Newsletter July 11, 2025

Newsletter July 11, 2025

Dear Church Family and Friends, 

Make sure you check out the videos from our summer mission teams! Warm Springs and Quiet Waters Family Retreat. 

As we are now over halfway through summer, we are beginning to think about ministry opportunities that will be taking place this Fall, beginning with a new school year. One of those ministry opportunities will be our bi-annual New Members Class. This class is designed for people to learn more about Cornerstone and what it means to become a member of the church.

I have written about this before, but I think it is worth repeating for us all, but also those who are interested in church membership. One of the questions that often comes up is, "Why do I need to become a member of a local church?"

Perhaps you have never thought of church membership as being vital to your spiritual growth … but it is! Here are six reasons that the Bible gives as to why church membership is an important part of your walk with God.

  1. Because the Bible Tells Me So. You cannot read the New Testament (or the Old Testament for that matter) and not come away with the conclusion that the people of God belonged to something and that something was the church! The church is the called-out people of God. Paul wrote at least six letters to local churches to encourage them in their walk with Christ and commitment to the work of God through the local church (look up and read 1 Corinthians 12:12). The entire book of Acts is devoted to the building of this new community called the local church and it is clear that those who came to faith in Jesus Christ belonged to a local community of believers.

  2. A Place to Make a Public Profession of Faith. The scriptures speak often of making a profession in the presence of witnesses (look up and read 1 Timothy 6:12). This profession that we make is that of faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The local church is the public community that God has ordained to be the place where we make our commitment to Christ and to the Gospel known to other brothers and sisters in Christ. The local church is uniquely equipped to identify true believers in Christ. This is all the more important in a culture that prides itself in self-authentication. It is the local church where we identify with a body of other believers, and our profession is authenticated in a local community.

  3. Spiritual Oversight Is God’s Plan for Your Life. We are all under authority in some way. Being under authority is God’s plan for our lives, whether it be your parents or your employer, but especially our spiritual overseers. God has called and equipped men who are specifically set apart for Gospel ministry to serve as overseers and shepherds for a local flock (look up and read 1 Timothy 3:1-8). It is God’s plan for His people that they are accountable to one another, and it is the local church that provides this accountability through the ministry of elders. It all comes down to this truth: spiritual oversight for your soul is God’s will for your life. The Christian life is incomplete without this blessing.

  4. Spiritual Growth Through the Sacraments. There are two very distinct and very purposeful sacraments that Jesus gave to His church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Communion). These are not ordinances that are to be celebrated or performed in any community other than the local church (look up and read Matthew 16:18-19, Ephesians 4:11-12). Furthermore, these sacraments are necessary for our spiritual growth in Christ Jesus. It is through local church membership that we are invited to partake in these blessings through examination by the elders of the church (look up and read 1 Corinthians 11:28).

  5. The Exercise of Spiritual Gifts. The Apostle Paul devoted an entire chapter to this important ministry, 1 Corinthians 12 (look up and read). Each person who is called of God has been given a gift from the Holy Spirit that is to be exercised in the local church for the building up of the members of the body. This is why the local church is compared to that of a human body. The human body needs all of its parts to function correctly. When the people of God are not exercising their gifts in the local church, then the body suffers. “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”

  6. Births, Weddings, and Funerals. Very practically, the local church is the best place to raise a family with other believers. It is the place to marry in the Lord another believer. It is the best place where our family can be cared for once we depart to be with the Lord. An ordained minister is rightly qualified to baptize and officiate weddings and funerals. Church membership provides access to these important life events.

The early church father, Cyprian of Carthage, once said, "You cannot have God as your Father unless you have the church for your Mother."

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.

Preparation for Worship

July 13, 2025

This Sunday's Sermon:

The Treasured Volume -
A Song for the Sabbath

Psalm 92  

Cornerstone Prayer Requests

Pray for church members caring for family - Diana Akridge, Rick and Wendy Dillon, Susan Dupré, Deborah Fitzsimmons, Kyle Mosier, Paul Poppe, Kim Sweatt, Mike and Carol Wellfare. 

Pray for healing - Suzi Bolton, Dawn Chenault, Marc Goldmon, Sharon Ibsen, Tim and Gayle Ricks, Libby Stanfield, Annette Sweatt, Butch Taylor, and others.

Pray for our homebound friends - Betty Baldwin, Bill and Suzi Bolton.

Pray for our expectant mothers - Morgan High (August), Grace Piercey (October), Christina Hall (October), Elizabeth Katz (November), Olivia Clemmons (December), and the Kawell family (adoption).

Pray for our Missional Partnerships - All Saints Presbyterian Church (Rev. Matt Patrick) and Village Church, Huntsville, AL (Rev. Alex Shipman).

Pray for our children’s ministry - pray for rest and growth in God's word for all of our volunteers and our covenant children, and wisdom as we make plans for the fall.

Pray for Pastor Russ and family on sabbatical.

Pray for the families and communities affected by the floods in Texas.

Announcements

Communion - We will observe communion this Sunday, July 13.

Daughters of the King - Ladies, you’re invited to join us for a baby shower honoring first-time moms, Morgan High and Grace Piercey, on Sunday, July 20, from 2-4 pm. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall, and both ladies are registered at Babylist.com (search Morgan High and Grace Piercey). Please contact Heidi Honeywell or Shelby Hundsheid with any questions.

Dead Theologians Society - Cornerstone Men's Theology Reading Group will begin meeting on Friday mornings from 6:30-7:30 am, beginning July 25. We will be reading “The Wonderful Works of God” by Herman Bavinck. Click here for more information and register.

Wonder Full: Ancient Psalms Ever New - For a limited time, we’re offering this family devotional for $15. Pick up your copy today in the Gathering Room. Click here to pay for your copy in advance.

New Members Class - Begins August 17 and meets during the Sunday School hour for six weeks. If you’re interested in becoming a member or learning more about Cornerstone, please email office@cornerstonehuntsville.org to sign up.

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:

All Saints Presbyterian Church (Rev. Matt Patrick)

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.

1413 McClung Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801
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Jordan BuskCornerstone Presbyterian Church (PCA)