Cornerstone Fellowship of Mill Run’s

Quarterly Newsletter

FLOCKNOTES Spring 2014

From an Empty Tomb to an Empty Church?

Sunday, April 20th Easter Celebration

Early Service - 8:30-9:15 Community Breakfast & Easter Egg Hunt - 9:15-10:15 Main Service - 10:30 - 11:45

Saturday, May 17th Cornerstone Bake Sale @

Twice Cherished Children’s Consignment Shop

- starting at 10am

Sunday, May 18th Awana Picnic & Awards Ceremony

- 5:30-8pm

Mon. - Fri June 23-27th VBS: Rainbow Promises of God

- 6:30-8:30pm

Saturday. June 14th Church Rummage Sale

- 8 - 2pm

Mon - Fri July 21-25th Day One Kid’s Camp

- 9am - 3pm

Saturday August 23rd Community Day Festival

- 9 - 3pm

O how times have changed. What pray tell do I mean? Well with Easter coming up in a few short weeks, churches all over the world will be proclaiming the triumphant victory of the sacrificial death of Jesus on a Roman cross, the empty tomb, and Jesus’s resurrection. Sounds good so far right? Well there is just one problem and no it’s not with any statements about Jesus I’ve just made. No, the problem is that pastors are proclaiming this Truth to fewer and fewer congregants as the years go by. While dwindling church attendance may not necessarily surprise you, the amount of drop off especially recently just may raise an eyebrow. Outreach Magazine published a national survey in 2006 stating only about 17.7% of Americans actually attended Church on a regular basis 1. This is compared to roughly 40-50% attendance in the 1950’s and 60’s 2. So with a population north of 300 million, and less than 20% are attending church regularly, Christianpost.com explains that, “the United States has become the world’s fastest growing mission field.” 3 Some how I don’t think it’s a good thing. The obvious question that keeps pastors up at night is WHY, WHY, WHY aren’t people wanting to come to church like they used to back in the good ole’ days? Not so long ago, all you had to do was open up the church doors and people would come. Since the 1960’s nearly every denomination has seen a steady decline in attendance. So what happen? I’m glad you asked. To figure this out let’s first look at who is NOT to blame. This question is no simple one to answer as there are a variety of reasons. Is the increasingly liberal media constantly attacking Christian beliefs and values to blame? I say this is just a symptom rather than the cause. You see, mass media publications are a product of the culture they report on. The value system and priorities of what’s most important in any given

www.cornerstonemillrun.com

UPCOMING EVENTS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 . . .

“If Jesus really isn’t in this tomb, then why aren’t more people

willing to come to church?”

Continued from Page 1...

replaces God with man’s own reasoning ability as the ultimate way to determine what is true & what is false. Man’s ability to reason as the ultimate determination of truth is the fundamental philosophy guiding pop culture, mass media and the overwhelming majority of Americans today.

Is all media is evil? No, not at all. Remaining sheltered to the outside world, and naïve to criticisms of Christianity is how we got into this mess in the first place. Once we understand this concept which drives the lives of most of America today, it’s not hard to figure out why church attendance has dropped off so much. If man is in charge and not God, who is going to voluntarily listen to a pastor say how somebody should and shouldn’t their own lives? Am I right? Liberal theology, which came in large part from scholars and professors calling themselves Christian have provided the fuel for Mass media’s criticism of the Bible and the resurrection of Jesus.

Let me give me an example of exactly what I’m talking about. In 2007 famous director of “Titanic” & since then “Avatar” fame, James Cameron directed a documentary claiming to have found, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.” 4 Cameron Claims that a family tomb which had been found near Jerusalem with inscriptions of Jeshua, son of Joseph, Mary Magdalene supposedly, and Judah. Cameron no doubt tapping into the Da Vinci code version of history, which claimed Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married & had a son named Judah. Many Major News Outlets had coverage on it. The documentary’s claims was quickly refuted, but the initial report was still seen by masses of people. Guess when the release date was March 4, 2007. In 2006 National Geographic aired the “Gospel of Judas” on Palm Sunday 5. Think it’s a coincidence they both aired right before Easter? Me neither. Now you know why. Not simply because the Devil made them do it. They’re merely following the lead of liberal theology at it attempts to chip away at the foundation of the Christian faith. I myself have done a reasonable amount of digging into the claims of liberal theology. Let me assure you if you do enough digging there are crazy smart people out there who can defend all the major claims of the Christian faith against the claims of liberal theology and mass media criticism. In the last 30 years especially there has been a slow but building movement to thoroughly poke holes all through the claims of liberal theology. Unfortunately showing the error in Cameron’s argument will never get much airplay.

So the initial question I have still remains. If Jesus’s tomb really is empty, then why aren’t more people willing to come to church? If the Bible really is historically reliable and accurate as the Word of God itself, why don’t millions of people care? I really believe there are enough lies spread loud enough and long enough about the Church, the Bible and Jesus most people in today’s culture are skeptical of anything that has received a lot of negative press. If you take this skepticism on top of the fact that many people have had negative personal experiences when they have gone to church, churches and pastors are in a real uphill battle from the start. Want evidence? The top three opinions of 16-29 year olds about the church according to a Barna poll were; antihomosexual, judgmental, and hypocritical. 6 Have you had a negative experience with the church?

