“He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come
to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him
God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the
blood of his cross.” Colossians 1:18-20
Pastor’s Column: Gratitude
It has been an enormous two weeks in the life of our congregation, and I want to give God
praises for the many gatherings, worship services and celebrations that have unfolded here as we strive
after Christ as a family together:
Easter Sunday! Between Sonrise Worship at Camp McCullough and our two services, we saw
over 500 men, women and children join us in celebrating the risen Christ this past Sunday! Praise God!
Our 9:00 am service was as packed as our sanctuary could manage. And together we kicked off our
season-long focus: in Jesus “Eternal Life Starts Today!”
Extra gratitude to God for the 70+ who came out early to sing praises next to Pipe Lake, and for
Jimmy, Emily and Nathaniel, who made that service happen! And thank you to the Strous family, who
oversaw refreshments and fellowship afterward!
And how about special music for Easter Sunday, with a big opening highlighting Todd’s singing
and Jimmy’s Scripture reading, special music involving horns (largely supplied by Devin and Brad) and a
revival for Revival (our choir) who led us in the Easter standard, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” Hugs
and support to Amy Bjorn, working overtime in only her third Sunday as our Worship Director!
Kids’ Easter Egg Hunt! We saw a huge throng of kids turn out, including many from our
church, but even more from the larger community; as we learned together how an Easter egg teaches
us about Jesus’ resurrection (many comments from parents who had never learned that history be-
fore!). Christine and Children’s Ministries did an excellent job, going far beyond an egg hunt to provide
a huge spread of food, including two waffle stations this year, in addition to crafts and games! Not to
mention a lot of kids playing on our new playground! Perhaps the best highlight were the number of
families who stuck around after, continuing to fellowship and play together. This was our big outreach
of our church’s biggest week!
Good Friday! That’s a solemn and powerful worship time, and we saw a great group from our
congregation come together on the night we remember Jesus’ death for us. Special thanks to members
of our high school youth, who created a “bookend” to our Ash Wednesday service – just as youth
provided all the readings back at the beginning of Lent, so too did they cover Jesus’ last seven
utterances, in addition to a special dramatic reading. Concluding with nails and Holy Communion, there
is no other night quite like it all year. And thanks to everyone who supported the soup and bread
supper – another bookend, in our Lenten season!
Cornerstone News March 31 —April 13, 2016
Continued on Next Page...
Palm Sunday! I’m still grateful for a congregation that brings a live donkey, and “breaks the mold” of
worship by starting outside, waving our palm fronds and shouting “Hosannas” as part of a procession into
Worship. We lived out both sides of that Sunday this year, lifting up Palm Sunday alongside Passion Sunday.
And special thanks to all the servants who turned out that weekend as part of our all-church clean up day –
it’s surprising how well you get to know each other when you spend a morning of sweat equity together!
Missions! This goes in both directions: two weeks ago we held one of our biggest fundraiser and
fellowship evenings of the year, in our Youth Missions Auction that supports both the senior high and
middle school missions trips. That night we packed our sanctuary with members of our church family, in-
cluding a lot of youth and a lot of kids. We shared in an awesome free meal, and people gave generously
toward missions through the silent auction, live auction, raffle jars, and the dessert dash; generating over
$19,000 toward these two trips – which is important, as the high school group alone is Cornerstone’s
largest missions team ever! Prayers as that team leaves today (Thursday, March 31st) toward their work of
service and compassion in Mexico (and prayers for our middle schoolers come July, in their work among
Native American peoples in Lapawai, Idaho).
His Place! A final praise for these past couple of weeks has been the near-completion of our
renovation of our education building “His Place,” with new flooring, paint and furniture. Names that need
to be recognized around this hard work include Dennis, Ty, and Ashley, including Jim on flooring and Mark
on painting, in addition to other generous servants! A renewed space for youth and children’s ministries
was a big step for our parish!
Church family, look at all God has been doing in the life of our parish! And while there is much
before us (meals for homeless men through Kent HOME; Eternal Life Starts Now! theme in Worship, plans
underway for this summer’s Youth Sunday, Vacation Bible School, Middle School Missions, and Lazy F
retreat…) I am grateful for our biggest week as a people of faith: Holy Week! And the chance to witness,
to mourn and to celebrate Jesus’ life, death and resurrection!
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Pastor James Murphy
Praying and Community Support
Prayers please for the family and church family of Pastor Ed Pohlreich from
Generational Hope Christian Center. Pastor Ed, another missionary from
Generational Hope, and a Ugandan pastor were killed in a car accident in Africa
when their brakes gave out. One way you could support the families, all of which
have young children and grandchildren, is to share the "Go Fund" me page, https://
www.gofundme.com/hgwca8cc.
Pray for our Sr. High Youth and Adults on their Missions Trip to Mexico. They fly out
at 8:30 PM tonight (Thursday March 31st) and they return Saturday April 9th in the
morning.
Judy's father in law (Mark's father) is in hospice care and is not taking food or
water. Please pray for him and the family during this difficult time.
Prayers please for Ann and Mike Piriano, following the passing of Ann's father
Elsworth.
Prayers for Jessica Greene who has been bravely battling Stage IV colon cancer, has
recently suffered a recurrence in her stomach and is again undergoing chemo-
therapy.
Prayers for Karen Schmitt, who’s cancer has re-occurred. Prayers for effective
treatment.
Prayer request for Aiga I'a, recovering from surgery and in treatment.
Prayers for Pastor Joseph and our brothers and sisters in northern India, who
continue to face persecution for their message of the Gospel.
