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.

PIANO PRAYERS, MISSIONARY, JACOB’S FIRE AND AMANDA’S CUPS

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

The tide of ministry has been high this week. Sunday I preached my 50th message in our series on Revelation. Truthfully it is probably more like the 60th or 70th sermon in the series, but it is entitled “Jesus Doing Life Pt. 2 Pt. 50.”

We were stuck in chapters 2,3 and 4 for quite a while and I was using decimal points (2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and so on) for that particular point in the series. It has been a wonderful study and I am looking forward to its conclusion on Sept. 29th (which it just hit me would have been my mother’s 88th birthday).

HERE IS THE SERVICE FROM SUNDAY.

Sunday preaching always leaves me ready for a nap. This series has left me feeling particularly drained. Maybe it’s just the content but I am finding I need to rest deeply on Sunday afternoon, and it is good to have a lot of time to pray on Mondays.

This week I did get several hours to pray on Monday morning and then Monday evening I led worship from 5-6 at THE WORSHIP ROOM HOUSE OF PRAYER and prayed in the prayer room from 6-7 P.M.

HERE IS THAT SERIES OF PRAYER SERVICES.

Tuesday is always one of the busiest days of my week. Staff meeting led into a missions lunch with one of our missionary friends from a sensitive country. Amanda came down with the stomach flu which is running through our kids ministry, so I took youth group for her on Tuesday night.

This is the “GET WELL” bouquet one of her teens made for her.

Youth night this week was easy. It was the fall opening for youth ministry, girls ministry and Royal Rangers Ministry to boys. One of Amanda’s teen-agers had a vision. for having a bonfire to start the season off. Together, Jacob and a few other folks from the church cleaned out and prepared the fire pit at the back of the church property.

One of our youth leaders, Troy, helped Jacob get the fire up and running while the other kids opened with business and games.

Then everyone came out to the fire and made stores while another one of Amanda’s youth led in worship.

Wednesday. I worked at home to catch up on prayer and Vicarage projects.

Then on Thursday, I joined Amanda’s DLT group (she was fully recovered from the stomach bug by that point) to start getting ready for our upcoming Church Crockpot cook off. Amanda’s group is sponsoring the event and so we had to label 1100 sample cups for the cook off

Today. I am getting ready for oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth. So…yeah… it’s been a fun and active week. Which is my excuse for not writing as much here at Notes.

I have smiled a lot this week and made a lot of fun memories.

WHAT MEMEORY DID YOU BUILD THIS WEEK?

SHARING MY WORLD ON JUNE 11TH

June 11, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 5 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO PENSITIVITY’S SHARE YOUR WORLD CHALLENGE.

You can read all the responses to this challenge by clicking the link above. My answers to this week’s questions are below.

What is/has been your favourite job/occupation? I am really enjoying the work I am doing now. I have been ministering in churches since 1991 in all kinds of different capacities. I have been a youth pastor, organist, choir director, worship leader, children’s minister/ director, fellowship and visitation director and assistant to the pastor. Up until three years ago I had avoided the work of being a lead pastor because there were aspects of the job I was afraid of. Then the call came three years ago to step into this role. I am not good at all of it, but I am enjoying every bit of it even those parts where I am on a big learning curve.

Is there a job you would never consider doing? There are lots of jobs I would never consider doing: Astronaut, Marine biologist, Mountain rescue, Fireman, Policeman, Physics teacher, Airplane pilot, Circus acrobat, lion tamer and the list goes on. I admire those who can and do all of these jobs. I know they are beyond me.

Did your family own a business and expect you to join the ranks when you got older? My family did own a business. I did join the ranks, but I was never forced to it. I settled into it. Then my father passed away and then I realized I was not suited to the business and moved back into the field I was created for.

Did/do you have a career requiring qualifications or did you learn on the job and work your way up? This job of ministry has both educational requirements and on the job training that is necessary. Bible college is absolutely necessary, but I have never met a Bible college graduate that was “ready” to minister to a congregation on the day they got their diploma or certification. There are so many non-tangibles to this work that cannot be taught only caught. I would recommend to anyone considering this work to enter this ministry as an assistant first before trying to take or build their own church.

