by Bobette Hatteberg, Children’s Ministry Director

 

All of our extended family (except our son) live out of state. That means when we’re together it’s usually for at least a couple of days. Several years ago, I realized that every time we were together I always came away a little disappointed. I’d go into our time with great plans, expectations, and desires. And while we’d have a great time being together, I’d still come away with frustrations, disappointments and sometimes even hurts. One particular Thanksgiving, I took some extended time to pray about our time amidst my usual planning of food and activities. At the time I was studying Ephesians.

 

I was struck by what God was calling me to do. He was calling me (and every reader of Ephesians 4) to be different…to love others in a way that required sacrifice and purposeful planning. God calls us to dwell with one another in love. I began to think about what that should look like during our time with family, and prayerfully considered ways in which my own selfishness may have caused me to often come away disappointed. While I’d like to think we have a really exceptional family, most of whom are believers, none of us are perfect, most notably myself!

 

As I prayed through these verses, I began making a list of ways I could apply them to time with family. I rehearsed past times together that were stressful and thought about how I could respond differently both in my thinking and my actions. Did that visit go perfectly?! Of course not! In fact, if I remember correctly it was one of the harder holidays together. But something was notably different…I had a constant grid by which to view our time together. Numerous times that weekend I would retreat into the bathroom and read through this list I had put on my phone. I’d pray that God would strengthen me to love others better and to set aside my own desires and opinions for the sake of Him…for the sake of love and unity. Since then this is a verse I pull up every time I’m planning to be with family (or other groups of people). I now spend more time preparing my heart and planning how I’ll respond to people problems than I spend preparing food and activities. Is this a magical list? Absolutely not, but anytime we meditate on and apply Scripture, God does amazing things. Hebrews 4:12 tells us “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (ESV) God’s Word continues to change my heart, and that in turn has changed how I look at our time together.

 

Ephesians 4:1-3

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

• Walk worthy of my calling as a child of God – Dwelling together in love has much to do with our expectations and goals. Is my goal to have a perfect family holiday or to lean on my identity in Christ to honor Him no matter how things go? I realized that my expectations were half of my problem. Instead of expecting a picture-perfect holiday, I now try to expect there to be opposing opinions, differences, and maybe even some conflicts. At the same time, I expect God to be bigger than those things and able to help me honor Him no matter what happens. This changes the entire framework of our time together. Be careful of expectations. Be flexible, realizing each person has different expectations and plans about how our time together should look. I’ve learned to hold my expectations loosely while I expect much of God.

• Put on humility – Am I responding in humility? When there are opposing opinions or differences, I ask myself if I’m responding in humility. I can offer my ideas humbly versus telling others what to do or think. Seek others’ wisdom and thoughts, especially as I plan.

• Put on gentleness – Are my words gentle and gracious? Can I share my concern, opinion, or plans in a more gentle way? Find the right time and way to share graciously if something difficult needs to be said.

• Put on patience – Am I showing patience to others? I need to examine my heart before I speak. I tell myself not to be easily irritated, but instead overlook small offenses.

• Bear with others – Remembering we are all sinners has helped me to not expect sinners to not act like sinners. There will be offenses. There will be occasions of hurt. But God has provided a solution for that – it’s called forgiveness. I must seek to forgive others as God has forgiven me…of much!

• Put on love – Show love in order to honor God, not to receive something (such as thanks or appreciation) We love “because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19)

• Maintain unity – Maintaining unity is more important than executing my plans!I pride myself in my planning. I’d like to think my plans are good and if everyone follows the plan we’ll all be happy!I now try to remind myself that maintaining unity is way more important than executing my carefully laid out plans. Remembering that God has sovereignly placed each of these people in my family for His glory and my good helps me maintain unity. I was not placed in this family to change everyone to be like me. One of the hardest parts of being with family is that we are each uniquely created. Yet, how wonderful that, as much as we share similarities, God has purposefully and wonderfully created us different.

• Celebrate the bond of peace we share – Our time together is important to God – not just because we are family, but because we share a bond through Him. When the people we are with are also believers we have a bond that is stronger than the bond of bloodlines. We have the bond of Christ. That is what we should celebrate! My family loves to reminisce and do things to celebrate our heritage and our sweet memories. But the reality is, while I love my family deeply, it is the bond we share in Christ that must be celebrated first and foremost. So while our traditions are fun and are a part of our bond, living out our bond in Christ is even more important. This bond also reminds me to long for heaven. One day we will be free of sin and those of us who share unity in Christ will celebrate every day without any sin! I long to be with family. I eagerly await family visits. But how much more I must long for heaven!

I realize that these verses in Ephesians are not easy to apply. I know because I still labor to apply them. The reality is they are impossible to apply without God’s strength and power. Just a few verses prior to this, we read a powerful prayer which I have made a habit of praying as well. 

“ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21

 

This is my prayer for the holidays and every family gathering. I want God to be glorified through all generations of my family. Why wait for the holidays?! Start practicing this now. With the holidays approaching, most of us will be with family and this year certainly adds other unique challenges. As you begin your preparations, I encourage you to take some time to study these verses and make your own list of how you will dwell together in love. Consider using this as a family devotion, perhaps taking each sub point a different day of the week. If you’re a parent, help your children find ways to practice these points now in your immediate family and prepare for how to apply them with extended family and friends. Just as having a great holiday dinner takes some planning, so does dwelling together in love!

Posted by Paul Tautges, Pastor

 

What were God’s reasons for bringing a thorn of suffering into Paul’s life? The apostle reveals three benefits that he experienced.

 

Suffering Prevents Conceit

First, God gave the apostle his affliction in order to cultivate an increase in humility: “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me.” The revelations Paul received were so great that the uniqueness of his experience was sure to produce an arrogance that would hinder his usefulness. To keep him from raising himself up, God introduced an instrument for the production of humility. Why would God do this? Because “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). God takes no pleasure in opposing his servants, but he will do so if it is necessary.

