GENERAL COUNCIL AND NATIONAL YOUTH CONVENTION DAY 3

August 6, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

Today started out in prayer. I was up as usual by about 3 A.M. and did my private prayer time and then joined in online with our churches Tuesday Jesus 45 prayer meeting from 6-6:45 A.M.

Normally I run this meeting, but for the next three meetings Deacon Jody Clapp will be filling in for me and I will just attend remotely.

I watched the sunrise from my balcony in Florida as we prayed together.

After prayer it was breakfast and then morning devotionals with Pastor Amanda , James and Sadie, the teenagers who are competing in the National Fine Arts portion of the convention.

We are reading from Psalm 119 this week. Here is the portion we read and prayed over today:

33 ^gTeach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes;

and I will keep it ^hto the end.⁶

34 ⁱGive me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

35 ^jLead me in the path of your commandments,

for I ^kdelight in it.

36 ^lIncline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to ^mselfish gain!

37 ⁿTurn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and ^ogive me life in your ways.

38 ^pConfirm to your servant your promise,

^qthat you may be feared.

39 Turn away the ^rreproach that I dread,

for your rules are good.

40 Behold, I ^slong for your precepts;

^tin your righteousness give me life!

WAW

41 Let your ^usteadfast love come to me, O LORD,

your salvation ^vaccording to your promise;

42 then ^wshall I have an answer for him ^rwho taunts me,

for I trust in your word.

43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,

for my ^xhope is in your rules.

44 I will keep your law continually,

forever and ever,

45 and I shall walk ^yin a wide place,

for I have ^zsought your precepts.

46 I will also speak of your testimonies ^abefore kings

and shall not be put to shame,

47 for I ^bfind my delight in your commandments,

which I love.

48 I will ^clift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

and I will ^dmeditate on your statutes.

ZAYIN

49 Remember ^eyour word to your servant,

in which you have made me ^fhope.

50 This is ^gmy comfort in my affliction,

that your promise ^hgives me life.

51 ⁱThe insolent utterly deride me,

but I do not ^jturn away from your law.

52 When I think of your rules from of old,

I take comfort, O LORD.

53 ^kHot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,

who forsake your law.

54 Your statutes have been my songs

in the house of my ^lsojourning.

55 I ^mremember your name in the night, O LORD,

and keep your law.

56 This blessing has fallen to me,

that ⁿI have kept your precepts.

HETH

57 ^oThe LORD is my portion;

I promise to keep your words.

58 I ^pentreat your favor with all my heart;

be gracious to me ^qaccording to your promise.

59 When I ^rthink on my ways,

I turn my feet to your testimonies;

60 I hasten and do not delay

to keep your commandments.

61 Though ^sthe cords of the wicked ensnare me,

I do not ^tforget your law.

62 At ^umidnight I rise to praise you,

because of your ^vrighteous rules.

63 ^wI am a companion of all who fear you,

of those who keep your precepts.

64 ^xThe earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;

^yteach me your statutes!

We left by 9 A.M. for the OCCC (Orange County Convention Center) and spent the day there to watch James’ and Sadie’s performances and to peruse the other portions of the show and exhibit halls.

Here is some of the artwork from the festival. All of this is done by teenagers.

SOME THOUGHT FROM ANNUAL NETWORK CONFERENCE 2025

May 23, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

I have just returned from our fellowship’s Annual Network Conference which was entitle MISSION DEI

Our focus sessions were wonderful here are a few thoughts I came away with.

“Where your treasure is there your heart will be also.”- Jesus

“What you treasure does not follow your heart. Your heart follow what you treasure. Be intentional with what you treasure.” Jim Bradford

“Our doxology must inform our practice not vice versa.” Dr. Kim

“We spend much time focused on what Jesus taught and not enough time noticing how Jesus was with people.” Dr. Kim

“We need to spend less time in behavior modification and more time in heart transformation.” Dr. Kim

“The expulsive power of a new affection.” Thomas Chalmers

The pathway to deliverance is not found in trying to get rid of what is ugly, but it is found in embracing a new beauty that so consumes us that there is no longer room for the old ugliness.

“You cannot grow spiritually by focusing on your self.” Dr. Kim

“Jesus is the new wine. We are the new wine skins.” Rev. Jonathan Angell

Seven steps to a new wine skin- Rev. Jonathan Angell

Something has to die for a new wine skin to be made
the flesh has to be removed for a new wine skin to be made
A new wine skin needs to be thoroughly washed with water (the Word of God).
New wine skins need to be cured by fire and smoke.
New wine skins must be turned inside out.
New wine skins needy to be thoroughly sealed with oil (The Holy Spirit is needed).
New wine skins need to be stitched (healed on the inside) before being turned right way around for use.

