This Week: May 12th thru May 18th

** Upcoming Events:

** Action Steps to A Strong Family of Faith

Step 1: Prayer - Make prayer a priority and teach your children to pray and trust the Lord. Pray individually and together when you can. Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 - And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
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Step 2: Study the Scriptures - Individually and together we should study God’s Word and realize that it is our source of strength. Psalm 119:11 - I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Step 3: Trust In God - We are all going to go through difficult times in our lives. We need to be aware that we can trust God no matter what. Proverbs 3: 5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

** Pastor Mike will be in the office this Tuesday from 10 - 1. He is looking at potentially not having office hours this summer, but making contact with you and setting time to visit with you this summer.

** Last Sunday Worship Night was a deep emotional night filled with the Holy Spirit's presence. We were able to worship God, heal in our spirit and body, and hear from people who had a testimony to share! Our next Sunday night worship will be on May 25th at 6;00, in Quincy!!!

**Grief Share Group - Our grief group is currently on hiatus. If you would like to be a part of a grief sharing group, please let Pastor Mike know and we can get it back!
** How to find all things Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff. https://www.cornerstonedegraff.org/ is online but still a work in progress. You are hopefully using the new [email protected] for the church email.

The active Facebook page is found at: https://www.facebook.com/CornerstoneDeGraff
The active YouTube channel is found at: https://youtube.com/@CornerstoneFellowshipDeGraff

** Did you know that God has blessed you with a special set of skills and gifts? He has also called you to be involved and belong to this body of believers. Be prayerful over the possibilities that God is desiring to use you. 

- We are looking for a Lay Leader for the church! - Reach out to me if you are interested in what that means and if you want to think about how God might think you fit.

There are many more ways in which you can get involved. Reach out to Pastor Mike with the ways in which God is calling you to be active!
** Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff is a Global Methodist Church, and we are in the Allegheny West Conference and you can visit their site at https://alleghenywestgmc.org/ if you are wanting more information!  All the videos from the Annual Conference are now posted on their website!

** G.R.A.C.E. notes for this week.

G.R.A.C.E. volunteers,

I just wanted to provide an update regarding G.R.A.C.E.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 13th, is our last Pirate Power Pack weekend meal packing for this school year.  We have been packing 108 bags for the last 3 weeks.  Prior to that, our numbers since January have been at about 106 per week.

Thanks to a United Way Youth Allocation grant, we received $2,000.00 for our summer program.  A "little bird" told me that the youth on that committee lobbied for G.R.A.C.E. to receive additional funds (I asked for $1,100.00 - we are blessed!).
We start "Wednesday Summer Lunch Meals" on June 4th.  The schedule is below this Email.  Please be prepared to serve no later than 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Sometimes, people are there before 11:30 a.m., so if you can start early, please do.
Signs are almost done to be posted around DeGraff & Quincy.
We (Sarah & Darlene) would like to have a tentative list of what each group plans to serve so we can share that information if asked.  
Each group is encouraged to provide something other than hot dogs, bologna, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  If attendees are in any food programs, those are normally provided to them.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are encouraged as part of the meal plans.
Groups are allocated $150.00 from G.R.A.C.E. for each week your church provides the meal.  Anything above $150.00 for each week is that group's responsibility (churches).  We prefer that the G.R.A.C.E. debit card be used for purchases but in all cases, receipts must be provided to be reimbursed.
G.R.A.C.E. will use the additional $800.00 for the 3 G.R.A.C.E. weeks.  
If your group can also provide a "take home bag" for some families, we are suggesting that as well.  Last year, one week, a bag with a box of spaghetti or macaroni, a jar of spaghetti sauce (no glass jars, please), and some canned vegetables were provided.  Another week, peanut butter, jelly, and a loaf of bread were sent home.  We made 15-20 bags because not everyone takes a bag but it just helps tide families over.
Please let us know if you have any questions.

Our thanks to everyone who supports G.R.A.C.E. - whether that is by volunteering at events, making financial donations, or most importantly, praying that God leads us where He wants us to go.

Darlene & Sarah C
Co-Chairs

Schedule:
June 4 - G.R.A.C.E. (tentative Subway sandwiches)
June 11 - Stony Creek Church (finishing discussion for that week)
June 18 - Philadelphia Lutheran Church
June 25 - Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff
July 2 - Quincy Methodist Church
July 9 - Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff
July 16 - Philadelphia Lutheran Church
July 23 - Stony Creek Church (burgers on the grill)
July 30 - G.R.A.C.E. (tentative sloppy joe sandwiches)
August 6 - Quincy Methodist Church
August 13 - G.R.A.C.E. (not yet determined)
May God's blessing follow you each day!

** Light Hours is a small group for our college age, young adults and would like a Bible study for your age group, let me know. We can get something started that fits your schedules!

** Our Cornerstone Women's group is planning to meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month. The next meeting will take place on May 15th. They will be meeting at the church at 6:00 pm.

** Mother/Daughter Women's Tea will be taking place on May 31st from 11:00 to 1:00 PM at Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff. Please let Deb Schaffner know if you plan to attend no later than Sunday, May 25th. It sounds like a lot of fun! Let’s get it on your calendar now!

** Our Cornerstone Men's group will be meeting this Tuesday 5/13! We will meet and go through our book at 6:00. We are currently on chapter 12, The Devout Man!

** 5th Quarter Team had a meeting last night to discuss our upcoming youth event as well as what 5th Quarter will look like this year. If you are interested in being involved, let us know, we can always use the help!

** Looking for people to join a new small group. This group will meet once a month and will tackle a tough topic that takes some reflection. Think of it as a Bible study, but a little deeper! Want to go deeper? Let us know!

**Missions Moment - We will be looking for ways to work with the new event committee to bring events to our church for members and non-members!

** If you would like to purchase a Cornerstone Fellowship of DeGraff shirt you can follow this link and purchase your Cornerstone Fellowship swag! -  https://exodus-shirt-company.myshopify.com/collections/cornerstone-fellowship-of-degraff

** We are now collecting boxes of cereal for the Five Loaves Food Pantry. We need 55 by May 18th. They give out meals and food boxes Wed. May. 21st at 4:30 pm. If you would like to help pack and deliver boxes.

This Week at the Church: - May 12th - May 18th

Monday: Church Open 10-12
 
Tuesday: Church Open 10-12 / G.R.A.C.E. Final Backpack Packing - 9:30 am / Cornerstone Men - Postponed to next week due to schedule conflicts
 
Wednesday: Bible Study - at 10:00 am / Choir Practice 6:00 pm / Praise Practice 6:30 pm /  Pastor Mike’s Quick Shots - Facebook and YouTube 8:00 pm

Thursday: Church Open 10-12 / Senior Lunch 11:00 / Cornerstone Women - 6:00 pm

Friday: Church Open 10-12 / Riverside Graduation 6:30 pm
 
Next Sunday - May 18th - Multiply Grace - Multiply Gifts - 1 Peter 4: 7-11 / Psalm 25: 1-7 - Sunday School 9:30 / Worship 10:45 
 
Two years ago we were On Mission! Worship - Reflect - Pray - Study - Serve - you can still use these methods! In 2023 we used the 5-S Method of Being The Church - Surrender - Surrounded - Spirit-Led - Self-Fed - Sent - All of these things are timeless and will always be helpful for us to measure whether or not we are "being" the "church".

Please pray this week for those who are sick and need healing, and those who you can share the love of Christ with! Do not forget to pray for your church, your community, and your pastor.