Physical disability was given to the apostle to prevent pride from taking a deeper hold of his heart, resulting in a more limited usefulness to God. God had prepared a large, broad ministry for Paul, and his thorn in the flesh was given to prepare him to glorify God in that ministry.

 

Suffering Portrays the Sufficiency of God’s Empowering Grace

Second, God gave Paul his physical trial to demonstrate the power of grace: “he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you’” (12:9). God’s grace and kindness would continue to be enough to help him endure his physical weakness so that God could continue to use him for his purposes. Paul wrote of this empowering grace in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain [futile, useless]. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

 

Paul understood that God’s grace not only saved him from the eternal punishment of his sin, but also empowered him for the Christian life and ministry. Each time Paul came to the point where he thought he couldn’t go on, God’s grace energized him. Through Paul’s affliction, God painted a portrait of his sufficiency. This means that if Paul had not been given this affliction, undue attention would have been drawn to the apostle instead of to the God whom he served.

 

Suffering Perfects the Power of Christ

The third reason why God gave the apostle his affliction was to perfect the power of Christ within him. The term “made perfect” means to fulfill or bring to completion. “My power is made perfect in weakness” means that the power of Christ is fulfilled, or brought to its intended end, through weakness, not strength. God designed it this way.

 

The contrast of our weakness with God’s power brings God the glory he deserves. Without Paul’s thorn in the flesh, the glory of Christ would have been minimized in Paul’s life. That’s the opposite of how we naturally think. We think physical or intellectual disabilities equal limitations. Not a chance in God’s program! Instead they actually lead to greater glory, because the vessel appears inadequate. Thus God receives more glory.

 

Physical suffering is a larger platform for greater grace. That is at least partly what God has in mind for you. If your child, spouse, or other family member has disabilities, then his or her suffering and your daily weakness become a platform for the display of greater grace. If you are the one with a disability, then God’s grace is sufficient for you, too. From God’s perspective, the only limitations that exist are the ones we create. This is why the apostle could so boldly proclaim: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:9–10).

Posted by Paul Tautges, Pastor

 

On behalf of the elders, I presented the following communication at last Sunday evening’s annual meeting of our members. However, we thought it best to follow up through this correspondence as well. As elders, we have spent many hours and many meetings praying together, looking at the Scriptures, weighing out different scenarios, listening to the counsel of medical and infectious disease professionals, and considering how the Church has handled prior pandemics. We have had to make more difficult decisions in the past six months than most of us remember having to make at any other time while serving as elders. This is also true of our church staff. So, thank you for your patience, prayers, and support during this strange and exhausting time. It really means a lot!

 

After three months of assembling outdoors, for which we are exceedingly thankful, it’s time to return to worship indoors. Therefore, there are a number of matters we wish to communicate concerning where we’ve been and where we are headed at this point.

 

Where We’ve Been the Past Six Months

Once the initial stay-at-home order subsided, we were excited to reassemble. Though we could’ve moved back into the building right away, we instead chose to meet outdoors. The primary reasons for holding the Sunday service outdoors were our desire to keep the Cornerstone family together as one, and because it’s safer to meet outdoors. We knew that when we moved back into the building we would have to hold a minimum of two services. Therefore, we wanted to keep our church family together as long as possible, for the spiritual health of the body, and we used the time to plan wisely. This is also the reason we extended our initial six-week outdoor plan to seventeen weeks. Throughout this time, God has graciously given us beautiful weather, having had to cancel the morning service only twice. This has been such a delight for all of us, which is evidenced by 2/3rds of our church family gathering regularly since June 7th. We praise the Lord for this grace gift!

 

There are innumerable and varied opinions on how churches should now meet, while continuing to demonstrate love, patience, and concern for one another’s wellbeing. We have looked at and evaluated the example of some others, but, at the end of the day, Scripture teaches that we will be held accountable for how we shepherd this congregation, not a group of believers in any other city or state—always taking into account our own ministry context (Heb. 13:17). Through all our decision making we have sought to honor the Lord and his admonition to provide a Christlike example to follow: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). None of us pretend to be faultless or all-knowing; only God can rightly claim that character. However, to the best of our knowledge, we have acted according to biblical wisdom, faithfulness, love, and grace. At all times, we have aimed to be reasonable (Phil. 4:5; James 3:13-18), and obedient to the two greatest commandments to love God above all, and our neighbor as we naturally love ourselves (Matt. 22:36-40). Many of you have assured us of your constant prayers during this time, and we thank you for this demonstration of love and humility.

 

Four Biblical Principles that Govern Our Thinking

We want to walk you through the biblical line of reasoning we have followed in our decision making, which will help you to understand how we arrived at our current procedures for indoor worship services.

 

1.      Generally speaking, human government serves to protect its citizens.

Clearly, as you well know, this is not always the case in real life. Some governments are downright evil, and not every individual in political authority is righteous or more concerned about others than themselves. However, the Bible teaches that God, as a gift of common grace to both believers and non-believers, has delegated some of his divine authority to human government to protect the righteous, and punish the wicked. Romans 13:1-7 says,

 

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

 

In response to this God-ordained authority structure believers are commanded to honor and submit to civil leaders. Honor refers to our attitude, while submit refers to our actions. God commands us to put on Christlikeness in both attitude and action.

 

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (1 Pet. 2:13-17).

 

Remember, the wicked Emperor Nero was in power when Peter penned those words. If anyone could have modeled or encouraged an anti-authority or anti-government attitude, it is the apostles, but they did not. In fact, they taught and modeled the opposite.

 

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 3:1-2)

 

This obedience, however, has a limit. That is, if governing authorities command us to disobey God, or willfully prevent us from fulfilling biblical responsibilities, we must obey God rather than man. One example of this is found in the book of Acts.

