It challenged me to remember that worship music is about much more than just my preference or your preference. In our Sunday School class, we said it this way: “Do not use personal preference, experience, and tradition to make blanket decisions about appropriateness of worship music (hymns, choruses, etc.)!” I hope that our Sunday morning services have a blend of music that every generation enjoys…that’s what I’m striving for. At the same time, don’t forget that it’s not about me and my preference or you and yours…it’s about Him! (Official end of tangent :).


I hope this random blog entry helped you get to know me better. Please drop me an e-mail and let me know that you’re reading the site, as well as ideas for what you’d like to see the pastors write about, etc. Have a great week serving your Savior!

Tim

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars...
lots going on at CBC in July!

Sunday, July 2 9:30 am
New Sunday School qtr begins

Sunday, July 2 (after small groups)
Welcome party for Elliana Messer

Thursday, July 6 7:00 pm
Baby shower for Megan Bryant

Sunday, July 16 6:00 pm
Quarterly Business Meeting

Sunday, July 16 (after business mtg)
Ice Cream Social

Saturday, July 22
Teens leave for summer missions trip

Sunday, July 30 12:00 pm
Fifth Sunday Fellowship (no evening service)

No More Goodbyes

It is good to be back from sunny California (or better, "hot California"; it was 110 degrees on the Friday we were there). Above all, it was good to see family and friends. Having to say goodbye all over again made me long even more for heaven. I long for the day when there will be no more goodbyes; for the day when we will have all of eternity to spend together in the presence of our Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us. The greatest part of heaven is the presence of Christ, but part of our hope as believers is knowing that we will be reunited with other believers, with those we loved and lived with in this life.

The apostle Paul spoke of this hope in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. In that great rapture passage we are told, "Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." While the heart of this hope is being in the presence of the Lord, do not miss the rest of our hope. It says we will be caught up "together" and "with them" and that "we" will always be with the Lord. This is a great reunion indeed! No more good-byes!

But not everyone will be there. Those who refuse to believe will not go to heaven. Let us bring as many with us as we can!

Until that day,

Dan

Baby stuff!

Just wanted to make sure you know about all the baby parties coming up in the next couple of weeks!

There will be a welcome party for ELLIANA MESSER this Sunday night, July 2nd, after small groups. Make sure you stick around and meet the newest member of the Messer family!

Also, the baby shower for MEGAN BRYANT (and James!) will be next Thursday, July 6 at 7 pm. Ladies, if you're interested in attending, please sign up in the CBC foyer.

Whew...that's it for now. If you have any questions about Sunday or Thursday, contact Molly Cary.

Time to chip in my two cents!

VBS is over – praise the Lord for a great week! We averaged between 30 and 40 kids each night, and really had a good time. Special thanks to all the adult and teen volunteers that helped out! Our theme this year was BOOT CAMP (Biblical Outlook and Outreach Training) You’ll get to hear all about our week at the closing program (this Sunday night, 6 pm).

I am really looking forward to my next day off…unfortunately, that’ll be in July sometime. No rest for the weary! We leave for Tennessee on Tuesday…there are ten of us altogether going on the annual senior trip. Please pray for our safety on the roads, and also for strength for the fearless youth/CE pastor! :) Summer is definitely a busy time of year!

Sam

Fusion of FRIENDSHIP and FEAR

My Sunday School lesson from June 18 discussed another idea from a Matt Redman book: worshipping with a “fusion of friendship and fear.” Redman uses this phrase to help us get our heads around the idea that the same God we tremble before, fear, and revere (see last week’s post on worship) is the God that loves us deeply and knows us better than we know ourselves. The passage we looked at in Sunday School is Revelation 1:15-17:

His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead...then He placed His right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid…I am the First and the Last.”

Notice that the first half of the passage is a description of how amazing God is. Sword, stars, sun, water…stunning descriptions. But John doesn’t stop there…he goes on to point out how God touched him and said “Do not be afraid.” John didn’t just fear God, he had a friendship with God. Our worship should reflect this multi-dimensional relationship.

