Discipleship, Event, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

DCC Ladies,

Next weekend the women of DCC will be heading over the mountains to Suncadia for 24 hours of God-saturated learning, intentional relationship-building, and interactive fun. This will be our first women’s retreat, and though I won’t be there, I couldn’t be more excited about the theme: The Greatness of God. Who we understand God is, and what he is like, shapes everything about us, from how we view ourselves to how we relate to others, from how we handle suffering to how we tackle our sin, from where we find durable joy to where we find rest amidst the crazy. So, don’t get caught thinking that the greatness of God is merely an abstract theological truth. Our souls were made to revel in His greatness and live out of that profound reality. Ladies, that’s what next weekend is all about.

So, in light of that, I am making a last pastoral call to any women who have yet to register. As of today we have 90 women signed-up. That is really encouraging! Our prayerful aim is 120. Let’s say that DCC averages 650 people on Sunday and half are women. That makes roughly 325 women. That means there are still 200+ women who have time to participate in our inaugural retreat. My encouragement to you: register. You will not regret it. We understand that not all of you can make it, but this is for those of you that can. If you’ve waited this long, there are probably some barriers, so let me offer the following encouragements.

#1 The gift of carving out intentional space to learn about God.

Our culture is marked by busyness. Work demands. School demands. Kid demands. Project demands. Schedule demands. 24-hour news. Endless social media feeds. It takes intentionality to slow down for five minutes, let alone an entire day. That makes this retreat a gift. It is a gift to carve out intentional space in your calendar to learn about the greatness of God alongside others seeking to do the same. This kind of intentionality is good for our souls. Don’t miss out on this gift. 

#2 The gift of building new relationships.

Or, maybe you just don’t know anyone. It can be intimidating entering into something like this without knowing anyone else. We all get that. But, here’s the thing: that’s what retreats are for! More relational-traction can be gained with a retreat than with a dozen brief Sunday meet-and-greets. A retreat is the perfect place to get to know others. No one is “busy.” You’re all there for the same purpose. So, will this require you to take a step of faith? Yes. Will you be alone? No. Will you forge new relationships with others? For sure. Will it be worth it? No doubt. Embrace this as a gift of building new relationships.  

#3 The gift of temporarily getting out of your context. 

We all know what a gift it is to pause our normal rhythms for a change of scenery. Our family tries to get out of the city at least once a month. The process to get into the woods can be challenging, but once we’re there I always ask, “Why did I hesitate? This is amazing.” It is a gift to temporarily get out of our context to think, laugh, rest, and reflect—especially when it involves clean mountain air, tall evergreens and a river in your backyard (i.e. Suncadia). Sometimes that’s what it takes to get the fresh perspective we’ve been looking for. Embrace this retreat as a gift to get out of your context for a weekend.  

#4 The gift of telling the enemy to take a hike. 

For years as a new believer I noticed that all kinds of things came at me when I was presented with an opportunity to go on a retreat: family emergencies, other plans, lack of funds, sudden desire to be alone, etc. Often, I needed someone to come alongside me and say, “You really need to go to this and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.” So, in most cases, I went. I can recall cases where I even regretted it while I was on my way there. But, guess what? Not once did I regret it afterwards. Not once. I’ve come to see that this is a common tactic of the enemy to keep us from opportunities like this that are sure to increase our faith, deepen our joy, and anchor our love in God—and all that he is for us, in Jesus. The enemy doesn’t want that. He wants us at home by ourselves watching Netflix. So, embrace the gift of telling the enemy to take hike. Put aside doubts. Change plans. Get your shift covered. Take a step of faith. You won’t regret it. 

Ladies, you’re going to have a great time. All that said, here are the details: 

Dates: Friday, May 5th – Saturday, May 6th
Details, registration, scholarship info
Retreat FAQ
Carpool link
Questions:

Q: Will you join me in praying for 30 more women to sign up by this weekend?  