GRATITUDE: I was so blessed by this incredible weekend of ministry.It was a great weekend of adventure.

WORSHIP SERVICE- ACTIVATION CONFERENCE AT CORNERSTONE AG CHURCH WINCHENDON

LUNCH WITH A MISSIONARY FRIEND AT LITTLE ANTHONY’S

VISITATION WITH A CONGREGATIONAL FRIEND AT HEYWOOD HOSPITAL

A RANDOM SPLIT OF A DAY: A Funeral, Founder’s Day and the Relay For Life

June 8, 2024June 8, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 4 Comments

I was describing the job of a minister to a friend the other day. It is not like most jobs. It’s the ultimate split shift rotation. I start in the early morning and then take a break for breakfast and to walk the dogs. Then I usually have some morning work to do. Then I take a break for lunch (usually I go home and walk the dogs during that time). Then I have an afternoon commitment of some kind and always more prayer. Then I take another break sometimes I get to work around the house and the garden and then it’s more prayer and sometimes an evening commitment.

Today for instance. I started with prayer around 4 A.M. and prayed for a few hours. Then Amanda and I had a funeral to attend for a dear lady we know through disabilities ministry .

Anne-Marie was a wonderful woman of faith and Amanda and I were blessed to be able to attend her funeral. We stayed for the reception and got to catch up with many church friends from the area.

Then it was back home to meet up with Joe and Kristine and Sevy. They had an open house to attend in a neighboring town this morning. The house was not something they were very interested in but they keep looking and waiting for the right thing to come along.

Kristine, Sevy and I then headed out to one of the two big events going on today. It’s Founder’s Day in Winchendon.

And Relay For Life in Gardner. We had church staff and leaders at both. The Prayer Shawl Ministry gave out 64 shawls at the Relay!

Meanwhile we had several of our members working as volunteers at the Founder’s Day event.

I was just an attendee at the Founder’s Day, but I had some great opportunities to chat with people from town including one of my classmates, and one of the police sergeants whom I have known since childhood.

Then I went home to do a bit of gardening and to put together my devotional video for the church and to get myself ready for church tomorrow morning

I opened up the bushes next to the drive a bit.

I have one more prayer session for bed. It’s been a wonderful day!

WHAT’S ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THIS WEEKEND?

PREPARING OUR HOMES PT. 2

March 18, 2024March 16, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

As 2024 began The Lord gave Cornerstone Church a directive we are calling the congregational sentence. It reads: “Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Prepare you Spirit (come out of the decay of your strongholds). Prepare your Souls(Prepare to practice and feel compassion). Prepare your facility (your structures, infrastructures and plans). Prepare for the storm (Pray for action plan, Pray for a spirit of perseverance). Prepare your witness (know your gifts, earn the right to speak, build your relationships with those outside the church, build your example). Prepare your hope and faith (think hope, speak hope, act in hope). Prepare your love (love each other, love the people in your towns, love those who disagree with you, love through the doors that open).“

Over the course of the next several weeks these seven “prepare statements” will be broken down into 21 weekly devotionals. This is devotional number 8 in our series. It is entitled,

Prepare your infrastructures (your structures, infrastructures and plans)

There is a certain sense, when we talk about preparing our structures that we understand we are talking about very practical activities. We understand it means to clean our bathrooms before company arrives. It means to stock up on some extra groceries in expectation of guests. We can even understand the very practical nature of preparing our hearts to be more intentionally welcoming when guests arrive at our church door(make sure you introduce yourself to the new people). But what does to mean to prepare our infrastructures? What even is an infrastructure?

Infrastructure-the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities of a community.

In community/ church life there are three kinds of Infrastructures we are concerned with preparing:

1. SOFT INFRASTRUCTURE- THESE ARE OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEMS. IN PREPARING THESE WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE CONGREGANTS HEART OF GENEROSITY AND THE LEADERSHIP SYSTEMS CONCERNING STEWARDSHIP OR GIFT MANAGEMENT. AS WE PREPARE WE CONFRONT THE STRONGHOLDS OF POVERTY, SELF-CENTEREDNESS AND ENTITLEMENT.

