The Most Excellent Way

Sunday will be the last sermon I preach as the Pastor of Cornerstone MCC. I have given much thought as to what I would like it to be. I have prayed and asked what God would have it to be. And I came up empty. So I decided to do what I did for the first sermon I preached in Corpus Christi twenty-one years ago - I consulted the lectionary. And as God would have it, I'm preaching from I Corinthians 13, one of my favorite text. 

Most of us live good or very good lives and God is calling us to strive for a more excellent way of living and serving. It is the way of love. In our culture we think we fall in and out of love as fate dictates. But in God's truth, we have control and the power to choose love. I'm not suggesting that love is easy, but I do believe love is worth the effort. I also believe that the more you love, the easier it becomes.

Join us Sunday as we seek to learn more of the most excellent way - the way of love.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Relationships Make the Church

I think we can all agree that relationships are hard and require work. We get to choose most of our relationships. But when it comes to the church, we are called to live in relationships with each other and to build relationships with new people as they enter the church. To quote Rev Elder Don Eastman, "People come to church for many reason; they stay for the relationships they form." I have found this to be true.

This Sunday we will examine what makes for healthy and holy relationships. As the church goes through the transition of pastoral leadership, relationships within the church are especially important. My last two sermons as your Pastor will give you an opportunity to focus on what Jesus said matters most - loving relationships. They make the church. And they will sustain the church during and beyond this time of change.

I cherish the time we have left together and hope to see you Sunday.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Ready or Not, New Beginnings Arrive

We complete our New Beginnings series this week and I have found it helpful for life and also for my fast approaching retirement from ministry with MCC. Some new beginnings are planned and some take us by surprise. Either way, the door is always open and when we walk through it we find that God has gone before us and paved the way.

Our services this year have been awesome and powerful and I anticipate another time of sweet anointing this Sunday. I know it's a busy weekend with a number of MG Balls, but I hope that won't be an obstacle to the blessing that awaits you at Cornerstone MCC. We also have our annual meeting at 1:00pm. As I said to the members last Sunday, even if you can't make it to church, be sure to make the meeting.

Are you ready for your new beginning? Behold, God is making all things new....including me and you! I hope to see you Sunday.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Forget It!

In the first chapter of first Corinthians we are told that God has chosen the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. Last week I preached on remembering and this week is on forgetting. The truth is they go hand in hand and both are important parts of preparing for new beginnings. There is a time and place for everything and the trick is to know when and what to remember and forget.

What an awesome time of worship we enjoyed last Sunday. If you missed it you can watch in online. I believe some of our best times of worship together will be this month. God is preparing us for new beginnings so come and be blessed! And bring someone with you.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

New Beginnings

In addition to the new beginnings that a new year brings, both Cornerstone and I have new beginnings coming our way. As we have known for almost a year now, I will be retiring from the ministry at the end of January. I would like to use this three week sermon series to help us prepare spiritually for this change.

I want to encourage you to make church attendance a priority. Transitions can be times of both blessing and challenge. Your presence will make a positive difference as we move through this month. Hold onto this scripture as the winds of change blow our way.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love God". 1 Corinthians 2:9

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Happy Old Year!

Before we get all excited to welcome in a new year, let's take time to say goodbye to 2015. What kind of year has this been for you? Probably a mixture of good and bad, joyful and sad. No matter what, God has seen you through it all and will be with you in the year that lies ahead.

Sunday I'll be preaching from the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes. It's called "Wisdom for Life" and it reminds us that God is still God, we are still God's people, and God is always with us no matter what comes our way.

Join us at 10:45am as we say Happy Old Year and prepare ourselves for a Happy New Year.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Starlight Over Bethlehem

It's the fourth Sunday of Advent and there's music in the air. The choir has been busy preparing to bless us with the gift of music in our regular service at 10:45am and again at 6:00pm. It's also the time to focus on love. For God so loved the world that God sent Jesus. What a gift!

Christmas is the time to generously share the love of God, not just with our family and friends, but with the world. I invite you to join in giving the gift of clean water in Jesus name. Cornerstone has funded the digging of three wells in India and this will be number four. Please mark your donation as "Water" and be a part of touching the world with the love and knowledge of Jesus.

It still amazes me that God sent Jesus as a tiny, vulnerable, needy little baby....just like us. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gy29mQfiavg&feature=youtu.be and I hope to see you Sunday.

Rev Sandy, Pastor