By Faith, Fall Music Schedule

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

I’ve been thinking of late a bit more about this concept of faith.  We all have various hopes, expectations, and things that we’d like to see happen, but what is Faith?  As we get into the fall and another season of life and ministry begins, we have plans, schedules and goals that we would like to come to fruition.  But faith is so much more than just the hope that what we plan will come to pass.  And maybe that’s the key difference.  Hope can simply be about our agenda and what we’d like to see happen.  Faith is much more about the kingdom considerations of following Jesus, and allowing the unseen work of the Holy Spirit to reboot our agenda.  By faith we have both the power and the will to do the work of the kingdom when the world is violently opposed to it.  As creative artists, worshipers, and musicians, it is faith that should set our agenda.  We practice and rehearse and “hope” we have a good worship service.  This means that we sing in tune, we play the right notes, and no other glaring train wrecks happen.

Let’s exchange that for the Biblical idea of faith.  Faith looks beyond the visible elements and has an expectation that God is at work when the church gathers.  When we encounter God in his revelation and have the opportunity to respond in obedience, then things change.  Let’s in faith pray for our church and that our hearts will soften, and that we lead a movement to live out mercy and compassion to each other in the church, to our city, and to our world.  Let’s in faith pray that holy living becomes a priority, and that we will confront long standing sin in our lives.  Let’s in faith pray that God will heal us of lukewarm faith, and exchange it for a bright witness of the gospel to everyone we meet.  These are the impossible things of faith.  But as the writer of Hebrews says, faith is connected to assurance.  By faith we know and believe that God’s work will be victorious.  Our life’s glory is to follow Christ into that victory.

Pastor Lorn Gieck

click to download a copy of the Fall 2011 Music Schedule September- December(.pdf)

A Faith Story

 

Abraham’s life was full of challenges of faith.  More often than not he had a hard time trusting God.  This never once changed the assurance of God’s promise to him, that he would become the father of many, and through him all the people of the earth would be blessed.   This painting depicts a scene from Genesis 18.  These three men bring news to Abraham that his wife Sarah will have a son within the year.  Sarah laughs at the thought, but they are quick to remind her that nothing is too difficult for God.

Read Genesis 18:1-15 and examine your doubts.  Ask yourself if there are areas in your life that you think are too hard for God.  Pray to grow in faith.

And The Congregation Applauded

We have spent the summer pouring over the book of Nehemiah and honestly we have only scratched the surface. This is a rich book that is incredibly relevant to society today. This past Sunday we were in chapter 5 where Nehemiah gets quite peeved (read: angry, verse 6) with his own people. Why? It was because they were oppressing the poor. The more time I spend in the Bible it seems God keeps pointing out that He is rather fond of the poor.

In Zechariah 7:9&10 it says, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor.’” One writer referred to this group as the quartet of the vulnerable. I like that phrase because it helps me be focused. If this is the people God is concerned about then it needs to be the people we are concerned about. Nehemiah was miffed that his people not only weren’t concerned they were in fact the oppressors of this group.

In our world we have all four of these particular groups that Zechariah mentions. What that means for us is that we need to seek where it is God is leading us to be involved on their behalf. How does God want us to assist the widows, the orphans, the aliens (immigrants) and the poor? Maybe for you it will be something local like helping out at a foodbank or Salvation Army or some place  like a soup kitchen. At Cornerstone we have 7 young men who have felt the call to go and help Haiti Arise build a wall around their Children’s Village in Grand Goave.   They will leave us in mid-October and come back different people. You see when we step out and interact with the quartet of the vulnerable God does something within us. He begins that important process of changing us from the inside out. He begins to take our hearts and shape them into hearts that look like His heart. Is there anything more satisfying than to have our hearts become more like God’s heart?

Many at Cornerstone have been giving to one of our local ministries as each month we take up a food collection. Lately I have noticed the donation amounts getting bigger. This is one way to be involved, one way to engage the quartet of the vulnerable as well as one way to see that you can make a difference. I have heard other stories of people just engaging their own neighbours in a way that says they get it. They understand God calls us to help those in need and quietly people at Cornerstone are doing it. Some of you have other ways that you want to help. One way of being involved is not more important than another way. It is just important that we get involved.

In the days ahead we will be bringing you more information about a Children’s Choir someone is looking at starting in the inner city. That may be a way for you to be involved using the gifts God has given to you. Others may want to help directly with the girls working our streets. Listen for updates on ways in which you can play a part. We have a few things simmering on the burner that we are waiting for the right time to announce.