2. HARD INFRASTRUCTURE-

THESE INCLUDE OUR CHURCHES FACILITIES, ACCESS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS.

HOW EASY IS IT FOR OUR PEOPLE TO GET INTO AND OUT OF THE CHURCH BUILDING? HOW EASY IS IT FOR NEW PEOPLE TO FIND THEIR WAY AROUND THE BUILDING?

WHAT IF A PERSON CANNOT DRIVE OR HAS NO CAR? CAN THEY COME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY? CAN THEY COME TO YOUR DLT GROUP? HOW?

HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE IMPORTANT NEWS IN OUR CONGREGATION? IS OUR METHOD EFFECTIVE?

3. CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE- THESE WE WILL DEFINE AS OUR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. HOW DO WE FUNCTION IN AN INTERNAL EMERGENCY? HOW DO WE RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY A COMMUNITY WIDE EMERGENCY?

WHAT ARE OUR SECURITY PROTOCOLS?

SHOULD OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE SOME SORT OF DISASTER ARE WE PREPARED TO INTENTIONALLY HELP? HOW?

IN LIGHT OF THESE QUESTIONS WHAT QUESTIONS COME UP IN YOUR HEART? WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR TODAY CONCERNING OUR INFRASTRUCTURES?

Steadfast Sons

March 3, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

Our church is comprised of small groups of people we call Doing Life Together Groups. Each group is encouraged to

STUDY THE BIBLE TOGETHER/ TO PRAY TOGETHER/ TO FELLOWSHIP AND BUILD DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER/ AND TO MEET NEEDS IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

One of our “DLT” groups is a group of men called The Steadfast Sons. This year they chose to minister to the greater community of men in our church though and event called “BE A GODLY MAN”.

About 40 men from 8 different DLT groups showed up for breakfast lunch and five breakout sessions

Andy Ross and Stephen Sandoval were our co facilitators in Doing Life Together for the day.

Here are some of my take aways from the day.

BOYS CANNOT CONFER MANHOOD ON THEMSELVES. MEN NEED TO CONFER MANHOOD ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEN.

WORRY IS ANTI-PRAYER.

JESUS NEVER OFFERED US A COMFORTABLE LIFE. THERE WILL BE CHALLENGE AND PAIN.

YOUR PROBLEMS ARE NOT OTHER PEOPLE. TROUBLE IS ALWAYS CENTERED IN THE SPIRIT REALM FIRST AND FOREMOST.

MEN MUST CONTINUALLY “GOSPEL” THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO EPHESIANS 6.

THERE ARE NO CHUBBY BREASTPLATES IN THE ARMOR OF GOD. THE ARMOR MAKES US FIT AND ENCOURAGES US TO STAND IN THAT FITNESS.

THE ARMOR SHOULD MAKE US FILL THE WORLD AROUND US WITH PEACE.

THE ARMOR OF GOD IS MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN LINKED WITH A BAND OF BROTHERS.

PRAY THE WORD NOT JUST THE NEED.

Our men had a great day of fellowship together. I was greatly blessed by all the relationship building I saw going on.

In our final sessions I got a few more thoughts to think about.

STRONG MEN ARE SABBATH MEN. ADAM RESTED FOR WORK NOT FROM IT. REST IS FOUND IN JESUS NOT IN “REST”.

GOD LONGS FOR US TO BE IN RHYTHM NOT NECESSARILY IN BALANCE.

GOD HAS CALLED US TO PERSEVERE.

GOD HAS CALLED US TO HUMILITY AND SUBMISSION

GOD HAS CALLED US TO SERVE.

It was a great day of worship, spiritual reminders and challenges, fun, and fellowship.

THANK YOU ANDY AND STEPHEN!

KEEPING THE FIRE BURNING.

February 9, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

I remember as a teenager I gave up piano lessons because I hated the practicing.

My Aunt took me aside, way back then and told me, that I shouldn’t quit.

I laughed and asked, “Aunt Joan, what possible use is piano playing going to have in my future?”

Of course, it turned out she was right. A large part of my portfolio as a pastor has involved leading worship and piano playing through the years….Go figure!