This coming Sunday, we’re going to sing a chorus by Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio entitled “Enough”. I think this song does a great job helping us picture God with the awe and reverence He deserves, as well as the love and friendship He allows us to share. Take time this week to think through the lyrics and the image of God they present; then we’ll sing this chorus together Sunday morning! I look forward to worshipping with you.

Tim

ENOUGH (Tomlin/Giglio) CCLI 184080

You are my supply, my breath of life;
still more awesome than I know.
You are my reward, worth living for;
still more awesome than I know.

All of You is more than enough for all of me,
for every thirst and every need.
You satisfy me with Your love,
and all I have in You is more than enough.

You’re my sacrifice of greatest price,
still more awesome than I know.
You’re my coming King, You are everything,
still more awesome than I know.

More than all I want, more than all I need,
You are more than enough for me.
More than all I know, more than all I can see,
You are more than enough for me.

Two months away!

We have been looking forward for several months to Saturday night, August 19, when our Worship Choir has the opportunity to sing the national anthem at a Major League Soccer game in Columbus. Over 60 people from Cornerstone have signed up to attend the game, including almost 30 singers, and we're excited about this time of fellowship and fun. It's not too late for you to join us! You can purchase tickets directly from the Columbus Crew website and come out to hear the choir sing and enjoy a professional soccer game...two months from today!

No More Night

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

"There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever." (Revelation 22:5)

Sharon Spencer, a lady that many of you have been praying for faithfully over the last year, passed away last night (Sunday) around 9:30 pm after a difficult battle against cancer. She and her husband, Pastor Brian Spencer, have ministered at my home church, Calvary Baptist of Battle Creek, Michigan, for the last 25 years. I just wanted to let you all know how much I have appreciated your prayers, and Pastor Spencer has also. Please continue to pray for their family, and also for me, as I will be playing a piano solo at the funeral (Thursday morning in Battle Creek).

Tim

Announcements

Just wanted to remind you all that there is no evening service this Sunday, June 18. Enjoy the extra time with your families as you celebrate Father's Day!

Also, VBS is quickly approaching (June 19-23). It's not too late to invite your neighbors, grandkids, etc! If you are interested in working at VBS, please let Pastor Sam know.

One more thing: now that we've had the blog up and running for a couple weeks, we'd love to get your input! Please e-mail Pastor Tim, the blog administrator, with any comments/suggestions, as well as topics/ideas you'd like the pastors to write about in the future! (You can find our e-mail addresses by following the "Meet the Pastors" link to the right.)

The Dangers of Vacation

It is that time of year again; the time when we go on vacation. I think vacations are important. We need to get away from time to time; away from the business of our everyday lives. Jesus even took time to get away from the crowds and from the hectic pace of ministry. My family and I are preparing to go on one right now. We are looking forward to going to California to visit family and some dear friends.

Yet, I have found that there are some dangers to be aware of when we take vacations. I'm not thinking about dangers on the road as you travel, or the danger of maxing-out your credit card. I'm thinking of spiritual dangers. I am a creature of habit. I like routine. One of the hardest routines to start and to maintain is the routine of the spiritual disciplines. The routine of searching and studying God's Word; the routine of regular prayer; the routine of guarding against the numbing effects of the world; the routine of fighting against the seducing ways of Satan and the seduction of our own sinful hearts; the routine of being a light in this dark world.

So, the danger I'm thinking of is the danger of taking a vacation from our relationship with God and from these vital spiritual disciplines. In fact, let us use vacations to recommit and strengthen our relationship with our Savior. Make sure you do not forget your Bible; bring a good Christian book to read; be ready for opportunities to share your faith; find a good church to attend. May we never take a vacation from God!

Dan

I'm proud to be an American...