 

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

 

Honoring the guidance of our governing authorities for the sake of public health is one means by which we trust God in the exercise of our faith. Thus far, we choose to believe the guidance from our governor and health department is for the general wellbeing of those whom they serve. For this reason, we have sought to heed those guidelines as long as doing so does not cause us to disobey God. If their guidelines restrict our ability to function as God’s church, or forbid us from preaching the gospel, we will choose to honor God rather than man. Thus far the guidelines seem to be reasonable, given the concern over the coronavirus. It is a joy to say that, through it all, the ministry of Cornerstone has continued unstoppable and, in some ways, has even been more effective. This is totally due to the power and grace of God who turns all things toward our good (Rom. 8:28), uses difficult times to open doors for the gospel (1 Cor. 16:9), and employs the refiner’s fire to prove our faith and cause our sinful attitudes to float to the surface and become visible, so that we may repent and grow in Christlikeness (1 Pet. 1:6-9). In biblical counseling, we like to say that trials don’t make us respond in sinful ways, but reveal who we already are in character (Matt. 15:18-20). God is giving us opportunities to be sanctified.

 

2.  The local church is a body made up of many interdependent parts, and every member is indispensable.

In church life, it’s not enough to do various activities together. We need to do them together as a community, a family, as we learn to follow Christ and love one another. If we simply gather to attend “the main event,” without cultivating an atmosphere that breathes grace, acceptance, and full involvement, then we are merely a religious organization made up of a bunch of independent people. But the local church is much more than that: it’s a functioning body (1 Cor. 12:12).

 

As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Cor. 12:20-26)

 

Some parts are strong and more prominent, while others are weak and unseen, but each is indispensable to the overarching purpose of God. To knowingly do harm to one member of the body (in either attitude or action) is to do harm to the body itself. This means that we need to look out for one another, especially those who are weaker. We are “doing life together,” as our Together disAbility ministry likes to say. In the body of Christ, we are called to especially honor and watch over the weak who are among us. This includes our elderly and immunocompromised members as well as those with disabilities.

 

3.   We are called to maintain a good testimony to unbelievers.

Many unbelievers are very afraid of this virus. While we are not acting out of fear, it is fitting for us to consider how our actions affect our testimony to the very people we are trying to reach with the gospel. This is not caving in to the world, but simply recognizing that our example matters. In fact, even church leaders must have a good reputation with outsiders in order to be spiritually qualified (1 Tim. 3:7). We are called to walk wisely in this world (Eph. 5:15-16). Creating an environment where unbelievers are welcomed and feel physically safe, while still faithfully preaching the Word of God to them, is not unlike the apostle Paul’s decision to make accommodations for the sake of the gospel.

 

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Cor. 9:19-23)

 

Paul was willing to yield some of his personal rights in order to meet lost people where they were, so that he could preach the gospel to them. Giving up our personal right to be mask-free, for example, is a pretty small sacrifice for the sake of gospel outreach to immortal souls. We would do well to ponder how a Christian’s posture of protest may at times be fueled by the flesh, not the Spirit, and might actually hinder his or her witness for Christ. As we learn to be joyfully flexible, even when we don’t personally like the current guidelines, we maintain a consistent witness to our community, which has been an increased burden in our church. Sadly, the Community Day we had planned for May was cancelled for this year, but we now have more time for planning next year’s outreach.

 

4.      Humility and love make up a two-part epoxy for unity.

Four years ago, we learned this principle from our sermon series through the book of Philippians, specifically regarding how these two virtues help to maintain the foundations of unity. In other words, Christlike humility and love for one another should characterize our local fellowship.

 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:1-5).

 

Church leaders and members should demonstrate humility and love toward unbelievers and one another by considering others as more important than ourselves. As we do this, while setting our minds on Christ, the God of peace will be with us (see Phil. 4:8-9).

 

Procedures for Indoor Worship with the Cornerstone Family

The application of the above biblical principles has led to some difficult decisions for how we should proceed with meeting indoors beginning Sunday, October 4th.

• Initially, we had planned to do as we have outdoors; that is, for masks to be optional, based upon each person’s level of comfort regarding their own safety and the safety of others. However, in keeping with the governor’s current order for any building that is not a personal residence, masks or face coverings will be required in the church building. As the orders change, our procedures will be revisited and adjusted. Nothing is set in stone.

• We will need to begin by having two services (9:00AM and 10:30AM). This will enable us to maintain more spacing with smaller crowds. Between services the common and high-contact areas will be cleaned, while the Worship Center is sanitized with an electrostatic sprayer.

• Growth groups will begin on Zoom. We decided this because space for groups is limited in our church building, and our homes are not well equipped to handle groups of 12-20 people.

As we have done the past six months we will continue to monitor the situation and stay abreast of the guidelines coming from the governor’s office. As conditions change we will modify our procedures, while remaining prudent. This current plan is not forever fixed, but fluid. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we all navigate new territory, and work together to carry out the ministries of Cornerstone Community Church with patience and perseverance.

 

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

 

May God receive glory and honor as we all strive to be faithful to the Lord and one another!

 

In the grace and peace of Christ,

The Cornerstone elders

Dear Cornerstone Family,

Our hearts are filled with gratitude to the Lord that even during this pandemic, much of our church has been able to gather outdoors to worship together, reconnect, and fellowship. The Lord has blessed us with a beautiful and spacious property that has given us the ability to have many ministry meetings and gatherings outdoors through the summer.

 

We fully appreciate that there are a number of our members and regular attenders who are still uncomfortable with gathering in a group. We don’t want anyone who is especially vulnerable to medical complications from the virus to feel pressured to violate their conscience concerning their personal safety decisions. We’re praying for you and we look forward to seeing you again!

 

The fact remains that messy weather and winter are approaching so we will need to move our worship services indoors.

 

Starting Sunday, October 4th, we will move Sunday worship back into the building. We will have two service times: 9:00-10:00 am and 10:30-11:30 am. We will need to try to balance the attendance between the services. We will let you know how we will try to do this.

 

As we have done through the last six months, we will heed the guidance of state and local health officials in order to minimize the potential spread of the virus. Governor DeWine has issued a state-wide mask order that applies to any indoor location that is not a residence. So the elders have agreed that for all ministry activity within our church building, everyone must wear a mask or face covering for the duration of the activity, including worship services, unless there is a short time allotted for a snack at a meeting (e.g. Women’s Ministry meeting, etc.). The mask order does not apply to those with medical conditions or disabilities where a mask should not be worn or to those who officiate religious services. Children aged six and up will need to wear masks.

