WHEN:
Monday, July 28th at 5pm
Wednesday, July 30th at 11am
Thursday, July 31st at 5pm
WHERE:
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin
1315 Barbara Jordan Boulevard, Austin, TX 78723
Cornerstone will be volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House of Austin by preparing meals for the families staying at the facilities. For more info about the Ronald McDonald House check out www.rmhc-austin.org. For more info about the community service activity check back for our blog entries.
If you're interested and have not received an Evite or would like more information, contact acc.cornerstone@gmail.com.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Upcoming Events In the Community
Branch/Twig Fellowship Baby-Sitting
WHEN: Saturday August 2nd, 5:30pm - 9:30pm
WHERE: ACC Taylor Hall (building with the gym)
While the parents take a break, we get to play with the kids! Join us to help serve the Branch parents and have fun with the kids. We sent out an Evite so we'll know if we have enough baby-sitters. Please reply (or let us know if you didn't receive one). Thanks!
Habitat for Humanity
WHEN: Saturday August 16th, 8:00AM – 3:30 PM
WHERE: 1727 Leander St; Georgetown, TX
We will be serving our community by helping Habitat For Humanity build a home in Georgetown. I hope you can attend and/or encourage your friends, family, and Life Group members to attend. This will be a great way to serve the community as well as build our community by working alongside each other in 90+ degrees. If you can not make it all day (cuz it’s hot), I have set up times where people can come either in the morning or afternoon.
It's easy to sign up! Habitat for Humanity signup
Contact Winston if you have questions.
WHEN: Saturday August 2nd, 5:30pm - 9:30pm
WHERE: ACC Taylor Hall (building with the gym)
While the parents take a break, we get to play with the kids! Join us to help serve the Branch parents and have fun with the kids. We sent out an Evite so we'll know if we have enough baby-sitters. Please reply (or let us know if you didn't receive one). Thanks!
Habitat for Humanity
WHEN: Saturday August 16th, 8:00AM – 3:30 PM
WHERE: 1727 Leander St; Georgetown, TX
We will be serving our community by helping Habitat For Humanity build a home in Georgetown. I hope you can attend and/or encourage your friends, family, and Life Group members to attend. This will be a great way to serve the community as well as build our community by working alongside each other in 90+ degrees. If you can not make it all day (cuz it’s hot), I have set up times where people can come either in the morning or afternoon.
It's easy to sign up! Habitat for Humanity signup
Contact Winston if you have questions.
Out in the Field
Please pray for our brothers and sisters that are on missions trips this summer. We already have some that are on their trip currently:
• Marie and Ti are in
• Priscilla with Carpenter's Tools team in
• Kathy, Edwin, Tim L., Marilyn, Nita are in
• Geoff will be going with e3 to
• And our worship intern, Stanley Tso, will be leaving in August to join CTI for full-time ministry as well. If you know anyone else - please let us know. Please keep these brothers and sisters in your prayers as well as ACC as a whole - for
Practicing Community... at Rudy's!
WHEN: Friday, July 25, 2008 - 7:00 PM
WHERE: Rudy's (11570 Research Blvd.)
Next week we have lots of community service opportunities, so this week we'll take a break and enjoy food and fellowship at Rudy's (Duval/183). Take the opportunity this week to put into practice some of Walton's suggestions: look for ways to love and serve each other, and point each other to Christ.
WHERE: Rudy's (11570 Research Blvd.)
Next week we have lots of community service opportunities, so this week we'll take a break and enjoy food and fellowship at Rudy's (Duval/183). Take the opportunity this week to put into practice some of Walton's suggestions: look for ways to love and serve each other, and point each other to Christ.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Distinguishing Characteristics of Christian Community
WHEN: Friday, July 18, 2008 - 7:30 PM
WHERE: Lighthouse, Carey Building
Walton spoke (sorry for the late post!) about what distinguishes Christian community. If Christians are different from the world in that we have the Holy Spirit and are called to be salt and light, then our community should look different from the world. Yet, so often it seems like there is little tangible difference. So what should should the world see in us that is different? Walton has been contemplating this for the past month, so read on to hear his insight!
Introduction
We should come clean as who we are. Christians are not normal. We are still sinners, but at the end, we come as is. We are who we are and often when dealing with us, there will be failure and disappointment. This makes building a Christian community especially difficult. “Sometimes it is hard to find dynamic, but it shouldn’t be that hard.”