Photo by Monstera Production on Pexels.com

Anyway, worship was a such a large part of what I did as a pastor that many believed I could never give it up. I actually continued leading worship for about 6 months after I became lead pastor, but I did give it up.

Then back in September I was called to lead worship again with a ministry called, The Worship Room House of Prayer.

This ministry is dedicated to building round the clock worship and prayer in our region to empower the church and release the grace of God over our region. It is patterned after the thought in Leviticus 6 of never letting the fire go out on the altar: The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offeringson it. ¹³The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

I believe that if the church is to move forward it will do so from the position of prayer. So when I saw a need I offered my abilities such as they were. I do a devotional hour of worship from the piano on Monday nights from 5-6 P.M. The first month I sounded like a rusty old gate when I sang, and I played more wrong notes than right notes. Even six months into this I am still so weak in this gift of worship, but it is not about me. It is about raising up a prayer that will help the church in our little town move into its next stage of growth. I have to admit It is great fun playing and worshipping again even if the gift has aged in me.

LOTS OF REASONS

February 2, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 4 Comments

I have been thinking about my grandmother a lot lately. One of her statements, in particular, keeps coming to mind. “There are lots of reasons to go to church, J. It’s not always about God.”

Now…God is the reason the church exists. He is the center of it all, but my grandmother was not wrong in her assessment. In and through the church God provides many things that are essential for life. One of those things is community. For most of my life and ministry, I have downplayed the need for community to my shame.

This week we met with a hospice agency for Mom’s care going forward. Truth be told, I have been pretty stressed out, grieved and weighed down by this. In spite of all that I am doing OK…because of my family and my church community.

During the course of ministry, I have had the opportunity to meet many people who do not have the benefit of healthy family or community of any kind. They often come to the church in an hour of desperate need because they have no place else to turn. It is not that they have relationship with us at all. They come to us because they have no one else to turn to. Often by the time they reach out to us there is little left we can actually do. I often think though “If only we had known them when the issues were smaller, we maybe could have helped.”

I will be the first to attest to the fact that church life is not perfect. Our communities, all of them, are imperfect. BUT…I can say with certainty that my life and my family’s life is stronger because we have been part of this church that we minister in and have been ministered to by. My family is strong enough to see Mom through this season of her life because we are part of the church and have our faith and our community to draw on. This is hard, but we will walk through it and come out stronger on the other side. I can credit the church community for the health of my family. I can credit the church community for the health of my spirit and mind.

This morning one of the men in the church reached out to me, as a friend, offering to help in anyway he could. He did that because I am a part of this community.

I cannot imagine facing this gauntlet, called hospice, without the wonderful tribe God has placed me in. There are lots of reasons to go to church. Knowing God is perhaps the most important reason, but a close second is the power of community.

THE NEXT LIST

February 1, 2024February 1, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 3 Comments

I try to pastorally visit all the families in my church regularly. With the growing scope of ministry it takes me about a year and a half to work my way through all the regular attenders once. At this week’s staff meeting I gave my personal assistant, Carrie, the next twenty or so names on my list. Between these pastoral check-ins, connecting with new people and then regular ministry board meetings, I get to do quite a bit of relationship building.I really love it!

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok on Pexels.com

The idea of prioritizing intentional visitation is new to our church. Before COVID we were busy building programs that people could come to, but we did not do much going out for deep personal connection. It’s not a criticism, just a different way of looking at ministry. I am enjoying this work of intentional relationship building. I believe it is what God has called our church to during this season.

Today one of our DLT (Doing Life Together) groups invited Pastor Amanda and me out to a luncheon to celebrate Pastor Appreciation Month. They wanted to have it back in November, but our schedules could not coordinate until this week.

I think there were about 20 of us there. The ladies made lasagna, meatballs, salad and appetizers and then for dessert we had strawberries with ice cream.

One of the ladies let me hold her puppy, Teddy.

In my follow up prayer time this afternoon (some of you would call it vespers) I started sensing that I need to be visiting all of our groups for intentional connection. I don’t always need to be fed, but just being present with the people and hearing what the Spirit is saying to each of these groups will be very powerful, I think.

Look like I have another “Next List” for Carrie.

Notes From the Vicarage

A minister's family living in a micro forest garden

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