Downtown Cornerstone now has an AmazonSmile account! What is AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a way for charitable organizations, like us, to receive donations through purchases you are already making. If you shop at smile.amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price on eligible purchases to DCC. In other words, by using AmazonSmile, you can help further the work of the Gospel in Seattle when you shop!
How do I get started?
There are a few things to remember. First, you have to choose Downtown Cornerstone Church as your charitable organization. You can do this by clicking on our AmazonSmile link or the banner above to automatically select DCC as your charitable organization. You can also go directly to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com). The website will prompt you to select a charitable organization. Search for Downtown Cornerstone Church and select from the list.
Second, keep in mind that if you don’t shop through smile.amazon.com, it doesn’t count towards a contribution. You cannot select DCC as your organization and then shop through amazon.com. You must do all your shopping through smile.amazon.com, which has all the same products and looks exactly the same as amazon.com. There are extensions you can add to your browser to ensure that anytime you visit amazon.com you’ll be redirected to smile.amazon.com.
Three years ago a small group of people began praying about planting a new Jesus-loving, Bible-believing, Gospel-centered church in the heart of downtown Seattle. Since that time, we’ve seen Jesus move and work in and through our body in countless ways. We’ve watched many trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior and be baptized, watched many grow in understanding all that God is for us in Jesus Christ, and lived lots of life on mission, loving and serving this great city Jesus has placed us in!
The mission of Downtown Cornerstone is to build a great city, through the Gospel, for the glory of God. By God’s grace, we’re seeing that happen, and asking Him to do above and beyond all we can think or imagine this next year!
We invite you to join us for our birthday, this Sunday, April 6th @ 10AM, as we recognize and celebrate all that God is doing among us!
Gathering Time & Location
Sunday, April 6 @ 10:00AM, AMC Theater
Pacific Place 11, 600 Pine St, Seattle 98101
Downtown parking is free on Sunday. Please allow time to secure street parking. We offer 3 hour validation to the Pacific Place Parking garage for families and folks with special needs. (Please try to secure street parking first.)
Children
Children of all ages are welcome to sit in the main gathering with their parent or caretaker. Cornerstone Kids is provided for children ages six months to six years old. All of the volunteers are well-known, trained and have undergone a thorough background check.
For more info on our Sunday gatherings, please emails us at .
At this point, I hope you have heard that we are launching two new discipleship training opportunities this fall: a one-year gospel leader track and a two-year pastor/church planter residency. You can get all the details and pre-register to apply here. Once you pre-register you will receive a link to four documents that make up the application:
Pre-assessment: This is one of the most important pieces of your application materials. It asks for you to consider both evidences of grace and areas of growth in your life. This will serve as a spring board into created a customized plan for growth this year. This part of the application should be roughly ten pages, though it could be as short as eight and as long as fifteen.
Personal questionnaire: We are aware the questions on this form are of a very personal and sensitive nature. Jesus is in the business of reeeming sinners and changing lives, so we do not expect anyone’s past to be perfectly “clean”. Rather, our concern is with unresolved issues from the past. These issues are sensitive precisely because, unless properly dealt with, they have the power to undermine and destroy you even as you seek to serve in ministry. This portion of the application can range from one to three pages.
Personal resume: Please include in your resume any relevant educations, vocational, personal and minsitry experience. This portion of the application can range from one to two pages.
Finance survey: We ask that you answer in concrete specifics as much as possible. In order to be a healthy missionary to your city, it is necessary to be healthy financially. This portion of the application should be one to two pages long.
You will want to block out some time to prayerfully complete those documents by this Sunday, Sept 15th. We will also be holding a kick-off BBQ on Sunday, Sept 29th, for everyone (and families) who will be participating. Please save the date.
A number of you have asked for more information on the actual content of the training. We will be using a combination of BILD, Porterbrook and other resources over the course of the year. The specifics are as follows:
BILD Course Overview
Acts: Keys to the Establishment & Expansion of the First-Century Church: Determine the fundamental biblical principles regarding the mission of the Church and its role in missions and develop guidelines and strategies from these principles for local church involvement.
Pauline Epistles: Strategies for Establishing Churches: Determine the fundamental biblical principles for growing and strengthening (establishing) a church to maturity and developing a strategy for implementing the biblical forms and functions of a church necessary for making and keeping it strong.
The Essentials of Sound Doctrine: Build a contemporary didache—an Early Church manual to establish believers in the essentials of the Apostles’ teaching. This contemporary didache must be founded solidly upon the faith delivered by the Apostles; seasoned by the historical effort of the Church; and be eminently relevant to our present cultural situations.
