Newsletter August 15, 2025

Newsletter August 15, 2025

Dear Church Family and Friends, 

I can remember when I was very young, waking up at night, and my ankles and knees really hurting me. I was just young enough not to fully understand how to articulate my pain, but my parents would calmly explain that I was having "growing pains." They explained to me that my body was growing, and because of that, my body would experience pain from time to time as a result. They offered me things like Tylenol and a glass of water to help me calm down and go back to sleep. I'm not sure I was mature enough to heed their advice, so I asked for the only remedy that I thought would actually fix the situation ... and that was a Band-Aid! You read that right! My solution to my growing pains in my body was to put a Band-Aid on it. 

Don't worry, I've since learned that a growing pain is the result of an active growth plate in adolescence, and that a Band-Aid simply does not work. ... Although it did have a strong placebo effect. Nevertheless, growing pains are still pains, and we often need relief in those moments. 

I want you to know that your leadership recognizes we are having some growing pains at Cornerstone. As some have remarked, "It's better than the other kind of pains!" While this is true, we cannot ignore the realities we are facing. We are striving to do more than simply "band-aids." 

Much of our growth is due to two specific things. The first is that the Lord is blessing our church family with many babies and more on the way! Praise God for these new little ones joining our community. The second is that many visitors have relocated to Huntsville and are seeking a church home. 

We are currently experiencing record attendance (outside of Christmas and Easter). This is a blessing, but it creates some logistical challenges that we need to work through. But we need your help! Here are some ways you can help: 

  • Arrive early. Our services begin at 8:30 am and 11:00 am. Therefore, we encourage you to be seated at least five minutes before these times to be prepared to begin the service. Arriving early will serve several purposes: it will give you time to find a seat for you and your family, and it will give you time to calm your mind and prepare your heart for worship. 

  • Move closer. We tend to have more seats available up front. I promise they are not too close. Coming closer allows for more visitors and late-comers to find seating in the back. 

  • Squeeze in. As you notice folks looking for a place to sit, moving toward the middle of rows will give them easy access to join you. 

  • Parking. Be mindful of where you park. We have many families and individuals who have mobility concerns. Additionally, we have many families with small children. Now that we have ample parking, if you are willing and able to park further away, this would be a tremendous help. 

  • Overflow. Currently, we have overflow available during the second service in the Fellowship Hall. The service is live-streamed, and so if you need a different space or more space, consider the overflow as an option. 

These are just some of the ways you can help us with these growing pains. Please continue to pray for our leadership as we look for more ways to accommodate our growth and help all who join us to be able to worship, grow, and serve to glorify God in our community. 

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

August 17, 2025

This Sunday's Sermon:

The Sermon on the Mount
Fasting - Not If, But When

Matthew 6:16-18  

Cornerstone Prayer Requests

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

Pray for healing - Lora Abernathy, Suzi Bolton, Dawn Chenault, Marc Goldmon, Sharon Ibsen, Rachel Marrow, 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 - Morgan High (August), Grace Piercey (October), Christina Hall (October), Elizabeth Katz (November), Lauren Hudgins (November), Olivia Clemmons (December), Tessa Wilkes (February), and the Kawell family (adoption).

Pray for our Missional Partnerships - Adair Evans - Missionary to Germany and First Presbyterian Church, Russellville, AL.

Pray for our nursery ministry - pray for patience, wisdom, and energy for parents and volunteers. May the nursery be a place where seeds of faith are planted and where families feel supported and welcomed.

Pray for Pastor Russ and family on sabbatical.

Announcements

New Members Class - Begins this Sunday, 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.

Student Ministry Fall Kickoff - 6th-12th Graders, join us this Wednesday, August 20, from 6-8 pm in the FLC, as we kick off the fall semester! Dinner will be provided!

Women’s Bible Studies - Our fall semester study will begin on Tuesday, August 26. We’ll be studying the book of Revelation by Jen Wilkin. Order your copy today! Sign up and register for childcare here.

Foundations - Starts Wednesday, September 10, with a fellowship meal at 5:30 pm in the FLC and discipleship opportunities for all ages from 6:15-7:15 pm. Nursery is provided.

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.

We’re hiring a Property Manager. Full-time to oversee and coordinate usage of Cornerstone properties, manage staff or contractor support specific to all custodial, maintenance, and project needs as directed by Church Administration and Diaconate. Submit your resume to rick@cornerstonehuntsville.org.

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:

Adair Evans - Missionary to Germany

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
Copyright © Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, All rights reserved.

 
Jordan BuskCornerstone Presbyterian Church (PCA)