There is a great article I came across recently which describes a common perception many have about church titled, “Honesty in a culture of Church Taboos”.7 In it a newly married husband and wife with a good steady income, found out they were pregnant. What should have been joy for the couple was replaced with fear as the realization

culture will be reflected in the articles and reports by the major news outlets and media centers covering that culture. So blame the decline on taking prayer out of school. Blame Woodstock & Watergate as beginning the downward turn of society and church attendance. Blame the increasingly liberal mass media that covered all of these stories if you want. The truth is they’re all merely the product of a much more sinister threat which had been at work for centuries prior attacking the most fundamental parts of the Christian faith. Ladies & gentlemen, drum roll please! I give you...Liberal Theology! Huh? What is THAT?!? You were expecting me to blame it all on the Devil weren’t ya!!??!!

When I say “liberal theology” I DO NOT mean beliefs democrats hold about God. Liberal theology is really an organized collection of theories which attack the fundamental core parts of the faith. Ever heard statements like; “The Bible contains mistakes, contains myths & fables”, “The Bible should not be taken literally”, “The Jesus described in the Gospels is not the historical Jesus”? At it’s heart, liberal theology

*image from Vision TV / AP

Continued from page 2... sunk into her head, “I felt that not wanting my baby was deeply indicative of my irredeemable wickedness. I had no grace for myself, so I expected no grace from others.” She explains that it’s not like they didn’t want children. They

just didn’t want children...yet. What made matters worse was that they felt alienated from the church because how could they talk to couples in the church about their feelings of not want this pregnancy when their were couples in the church who wanted kids so badly but weren’t able to. They felt alone and ashamed and soon left the church. No-body knew they were hurting, nobody from the church bothered apparently to find out why they left either. Some-thing tells me they aren’t they only ones out there that are silently carrying a load of shame of their shoulders. Past sins and mistakes should be what drives people to church, not away from it.

The article continues, “Yet hiding behind our friendly smiles and polite pleasantries (at church) are real life issues; the ones that don’t fit neatly into everyday conversations. Churches preach the benefits of living in community, yet we somehow forget that living in true community is guaranteed to be messy and complicated. While we talk of au-thenticity, Church often remains a place where you can’t be honest.”

I’ve talked to person after person who thinks I’ll come to church as soon as I get this straightened about or this taken care of. It sickens me to my core and drives me to tears to hear people say they somehow have to get their lives in order before people at church will accept them and not criticize them. For anyone reading this that feels this way. For anyone out there that feels like they have to get their life together before they can come to church, or feel like they can’t be honest with stuff there really struggling with let me share a couple verses with you.

Matthew 9:12-13 12

On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13

But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

8

Jesus had some of his harshest words for the self righteous religious elite who looked down on others and weren’t as religious as they were. Jesus says I came and died for sinners, not for those who think they are more righteous than everyone else and don’t need a savior. We are all sinners, every last one of us. So why are we so afraid to be honest in church about the fact that we actually sin??

The article concludes by describing a few ways to change the culture of church taboos. Number one on the list is, “Break the silence and let someone in.” The thing with perceptions is their not always real or true. If we though muster up the courage and open up about things we really struggle with at church you might be surprised at what actually happens. I believe not only will you not be judged, you might actually find out your not the only one who struggles the way you do, feels the way you do. Through honesty and vulnerability, yes even at church, you can find grace, mercy and forgiveness. Even at church you can find Jesus. That’s the way it was originally designed by Jesus 2000 years ago.

Walking alongside people instead of criticizing them, It’s a concept of accountability coupled with Love. A concept that would give people guidance along with freedom to be honest & open to ask for forgiveness of deeply shamefully things...all happening at Church! Would you go to a church like that? I pray Cornerstone Fellowship would be that kind of church to you.

Articles Referenced

1. “The American Church in Crisis”, by Rebecca Barnes and Lindy Lowry, Outreach Magazine,

May/June 2006

2. http://www.gallup.com/poll/166613/four-report-attending-church-last-week.aspx

3. http://www.christianpost.com/news/america-is-one-of-the-fastest-growing-mission-fields-in-the-

world-82985/

4. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0974593/

5. http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bones_of_jesus.html

6. “UnChristian: What a new generation thinks about Christianity and why it matters”, Gabe Lyons

and David Kinneman, Baker Books, December 2007, Grand Rapids, MI

7. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/honesty-culture-church-taboos

8. The Holy Bible: New International Version. 1984 (Mt 9:12–13). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

@ Cornerstone Fellowship

Five strategies for teaching your child to make wise media choices

Media is everywhere nowadays. Media and technology present

many benefits. They also offer dangerous pitfallsmfrom

exposing our kids to inappropriate material, to filling their

minds with harmful images, values and messages. I heard one

preacher put it simply, “Garbage goes in (your mind) garbage

comes out (your mouth).” Whether we admit it or not the media

we watch & listen to affects us more than we realize.