Have something to submit for Prayer Chain
Email the Prayer Chain at [email protected]
Or you can call the church office at 425-432-1790 during office hours or after hours contact
Service Opportunity
You're invited to join our HOME ministry
team! It's a perfect opportunity to serve
& shine God's light in our community.
-Cornerstone is partnering with Peace
Lutheran church in providing & serving
hot meals to homeless men in Kent
from April 16th-April 23rd
-There are 3 ways you can help:
1. Sign up to provide food (for 30 ppl)
2. Volunteer to serve a meal
3. Donate new socks & other items to
fill our grocery cart in the lobby. Those
items will be delivered.
Detailed information, sign up sheets & a
list of specific items for donation are in
the lobby.
Questions? Contact Peggy Kessel
HOME MINISTRY NEEDS LIST
-to benefit local homeless men-
Socks
Deodorant
Small can of shaving cream
Small comb
Toothpaste
Folding toothbrush
Band-Aids
Bar of Soap
Disposable razors
Drop off donations to church by 4/15/16
ASK Class Wednesday Night with
Pastor James
OPEN TO EVERYONE
Feb. 17—Apr. 6 at 7 pm
LAST ASK STUDY
April 6th
Have you missed one of the
messages in the “ASK : Faith
Questions in a Skeptical Age”
series? Remember all messages
can be heard online at our
website: http://
www.buildingonjesus.org/#/
worship-sermons/current-sermons
Family Picture Wall
Is your picture up on our
Family Picture Wall?
Your next opportunity is THIS
Sunday April 3rd!
See Kimberley in the sanctuary overflow area to
have your picture taken.
Connecting at Cornerstone!
Connecting at Cornerstone!
Directories are
here! Pick
yours up in the
Foyer at
church!
Thank you to everyone who
brought extension cords for
the auction. Those items are
ready to be picked up during
Kimberley’s office hours 8:30
-3:30 or contact Ashley to
arrange pickup.
More Serve Opportunities at Cornerstone!
Help Wanted:
A Cornerstone member is seeking childcare
for her two elementary age children, three
days a week, from 2-11 PM so she can go
back to work. If you are interested or
know anyone who is please email the
church office at [email protected]
or call the church office. Please feel free to
pass this request on to anyone you know
who may be interested.—Thank You!
A BIG thank you from the
Trustees for all that
helped on the All Church
Cleanup!
2016 Finance Report
February 2016
Total Offering: $28,476
Total Income: $29,626
Total Expense: $37,420
Family Hope Center—Vine Maple Place
Hello Pastors and Church Staff,
I must open by giving you all a BIG THANK YOU on behalf of the Mom’s, Dad’s and kids
in crisis and struggling with homelessness here at Vine Maple Place! We are GRATEFUL
for all of you.
The launch of the Family Hope Center in your churches and the community raised $86,871.44. This
includes all giving from January through the public launch and celebration last Sunday and into this week!
Hundreds of pounds of coins were collected and the children did an amazing job giving to help kids facing
homelessness.
Please share this with your generous and amazing congregations! This is the first step towards bringing the
awareness of how devastating homelessness is to families right here in our backyards.
A special THANK YOU to Steve Murray for emceeing the event and Dave Reichert for sharing his story of
homelessness! They did a fantastic job and without power no less….God had it firmly in His hands.
A special THANK YOU to all who participated each week and brought awareness to the great need in the
community and gave everyone a way to participate in building the Family Hope Center.
This truly is just the beginning…..many churches and the school district will be involved in the next few
months to continue to raise funds needed to build the Family Hope Center.
Michelle
You can put donations in the offering plate at church.
More information on the project can be found at :
http://www.vinemapleplace.org/2015-campaign/family-hope-center.html
Sharing our Tithes and Offering! $46,077
$29,626
$39,166 $37,420
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
$40,000
$45,000
$50,000
Jan-15 Feb-15
Income
Expenses
April Birthdays!
Cassie Rodocker—April 15
Greg White—April 15
David Dudgeon—April 17
Preston Bjorn—April 17
Peggy Levien—April 19
Bryce Hutchinson—April 26
Cheryl White—April 28
April Birthdays!
Kathy Gardner—April 1
Carol Nohavec—April 1
Adobee Daigbe—April 5
Joleen Cohee—April 5
Dani Thueringer—April 8
Ethan Wunschel—April 13
Kris Shegrud—April 14
Judy Hamilton—April 14
CHURCH EVENTS
Contact Us
Cornerstone United Methodist Church
Rev. James Murphy, Senior Pastor
20730 SE 272nd Street, Covington, WA 98042
P: (425) 432-1790 Fax: (425) 432-7240
Office Email: [email protected]
Pastor's Email: [email protected]
Visit our web page at: www.BuildingonJesus.org
Leaders & Servants at Cornerstone
Committee Chairs & Lay Leadership
Leadership Chair Amy Konvalin
Lay Leader Brian Heineman
Men’s Ministry Leader Scott Hurter
SPR Chair Marty Schillaci
Finance Chair Mike Morris
Trustees Chair Dennis McClellan/Tyler Elliott
Nominations Chair James Murphy
Discipleship Chairs
Believe Team Chair Phil Rodocker
Connect Team Chair Megan Heineman
Serve Team Chair Peggy Kessel
Share Team Chair Judy Franklin
Cornerstone Staff
Pastor James Murphy
Children’s Ministry Leader Christine Girard
Youth Ministry Leader Ashley Creek
Middle School Ministries Coordinator Maria Vachlon
Worship Director Amy Bjorn
Admin. Assistant Kimberley Lackey
Custodial Lorena Saxton
Music Chuck Buser