The Secret to Happy Life, Pastor Brenda Young // Staff

As followers of Jesus, we can up our own joy level when we do like Jesus—when we go about doing good, focusing on the needs and spirits of others. That’s a great goal for you and me today. I will be a carrier of calm, peace, hope, possibilities, joy, and Jesus everywhere I go. I will look for people who need a lift and provide it. I will get over my moods, and put aside my self-centered concerns, and my negative outlook. I will be the person who leaves the people in my wake saying, “Wow! Thank God I ran into her/him today!” I will intentionally open my heart for God to use me to make life a little more fulfilling and joyful today.

Don't Take it for Granted, Chloe Martin // Staff

This year we had our Cornerstone Kids Christmas event "Merry Marketplace." Families visited four different stations making crafts that correlated to the birth of Jesus. They started at Station One, "The Angel," decorating their wooden angel ornament while hearing about how an Angel of God told Mary that she was going to bear a child - the Holy Child! Then, they moved to Station Two, "The Donkey" and decorated donkey ornaments while hearing how Mary and Joseph rode a donkey to Bethlehem. The third station was "The Manger." The kids decorated a canvas with popsicle sticks arranged to look like the manger scene. The finished up at Station Four, creating little shepherds out of cardboard tubes while hearing about how shepherds followed the guidance of angels and a star to bring baby Jesus gifts. We wanted to bring the story of Christmas to life!

StaffJordan SanchezDecember 22, 2021Cornerstone ChurchChristians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Minnennals, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Nondenominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, Christmas, Merry Marketplace, Angel, The Manger, Bethlehem, Shepherds, Baby Jesus, Jesus’ Birth, Virgin Mary, Joseph, Son Of God, Nativity, Jesus’ Love, Cornerstone KidsComment

Kentucky Tornado Relief, John Eutzley // Life Impact

The downtown area of Mayfield is completely gone. Blocks and blocks of nothing but rubble. The old brick buildings 4-5 stories high are now flattened. There are no freestanding buildings. This was an old and deeply valued town. A lady who has lived there all her life, her grandfather was a local pastor for 48 years, told John, “As I walk through what is left of my town, it is like a devastating death. This town will never be the same again. It’s like when someone dear to you dies, you just try to get through the next day.” For many people, this is sorrow upon sorrow. One of the residents deeply affected by the tornado’s destruction was already heartbroken. In December of 2020, just one year prior, his mother died of COVID, and his daughter was murdered that same month. The local librarian’s family home was very damaged. The library was still able to open, however, and this lady courageously and unselfishly went every day to keep the library open and read to and talk to children. She considered it “doing what she could.”

Life ImpactJordan SanchezDecember 21, 2021Cornerstone ChurchChristians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Millennials, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Non-Denominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, Tornado, Western Kentucky, catastrophic damage, Mayfield Kentucky, Benton Kentucky, Dawson Spring Kentucky, Bremen Kentucky, Compassion, City Lights compassion ministry, overwhelming, destruction, United, First Assemblies of God church, together, teamwork, impact, humanity, humbling, relief workComment

O'Neil's Historic Nativity Set by Bruce Oberlin // Life Impact

If you ask anyone over 50 years old, they will fondly tell you, of their yearly pilgrimage to downtown Akron to see the Nativity set and the Christmas display windows at both O’Neil’s and Polsky’s department stores. Some will remember what seemed like a whole floor of both of these stores being designated as North Pole Akron. The nativity set had its place of prominence displayed on the marquee on the facing of the O’Neil’s store. Driving down S. Main Street it could be seen by everyone. It was a magical time of the year and in Akron’s history.

Life ImpactJordan SanchezNovember 30, 2021Cornerstone ChurchChristians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Millennials, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Non-Denominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, Christmas, Nativity, historic, O’Neil’s, Polsky’s, volunteers, priceless memories, camaraderie, displayComment

Kendall Brown // Testimony

When I was in elementary school my parents got divorced. It was really hard because I was so young. I didn’t understand what was going on.

After their divorce, I would go to church on Sunday mornings out of obligation, not because I wanted to.

Testimonies, Life ImpactTaylor PoeJuly 29, 2021Christians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Millennials, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Non-Denominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, divorce, Quarry Internship, AYC, isolated, Covid-19, quarantine, mental health, Youth GroupComment

Elizabeth Labbe // Testimony

I have no family relationships in my life and it's tough. But the quality of the relationships I have with my Cornerstone Church is much greater than just that...they are my family.