 

We will arrange the chairs in the Worship Center to accommodate proper distancing guidelines. We will also deep clean our building prior to the start of services and each week going forward and we will disinfect high touch areas between services.

 

We are still working through what Children’s Ministry is going to look like. Bobette Hatteberg is gathering information from parents and Children’s Ministry workers and she will use that information to make plans for Children’s Ministry. We will let you know what to expect in the coming days.

 

Here are some practices we will follow:

• Please do not feel pressure to return to our worship gatherings until you are ready. You know your situation best and we fully respect your decisions about gathering together. We will continue to livestream our worship services like we have always done.

• If you or anyone in your household have any symptoms of illness or have been sick in the last 14 days, please stay home. If you have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, please do not attend.

• If you are 65 years old or older, if you are immunocompromised, or if you are at risk in some way for complications from the virus, we fully understand if you would prefer to stay home and watch the service online. Please do not feel pressure to return until you are ready.

• If you start to feel unwell during a gathering, don’t worry about causing an interruption, we encourage you to exit and take care of yourself out of concern for you as well as others around you.

• Always cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue.

• Because of the way the virus spreads, please be sure to maintain social distancing guidelines. Remain at least six feet apart from those outside your household.

• We know this is difficult, but please avoid personal contact: handshakes, hugging, touching, etc.

• Please use hand sanitizer when you enter the building and when you leave the building.

• If you do come down with COVID-19, please be sure to let the church office know so we can do proper contact tracing.

We would all prefer that this virus would simply disappear and never return. We would all prefer not to have to wear masks. But we must realize that we are all interdependent with people in all spheres of our lives. We want to work hard to avoid a virus outbreak at the church that would then affect extended families and workplaces and businesses and schools and healthcare workers.

 

Let’s all be praying for great unity and joyful flexibility within our church family as we move forward in ministry this year. Let’s continue to pray for God’s providential protection over our church family. And let’s pray for great spiritual growth and ministry fruitfulness for the glory of our great Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ,

Ed Fedor

Associate Pastor

Posted by Bobette Hatteberg, Cornerstone’s Children’s Ministry Director

 

On a recent Sunday evening we gathered at Cornerstone Community Church for a Back-to-School Prayer Gathering. These are some thoughts that were shared before we prayed for students, teachers, administrators, school staff, and parents. While these truths are related to the start of school they apply to many situations.

 

Four Truths to Remember

 

1.      How you walk through this time is what’s most important! Whether you’re trying to decide whether your child should learn remotely or in the building, whether you’re deciding how your school will function, or whether you’re totally changing how you school or where you go, what is most important is how you trust the Lord during this time. That is way more important than any decision you make. First Corinthians 10:31 challenges us: 

 

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” How you respond to our current situation is what matters to God. He cares about your heart way more than he cares about what decision you actually make. While Scripture certainly encourages us to carefully weigh our decisions (Proverbs 18:15) and to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5), in the end, God calls you to be faithful and to honor Him, not to make a perfect decision.

 

As for schooling, the Bible doesn’t detail the best option for every Christian family. It only mandates that parents faithfully raise their children in the instruction of the Lord, teaching them to love God and others as they follow God’s design for life.

 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

 

Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

 

While there are strengths and weaknesses to any choice, when believing parents have a humble heart and desire to honor the Lord in the circumstances he’s given them, God will direct their path and work all things for their good in Christ. Your motives, your responses, and your heart attitudes are most important to the Lord.

 

Others are watching. Parents, your children are watching you. Proverbs 13:20 tells us “He who walks with the wise becomes wise.” They are watching. They are listening. They are learning how to handle hard decisions. They are learning how to either trust a decision or to trust God! Administrators, your faculty and staff are watching you. Teachers, your students and parents are watching you. Christians have a wonderful opportunity to be a light and a testimony as this new school year starts as they seek hard after God and try to honor him as they walk through this time. How you walk through this time is what matters most to God!

 

2.  Every time you respond to authorities in your life or communicate something about submission to authority, you are also teaching your child and those around you something about how to respond to God’s authority.

Romans 13:1 tells us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” 

 

God calls us to live under authority. He is our ultimate authority and has delegated authority to people within the institutions he has established (home, church, state, and business, and in the case of your child, whatever school you choose). One of the most important foundational heart issues in the life of every child is how they will respond to authority.

 

Teaching and modeling the protective beauty of authority is one of the foundations of good parenting. There is no more important heart issue for every child ever born, including you and me, than the issue of authority. Sin makes us want our own way. Sin makes us want to establish our own rules. Sin convinces all of us that we know better. Sin causes me to want to do what I want to do, when and how I want to do it. Sin makes me resist being told what to do by another. Sin inserts me at the center of my world, the only place that I must never be because the center of my life is the place for God and God alone.

 

As you walk through these decisions and the upcoming ramifications of those decisions, your children are learning how to respect authority, including how to show respect to authority that may not make decisions you agree with or even like. Every time you communicate something about submission to authority, you are also teaching your child/the world something about how to respond to God’s authority.

 

3.  While the loss of a normal school year is hard, Jesus is better than everything we’ve lost due to this pandemic. We have all lost things – time with friends and family, special celebrations, comfortable routines, jobs, etc. But Jesus is better. He is the anchor our souls need.

 

Hebrews 6:19–20 reads, “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

 

This verse reminds us that an anchor is to hold something steady. This passage is talking about a kind of hope that can keep us steady. Today more than ever we must hold onto that anchor – we must teach our children to hold onto that anchor. Jesus is better than all the things we’ve lost due to this pandemic. He is the only sure thing. He is unchanging. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always right with us. Our children have lost many things these past months. Give them what is better.

