Easter, Good Friday, Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

This weekend we celebrate Good Friday (4/14 @ 6:30pm & 8:30pm) and Easter (4/16 @ 8am, 10am & 12pm). That makes this weekend all about reflecting and rejoicing. Will you join us as we celebrate the most important week of the most important person who ever lived? It is easy for the significance of this time of year to be lost amidst a sea of pastels, egg hunts, honey-cured hams and chocolate bunnies, but it doesn’t have to be. We need to take time to reflect and rejoice. This is particularly true amidst a culture that celebrates what is fleeting and transient while neglecting what is most profound and real – like a mighty savior who is also our sinless substitute.

So, I invite you to join us this weekend as we reflect on Good Friday and rejoice on Easter. There are a few things to keep in mind as we approach this weekend:

First, Good Friday and Easter go together.

I encourage you to consider participating in both Good Friday and Easter. Immerse yourself in the (true) story this weekend, starting on Friday and culminating on Sunday. Cancel your other obligations. Say “no” to Netflix for one Friday night. Keep your kids up. It is worth it.

Second, our Good Friday gathering is unique.

If you’ve never been part of our Good Friday gathering, don’t think of it as a normal Sunday gathering on a Friday. It is a completely different gathering. Over the the last six years we have prayerfully labored to create a fresh experience of the ancient Good Friday story. It is unique, moving, and powerful. You really don’t want to miss it.

Third, arrive early.

We recommend that you arrive early on Friday and Sunday. On Good Friday, arriving early will give you time to pray, reflect, and read the scriptures. The auditorium will be open 20 minutes prior to our start time. On Easter, we are expecting a full house at each gathering, so arriving early will ensure you are able to secure seats for your whole party. We will be adding chairs, tightening the rows, and creating an overflow space, but we anticipate that it will still be full.

Fourth, parking is provided.

As always, we will validate parking for everyone at the Art Institute parking garage on Friday and Sunday. The lots adjacent to our building will be also available for first time visitors, families with children, and individuals with special needs on Friday and Sunday.

Fifth, your kids are covered.

If you’re a parent with a child from one to eight years old, our Cornerstone Kids team has generously offered to serve families on Good Friday (*6:30pm only) and Easter. This is an act of sacrificial service and love on their part, so please be sure to thank them!

Sixth, let’s be praying for Jesus to move.

Most importantly, let’s be praying for Jesus to save, awaken, and reinvigorate souls to the breathtaking reality of his grace and redemption this weekend. Invite your friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. Let’s ask Him to do what only He can in our lives, and in the lives of those who do not yet know him. He is able!

Because the cross is full…and the tomb is empty,

Pastor Adam

Discipleship, Event, Women's Retreat

Dear Ladies of Downtown Cornerstone Church,

I am so excited to be able to be with you this year for your women’s retreat. Let me introduce myself a little so that I become a little less of a stranger. I grew up in Germany and came to the US in order to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. There I met and married my husband and together we have four children.

I love books and hate laundry. I love chocolate and Horchata and dislike seafood. But one of my biggest passions is to see women fall in love with the study of God’s word. I want us to not be afraid to tackle and wrestle with hard concepts, and to see that theology is very practical because it changes our lives and affects our worship.

During our time together we are going to be looking at the greatness of God and how this knowledge relates practically to our lives, specifically to the worries and fears that we struggle with and to the idols that we are so quick to build.

Some of the questions I want us to ask are: How should an understanding of the greatness of God affect our everyday lives? How do we put down fear and worry? How do we identify and kill idols? Where does real comfort come from? I hope that some of these questions will be answered for you as we spend the weekend together.

A.W. Pink says, “Happy is the soul that has been awed by a view of God’s majesty.” This is my prayer for all of us, that we would be awed by the greatness of God and walk away with unshakable peace and deep seated joy.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

– Jen Thorn

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Ladies, this retreat is a unique opportunity to hit “pause” on our daily rhythms and gather together to be encouraged, equipped, and strengthened in our faith. We know there’s a lot to coordinate – from carpooling and childcare, to saving up for the cost, and giving up the bulk of your weekend. We encourage you to give your concerns for the weekend to Jesus, embrace all that He has waiting for you, and join us in the following:

1) Begin praying for the weekend.