WHICH OF THESE STAND OUT TO YOU?

THE CATYWHOMPUS PRAYER RULE PT. 1

May 13, 2025May 16, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

Many people have wondered about my prayer schedule.

Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

I have told people that I loosely follow the Benedictine rule, and that is true. I divide my prayer life into Matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline and the great silence.

I have also said that prayer is part of my flow schedule not my hardline schedule. That is also true particularly for terce, sext none, vespers and compline. Each day finds those prayer times landing at different hours depending on what is in my hardline schedule.

Photo by Andrey Grushnikov on Pexels.com

Some days, like yesterday, I can get through prime and terce before my day really even starts. Some days, like today I am up and out of the house before the sunrise and I will be on the go until noon with very little time in between meetings or tasks. Squeezing in a ten or twenty minute break for prayer gets difficult.

Days like today, I try to front load with prayer before I go out the door. I start rising around 2 A.M. so that I can get a few hours of deep prayer in before the day starts. Then if I can after my busy morning I will retire to my room for another time of waiting prayer and the Word.

I also try to close out each night with a time of evening prayer and then a settling in prayer as I lay my head down on the pillow each night.

Each day is different. I have never been able to standardize the time and remain consistent. Making prayer part of the flow of my life, rather than an anchor I force myself to observe religiously has worked for me.

IF YOU PRAY OR MEDITATE, WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?

I CAN THINK OF ANOTHER WAY

February 28, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 3 Comments

Lately I have been spending a lot of time thinking about the state of our world.

I see what appears to be a forest fire approaching our culture.

I also see part of the culture sitting back saying, “Nothing to see here.”

I see trouble ahead.

Photo by Doruk Aksel Anu0131l on Pexels.com

I also believe that if we are in the time I think we are, then there is no avoiding that trouble. We are on a one lane road and there is no UTURN.

I hear people calling for action…uprising….even violence.

The world is polarized and divided and people are saying, “It’s us or them!”

I have people urging me to: PICK A SIDE…RIGHT OR LEFT; TAKE A STAND… LEFT OR RIGHT; VOTE THIS WAY AND BLAME THOSE WHO DON’T VOTE THE SAME; STOP TRYING TO MAKE NICE WITH THE OTHER SIDE. WE HAVE TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM THEM AT ANY COST.

BUT

I CAN THINK OF ANOTHER WAY.

It’s an ancient way. It is an eternal way.

It is the way of…“let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ” 1 John 4:7,8

It is the way of...”‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^[c] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22: 37-39

It is the way of… “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44

This way is neither left nor right. It is straight ahead.

This way doesn’t choose the human way. It chooses God’s way. It leaves saving the world up to God and makes loving people its priority. It doesn’t choose riches or primacy. It doesn’t choose money or security. It chooses relationship. It chooses community. It chooses sharing, encouraging and sacrificing for others.

Most of all this way doesn’t view this life as the “be all and end all of existence.” It accepts all of life on this side…good, bad, and ugly

AND

It accepts that there is life even in death… and that life is light, love and laughter.

SO IN THE DAYS AHEAD…

I will choose another way.

I will choose the way of loving God and loving people.

I will choose the way of peace.

I will choose community.

I will choose relationship.

I will choose sharing.

I will choose encouraging

I will choose the way of sacrifice.

I will choose to pray for the Lord’s salvation to come quickly!

WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

HERE IT IS!

January 23, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

A few weeks ago, I told you I was beginning to put together THE CONGREGATIONAL SENTENCE FOR 2025 (AND AS IT TURNS OUT 2026).

Well I have worked through the process of: consolidating all the prophetic words from sabbatical 2024, boiling the down to seven major themes, writing the first draft of the congregational sentence, coaching around it, rewriting it, sending it to our staff and board for comment, and rewriting it again. Here for public release is what we at Cornerstone have come up with for our guiding congregational sentence for 2025 and 2026.

Cornerstone Congregational Sentence 2025- 2026.

SLOGAN: AWAKENED…EMPOWERED BY LOVE TO TRANSFORM…

SENTENCE: “Awakened by God’s love and empowered by that love, we will transform our communities.”

