TGIF!

When: Fri Oct 30th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey (upstairs)

It's time for some fall fun! Join us this Friday for fun and games (and prizes!) Oh My!

Word of God Speak (+Dinner)

When: Fri Oct 23rd, 7:30pm (dinner at 6p)

Where: ACC Carey (upstairs)

What is your calling? How do we know what we're doing is in God's plan? One way to know is to be in His Word to find direction and guidance for our lives. Come this Friday as we explore ways we can spend 1 on 1 time with God through different devotional styles.

Let's have dinner before Cornerstone! Join us at 6pm at Disneyland Schlotzsky's (Parmer & I35). Come by if you're free :)

Missionary Speakers: The Cravens

When: Fri Oct 16th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC John Sung

October is Missions Month at ACC! It is a time when we focus on the different ministries we support both locally and abroad.

In Matthew 28, Jesus calls us to "Go and Make Disciples of all Nations." This Friday we're privileged to have the Cravens family come back to Austin and share the experiences and challenges God has lead them through in Asia. Maybe we can learn from their experiences and be more productive in our work right here at home.

Join us for Meet and Eat

When: Fri Oct 9th, 7:00pm

Where: Rudy's BBQ @11570 Research Blvd

Join us this Friday for some good ol' BBQ and fellowship at Rudy's!

BYOB -- bring your own buddies. don't worry, if you forget, plenty of buddies will be provided for you ;)

Let us(acc.cornerstone@gmail.com) know if you haven't received the evite so we know that you're coming.

ACC Missions Conference

When: Sat Oct 3rd, 4:00pm

Where: ACC Morrison Bldg, upstairs

October is Missions Month at ACC and this week we will have the opportunity to hear from Mr. and Mrs. Philip Tsai, the speakers at ACC's Missions Conference. Over in China Mr. Tsai has been using a psychological counseling center that he set up to serve the church and reach out to society. We won't be having our regular Cornerstone event this week to encourage you to attend.

Recap: Leadership: Living to Serve -- Pastor Art

Characteristics of a Servant

Sensitivity: the ability to see

• beyond our own need
• beyond others' obvious needs
• beyond the "presenting problem"
• beyond what is to what will be needed

Willingness: the desire to act

• a heart of compassion
• a reflex to be generous
• a choice to make it a priority

Ability: the resources to give

• time, availability
• money, things
• skills, education, training
• healing, God's power
• insight, wisdom
• love, care compassion

Mark 10: Why be a servant?

The economy of God

• Others needs are met, We are blessed, God is glorified WHEN We serve in his name with his resources

Implications of Mark 10:

• The decision about leadership is not essentially a decision about taking on a role with a certain job description and time commitments. It is a decision to take on a lifestyle, with certain priorities, convictions, and attitudes.

What Keeps Us From Serving?

Selfishness

• We don't care enough about people.
• We don't spend time praying for them or thinking about them.
• We haven't served them enough to build trust with them.
• We haven't gotten to know them.

Fear

• We don't believe that God's words and promises to us apply to others and we fear that he may let them down.
• We fear being wrong, or being thought to be wrong.
• We fear our lives being examined

Leadership: Living to Serve -- Pastor Art

When: Fri Sept 25th, 7:30pm
Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

Why should leadership be tied to servanthood? And why should servanthood be extravagant? In God's kingdom a person of influence is a leader who serves. We want to become leaders who serve in God's name with his resources in order that other's needs are met and God is glorified. What will it take for us to live not to be served, but to serve, and to give our lives as a ransom for many?

Clean Up for the Kids -- Mission Possible's Camp Nikos

When: Sat Sept 19th, 9am-3pm* (with lunch break together!)
Where:
Pole Cat Hollow (look for the sign with the skunk on it)
10505 Dessau Rd.
Austin, TX 78754

Mission Possible is an organization that ministers to urban communities through spiritual, social, and economic programs. Their upcoming Camp Nikos fall retreat (Sept 25-27) is an opportunity for inner-city youth (ages 6-12) from East Austin to focus on God's love for them and learn about healthy relationships.