2) Register online in advance!

3) Invite a friend and encourage ladies in your community to join you.

4) Familiarize yourself with the scripture for the weekend, Isaiah 40-41

5) Email  if you have any questions, concerns, or barriers.

Excited for all that God will do!

Discipleship, Scripture | by Pastor Randy Lundy

We typically set aside the six Sundays leading up to Good Friday and Easter for intentional reflection, confession, and worship as a church family. In more ways than one, it is a unique opportunity to deepen our thoughts around the person and work of Jesus, and recall the many things that we’ve been saved from and to, through the power of his death and resurrection.

LITURGY AND WORSHIP

We’ll be changing up our flow of gathering a bit and take the first few minutes to reflect on the overarching story of God’s redemption of His people. One of the unique perspectives we’ll be weaving through these reflections is the contrast of light and darkness throughout Scripture. Here’s a quick summary of the weeks ahead, so you can be praying and preparing more specifically for worship with the church through this season of Lent:

Week #1 Creation (3/5) – God’s glory and perfection in creation

Week #2 Darkness (3/12) – Sin’s corruption and deception

Week #3 Intervention (3/19) – God’s provision and direction

Week #4 Presence (3/26) – God’s dwelling among his people

Week #5 Foreshadow (4/4) – God’s promise of a Redeemer

Week #6 Incarnation (4/9) – God’s entrance and culmination

We’ll also be walking through multiple scriptures and songs throughout the gatherings that weave together these themes of light/darkness, God’s redemptive story, and our current sermon series in Sermon on the Mount. All of these liturgical elements are intended to be experienced as a journey, not in isolation from one another. I’d encourage all of us to come early to the gatherings, so we can experience the fullness of what God has in store for us together during Lent.

WATCH AND PRAY

There are many good ways that we can prepare ourselves to worship in this season. I just want to highlight two particular postures of worship from Jesus’ words to his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion (Matthew 26:38-41) that I think would be fitting for framing this season for us:

#1 WATCH

This is a season of expectation and watching. In much the same way that Jesus was instructing his disciples, we would do well to be alert to what God is doing, what He is revealing, what He is wanting to show us through this season of reflection. This is both an attentiveness to the truths He’s bringing to the forefront, as well as an alertness to the state of our own souls. Not growing drowsy or distracted. But rather remaining focused and attentive, spiritually-minded and awake.

Practically speaking, as I said before, we’ll be kicking off the Lent reflections at the start of each gathering, so I’d encourage us all to come early, settle into your seat, give yourself some margin to be prayerful and spiritually ready before we begin to worship together. It’s easy to come in rushed and anxious and distracted. Do yourself a favor, and come early to give yourself time to prepare your heart for worship. You won’t regret it.

#2 PRAY

This is also a season of communing with God. Being in regular, intimate relationship with our Creator. It’s not about self-piety, self-pity, or self-performance. It’s about the Savior. This is a time when we come humbly before the Creator, relinquishing our self-independence, relishing the Redeemer, and rejoicing in all that God is and has done for us in Christ! Let’s look upward more than inward this Lent season, because Jesus is alive and his grace is available to all!

And practically, as we have moments of corporate confession together, periods of silence, and space for reflection in our gatherings – use that time to draw near to the One who hears. He loves to hear the earnest prayers of His people. If you sense hardness of heart, ask him to warm you with his grace. If you feel alone, ask him to cover you with his love and fatherly embrace. Wherever you are, cry out to him this Lent season, confessing sin and clinging to Jesus. He will meet us.

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Love you all and praying that Jesus would use this season to give us much-needed space to deepen our trust in Him and experience His satisfying love in Christ. See you Sunday!

The tomb is empty!

Pastor Randy