EXPLANATION: In 2025 we are going to foster an environment where our church is awakened to a deeper awareness of God’s love. This will lead us to spend more and more time with Him, whether through reading His Word, seeking Him in prayer, or helping those in need within the wider community by using the gifts that God has given us.

We will experience freedom, connection, support, and empowerment through our encounters with God. We will be a shining light in the region, radiating His supernatural power, healing and hope. As we reach those in need, we will spread the message of Jesus, and create a lasting, positive difference in the communities we serve.

CONNECTION

January 18, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

This week has been about two things: prayer and connection.

I guess it could be argued that this week was really about one thing, because prayer is really about connection with God…SO…. this week has been about one thing….CONNECTION.

I guess if I had to boil my job description down to one word, CONNECTION, could be one of the words that I would choose to describe the job of pastor or minister. There are other words of course: FAITH, LOVE, COMPASSION…but CONNECTION is a good strong doing word for this job. As a Pastor I connect. I Connect myself with God. I connect other people with God. I connect God with people. I connect people with other people….CONNECT….CONNECT…..CONNECT.

In this world of ever dividing priorities I sometimes feel like this work of connection is a dying art, maybe even a losing battle. As our society polarizes more and more with each passing day, I am becoming more clear that the work of pastors is to help our communities see that the need for connection, with God and each other, has not changed or lessened. The things that divide us must be moved out of the way.

With some of the issues that lie before us as communities, I don’t have any idea how to begin to move the division out of the way and bring connection back, but my not knowing how to do the work does not change the fact, that is the job. I suppose, if I could do it by myself I wouldn’t need faith or God.

As I sit in meetings with town officials trying to figure out how to alleviate poverty and pain and prejudice, as I sit in visitations with people struggling to work through relational disintegration or chronic pain and illness, I am very aware that the answers aren’t mine to bring. The answers for many of these things lie with God alone and come only through His redemptive power. We are not alone in our trouble, there is a God who loves us and who wants to be invited to the bargaining table of our lives to add His wisdom to the conversations we are having.

That said He needs the invitation.

He says in Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

As I do my job I am listening constantly for God’s knock and I am watching continually to see who is answering the door.

OUR TOWN 2025: T W R HOUSE OF PRAYER

January 11, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

Winchendon, this little town in North Central MA, has a lot going for it. I think it’s easy to overlook all the things we have going for us as a town.

Don’t get me wrong. We have plenty of challenges and things that set us back on the regular, but that is common life in every town everywhere. But I am taking a long look at the advantages of this little town, and they are pretty incredible.

One of the advantages we have is TWR House of Prayer located at 10 Pond St. In the heart of downtown Winchendon. In the words of Jonathan Bauver the prayer missionary appointed to TWR House of Prayer, “TWR House of Prayer is a missional ministry focused on prayer, worship and ministering to the Lord”.

On the regular TWR House of Prayer is open from Sunday to Friday from 5P.M. to 8 P.M for people to just come and sit and pray through their issues while the TWR team worships and prays from their altar area. The act of sitting for an hour in silent meditation and prayer is one of the healthiest things a person can do in life.

Right now through Jan. 26th TWR House of Prayer is open 7 days a week from 5 P.M. -8 P.M. in cooperation with Cornerstone Church and its annual 21 days of fasting and prayer. Thanks Jon and Angela Bauver for all you do for our town.

DOES YOUR TOWN HAVE A HOUSE OF PRAYER MINISTRY?

THE LONGEST NIGHT

December 12, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

It is definitely winter at the Vicarage now. I am feeding the birds everyday and just keeping ahead of their feeding frenzies. It tells me the last of the edibles in the forests are gone. The chickens are moving the hay I am providing for them, from one end of their enclosure to the other as they have need to keep the coop warm for their feet in the colder temperatures, and I am changing out their water twice a day now to keep it from freezing.

We are into the season of storms. Each day brings its own display of wind or precipitation and the sky is more often rheumy than not.

The day starts at 7 A.M., is gone y 4:30 P.M. and is bordered by several hours of wintry half light on each side. As we head towards the longest night of the year, I have to admit I am feeling affected by the darkness more than ever before.

To cope I am feeling led into still another deeper place of prayer. When not doing people work, I find myself bouncing back and forth between prayer and administrative work in about half hour increments.

I am feeling this necessary to keep my head on straight… and as a final work of preparation before the new year brings what I am sensing it will.