Let's serve together to help get Pole Cat Hollow in tip-top shape for the campers! Mission Possible needs skilled and unskilled labor to do all sorts of outdoor work and camp facilities set-up.

Please bring:
-work gloves if you have them
-close toed shoes (no sandals!)
-water bottle
-sunscreen/hat

(Please email acc.cornerstone@gmail.com to let us know you are coming)

* We understand this is a large chunk of time. Please feel free to help out as long as you can.

Praise and Worship Night

When: Fri Sept 11th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

In 1 Timothy 2:1, 3, Paul says, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone... This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Paul believed in the power of prayer so much that in verse 8 - he even writes,"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing". Songs of worship are our very own prayers and words of praise and adoration to our God. Please come join us for this time of prayer and worship.

ACC Ministry Fair

When: Sun Sept 13th, 11am

Where: ACC John Sung Bldg

Don’t miss this chance to learn about the different ministry opportunities here at ACC! We can help you use your gifts and talents to grow the body of Christ. Representatives from our various ministry areas will be available to answer questions and share their experiences.

Team of Miracles Movie Event

When: Sun Sept 13th, 1 pm (Mandarin), 1:30 pm (Cantonese)

Where: ACC

We’ll be joining with the Chinese congregations for the showing of the inspirational movie “Team of Miracle: We Will Rock You”. There will be a 1:00pm showing in Mandarin and a 1:30pm showing in Cantonese, and both showings will be subtitled in English.

This is a wonderful way to outreach to both our Chinese-speaking and English-speaking friends and family!

Recap: Vision Kickoff

Past

-Started in 1989 with 5 members

-First known as Career Group

-Mainly consisted of graduated ut seniors

-Activities: socials, game night, crabbing, Sunday potlucks, baseball game, Career retreat

-Cornerstone got its name as a lot of fellowship were using rock/stone names

Present

-Main group is close to christ

-People are more commited to coming

-Community/relationships have improved

-Very comfortable, still cliquish, all of the same people

-Surface level relationships though broken over time

-Desire for more prayer/sharing

Future (the environment)

-Safe place for spiritual conversation and growth

-Want each other to grow in Christ, willing to be vulnerable

-Place to build Godly friends

-Challenged to live out our lives for Christ

-Safe place to apply Christ's teachings and then encouraged to bring this to others

-People feel loved

What is a Cornerstone?

-A foundation stone

-First stone set

-Other stones set in reference to the cornerstone

What is the Cornerstone?

-Ephesians 2:19-20 "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."

Vision: From the Cornerstone: to build and grow together upon the foundation of Christ

"From the Cornerstone"

-Colossians 1:17 - "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

-Christ is the Cornerstone of our faith

-Focus on growing closer to God, glorifying Him, and become Christ-like

-Be purposeful and intentional in things we do

"Laying the foundation of Christ"

-A building is as strong as its foundation

-1 Corinthians 3:23 "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ."

-A life that will last for eternity is built on Him

-What are you building your life on?

-Are you encouraging others to lay the foundation of their lives on Christ?

"Growing upon the foundation of Christ"

-2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

-John 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."

-What does God want to change or improve in you? Is He challenging you to demonstrate more of the fruit of the spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23)

Laying and Growing Together

-John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

-Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

-We're all like living stones in that we need to work together similar to how we each have roles within Cornerstone.

Vision Kick-Off!

When: Fri Sept 4th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

What is Cornerstone? What does Cornerstone mean to you? Are we just a social outlet that meets every week or are we something more?

This Friday we'll be taking a look at where Cornerstone has been over the years, where we are now, and how we can continue to build Cornerstone into the future, as we share about our theme for this year. Let's join as a community and embark on this journey together!

Cornerstone Social: Board Game Blowout!

When: Fri Aug 28th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, downstairs

Anyone up for Cranium? Nertz? Trivial Pursuit? Come play with us this Friday downstairs in Carey. Bring your favorite board games, card games, and friends! Snacks will be provided.

Summer Sharing: What did you do this summer?

When: Fri Aug 21st, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

So what have you been up to?

Did you go on a trip this summer? Did you make a new friend? Did you start a new hobby? or picked up an old one? Did God teach you something? Did He show you something unexpected? Did you start a different stage in life? Did you hit a home run? Did you hit 5? Did something happen that you will never forget?