God’s Dream for Community
How do we foster a true Christian community in Cornerstone? Different people have different expectations or dream differently. Are those expectations the same as God’s? Dream mismatch between us and God can lead to unrealistic expectation. Even though the expectations can be “Christian” based, it may not come from God. There is so much potential and possibility for Cornerstone, but so many obstacles to keep us from forming a community.
Why is community important?
• It is at the core of who God is
o From the beginning, it begins with a community, the Trinity.
o After creating Adam, God created Eve to form a perfect community for Adam.
• It is who He designed us for
o American thinking is all about independence.
o “There is a human shape void in each of us and God wants it to be filled by community.”
• It is what God passionately longs for
o After Adam and Eve were banished from the garden, God continually seeks relationship with us.
o Gospel is about restoring relationship. It helps restore the gap between God & people. For us, it also helps bring Christians together (fellowship). It also helps bring Christians and non-Christians together (evangelism)
o God has his community (Trinity) in the beginning, but out of the over pouring love, he created us, so we can enjoy this community
Why is true community so hard to find?
• Lack of time is often an issue. The advancement of technology is supposed to help us work faster and more efficiently, but ironically, people are working harder than ever because they are forced to cram more tasks into this finite amount of time, hence the concept of multi-tasking.
• With so many things to do, there is less common bond between people. TV, movies, entertainments…etc have become an essential part of people’s lives.
• The advancement of technology, such as cell phone and email, supposed to improve our communication with each other. Ironically, it seems to have an opposite effect. People are less personal now. People would rather text or instant message than talking directly with each other.
Some Key Elements of True Community
• Unmasked
• Acceptance - We are often so focus on sins that we fail to recognize grace and the seriousness of it.
• Empathy
• Resolving conflicts
• Forgiveness
• Invitation to tell the truth
• Inclusion - Religious people try so hard to exclude those people, whom the society deems as the “sinners”, i.e. prostitutes, drug addicts, gangs…etc.
• Gratitude to God
Moving towards the Dream
A community should have:
• A real sense of purpose for meeting
• Everyone is bought into that purpose. Showing up to the meeting actually matters
• There’s an opportunity to serve and love someone every week.
Applications and Something to Think about
Think about your past friendships with other people and ask yourself:
• What have been the most satisfying elements about those friendships?
• How have those friendships drawn you closer to God (if at all)?
WHERE: Lighthouse, Carey Building
Walton spoke (sorry for the late post!) about what distinguishes Christian community. If Christians are different from the world in that we have the Holy Spirit and are called to be salt and light, then our community should look different from the world. Yet, so often it seems like there is little tangible difference. So what should should the world see in us that is different? Walton has been contemplating this for the past month, so read on to hear his insight!
Introduction
We should come clean as who we are. Christians are not normal. We are still sinners, but at the end, we come as is. We are who we are and often when dealing with us, there will be failure and disappointment. This makes building a Christian community especially difficult. “Sometimes it is hard to find dynamic, but it shouldn’t be that hard.”
God’s Dream for Community
How do we foster a true Christian community in Cornerstone? Different people have different expectations or dream differently. Are those expectations the same as God’s? Dream mismatch between us and God can lead to unrealistic expectation. Even though the expectations can be “Christian” based, it may not come from God. There is so much potential and possibility for Cornerstone, but so many obstacles to keep us from forming a community.
Why is community important?
• It is at the core of who God is
o From the beginning, it begins with a community, the Trinity.
o After creating Adam, God created Eve to form a perfect community for Adam.
• It is who He designed us for
o American thinking is all about independence.
o “There is a human shape void in each of us and God wants it to be filled by community.”
• It is what God passionately longs for
o After Adam and Eve were banished from the garden, God continually seeks relationship with us.
o Gospel is about restoring relationship. It helps restore the gap between God & people. For us, it also helps bring Christians together (fellowship). It also helps bring Christians and non-Christians together (evangelism)
o God has his community (Trinity) in the beginning, but out of the over pouring love, he created us, so we can enjoy this community
Why is true community so hard to find?
• Lack of time is often an issue. The advancement of technology is supposed to help us work faster and more efficiently, but ironically, people are working harder than ever because they are forced to cram more tasks into this finite amount of time, hence the concept of multi-tasking.
• With so many things to do, there is less common bond between people. TV, movies, entertainments…etc have become an essential part of people’s lives.