...soccer fan. It's true that I'm not a "real" soccer fan (for definiton, see: Chris Hatton)...I couldn't even name most of the European club teams, let alone who plays for them...but I get excited to watch the USA play at World Cup time. Let me flash back for you to September 3, 2005. I was part of the minority (for definition, see: USA fans) at a soccer game in Columbus. The stadium was jammed with 25,000 crazy soccer fans, about 60% of which were wearing red or green and waving Mexican flags. Both men's national teams, the USA and Mexico, were ranked in the top six in the world, and both teams were trying to qualify for the 2006 World Cup. Much to our delight (until the Mexico fans started throwing beer bottles), the USA won a hard-fought game, 2-0 and earned the right to play in this year's World Cup in Germany. That was nine months ago. Nine months to anticipate, to wait, to worry, to see if the Stars and Stripes can improve on their best-ever World Cup finish in 2002. That was a very long nine months.

The wait ends today. U - S - A! U - S - A!

(This post is for all of you who wondered how long it would take me to write something about sports on this blog! We now return you to our regularly scheduled blogging :)

Tim

AWE and REVERENCE

Yesterday's Sunday School lesson was taken from Matt Redman's book, Facedown. I was really challenged as I read through this book, and recommend it to all of you as a good way to make sure you take the privilege of worship seriously. Yes, it's amazing that God loves us and wants a close relationship with us, but we should never take that for granted or trivialize Him. He is so far above anything we can imagine or comprehend.

Redman uses the word awesome as an example. In Job 25:2, we read "Dominion and awe belong to God." But how often do we use the word awesome to describe a burger, a great story, or that new rollercoaster? These things may be great and nice, but they're not awesome. Read Isaiah 6 or Revelation 4. GOD is awesome. Nothing else compares. Here's some of the quotes I shared with our Sunday School class yesterday:

"When we face up to the glory of God, we find ourselves facedown in worship." -Matt Redman

"What the church needs today is a restoration of the vision of the Most High God." -A.W. Tozer

"Facedown worshippers found throughout Scripture all have one thing in common: an awesome view of God." -Matt Redman

"No one who knows Him intimately can ever be flippant in His presence." -A.W. Tozer

Don't go through the motions in your worship. Think about the God you're praising, and keep those key words "awe" and "reverence" in the front of your mind. Our God is an awesome God!

Tim

a pair of pennies

I'm not sure I'll ever write as much as Dan or Tim, and I'm sure I won't have as much to write about. However, I have agreed to chip in my two cents from time to time. So without further ado, here's the first-ever edition of "Sam's two cents".

"Is it possible to get authentic cuisine in America?" In my limited travels, I have found when eating authentic cuisine in the country (i.e. Mexico or Jamaica), that same cuisine in the States is often completely different. Different seasonings, different entrees, completely different styles.

Last night, we ate at KOBE, a Japanese steakhouse here in Hilton Head. (And speaking of KOBE, contrary to popular opinion, Kobe Bryant WILL NOT be the name of my soon-to-be born son. However, KOBE does make a great steak!) And as I'm dining on the best shrimp of my life, it occurs to me that most likely this is not really authentic Japanese food. How disappointing! Now, of course, there's really no way to know for sure, but my limited foreign travels make me skeptical that I am experiencing all that Japanese cuisine has to offer.

So the question still remains -- is it really possible to get authentic cuisine in America? Maybe we'll never know, much like that other haunting question... "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Time will not permit me to answer this other question as fully as I would like to, but stay tuned for more episodes of "Sam's two cents".

Hilton Head Island

I'm into my third day of family vacation on Hilton Head Island and having a great time. There are 12 of us all together (Molly's side of the family), and it's been very relaxing. We've played games, shopped, gone out to eat, and I even did some walking/running on the beach. It's nice being able to see the ocean from the house we're renting...what a great setting!
Sam is out golfing with some of the other guys this afternoon, then we're all headed to dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. Hilton Head has some great steak... (seafood too, I'm sure...I just haven't tried any of that!)

I hope everything is going well at Cornerstone back in Ohio. I just talked to Randy Lisch about Sunday morning's service, and it sounds like everything went great. We look forward to seeing you all again this weekend. God bless!

Tim