Newsletter September 19, 2025
Newsletter September 19, 2025
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Dear Church Family and Friends,
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. - Jesus (John 16:33 ESV)
Like many of you, I am saddened by the events of these last few weeks. I have struggled with what to say and when to say it. It is also difficult in this day and age when news and information come so fast and there is a ton of pressure to react and to say something very quickly ... when often times what we need to do is pray, wait on the Lord, wrestle, seek wisdom, and pray some more.
It would be impossible for me to comment on all the tragic events of the past few weeks, but I do have some thoughts I would like to share.
I first heard the news of Charlie Kirk's murder from my son, who is in college. This tragedy has hit college students in a major way. We need to pray for them. We need to pray for their safety. We need to pray that they will be a light in dark places.
There is real evil in our world, and the evil one is trying to do as much as he can to discourage us and to hide the light. But he will not win. I think that we need to look past the noise and the modern media, with how things are often defined and interpreted. This is not a mental health crisis. What we are seeing is nothing short of demonic activity. It is real evil.
Every now and then, we see real, unfiltered evil break through into our world. It is as if the spiritual battles going on in the unseen realm break open into our earthly realm, and we see evidence of unimaginable evil. We need to pray. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.” (Ephesians 6:12–13 ESV)
We need to turn off the news. I'm preaching to myself here. I have spent way too much time reading, watching, and listening to the news and too little time praying, reading the Scriptures, and praying some more. Let's all be mindful of how much news we are consuming.
As we seek to understand these things and mourn these things, I think the words of Jesus to His disciples are more applicable and important than ever:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3–12 ESV)
Finally, the most important thing we can do is gather for worship this Sunday on the Lord's Day and focus on Jesus. As we do so, we are nourished and reminded of the truth that Christ is victorious! As we gather, we proclaim Christ's victory over evil and that the forces of evil cannot separate us from Christ's love. As we gather, we remind each other to "know the LORD" (Hebrews 8:11 ESV) and "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation." (Psalm 42:5 ESV)
This Sunday, our sermon text will be Matthew 7:12, "the Golden Rule." This will be a hard text to apply as we think about real enemies and real hate that we are witnessing. Let's pray that Jesus will help us.
See you Sunday.
by His grace and to His praise,
Pastor Wilson
Wilson’s Weekly
Pastor Wilson does not personally endorse everything said or written in these links, but hopes these articles and/or podcasts will be helpful for Christians in cultivating a biblical worldview.
Listen to our weekly sermon podcast on Spotify now!
Preparation for Worship
September 21, 2025
This Sunday's Sermon:
The Sermon on the Mount
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12
Click here to access the latest bulletins, listen to sermons, and watch the live stream.
Prepare your heart for Praise and Adoration with our Spotify playlist.
Cornerstone Prayer Requests
Pray for church members caring for family - Susan Dupré, Deborah Fitzsimmons, John and Emily Hinson, Tim Kauffman, Kyle Mosier, Paul Poppe, Kim Sweatt, Mike and Carol Wellfare.
Pray for healing - Lora Abernathy, Suzi Bolton, Steve Brewer, Lora Bryant, Karen Canevaro, Dawn Chenault, Marc Goldmon, Sharon Ibsen, Tim and Gayle Ricks, Libby Stanfield, Annette Sweatt, and others.
Pray for our homebound friends - Betty Baldwin, Bill and Suzi Bolton.
Pray for our expectant mothers - Grace Piercey (October), Christina Hall (October), Elizabeth Katz (November), Lauren Hudgins (November), Olivia Clemons (December), Tessa Wilkes (February).
Praise God for His perfect provisions of a baby daughter for Sam and Hannah Kawell! Sylvie Adriana Elizabeth Kawell was born on Friday, September 12. She is welcomed by big brothers Daniel, George, and David!
Pray for our Missional Partnerships - Providence Presbytery and North Hills Presbyterian Church, Meridianville, AL (Rev. Adam Tisdale).
Pray for our church officers - please be in prayer for the elders as they conduct final interviews with officer candidates. Pray for the men and families of those who will be put forward for election.
Announcements
Men’s Rib Dinner - Sunday is the day! Registration for this event is closed, and we are looking forward to seeing you at 6 pm in the FLC.
Foundations - Continues Wednesday, September 24, with a fellowship meal at 5:30 pm in the FLC and discipleship opportunities for all ages from 6:15-7:15 pm. Sign up now! Nursery is provided.
New Adult Sunday School Class! Starting Sunday, September 28, a new Sunday School class will begin for young adults! This class is geared toward singles and young marrieds in their 20s. The class will meet in room 201 at the top of the stairs. Contact Pastor Brian for more information.
Cornerstone Members - Please log in to CCB and update your individual and family photos, and confirm that your contact information is accurate. Questions? Contact Lauren Hill.
Hurricane Helene Donation Information - To donate to affected churches, you can give to our benevolence fund or directly to MNA Disaster Response here.
Missions Moment
Each week, we want to highlight one of our missional partnerships. Please take a moment to learn about these wonderful ministries that Cornerstone has the privilege of serving alongside.
This week's highlighted ministry:
The Mission of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church is to be a community of Christ's followers who worship, grow, and serve together to glorify God in Huntsville and throughout the world.
Please contact the church office by Thursday for changes or additions to prayer requests.
The Cornerstone Newsletter is a weekly publication emailed each Friday. To notify the church office of church members in the hospital or of births and deaths, or if you have a change of address or name, please contact office@cornerstonehuntsville.org or 256-489-4625.
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