• The advancement of technology, such as cell phone and email, supposed to improve our communication with each other. Ironically, it seems to have an opposite effect. People are less personal now. People would rather text or instant message than talking directly with each other.
Some Key Elements of True Community
• Unmasked
• Acceptance - We are often so focus on sins that we fail to recognize grace and the seriousness of it.
• Empathy
• Resolving conflicts
• Forgiveness
• Invitation to tell the truth
• Inclusion - Religious people try so hard to exclude those people, whom the society deems as the “sinners”, i.e. prostitutes, drug addicts, gangs…etc.
• Gratitude to God
Moving towards the Dream
A community should have:
• A real sense of purpose for meeting
• Everyone is bought into that purpose. Showing up to the meeting actually matters
• There’s an opportunity to serve and love someone every week.
Applications and Something to Think about
Think about your past friendships with other people and ask yourself:
• What have been the most satisfying elements about those friendships?
• How have those friendships drawn you closer to God (if at all)?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
So How DO We Relate to Our Parents?
Bob Chin, on Friday, gave some great insights about how to relate to our parents. He challenged us to not consume relationships like our culture consumes goods and services: "Love is putting in, not taking out!" He also had some practical ideas about communicating with our parents. Although our parents tend to be unemotional and very private, we can help build deeper relationships by asking good questions about how our parents are or were feeling. ("What was it like living in China?" "What did you like about X?") Read on...
What influences our idea of relationships?
What influences our idea of relationships?
• Media, like TV: Simpsons, Hannah Montana, Everybody Love Raymond, etc.
• We want these kind of western, intimate relationships with parents, but our parents weren't born here, so integrating cultures
Our Asian parents are different, and thus, "Asian Christianty" is different, too. It's
• Logical/rational
• Unemotional
• Extremely closed about personal things
• What about Biblical Christianity:
• Logical/rational (Rom 13:8)
• Emotional - David danced (2 Sam 6:13-17)
• Not private, but relational (Rom 13:10)
What does the Bible say our relationship should be like?
• Ex 20:12 (honor our parents) Eph 6:2 (command with parents) - 1st of the relational commands, which means it is of high importance
• How we relate to our parents is how we relate to a significant other, friends, children
• The promise is, that if we relate well to parents it will go well-we relate the same way
• Transcends time and culture (in both OT and NT)
How does our environment affect our view and how we act toward our parents?
• We are a consumer society. We consume relationships, too. (Feel better, closer to God, etc) People expect to get something from people.
• Starbucks church model: people are consumers, so we built churches to provide a good product
• Consumption leads to disappointment
• Are we looking at our parents to consume?
* Love is putting, not taking out!
• If we can teach our kids to put in, rather than taking out, we have succeeded
• Relationships on the brink of divorce are when people don't think they are getting enough out of the relationship
• Show respect; give benefit of doubt, don't assume they don't know what they are talking about
• Have you spent the time to figure out your parents love language?
How can we communicate with our Asian parents?
• Ask questions. The key is asking good questions, which also causes them to talk and you to listen. Ask questions to draw them out "how do you feel about ..."
• Listen
• Watch your body language - parents know if you really care
• What goes around, comes around. Our kids will treat us like we treat our parents
• Christ has redeemed us and our relationships (Jam 1:22-24, Rom 8:22)
• Christ changes people NOT you
• Bob asks, is there a little child in my parents that is crying out?
• Bob's dad's dad died early, and he wishes he had a dad. This explains a lot of his relational aspects with wife, kids, etc. Bob's dad never related to him because he'd never seen his dad relate to him. Bob has difficulty with Pete because his dad didn't know how to relate to, but makes a point of spending time with him
Application
• How do you ask good questions? Need to learn to draw out how they *feel*. Expressing your feelings is an important part of depth of relationship.
• Seeing unpleasant aspects of seeing you are like your parents: remember Christ can redeem that
• What did you learn about relating to parents? Asking questions about them: what was it like living in
• This is a lifetime process
Meeting the New Core Team
Kathy, Edward, and Judith are excited to be on the new core team this upcoming year. Our goal is to serve God and serve Cornerstone--we welcome any and all suggestions!
Let's see who they are...
Kathy is a newbie toAustin but a native to Texas
Edward was born in Taiwan and moved to Port Lavaca, TX when he was 10. He is a mechanical engineer. He loves playing tennis and eating ice cream.