Let's take some time as a community to share (very informally) about what's been going on in each of our lives and be encouraged by each other's stories.

Also, don't forget about the survey!

Please take some time to share your opinions with us by Friday, August 21st, 2009.

2009 Cornerstone Survey

[ACC Cornerstone] Showing This Friday...Faith Like Potatoes

When: Fri Aug 14th, 7:30 - 10:00pm (movie beings at 7:35pm)

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

Here's the thing about potatoes. You plant them, and cover them with dirt, then pray like mad for rain. With most crops, you can see what you're going to eat—the fruit of your labors, so to speak. But potatoes incubate in the ground, silent and mostly unseen, while you hope for harvest. Only a farmer-turned-evangelist would know how apt a metaphor potatoes are for a life of faith in Christ Jesus.

Join us as we watch this movie based on the true story of a South African farmer and discuss its metaphor of potatoes compared to our own lives. Movie snacks will be provided!

Recap: New Faces, New Phases

Last Friday, we met the new Cornerstone core team and learned some interesting facts about them. If you weren't able to join us, make sure to ask Wender about raw whale bacon. Later in the evening, Uncle Leo, from the Master Planning Committee, shared with us about the three new building phases to expand ACC.

Please pray together with the church for:

- God's guidance on the Building Plan and next steps

- Congregation common vision and unity as well as involvement

- Building Fund re-start of initial goal of $500K

SURVEY TIME!

Please take some time to share your opinions with us by Friday, August 21st, 2009.

2009 Cornerstone Survey

New Faces, New Phases

When: Fri Aug 7th, 7:30pm

Where: ACC Carey Bldg, upstairs

Come this Friday to meet the new faces on the Cornerstone core team! And maybe learn a little something you never knew about us and each other as we play a few games.

We will also have the privilege of having Uncle Leo Yeung of the Master Planning Committee come share with us about the next phases in ACC's building expansion. God has really blessed us with a growing church, so what does that mean for the ACC community? for Cornerstone?

A Divine Longing (for the Cornerstone Community)

This past Friday, Pastor Walton spoke about what is a healthy, God-centered community and lead us in a discussion about God’s purpose for Cornerstone.

Reflection: How important are relationships really? How important are they to Christians? How important are they to God?

God Really Loves Relationships
God shows us the importance of relationships to Him in several different ways:

• In His Word: the Bible is story after story of people’s relationships with each other and with God
• In His action: God sent Jesus down to earth so that we can have a restored relationship with Him
• In His Being: God as the Holy Trinity (God, Son, and the Holy Spirit) shows that even before there were any people, there was already a community. In fact, our desire for relationships reflects that very community

What is a Healthy Community?
God uses imperfect people to build His community. If you are here (in Cornerstone), then God has a gift in you that He wants used in this community.

God calls every community to:
1. Love One Another
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. – John 13:34-35

In Cornerstone, we have the opportunity to show outsiders looking in about God’s love. Through faith we know that our hearts are in good hands (God’s hands), and this knowledge releases us to take risks to love other people. In this society, there is so much stress about “taking care of #1,” but we don’t need to worry about that because God will always be there to take care of us. In fact, God calls us to love lavishly, to give our hearts away like Christ did:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

2. Come Together in Complete Unity
May they be brought to completely unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. – John 17:23

What is the purpose that God has called us (Cornerstone) to do? Once we are able to identify this, then we can have the beginnings of unity.

Elements of a community that comes together in unity:

• Are we praying for each other and for our purpose together? If our purpose is not covered in prayer, then it just becomes a human effort.
• What do we talk about when we are together? Do we share about what God is doing in our lives?

The Spiritual Ecosystem
Consists of: Mission, God’s Presence, God’s Word, Spiritual Relationships. These are the larger purposes.

Vehicles: Worship Service, Special Events, Retreats, Discovery Groups, Small Groups, Fellowships, Mission Events, Discipleship. Each one has a different focus to ultimately achieve the larger purposes.

Cornerstone has a role in this spiritual ecosystem.