Christ is all, 

Pastor Adam

Easter, Good Friday, Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

This weekend we celebrate Good Friday (4/14 @ 6:30pm & 8:30pm) and Easter (4/16 @ 8am, 10am & 12pm). That makes this weekend all about reflecting and rejoicing. Will you join us as we celebrate the most important week of the most important person who ever lived? It is easy for the significance of this time of year to be lost amidst a sea of pastels, egg hunts, honey-cured hams and chocolate bunnies, but it doesn’t have to be. We need to take time to reflect and rejoice. This is particularly true amidst a culture that celebrates what is fleeting and transient while neglecting what is most profound and real – like a mighty savior who is also our sinless substitute.

So, I invite you to join us this weekend as we reflect on Good Friday and rejoice on Easter. There are a few things to keep in mind as we approach this weekend:

First, Good Friday and Easter go together.

I encourage you to consider participating in both Good Friday and Easter. Immerse yourself in the (true) story this weekend, starting on Friday and culminating on Sunday. Cancel your other obligations. Say “no” to Netflix for one Friday night. Keep your kids up. It is worth it.

Second, our Good Friday gathering is unique.

If you’ve never been part of our Good Friday gathering, don’t think of it as a normal Sunday gathering on a Friday. It is a completely different gathering. Over the the last six years we have prayerfully labored to create a fresh experience of the ancient Good Friday story. It is unique, moving, and powerful. You really don’t want to miss it.

Third, arrive early.

We recommend that you arrive early on Friday and Sunday. On Good Friday, arriving early will give you time to pray, reflect, and read the scriptures. The auditorium will be open 20 minutes prior to our start time. On Easter, we are expecting a full house at each gathering, so arriving early will ensure you are able to secure seats for your whole party. We will be adding chairs, tightening the rows, and creating an overflow space, but we anticipate that it will still be full.

Fourth, parking is provided.

As always, we will validate parking for everyone at the Art Institute parking garage on Friday and Sunday. The lots adjacent to our building will be also available for first time visitors, families with children, and individuals with special needs on Friday and Sunday.

Fifth, your kids are covered.

If you’re a parent with a child from one to eight years old, our Cornerstone Kids team has generously offered to serve families on Good Friday (*6:30pm only) and Easter. This is an act of sacrificial service and love on their part, so please be sure to thank them!

Sixth, let’s be praying for Jesus to move.

Most importantly, let’s be praying for Jesus to save, awaken, and reinvigorate souls to the breathtaking reality of his grace and redemption this weekend. Invite your friends, families, neighbors, and co-workers. Let’s ask Him to do what only He can in our lives, and in the lives of those who do not yet know him. He is able!

Because the cross is full…and the tomb is empty,

Pastor Adam

Discipleship, Event, Women's Retreat

Dear Ladies of Downtown Cornerstone Church,

I am so excited to be able to be with you this year for your women’s retreat. Let me introduce myself a little so that I become a little less of a stranger. I grew up in Germany and came to the US in order to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. There I met and married my husband and together we have four children.

I love books and hate laundry. I love chocolate and Horchata and dislike seafood. But one of my biggest passions is to see women fall in love with the study of God’s word. I want us to not be afraid to tackle and wrestle with hard concepts, and to see that theology is very practical because it changes our lives and affects our worship.

During our time together we are going to be looking at the greatness of God and how this knowledge relates practically to our lives, specifically to the worries and fears that we struggle with and to the idols that we are so quick to build.

Some of the questions I want us to ask are: How should an understanding of the greatness of God affect our everyday lives? How do we put down fear and worry? How do we identify and kill idols? Where does real comfort come from? I hope that some of these questions will be answered for you as we spend the weekend together.

A.W. Pink says, “Happy is the soul that has been awed by a view of God’s majesty.” This is my prayer for all of us, that we would be awed by the greatness of God and walk away with unshakable peace and deep seated joy.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

– Jen Thorn

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Ladies, this retreat is a unique opportunity to hit “pause” on our daily rhythms and gather together to be encouraged, equipped, and strengthened in our faith. We know there’s a lot to coordinate – from carpooling and childcare, to saving up for the cost, and giving up the bulk of your weekend. We encourage you to give your concerns for the weekend to Jesus, embrace all that He has waiting for you, and join us in the following:

1) Begin praying for the weekend.

2) Register online in advance!

3) Invite a friend and encourage ladies in your community to join you.

4) Familiarize yourself with the scripture for the weekend, Isaiah 40-41

5) Email  if you have any questions, concerns, or barriers.

Excited for all that God will do!