Everyone has to do something but no one can do everything. if you continue reading in chapter 7 of Zechariah it says that the people would not listen and the people made their hearts hard. We read these words in verse 12, “So the Lord Almighty was very angry.” God got mad when His people would not listen. Are we listening to the voice of God through the scriptures these days? Are we hearing how much He cares for the quartet of the vulnerable and do we long for our hearts to be the same as His? I came across this quote from Frederick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” I want to exist right there don’t you? Knowing that I am exactly where God has called me to be and by being there my joy and the world’s deep hunger engage.

I cannot tell you with words how deep this is running in my soul these days. I cannot find the words to explain that God will not let me go. He keeps pointing out people and books and statistics and ministries and opportunities that are only connected by the quartet of the vulnerable. Words fail me as I try to motivate the church to embrace this call from God. This urging deep down inside of me will not go away, it will not subside, it just keeps burning. This past Sunday I went home and wondered if I should apologize for how strongly I put the need in front of my church. I struggled with the joy of sharing God’s Word and the sadness of knowing many still have not responded. I wrestled with how much is enough or have I gone over the top with my concern for the quartet of the vulnerable. I just don’t hear enough voices crying out on their behalf so I still hear God telling me to say it again so I typed this blog.

The title: On Sunday when I rather loudly stated that we are going to stay the course, we are going to walk this road and if people don’t like it then they can find another church to attend….the congregation applauded.

White & Wealthy

As Russ has been challenging us this summer and as I do my personal devotions my thoughts are often on what God is asking from me.  Recently, as I was reading in the book of Acts, I was struck with something I had never really paid much attention to before.  Whenever people turned to Christ and chose to follow Him they were immediately prompted to give freely to those in need.  Acts 2 says that they would devote themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, that they were together and had everything in common.  It  says that they sold “their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need” (Acts 2:45).  Then in Chapter 4 it mentions this again.  It says they were of one heart and mind, no one claimed that their possessions were their own and they shared everything they had.  “There was no needy person among them. From time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 4: 34-36)

I have grown up in the church and it was humbling for me to just ‘see’ this now.  I was taught more about the sheer numbers that turned to Christ and there was little emphasis on what they actually did after they decided to follow Christ.  What I saw growing up was the fact that Christians were white, wealthy people who attended church on Sundays.  However, as I look closer into God’s word this is not at all what Christians should be.  Christ himself was not white nor was he wealthy.  He was born in a barn.  He was a carpenters son.  He was beaten and crucified and he was innocent.  Our own city is full of children who are abused and innocent.  We are seeing around the world many situations of adults and children who are being misused and abused. Christ relates with them wholeheartedly.  Jesus says in Matthew 25 ” I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

So yes we need to meet together and worship together but we should be looking for ways to meet the needs of those in our neighborhoods, city and around the world.  Our culture is so ‘me’ focused.  We hoard our possessions.  We have alarm systems and insurance to keep our possessions safe.  But when we die and meet Christ he will ask what we did for Him – the least of these.  And He asks us to meet their needs because we are then loving Him.   Our possessions, safety and security will not matter.

I am daily being challenged in my own walk with God and  I have a growing desire and passion to do more at meeting the needs of those in my neighborhood, my city and my world.  We can’t fix it all but we can do something.  Ask God what he is asking of you – and follow Him by giving freely.

Let me not be blind with privilege
Give me eyes to see the pain
Let the blessing You’ve poured out on me
Not be spent on me in vain
Let this life be used for change

I will go, I will go
I will go, Lord send me
To the world, To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
I’m clay within your hands
I will go, I will go, send me

-Starfield “I will go”-

 

SNR HI KADESH KICKOFF 2011: Registration Form

Step 1: Clink Link. It’s right here – KADESH RETREAT FORM

Step 2: Print.

Step 3: Return.

Step 4: Awesomeness, Sept 9-11

 

 

Missions

At Cornerstone we are involved with a variety of agencies locally and abroad.

We have partnered together with Haiti Arise (www.haitiarise.org), sending out teams to help
with the rebuilding of the community of Grand Goaves. In February, 2011, a team went to Haiti with to help with construction on the Children’s Village, to distribute rice to the community, and to help with other projects. There will be teams going to Haiti in September 2011, October 2011, and February 2012. If you are interested in any of these trips, please contact the church office.

Hands On Street Ministries (www.handsonministries.com) is dedicated to serving the needs of Saskatoon’s inner city street people. They offer a safe place, prayers, and the hope that is found in knowing Jesus Christ. On the second Sunday of every month, we collect non-perishable food items (a list of needs can be found here) to give to Hands On. Volunteers go to Hands On weekly to play games with the kids and help with whatever else is needed.

We are supporters of George and Tobia Veith, long term missionaries in Macau, China.  For their latest update click here (.pdf)