 

4.  You can trust God who sees all and knows all. There are no limits to God’s rule. This is part of what it means to be God. He is sovereign over the whole world, and everything that happens in it. He is never helpless, never frustrated, never at a loss. And in Christ, God’s awesome, sovereign providence is the place we feel most reverent, most secure, most free. We cannot see the future. We cannot know what might change as the school year starts. We cannot know how well something will go. But we can be content and at peace because GOD knows! God sees and knows all, including the future. You can trust Him with the future, including your child’s future or your future career in education.

 

This is a time to build a big view of God! And in trusting a Big God we can walk into this fall with faith and confidence in Him to walk beside us, to use us for His glory, and to grow us to be more like Him!

Posted by Bobette Hatteberg, Children’s Ministry Director 

 

This strange time we’re living in will likely shape many things in your children’s life… most notably their hearts. However, it is not actually living during this pandemic that will shape them, but more importantly it’s how they and you respond to our current situation that will do much to shape their hearts. That’s why it’s a great time to be a parent! You have the opportunity to use this time to dramatically impact their hearts! During this pandemic we’re faced daily with new information, plans, and changes that we must process and that we then respond to and react to. Every gamut of life is impacted – work, leisure, relationships, ministry, family, school, etc.

 

Parents are called by God to shepherd their children – to guide them and teach them. Some of that shepherding happens during formal times of teaching, devotions, Bible reading, and talking about Sunday’s worship service. Some of that shepherding happens in more natural ways. When the Lord gave the Law to the Israelites it was meant to help them know Him and know how to follow Him. At the same time, he commissioned parents to teach their children this law, not just in formal ways, but in the daily organic aspects of life. We see this commissioning in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” In the New Testament we see Jesus modeling this form of discipleship. He taught spiritual truths using everyday things around him. He taught not just in formal settings but also as he walked and rested and visited people in their homes.

 

Shepherding happens in all spheres of life. As a parent you are never really not shepherding. Let me say that another way: As a parent you are always shepherding! This involves helping your children understand themselves and the world in which they live. You shepherd your children by the things you teach them during devotions, prayer time, and family worship. But you cannot shepherd them merely by instruction. You shepherd them also by how you live, how you respond to life. Proverbs 13:20 tells us “He who walks with the wise becomes wise.” The reality is that much of our formal instruction is actually watered and nurtured in the organic moments of our days. A parent can teach their children what the Bible says about God being sovereignly in control. But it’s when they see and hear how we respond to the ever-changing world around us that they begin to question whether God really is in control. Shepherding happens during deep interaction during car rides, chatting over a game or at the dinner table, or during prayers of repentance (both our own and our child’s). Shepherding also happens when we don’t even realize it, as our children watch and listen to how we react to the news, other people, and situations in our lives.

 

This is true in every year for every child. Today, during this pandemic, shepherding happens as our children witness our reactions, frustrations, and interactions with this new world in which we live. Shepherding happens when they hear our response to the latest virus information or how we respond when we receive the school or church plans for fall.  

 

No matter what is happening in each arena of our life there will be disappointments, things we don’t agree with, and things we would like to be done differently. But the plans and news around us is not the most shaping impact on our children. How you as a parent respond will be what impacts them the most directly. How do your children see and hear you respond to all that is happening? What are you teaching them about our God’s place in all of this? What are you demonstrating about the intersection of faith and trials, of faith and living in a fallen world? Here are some suggestions for shepherding well during this pandemic.

• Discuss the bigger issues in private. While I’m not suggesting you hide the current reality from your children, it is wise for parents to discuss the hard, confusing, and conflicting information out of the ears of their children. Work through your own emotions and frustrations before the Lord and with your spouse, not in front of your children. When we first prioritize informing our own hearts with the Word and what is good and true about God, we can then sow truth and grace in our children’s hearts. We notice the opportune moments to then plant gospel seeds while we practice cultivating godliness in our own lives.

• Confess your own sin to your children when your sin impacts them – If you have a melt-down in front of them, go back and put a biblical perspective on the situation. (Mommy was not happy about the news from the school today. But part of my unhappiness was my own selfish desires. I had to ask God to forgive me and now I’m ready to trust and honor Him even though I don’t really like the plan. God always has good plans for those who love Him.”) Confessing our sin in front of our children helps them see that we are more like them than they realize. We, just like they need to be rescued by the Savior. Let them see the Gospel worked out in your own life. Are there some recent interactions that your children have witnessed that you need to confess before the Lord and before them?

• Model respect for authority. God calls us to live under authority. He is our ultimate authority and has vested authority in people within the institutions he has established (home, church, state, and business). One of the most important foundational heart issues in the life of every child is how they will respond to authority. Teaching and modeling the protective beauty of authority is one of the foundations of good parenting. Every time you communicate something about submission to authority, you are also teaching your child something about how to respond to God’s authority. There is no more important heart issue for every child ever born, including you and I, than the issue of authority. Sin makes us want our own way. Sin makes us want to establish our own rules. Sin convinces all of us that we know better. Sin causes me to want to do what I want to do, when and how I want to do it. Sin makes me resist being told what to do by another. Sin inserts me in the center of my world, the only place that I must never be because it is the place for God and God alone. What kind of picture are your children getting of submitting to God’s authority by the way you submit to the authorities around you?

• Teach and model biblical qualities like contentment, trust, love, joy, patience, and submission. Set your children up for spiritual growth and success by teaching them how to make the best of these hard situations. You’ll probably have enough of your own heart issues to have to grow through that you can do it right alongside your child. (Mommy doesn’t like wearing a mask either. But I’m wearing it anyway because it shows love to our friend who has some serious health issues by protecting her.) Continually connect the motive to God’s glory and the testimony of the Gospel.

• Build a big view of God. This will be crucial for helping them deal with their own worries and disappointments. When a child expresses fear we can lead them to a big God. (“Mommy can be afraid sometimes too. But God is always with us. He tells us not to be afraid but to trust in Him. Let’s read about that in the Bible.”) (“Mommy is really sad too that we can’t do what we had planned. I’m so thankful we can trust God even in our disappointment that He is loving and good.”)