Judith is an alumni of UT Austin with a degree in electrical engineering. She enjoys a good game of Tetris, trying out new things, and traveling. She started doing triathlons last year and will be attempting her third one this summer!
Let's see who they are...
Kathy is a newbie to
Edward was born in Taiwan and moved to Port Lavaca, TX when he was 10. He is a mechanical engineer. He loves playing tennis and eating ice cream.
Judith is an alumni of UT Austin with a degree in electrical engineering. She enjoys a good game of Tetris, trying out new things, and traveling. She started doing triathlons last year and will be attempting her third one this summer!
Monday, July 07, 2008
Relating to Our Parents and MORE
WHEN: Friday, July 11, 2008 - 7:30 PM
WHERE: Lighthouse, Carey Building
This Friday Bob Chin will be speaking to us on the topic of relating to our parents. What does a Christian parent-child relationship look like? What if your relationship with your parents isn't good, what can you do? Join us for Bob's insights, 7:30 pm at Lighthouse.
ALSO - We are pleased to announce the new Core Team: Edward, Judith, and Kathy will be leading Cornerstone this next year! Ti, Priscilla, and myself are really excited about the new Core Team, and are looking forward to see what God does through them! Please keep the Core Team in your prayers--it's a bit daunting at first. Plus, I (Geoff) have seen this year the truth of John 15:5: truly apart from God, we can do nothing to bring people to God, and leaders always need your prayers in this area.
Ti, Priscilla, and myself have enjoyed serving you all as leaders on the Core Team this year. It's been a privilege to organize events to bring us closer to God, and through it we've grown as leaders, been challenged in our walks with God, and grown in love for Cornerstone. It has been a joy and an honor to serve Cornerstone, and wish the same for the new Core Team. Please welcome Edward, Judith, Kathy!
Please pray for our brothers and sisters that are on missions trips this summer. We already have some that are on their trip currently, as well as Moses and Marilyn returned from New Orleans working with the ACC youth helping Katrina victims. Marie and Ti are in Southeast Asia with Campus Crusade working with college students. Coming up soon, Priscilla will leave July 8th - August 20th to work with Carpenter's Tools in Guatemala. Kathy , Edwin , Tim , Marilyn , Nita , and Geoff (in August) will be going to Bolivia with e3 partners to share the gospel there (July 17-25) . Our worship intern, Stanley , will be leaving in August to join CTI for fulltime ministry as well. If you know anyone else - please let us know. Please keep these brothers and sisters in your prayers as well as ACC as a whole - for Austin is our ministry field as well.
WHERE: Lighthouse, Carey Building
This Friday Bob Chin will be speaking to us on the topic of relating to our parents. What does a Christian parent-child relationship look like? What if your relationship with your parents isn't good, what can you do? Join us for Bob's insights, 7:30 pm at Lighthouse.
ALSO - We are pleased to announce the new Core Team: Edward, Judith, and Kathy will be leading Cornerstone this next year! Ti, Priscilla, and myself are really excited about the new Core Team, and are looking forward to see what God does through them! Please keep the Core Team in your prayers--it's a bit daunting at first. Plus, I (Geoff) have seen this year the truth of John 15:5: truly apart from God, we can do nothing to bring people to God, and leaders always need your prayers in this area.
Ti, Priscilla, and myself have enjoyed serving you all as leaders on the Core Team this year. It's been a privilege to organize events to bring us closer to God, and through it we've grown as leaders, been challenged in our walks with God, and grown in love for Cornerstone. It has been a joy and an honor to serve Cornerstone, and wish the same for the new Core Team. Please welcome Edward, Judith, Kathy!
Please pray for our brothers and sisters that are on missions trips this summer. We already have some that are on their trip currently, as well as Moses and Marilyn returned from New Orleans working with the ACC youth helping Katrina victims. Marie and Ti are in Southeast Asia with Campus Crusade working with college students. Coming up soon, Priscilla will leave July 8th - August 20th to work with Carpenter's Tools in Guatemala. Kathy , Edwin , Tim , Marilyn , Nita , and Geoff (in August) will be going to Bolivia with e3 partners to share the gospel there (July 17-25) . Our worship intern, Stanley , will be leaving in August to join CTI for fulltime ministry as well. If you know anyone else - please let us know. Please keep these brothers and sisters in your prayers as well as ACC as a whole - for Austin is our ministry field as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)