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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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?

21 Days of Fasting and Prayer 2025…Day 1

January 5, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 1 Comment

Every year for the last two decades or so, our church has hosted a 21 day fast. Each year is a little different, but each year is a time of deep spiritual introspection for our church, as each of us fast and take time to pray privately And corporately.

This this year, we are partnering with The Worship Room House of Prayer in our hometown of Winchendon. The Worship Room is hosting three hours a day of prayer for the next 21 days.

I just came from my first two hour prayer session of this fast. I am sensing that this year. God will use this fast to prepare us for a move of supernatural signs and wonders, miracles to take place over the coming year.

I do believe miracles happen. I also believe they are about to happen to us.

2025…WORDS TO LIVE BY

January 1, 2025 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

I am sitting at the dining table eating left over Chinese food, thinking about the year past and the year ahead.

2024 was a hard year. I don’t think I have really stopped to meditate on just how hard it was. I certainly haven’t allowed myself to feel the hardness. It was a year of death and a year of sickness for our family. It was a year that brought earth shaking change to our lives, identities and ministries. We are not the same people we were at the end of 2023.

Last night we celebrated the New Year as a family at The Vicarage.

New Year’s Eve was our gift exchange this year. I got designer coffee! My son Joe got tools. The kids got play dough and toys. The ladies got winter clothing. James got a book he had been wanting to read. It was a good night topped off by our traditional meal…. Chinese food

It was also a game night.

To say I am not a good game player is an understatement, but other members of the family are. It was a quiet and comforting way to spend the last day of this very difficult year.

Today I am catching up on chores, and putting Christmas away. As I write this note between loads of laundry I am thinking about what the Lord has already told us about 2025.

My personal words for the year are: PRACTICE THE PRESENCE…

AND ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS

Here are some other things we have learned about 2025 from the last few months of 2024.

Amanda has heard- Focus and Watch. 1 Peter 5:8 State alert for your great enemy the Devil stalks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Focus on the right thing not similar distractions because there will be good things and God things. See the potential particularly in our children. Don’t overlook the small things in life or neglect the potential of small things. Watch is the word, Gregorio. Its definition is- Keeping your eyes on the truth.

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Melanie has heard-We are to be beacons of light. We have been preparing to maintain our light in the hour that is coming.

James has heard- We are children of THE KING. The time has come to act like it. We are an already not yet people. We have the victory but we now have to posses this in the Spirit. We need to use our spiritual authority.

Joe has heard-Go! Luke Chapter 10… “Pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send for the laborers into the vineyard…. Go I am sending you.”

Kristine has heard-Dwell! Dwell in the presence of the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Claim the victory. Psalm 139 teaches us that God is all knowing.He knows every detail of our lives and even when we don’t see it, He is working in our lives. We need to remember that He knows the end of our stories and the progress of the journey.

Yesterday my sister and I were on Messenger talking and this prophetic word came –

And this is what the Lord says, open your eyes, I am bringing you into a spacious place. This is the culmination of over a half a century of My work. I have hidden this from the enemy as I have hidden this from you, but this is about neither of you and both of you. The enemy can see the size and shape of this thing, but even he does not know what it is any more than you know what it is. you were chosen for this. your family was chosen for this. You each have your part to play. I have prepared you. I have called you by name. Now prepare yourselves. Gird yourselves and answer me like a human, where were you when I laid the foundations of the storehouses of the snow?

As I embrace this first day of 2025. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt….this is going to be a year for the memory books.

THE CHRISTMAS JOURNEY

December 18, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

Nine bells just rang at the Old Murdock Senior Center, and I am just finishing my day. Snish is falling outside. Walking the dogs and putting the chickens to bed was a cold wet business tonight, but at last it is all done. I am dressed in the Christmas PJ’s the kids’ mom sent up just before Thanksgiving for all of us.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: JAMES FRANKLIN, ABIGAIL FRANKLIN, MELANIE FRANKLIN, DANIELLA FRANKLIN, PASTOR AMANDA LILLIE, SEVII LILLIE(JOSEPH E LILLIE VII), KRISTINE BARRAMEDA LILLIE (IN FRONT KNEELING), PASTOR J LILLIE(JOSEPH E LILLIE V), JOSEPH E LILIE VI

This was the beginning of our Christmas journey as a family. A lot of familial water has flowed under the bridge of life since this picture was taken.

There were all my birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving with the kids, grandkids and nephews. What a blessed day that was.

ABIGAIL FRANKLIN (FOREGROUND CENTER), TYLER NEWTON (FAR LEFT FRONT CHAIR), SEVII LILLIE (HOLDING BALL), RYAN NEWTON (RECLINER), JOSEPH LILLIE, KRISTINE BARRAMEDA LILLIE, DANIELLA FRANKLIN, PASTOR AMANDA LILLIE, MELANIE FRANKLIN… THANKSGIVING 2024

There was the decorating of The Vicarage.

And the decorating of the church.

JOHN RUSSELL, BUILDING AND GROUNDS, PUTTING UP THE BIG TREE AT CORNERSTONE.

Then the celebration began in earnest.

There was breakfast with Santa and the Cookie Crawl.

FRANCINE (AKA PASTOR AMANDA) AND ABIGAIL START THE COOKIE CRAWL

And the town tree lighting.

MRS. CLAUS, SANTA CLAUS, MEALNIE FRANKLIN AND THE GIRLS

This week has been a whirlwind of parties. It started Saturday with our Deacon, Staff and DLT leader Christmas party.

Yesterday was a full day of connection and celebrating. It started at 9 AM with a meeting of the town, pastors at Sippin Serendippity.

Then it was on to Cornerstone’s weekly staff meeting. With the upcoming holidays, this will be our last staff meeting for 2024.

After that, I went to one of our DLT groups to join their Christmas party, and to discover the prophetic words from God they received during our sabbatical.

Then, after a brief rest, I was off to the cornerstone youth Christmas party.

Today, I spent the day finishing up the decorations at the Vicarage and cooking for a dinner party we hosted this evening with some missionary friends.

This weekend, the Vicarage is hosting a cookie swap for the Tenney side of our family. I have to say I am really enjoying this Christmas journey.

What does your Christmas journey look like?

STILL PREPARING

December 17, 2024 / joseph elon lillie / Leave a comment

When I went on sabbatical our congregation began to pray for prophetic words from God about our future work.

Over the last several weeks, since sabbatical ended, I have been gathering those “words of the Lord” from our congregation so that I might have a clearer perception of where God wants our church to go in the days ahead.

Over the last two years we have been functioning off of the word from our last sabbatical which was PREPARE.

We have been in a construction phase. It is not finished yet, but it is close.

The words I have gathered so far about our future fall into four categories: DELIVERANCE

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LIGHT

PRAYER

AND CARE

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I don’t yet know how these all fit together and I am not finished gathering all the words the congregation heard. I have a few more groups to meet with this week, but prophetically we are moving towards deliverance, light, prayer and care….somehow this is God’s next step.

Notes From the Vicarage

A minister's family living in a micro forest garden

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