• Keep God central. Read God’s Word together frequently. Share what God is teaching you during this hard time. Make Sunday worship a priority even though it is different for all of us. If your kids are very young, use this as a training ground for teaching them how to sit and listen – starting with small increments. I recently noticed one family sitting on the far edge of the outdoor worship area. They encouraged their preschoolers to participate in the worship music. Then they gave them the lesson pages, whispering some simple instructions and guiding them as they colored. After coloring and eating the snack, the kids started to get really squirmy. I saw Mom hold up five fingers which I’m guessing meant “Hang on for 5 more minutes.” Then Dad walked the kids over to the empty yard and let them run around him for a few minutes. Then together they sat back down and listened to the remaining part of the sermon. Did Mom and Dad hear every word? No, but they were shepherding their kids’ hearts – teaching them that corporate worship is vital, teaching them to grow in patience and self-control, teaching them that God is central to all of life…even when life looks differently.

Shepherding a child’s heart does not happen on a schedule. It happens every day all day long, especially during these days we are living in. What a great time to be a parent! You have daily opportunities to shepherd during one of the most unusual times in history! Take a few minutes and examine your heart before the Lord. How are you shepherding your child’s heart during this time? What attitudes and character qualities are they learning from you? How is their heart being trained by how they see and hear you respond? May God strengthen you and guide you as you shepherd your child. You are in my prayers!

Posted by Bobette Hatteberg, Children’s Ministry Director

 

There’s something so special about my annual family reunions – reminiscing, laughing, seeing how much the little ones have grown, catching up on family news, meeting new additions to the family, sharing what God has been doing in our lives…the list goes on! It’s a sweet, sweet thing!

 

Sunday, June 7th will no doubt be the same kind of day – a family reunion for our Cornerstone Church family! After twelve Sundays of not being together we will be regathering!!!! I cannot wait to see each of you, to see how the kids have grown and to worship side-by-side. What joyous praise will ring out on the church lawn and throughout our community!

 

I want to come alongside you as you prepare your family for this regathering. Things will be different – but no less sweet! We need to help our families be ready for the adjustments so we can all feel safe, enjoy the time worshiping together, and be a testimony to our community that we care about the health of our neighbors.

 

Safety practices and Set up:

• The church service will be outdoors behind the church: Services will be held on the lawn behind the church, south of the building. The stage will be set up next to the wall behind the classroom wing. An area will be marked off in front of the stage so that no one is sitting too close to the singers/preacher. Bring your own lawn chairs, tarp, blankets to sit on.
• Stay with Mom and Dad at all times: Walk directly to the lawn behind the church as soon as you exit your car. Households should stay together once they exit the car, during the service, and as they leave. There will be no Children’s Ministry.
• We’ll all be together, but further apart: Show your kids what a 6-foot distance looks like. We’ll have 8-foot aisles marked in the grass to allow for safe movement. Households will sit together, spaced 6 feet away from other households. Households are encouraged to remain at this 6-foot distance as you visit with other households.
• Masks are encouraged. Decide ahead of time if you will wear masks. It’s a good idea to practice wearing them for a while at home if you will be wearing them on Sunday.
• Go to the restroom before you arrive! We ask that no on enter the building except for emergency use of restrooms. Services will be only one hour long.
• Sanitizer stations will be available. Do not touch others. Use a Kleenex or your elbow if you need to sneeze.

 

Children’s Resources:

I will be providing a worship bag for each child. This bag will contain sermon-related activity pages, crayons, a pencil, a bagged snack, and a sturdy piece of chipboard to use as a writing surface. These will be on a table labeled Preschool and a table labeled Elementary as you enter the south lawn from the parking lot. Bags will be spread out on the table so you can grab one for each of your children. (I’ll continue to send the resources I have been to use during the week.)

 

How to prepare your family:

• Talk through the safety practices and why these are important. Answer any questions your children may have. Some of the questions I’ve heard kids ask are:
  • Can I talk to my friend? (Yes, but you’ll need to stay with us as a family to do that and we’ll have to stay apart from them.)
  • Can I hug my friend? (No, but let’s make up a fun greeting we can use instead.)
  • Is my friend coming to the service? (I don’t know, let’s call them and ask them to come.)
  • Can I play carpet ball or gaga ball while we’re there? (Unfortunately, not yet. We’ll just be there for the church service.)
  • Will we have Sunday School? (No, we’ll all go to church together. But I bet you’ll see some of your Sunday School teachers there!)

• Think of scenarios you may encounter and talk about how to handle them.
  • e.g.: another child is running around, away from their family seating area. Your child wants to join them.
  • e.g.: another person approaches you and starts to hug you.

• Role play ways to greet friends. Maybe you can have a special wave, a little dance or a gesture to use instead of a hug or high five.
• Discuss how they can participate in the service.
  • Walk through the service order and instruct them in how to participate: Eyes closed during prayer, singing joyfully during praise and worship, sitting quietly during the message, taking notes, or coloring the related page provided.
  • Learn the memory verse for the week and listen to the worship songs ahead of time that will be sung. It will be much easier for them to participate when they are familiar with what they will hear. Sunday Worship Play List

• Pray for the service. There are many set up details and plans that are going into this to make it successful, but there are also many variables we cannot control, such as the weather.
• Pray for people who live on the streets around the church. We have invited them to join us and have let them know what safety precautions we are taking to keep our community safe. We want to be a good testimony and also make them feel welcome. If they don’t come they may hear some of our service since it’s outside!
• The night before, remind everyone of the safety practices and put things in the car that you’ll need: Lawn chairs, Bibles, and masks if you will be wearing them.
• After the service encourage your child in the things they did well. In areas where they still need to grow, practice and role play how to improve in those areas for next week.
• During the week apply something from the service. Work on a specific area of character mentioned during the message. Send a card to someone mentioned during family prayer. Learn the songs for next week.

 

How to decide if your family should attend our gatherings?