Life Impact, TestimoniesJordan SanchezMarch 5, 2021Christians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Millennials, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Non-Denominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, cGroups, encourage, unconditional love, church family, spiritually isolated, testimonys, relationshipsComment

When the faith of your heart becomes a tattoo on your arm...

Jesus’ challenge to trust him beyond reserves and retreats with no regrets wasn’t a one and done deal for me. It’s a decision I have had to make over and over again over the last 10 plus years. It’s one I am sure to face repeatedly until I am face to face with the Lord – and certainly throughout the unknown of this year ahead. I want to be confident in Him no matter what comes my way. Without fear, without worry; with love and with joy to offer abundantly.

StaffTaylor PoeFebruary 18, 2021Missionary, tattoos, faith, decloration, William Borden, Missions, diversity, culture, cross-culture, bible study, cgroups, fasting, prayer, Jeremiah 17, rooted, trust, Ministering, inspired, inspire, brave, surrendered, hardship, incremental, monumental, communicated, wealthy, growing burden, hurting, disbelief, Bible, full surrender, Christ, contracted, no reserves, no retreats, no regrets, less, doubt, speaking, convicting, more, hope, call, called, calling, habits, miracle, challenge, unknown, withoutComment

Great Expectations

Be vulnerable. It is because of Jesus we have everything to gain and nothing to lose. For we know we find His strength in our weakness. We know He uses pain to make us more like Him. For these reasons I ask that we’d give up control and choose this more narrow path.

Guest WriterTaylor PoeFebruary 11, 2021Guest Writer, Pandemic, COVID-19, expectations, Narrow Path, Pain, Suffering, Selfishness, Vuneralble, Vuneralbility, Akron, Expectations, Jesus, Church, Freedom, Grateful, Thankful, Thankfulness, Gratefulness, faithful, praise, relationships, heart, breakdown, world, co-workers, frustration, pandemic, friends, clarity, focus, boundaries, unrealistic, unachievable, unchecked, disappointments, 1 corinthians 13, puppeting, CS Lewis, hope, God, vulnerable, trusting Jesus, everything to gain, peace, Great, expression, Needs, Cares, Provides, Keeps, Promises, Faithful, Relationships, Hearts, Imperfect, people, Breakdowns, Frustrations, Commonality, Cycle, Hurt, Reality, Excitement, Clarity, Focus, Tools, Boundaries, Guide, Unrealistic, Unspoken, Unhealthy, Permission, Act out, Accordingly, Communicated, Unachievable, Retreat, Alternative, Disappointments, Mistakes, Puppeting, Learn, Never, Intended, Nature, Sin, Vulnerable, Trust, Believe, Overcame, Cast, Everything, Gain, Lose, Strength, Weakness, Control, Comfort, Peace, Reflectors, GraceComment

Tara Seeman // Testimony

HEALING & OVERCOMING

God had his hand in our situation all along. I say He put the butterflies in my life long ago, knowing they’d flutter again many years later. I believe that with Jesus Christ at the center of our lives, we will overcome any obstacles that enter our path.

Testimonies, Life ImpactTaylor PoeFebruary 8, 2021Christians, Cornerstone Church, Akron, Ohio, Jesus, Love, Millennials, Gen Z, 2021, Now, God, Bible, Non-Denominational, Created, creation, hate, positivity, negativity, positive, negative, worship, allow, suffering, prayers, pray, praying, hope, LGBTQ+, welcome, Pastor, ministry, ministries, evil, question, questions, return, returned, disappointment, disappointed, disappointing, forgotten, traditional, tradition, modern, religious, create, made, heaven, hell, surprise, onsite, online, divorce, life of sobriety, love, healing, overcoming, reconnecting, worshiping, stand with, mercy, Heavenly FatherComment

A Story of a Broken Girl

For me, I am not perfectly healed. I am not perfect. I am constantly failing. But I'm growing. I am learning what it means to trust your church. I am becoming open again. God is providing me with joy, a new community, a renewed hope in the world. All through my community at Cornerstone. And I hope you will open your heart to this same community that is waiting for you!

StaffTaylor PoeJanuary 27, 2021Teaching, Hurt, Taken advantage, distrust, megachurch, bitter, bitterness, broken, trust, Community, support, cgroups, imperfect, Growth, shepherding, God, experiences, love, advantages, heart, generosity, environments, emotionally, abusive, organizing, cleaning, carrying, provided, jobs, home, prayer, hope, hurt, alone, scared, hopeless, constantly, failing, communityComment

Cornerstone Blog

HEALING & OVERCOMING