2024 has been a hard fought battle with many large changes. It began with my mother entering hospice care. Mom passed in April. Shortly after that my daughter was diagnosed with cancer and the summer was given to hospitalizations and treatments. My sister went back to her ministry in the Netherlands and my son and his family bought a condo and moved out. Lots of changes. I think part of the reason for this prayer rhythm is to help me grieve all the change and trouble. There is a piece of me that I think is just entering into the grieving process now. I feel like I have said that before. Maybe I am not just entering the process. Maybe I am just in a new phase, a phase that is going to require a lot more prayer.

BUT … these depths of prayer are not just about grieving the past. It is about preparing for the soon to come move of God. My daughter, Melanie, was telling me about a vivid dream she had the other night, and how she believed it was a word from God about how He was going to bring breakthrough in certain areas of our community. She also believes that we are being called, as a church, to partner with Him in these areas.

It reminded me of a conversation I recently had with another minister about the body of Christ needing to spend enough time in abiding prayer to bring heavenly realities into the earthly realm. I realize this is not just about me personally. God is beginning to call the church into deeper prayer because that is what it is going to take to bring forth the miracles we are going to need in the days ahead. We are heading toward the world’s longest night.In that space of darkness the church is going to need to bring its brightest light.

“Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever….The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness,a light will shine.” Isa. 9:1,2

THE PERILS OF PLANNING

November 23, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

It is easy in the work of ministry to become a box checker. Each day has its own list of things to get done. Sometimes that list gets long.

I admit box checking is something I fall into at times. I remember when I was a young minister and the idea of keeping a daily schedule and agenda was introduced to me. I said it was not a godly principle to live by man made lists. I was told by the person doing the training that if I did not learn to keep an agenda and live by a plan I would never be effective.

As I progressed in ministry the words of that particular teacher proved to be true. Life without a plan and without goals is chaos.

But what I said to the teacher also is true, at least in part. When the plan becomes all consuming, when the plan becomes god and takes God’s place, it becomes ungodly. Many of us become idolaters and slaves to our agendas. When the plan becomes the point or when my plans become more important than God’s plans then…Houston we have a problem.

So there is this tension. I can’t live effectively without making a plan, but in making the plan I face a temptation to make the plan more important than God. How do I avoid the trap?

Here are three things I do to avoid making an idol of my agenda:

Pray before you plan. Bring God into the planning process and ask Him for guidance as you lay outpour weekly agenda.

2. Be a God first people second planner projects third planner. Remember that ministry is about God and people not programs or plans. When ministry becomes just a list of projects to get done you no longer have ministry you just have busy work. Every ministry plan must include God’s prayer plan for the minister (and if you don’t have prayer plan from God you don’t have a godly plan), and it must have connection to the community as its goal.

3. Learn to laugh with God at your plans. There is an old saying, “Man plans and God laughs.”

Even when we have done our best to pray through our plans and to prioritize the right things in our planning, there will be times when we miss it in our planning badly. I have had to learn to let my plans go when God shows up “out of the blue” to change them. I have had to learn to make light of these changes and to go with the flow of God’s interruption of the agenda. In fact, I am convinced that sometimes God allows me to make a plan He is going to ruin, just to see if I am willing to sacrifice my plans at the altar of obedience to Him.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU DO TO KEEP YOUR PLANNING FROM BECOMING AN IDOL IN YOUR LIFE?

STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION

November 20, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

As I was heading into church on Sunday, the Lord was speaking to me about effectiveness.

Here is what I am sensing in my spirit about effectiveness in the journey ahead:

Effectiveness will flow out of the strength of our connection to God in the days ahead. All of our natural ability, talent and giftedness will not be enough to meet the crises of the coming days. The mission God has for us will require His supernatural power and glory and that can only come through the health of our personal and community’s relationship with Him.

Salvation itself only requires the beginning of a connection with God through Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

This is entry level faith. But kingdom effectiveness will be determined by the strength of our connection to God.

If we focus on our programs and methodology, our talents and our human abilities all we will accomplish is a striving after wind and burnout. We will never accomplish God’s great plan for our personal lives, our family lives, our church or community.

If we focus on the strength of our relationship with God, though, then all of God’s plans will flow through that relationship into our programs, plans, talents and abilities and then out through those supernaturally empowered conduits to accomplish His divine purpose.

WHERE WE PUT OUR FOCUS IS UP TO US.

Notes From the Vicarage

A minister's family living in a micro forest garden

Bible