• Only you can decide: Each family has to make a decision about their own comfort level regarding regathering. As a church we have put into place safety practices that we believe will lessen the chance of spreading the virus. But with any interaction outside your household there is risk. Only you can decide your comfort level in attending a large group gathering. We encourage you to attend, but trust your judgment for your particular situation.
• You should NOT attend if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, is ill, has a fever or has been exposed to the COVID 19 virus in the past two weeks.
• Children will be less distracting than you think. Because we are outside and distanced from each other you may feel your children are a little less distracting than you think. Preparing them for what to expect, the guidelines they need to follow, etc. will go a long way toward helping your family enjoy the morning. This is an opportunity to train your children to be flexible and to learn a new (temporary) way to worship the Lord.

Posted by Bobette Hatteberg, Children’s Ministry Director

 

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

 

A checklist popped up on my to-do list today that I thought I would share, as I think it is something we will all find helpful right now. The reason it popped up this week is because it’s Easter week and I had anticipated that at least some of my extended family would be together for a few extended days. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 stay-at-home order we will not be together. However, I’m sharing it because I think it’s a vital list of reminders for all of us as we adjust to the new family dynamics of this time of shelter-in-place, as we are sharing more time and space than normal, as our routines have been disrupted, and as there are no doubt more occasions for conflict and frustration.

 

By now, most households are experiencing some restlessness in the sense of being more easily annoyed and more easily frustrated. Words come out a little bit harsher, hot buttons are activated a little bit quicker, and irritation creeps in a little bit faster. We are all having to fight against the flesh and are having to work much harder at being full of grace and love.

This list is something I made several years ago when our family was adjusting to changing family dynamics – an adult son, an adult daughter and her new husband, aging parents. No longer were we living together as family, but instead had extended visits in each other’s homes.

 

Why the need for a checklist?

Because after our first Christmas together I was convicted that I needed to be very purposeful in preparing for our times together. Sure, I had carefully planned the meals, some fun outings, and things to do together, but I had NOT prepared my heart for the temptations that would arise. That Christmas I found myself irritated by little things, judging how my family members did things differently than I did, and unrealistic expectations. I found that after a few days of “living together,” my words became less kind, my selfishness boiled up, and the peace and joy I so desired was escaping me and was no doubt evident to my family. The time that I looked so forward to had turned into frustration and an occasion for me to be less than patient, unkind, and prideful.

 

I created this checklist to pop up on my to-do list before each holiday and family vacation. WHY? Because this list is something I need to have at the forefront of my mind when more bodies are sharing space, when family is visiting, and routines are not normal, when there is more occasion for conflict and frustrations. I pray this checklist helps guide your interactions with your family as you spend these weeks together.

 

I’ve incorporated the checklist into a devotional format so you can use this as a family devotion as you all strive to walk in a manner worthy of Christ’s call! (You can simplify this with your younger preschool children by talking about one character quality each day.)

• Read Ephesians 4:1-3 together.

Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church at Ephesus. The entire book is a letter of encouragement and admonition (caution, warning), written to remind believers of their immeasurable (infinite, large number of) blessings in Jesus Christ. And he wrote to not only encourage them to be thankful for those blessings, but also to live in a manner worthy of them (live in a way that reflects Jesus).

• In verse 1, what does “to walk (live) in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” mean?

• Why would it be helpful for us to consider how we are walking/living right now in the middle of our family situation? What temptations are we facing?

• Read verses 2 and 3 and make a checklist of how God is calling us to live.
  • Humility
  • Gentleness
  • Patience
  • Bearing with one another in love
  • Eager to maintain unity

• Have you seen similar lists in other places in Scripture? (See Galatians 5:22-23 and Colossians 3:12-14.)

• Talk about each character quality: what it means and what it looks like.

• Verse 3 ends with “in the bond of peace.” What is the bond of peace? (the spiritual cord that surrounds and binds God’s people together. Colossians 3:14 tells us the bond is LOVE.)

• Give an example of how Christ shows YOU each of these qualities.

• Spend a little time each thinking about ways you have NOT been showing these character qualities. Have a time of prayer and ask God’s forgiveness for these sinful attitudes and actions. After asking God’s forgiveness for your own sins, ask for forgiveness from those you have sinned against.

• Give an example of how you can work to show each character quality in your family.

• Make a poster or a small sign of your own checklist based on this passage so you will be frequently reminded how to love each other.

• Pray and ask God to help you remember the kind of love that He has shown you and ask Him to help you show that same kind of love to your family.

 

Here is the list I made for myself:

• Humility
  • Be careful of unrealistic expectations
  • Give and serve to show love, not to get something in return
  • Seek to know them (ask good questions)
  • Offer to help versus tell them what to do
  • Seek their wisdom, desires, and thoughts
  • Be grateful for our differences! God sovereignly placed each of these people in my family.
• Gentleness
  • Be gracious in my words
  • Examine my heart before I speak
  • If something difficult needs to be said, find the right time and way to share it
• Patience
  • Be flexible
  • Realize we all have different expectations; hold mine loosely
• Bearing with one another in love
  • Don’t expect that sinners will not act like sinners
  • Do not be easily irritated; overlook small things
  • Be quick to forgive
• Eager to maintain unity
  • Our relationship is important to God
  • One day we will all be free of sin (long for heaven)

Resources you may find helpful:

• Bearing Fruit in Christ (Sermon Series) by Paul Tautges (series will continue 4/19/2020)
  
• Peacemaking for Families By Ken Sande
  
• The Young Peacemaker (a workbook set of comic style lessons on how to be a peacemaker)
  
• Help! My Kids Won’t Stop Fighting (article by Corlette Sande)
  
• Graciousness: Tempering Truth With Love by John Crotts (free on audible right now!)

