February 2023 Pastor’s Letter
From the Desk of Jayson Hemphill, Worship Arts Coordinator
Dear Friends,
Greetings in Christ!
Just want to begin with a quick note of thanks to Pastor Melissa for allowing me the opportunity to write to you via what is typically the “Pastor’s Letter” portion of the newsletter. We look forward to her return in the March edition.
The Worship and Technical Arts Ministries at Cornerstone are an exciting place to be serving as we approach the season of Lent and the launch of our “Common Ground” worship on Saturday, February 25 at 5:00 PM. “Common Ground” is a service designed to be comfortable, welcoming, and up-lifting. Through word, music and media, we will be delving into relevant questions, while celebrating the Christian principles that unite us all as believers. We hope that all will feel welcomed and at ease as we gather each week. Please keep worship at Cornerstone in your prayers.
As we approach Lent, we will be gathering in the sanctuary each Saturday at 5:00 PM to pray, study and sing. We will discuss the Biblical understanding of Community, Authenticity, Creativity, and Integrity as they relate to worship. We hope you will join Pastor Melissa and me.
One of the best parts about serving in worship ministry is being part of a team. Our primary goal is always to create opportunities for people to serve through their God-given gifts in a way that helps them grow personally, spiritually, and in community. The worship teams at Cornerstone have been such a blessing to work with!
Your Music Team is glorifying God (and sounding fantastic in the process), as they work hard every week to enhance worship through song. It is a blessing to lead worship with them every Sunday!
It goes without saying that we could not do what we do up front were it not for the worship leaders serving on the Technical Arts Teams. They continue to work to utilize the ministry tools at their disposal to enhance worship both in the room and via our livestream. Working in a reorganized space and utilizing new cameras and lots of creativity and skill, the team “in the booth” continues to raise the bar on the quality of our sound and video in worship.
I hope that all of you have had the opportunity to move around the building this past year to experience how the Creative Arts Team is enhancing our worship experience. It is always exciting to spend time with this team as creative ideas are shared, designed, and then implemented as they become a reality in a way that is meaningful and worshipful.
The new year has brought with it the formation of some new worship teams too! The Music Selection Team recently started selecting music for the upcoming Lent and Holy Week season. This team is made up of musicians and music lovers who are taking advantage of the opportunity to select music to be utilized in worship. The Visual Arts Team will soon begin the process of selecting imagery and video to enhance the way we worship visually.
All of these teams are filled with people who are passionate about the way we worship. It is a blessing to be in the midst of so much creative ministry!
The most important thing about all of the activity and planning mentioned above is that it is all bathed in prayer. As we gather, we are seeking God’s inspiration, guidance, and vision in planning and executing worship that glorifies Him. Is God nudging you to utilize your gifts through worship? Are you interested in the opportunity to serve on one of the Cornerstone Worship Teams? Have other ideas or questions regarding worship? Feel free to contact me any time at worship@umc-cornerstone.org or 815-592-3606.
I would love the opportunity to talk with you. – J