Dear Cornerstone family,
Last week was amazing. From the solemn sweetness of the Maundy Thursday service, to the sacred sadness of Good Friday, to the overflowing joy of Easter morn, it was, in my humble opinion, one of the most edifying Holy Weeks on record.
I want to personally thank the New College Franklin choir and the Cornerstone choir and musicians for their outstanding performances. Words fail to express how deeply we were blessed by your ministry. Behind the work of both choirs is our chief musician, Mr. Greg Wilbur, whose tremendous talents were on full display last week. What a gift he is to all of us! Let me also mention how grateful I am for our worship interns, Mr. Noah Aikens and Mr. Maxwill Shell, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and upfront all weekend.
I’d be remiss not to mention Palm Sunday, and our lovely children’s choir led by Mrs. Jessica Michaud and Mrs. Jennifer Westerbeek. Not only did the students perform excellently in both worship services, but they also performed for the residents of Morning Pointe nursing home for our afternoon service. Needless to say, it’s always special to be led in worship by our covenant children.
Shifting gears, let me briefly update you on the work of your Security Team. In the wake of the Covenant School shooting, our security team revisited the current practices and protocols of our Watchman Team. After that evaluation, it was decided that in addition to the work of the Watchman Team, we would partner with the Franklin Police Department in order to secure an officer presence in front of the church each Sunday from 7:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. As you may have noticed, this new addition started on Easter Sunday. Our officer each week will be Lt. Clayton Cates, who is in the Special Investigations/Intelligence Unit. Though an important step forward in our commitment to maintain the safety of our fellowship, this is not the last step. The security team continues to work on additional protocols, including a lockdown plan in the event of an attack. If you have any questions about security or would like to know more about the Watchman Team, please contact Mr. Todd Russell. His contact information is on the back of the bulletin.
Finally, your Finance Team has pulled together a 3rd quarter financial summary. Please review it and rejoice with us, for the Lord has provided abundantly! On the behalf of the leadership, thank you for giving faithfully to the church. Through your tithes and offerings, we are able to invest in the expansion of gospel ministry like never before! May God give the grace, wisdom, and courage to do just that.
Your servant,
