February 2, 2010

My sincere, heartfelt, most earnest apologies to those of you that did not get the church closing notice last Sunday. I take full responsibility for any confusion, frustration and inconvenience this may have caused. Saturday night I sent an email notice to everyone who gets the newsletter by email and called it in to WSVA AM 550. It was posted on their web site and announced on the radio. Sunday morning it was called into WBTX AM 1470. I am sorry that we were not able to get it on WHSV-TV3.

What did we learn from this experience? First, we need a complete email list of everyone who attends our church, not just those that get the newsletter by email. That has been done. We now have a master email distribution list that includes everyone we have an email address for. Second, we need actuate information and instructions about how to notify the proper outlets for making the announcements. That also has been done. I actually did a test and it works.

So this is where you can go for information. On radio tune in to Broadway stations WBTX AM 1470 and WLTK FM 103 (now KLOVE) and to Harrisonburg station WSVA AM 550 for cancellation announcements. On TV, tune in to WHSV TV3 for closings that scroll across the bottom of the screen. To check online go to WHSV-TV3 at www.whsv.com/closings or WSVA 550 at www.wsvaonline.com and click on cancellations for listings of closings.

Hopefully this will help to clarify our procedure and reduce the potential for not getting the word out. I know that at one point Cornerstone had an informal understanding that we don’t cancel services except in blizzard conditions that make driving impossible. The thought was that if anyone can make it we will have church. On one of those questionable times some years ago we went ahead with church when most all the other churches had canceled. Afterwards I received a pretty severe letter reprimanding me for encouraging people to drive in dangerous conditions by not canceling church.

It wasn’t like we were making anyone come, but I guess by insisting that Cornerstone has church no matter what could have sent a signal that if a person is really committed they wouldn’t let bad road conditions keep them away. Then too there may have been some pride in the fact that when most of the other churches were closing people could count on Cornerstone being open. While that may have seemed impressive I doubt if it impressed the Lord all that much. Maybe it’s my age but the older I get the less I feel a need to have to prove anything. So, when the weather is bad and events are being canceled don’t just assume that Cornerstone will be open. Turn on your radio or TV, go online to see if we are on the cancellation list or check your email before you venture out.

For your information, the special service on worship we had planned for last Sunday is rescheduled for this coming Sunday, February 7. Actually, part of what went into making the decision to cancel church was our not wanting anyone to miss this special service. Apparently they are calling for another snow storm this coming weekend. Hopefully, we won’t have to cancel again. But if we do we will go with the flow and praise the Lord anyway.

Someone may ask, but what about the tithes and offerings that are missed when we don’t have church. That may be a legitimate question but probably not one to base whether or not we should have church. God will provide. After all, do we just give our tithes and offerings when we attend church kind of like when we buy tickets for a movie? Hopefully, whether we attend church every Sunday or twice a month doesn’t affect the amount of our giving. The Bible says we are to give what we decide in our hearts to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2Cor. 9:7). The Bible also says that on the first day of every week we should set aside a sum of money in keeping with our income, saving it up so it will be ready to give (I Cor. 16:2).

According to this the amount we give should not depend on how often we attend church on Sunday morning, but rather on what we decide in our hearts. So if on the first day of the week we set it aside and we don’t get to church what do we do? We just save it up each week until we do get to church. Actually, some people save up their regular tithes and offering for a whole month and then give it in the offering or send it to the church by mail. Some give it a month in advance. Some even wait and do their giving once a year. So, whenever we meet again, this Sunday, next Sunday or whenever if we are faithful in our giving and we have all purposed in our hearts what to give and we are setting it aside, then depending on how many Sunday’s we miss our next offering could actually be two or three times the amount of our usual offerings. I guess we will see.