It’s August 1980 in South Akron. A small-but-growing group of Jesus-followers, led by a young husband and wife pastoral team, call themselves “Cornerstone Church.” They rally behind the mission of helping people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. And that’s exactly what they do...day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. But as Cornerstone advanced the Kingdom of God, a perfect storm of opposition sought to snuff it out, culminating in the COVID-19 pandemic that brought the world—and many churches—to a halt. In fact, the average lifespan of a church is 40 years. In many ways, August 2020 should’ve been to be our swan song. But that’s not where our story ends; it’s where our story begins again. August 2020 now marks the beginning of renewed ministry at Cornerstone Church, and a reestablishment of our mission to help people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. It marks the start of what we believe will be banner year after banner year, seeing God move mightily in our midst. As we celebrate Year Two of fresh ministry at Cornerstone, it’s a brand new day - but it’s a lot like our first day.

At Cornerstone, we believe every year is a banner year. We praise God for His goodness in our past, and we advance with confidence into our future. We echo the words of Samuel the prophet: “Thus far, the Lord has helped us.” And today, as we mark Year Two of renewed ministry, we believe we’re barely scratching the surface of what God will do in our church.