Here are five steps you can take to raise children who use

Godly discernment in media choices so they will be able to

police themselves as teens and adults.

1. Know the media landscape your kids face: Are you

familiar with the media options available to your kids? Find

out what youth their age like to watch and listen to – and

why. Plugged In by Focus on the family is a great resource

to review mainstream movies, music CDs and TV shows

from a biblical perspective.

2. Establish Boundaries in your home: I’m not talking about sheltering them from everything. Instead draw clear lines about what is and isn’t an appropriate media choice in your family. Discuss each rule – and the why behind it – from a biblical perspective.

3. Set Boundaries based upon the Bible: Talk often with your kids about the values promoted in media and the consequences of making bad choices. Season your conversations with scriptural truth. Teach your kids the difference between what God values most compared with the what culture values most.

4. Immerse your family in Scriptural Truth. What would Jesus do about Facebook? Help your kids find out by regularly exploring the Bible together and how it applies to them.

5. Practice what you preach: Gone are the days of, “Do as I say not as I do.” If you do not follow your own biblical guidelines concerning media consumption...neither will your kids. (*adapted from parenthelps.awana.org)

When: Sunday Nights 6-8pm

Who: Any child up to 6th grade

Why: Most fun you ever had learning God’s Word

Things might get a little crazy!

Psalms 31:1Psalms 31:1

In You, O LORD, I put my trust;In You, O LORD, I put my trust;

Let me never be ashamed;Let me never be ashamed;

Deliver me in Your righteousness.Deliver me in Your righteousness.

Potluck Favorites Courtesy of Valerie Rawlings

Grandma’s Sugar Cookie Fruit Pizza

1 roll of prepared sugar cookie dough 1 package of cream cheese (room temp.) 1 small jar of marshmallow fluff 1 teaspoon of lemon juice Assorted fruits of your choosing Roll sugar cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet – follow instructions listed on package for baking. Mix together cream cheese, marshmallow, and lemon juice in a separate bowl. Allow cookie crust to cool – spread cream cheese mixture over the crust. Slice fruit and arrange over top of pizza. Makes a delicious summer treat for picnics or family gatherings!

Summer Pizza

1 roll of crescent rolls 1 pack of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix 1 package of cream cheese (room temp.) Mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots) 1 package of mozzarella cheese Roll crescent rolls onto a greased cookie sheet – follow instructions listed on package for baking. Mix cream cheese and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix in a separate bowl. Spread Hidden Valley Ranch mix over top of cooled crescent roll crust. Finely grind or chop mixed vegetables and spread over crust with ranch mix on. Top with mozzarella cheese. This recipe is a great way to get children who are picky eaters to eat their veggies!

Banana Split Salad

1 - 21 oz. can of cherry pie filling 1 – 8 oz. container of whipped topping 1 – 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk 1 – 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple 2 – 3 ripe bananas Combine cherry pie filling, whipped topping, condensed milk, & crushed pineapple in a bowl. Add bananas right before serving to avoid browning. Add dabs of whipped cream on top of the dessert if desired.

Get Connected:

• Sunday School 9:30am

• Main Service 10:30am

• Awana Kids Club 6-8pm

• Wed. Night Bible Study

@ the Church 7-8pm

415 Mennonite Road, Altoona, Pa 16001

Church Office: (814) 942-4003

Pastor Steve’s Email: runninman2005@yahoo.com

*Located 1 mile up Mill Run Road from Intersect. of 31st St. & 6th Ave.

& Right Across from Barnharts

*image from Momspark.net

Recipe:

Potluck Favorites Chocolate Eclair Cake

Courtesy of Jessica Domenick

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Water • ½ cup Butter

• 1 cup Flour • 4 large Eggs

• 3 cups Milk

• 1 - 8 oz. package, Cream Cheese

• 1 large box (5.1 oz.) Vanilla Instant Pudding

• 1- 8oz. container Cool Whip

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven 400⁰, lightly grease 9”X13” glass baking pan

Éclair Crust: In a medium sauce pan, melt butter in water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Stir in flour. Mix in one egg at a time, mixing completely before adding another egg.

Spread mixture into pan, covering the bottom and sides evenly.

** If the sides of your pan are too greased you won’t be able to get the mixture to stay up the sides **

Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Check occasionally so it doesn’t burn.

Remove from oven and let cool (don’t touch or push bubbles down).

Filling: Whip cream cheese in a medium bowl. In separate bowl make the vanilla pudding.

Make sure pudding is thick before mixing in with cream cheese. Slowly add pudding to cream cheese,

mixing until there are no lumps. Let cool in fridge.

When the crust is completely cooled, pour filling in. Top with layer of cool whip however thick you want it and

serve with chocolate syrup. ENJOY!

Nestled in the foothills of the Allegheny

Mountains, Cornerstone Fellowship is a

place of refuge & peace for the weary &

brokenhearted. Cornerstone doesn’t feel

like a church though…it feels like family.