Posted by Bobette Hatteberg, Children’s Ministry Director

 

The world can be a scary place! With all of the news and discussion regarding the Coronavirus it can be an especially scary time for children. Even if you are not talking to your children about what is going on in the world around them they likely will have heard about it from friends or other adults or even from overhearing your conversations. It is our responsibility as parents to help our children be wise and protect their bodies. We need to teach them what they can do to protect themselves from diseases such as this. This is also a wonderful opportunity to shepherd your child’s heart. We should always be teaching them to know and trust God but this is especially an important time to teach them to trust God in hard things such as disease. This is a wonderful time to assure them of the great God we serve and to teach them how to think biblically when they are afraid. As we guide our children, we can remember this truth: God knows what the day will bring, he is greater than our fears, and he has told us not to be afraid. If your child is struggling with fear here are several of my favorite children’s books about trusting God when they are afraid:

 

Zoe’s Hiding Place: When You are Anxious (David Powlison editor)

 

When I am Afraid, by Sally Michael

 

The following blog post by Sally Lloyd Jones is one of the best I’ve seen for children. It also includes a link to a wonderful cartoon for children that teaches them about the virus and how to protect themselves.

https://www.sallylloyd-jones.com/helping-children-with-scary-news/

 

This is another post by truth78 (Children Desiring God) that has some wonderful teaching points:

https://www.truth78.org/blog/post/7-biblical-truths-to-teach-children-about-disease-and-disasters/

 

Here at Cornerstone we want to do what we can to protect the children who come through our doors.

 

Please DO NOT bring your child to church if:

• They have had cold- or flu-like symptoms, fever, or cough in the past 24 hours
• They have been in close contact with someone with flu-like symptoms in the past 7 days 
• They have traveled from an area in the past 7 days with confirmed cases of the virus and/or you suspect they may have been exposed

Here’s what we are doing:

• Sanitizing children’s hands as they enter the classroom and after they touch their face or sneeze or cough
• Sanitizing commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs
• Limiting sharing of common items such as crayons (although this is really not possible with toys)
• Praying for God’s protection over our country and specifically over our community here at Cornerstone and the surrounding area
• Continuing to teach children they can trust our all-powerful, sovereign God!

Please stay tuned to the Cornerstone Events and News page for any further updates.

Posted by Paul Tautges, Pastor

 

Dear Cornerstone family,

We know very well that the recent coronavirus outbreak is on everyone’s mind today. We want to take a moment to address the situation, especially as it relates to our church family and our gatherings.

 

God’s Word admonishes us to exercise wisdom and prudence as we live in this fallen world (Proverbs 13:16; 27:12). Therefore, we need to be aware of dangers and take necessary precautions. Scripture also repeatedly exhorts us to trust in the Lord and not our own understanding, since God is sovereign and has not given us a spirit of fear (Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 103:19; 2 Timothy 1:7). We are aiming to do both, to be prudent and to rest in our faithful God. 

 

Today, the Ohio State Department of Health (OSDH) confirmed the fourth case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ohio. Please understand that we are not in a position to be a source of information about coronavirus, nor a source of medical advice. If you want to know more about coronavirus, you should visit the Centers for Disease Control website. And naturally you should always seek medical advice from qualified medical professionals. You may wish to watch this short video from Dr. Amy Actin, Director of the Ohio Department of Health, who gives recommendations as to ways to prepare yourself and loved ones in the event that one of you tests positive for COVID-19. If you or someone in your family is diagnosed with COVID-19, please let us know immediately so that we can provide necessary spiritual care and support.

 

Our purpose now is simply to let you know that we are thinking ahead about ways we can mitigate the spread of illness during our weekly public gatherings, and to ask for your help in a few ways.

 

Take Precautions

We advise you to practice the standard, cold- and flu-season safety precautions we are already familiar with—including practicing coughing etiquette and good hygiene, washing your hands thoroughly (20 seconds is advised) and regularly, particularly after touching your face. A year ago, we installed wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispensers in the foyer, restrooms, nursery, and classrooms. If you’ve not gotten into the habit of using them, we encourage you to begin doing so. 

 

Reduce Risk

In light of all of the efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus and Thursday’s (3/12/2020) guidance from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, we have cancelled our regular worship gathering for Sunday, March 15th. For March 15th or any future date we cancel our gathering, we will broadcast our regular worship service via our website streaming capability. Read the announcement from the elders about all meeting cancellations.

When we do resume our gatherings, we ask you to avoid attending church gatherings if any of these conditions are met: 

• You have cold- or flu-like symptoms, fever, cough, vomiting, or shortness of breath
• You have been in close contact with someone with flu-like symptoms in the past 7 days 
• You have traveled from an area in the past 7 days with confirmed cases and/or suspect you may have been exposed 
• You have traveled to or from China, Italy, Iran, or South Korea or any other country flagged as level 2 or level 3 alerts in the past 14 days

If you are immunocompromised, elderly, or if you have infants or young children, please use your own judgment about attending our gatherings. 

 

If you do need to avoid Sunday worship, we know it’s not the same as worshipping together in the same place, but if you meet any of the above conditions, we encourage you to participate in Sunday worship by watching our livestream or re-watching older sermons on the church website.

 

Stay Informed

All future church communication will be distributed on the church website’s Events and News page. In the event that the Sunday service or children’s classes need to be cancelled, this is where those decisions will be communicated. For general information about COVID-19, the best source of information is the CDC’s website. The Ohio State Department of Health updates their statistics every Wednesday at 2:00 PM.

 

Pray

• Pray for the many medical professionals, public safety professionals, educators, missionaries, and others who are affected
• Pray for the Lord’s protection from illness among our people
• Pray for gospel opportunities to come from this outbreak
• Pray for wisdom regarding ministry decisions in the event of local COVID-19 cases

If you want some guidance about how to talk with your younger children about this virus and other kinds of “scary news,” here’s a helpful blog post by Sally Lloyd-Jones. 

 

While we should always take reasonable precautions in the face of health risks and other dangers, as believers in our gracious Savior, God also calls you and I to walk by faith in God’s sovereign goodness and protection.

 

Thank you for helping us keep Cornerstone Community Church a safe place to love God and others. If you have any questions about our response to this virus, please feel free to talk to me or our staff or elders.