Porterbrook Module Overview
Gospel Living: Starting from the position that all life is for the Glory of God, this module looks at what it means to live a life for that glory. It will mean loving God and loving others, shaped by the cross and looking to the future glory that we will share with Jesus. Having laid this foundation the module then examines how this impacts daily issues such as decisions, friendship and possessions.
Reading God’s Story: Introducing Exposition And Biblical Theology: This module will help you get a handle on the basics of understanding and teaching from the text of the Bible itself and seeing how the Bible as a whole fits together.
Missional Community Life: It’s all about mission and evangelism… and this module shows you how.
Apologetics: Traditionally apologetics has been the attempt to show the Christian faith to be rational. However this makes the mistake of thinking that the rejection of Christianity stems from a rational argument. The Bible begs to differ. The problem is not rational, but the human heart. The heart needs something more than arguments to change it. What role then has apologetics? This module examines this question.
Additional
You Can Change by Tim Chester: This book shows how we are saved by grace and change by grace through the Gospel.
If you have any questions along the way, please do not hesitate to ask. Praying with you and for you.
As many of you know, last Sunday we presented David Parker to the church as a pastoral candidate. We are taking the next four weeks to give you time to meet with him, ask questions and/or express any concerns you may have. One of the over-arching qualifications for a pastor is that he must be “above reproach” (1Tim 3:1). This waiting period is our attempt to ensure all bases are covered and you have an opportunity to speak into the process.
The office of pastor (or elder) was created by God, for the leading, feeding, and protecting of his flock, the local church. Therefore, we treat the equipping and installation of such men with great seriousness. David has completed a three-year development process that included reading, writing, hands-on ministry, shared life and an assessment interview with area Acts 29 pastors.
David is a good man with integrity, character, love for Jesus and passion for the spread of the gospel. He is also a good friend. I believe he is called, qualified and ready to be installed as a pastor of Downtown Cornerstone, however we are taking this time in case you know something that we do not.
That said, would you pray for the Parker’s in this season? Would you also pray for our church? It is a sign of God’s grace to us that we have men, like David, being raised-up to lead, feed and protect Jesus’ flock. Let’s ask Him for more. Provided nothing arises that would cause us to stop the process, which we don’t foresee, we will install David as a pastor of Downtown Cornerstone on Sunday, Sept 22nd. It will be a great celebration and a joyous moment.
What follows (below) is a short interview with David so that you can get to know him a bit better.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns you can email me at .
Until the world knows,
Pastor Adam
………………………………………………..
“How did you meet Jesus? How has he changed you?”
I grew up in a “Christian home” where I was taught the scriptures from an early age. My dad is a pastor, and so “walking the walk” and “talking the talk” was part of growing up. Although I knew a lot of the right answers, the first 14 years of my life was no more than walking around with a bunch of head knowledge and pride. I did not grasp the seriousness of my sin, and thought (as the older brother did in the parable of the prodigal son – Luke 15:11-32) that my acceptance before God could be earned by keeping all the rules and being a good “church boy”. But deep down, I knew that something was deeply wrong with me, and was living in active rebellion to God and to my parents (Jam 2:14-20).
I met Jesus, or I should say Jesus met me (Rom 9:22-23), while working a summer job at a Bible camp. For the first time in my life I saw my sin and my own hypocrisy for what it was. I could no longer ignore the disconnects between what I said I believed and how I acted. I saw others at camp who had an authentic relationship with Jesus. I saw them struggle, but I also saw how they learned to trust Jesus through that struggle, and I wanted that in my life. Through the example of the staff and opening his word each day, Jesus opened my eyes to see my need for Him, to repent of my self-righteousness, and that the only way I could ever be accepted in God’s eyes was through Jesus’ perfect record accredited to me (1 Jn 1:7-9). That summer I began to trust Jesus, and I’m so thankful for his love and patience in pursuing me to this day!
Without Jesus I am nothing and this life is pointless, void, and empty. He has opened my eyes to see my false worship, and has set me free the bondage of religion and worshiping the fleeting pleasures of this world. He continues to redeem me from finding my worth in anything but Christ, and He is daily calling me to a deeper faith and trust in Him (Rom 12:1-2). Because of that, I want others to know the same life changing grace that I have received in the Gospel, and want to spend the rest of my life proclaiming just how good Jesus is (Isa 6:3-9)!
“Tell us a little about your family.”
I met my wife Michelle in high school. Although we were friends through high school, we started dating a couple months before we graduated, and got married a year later. This weekend, we’ll celebrate our 12th year of being married, and am so thankful for the gift of grace that Michelle is to me and our family! Last year we welcomed a new addition into our family! After years of infertility, waiting, and God growing in our hearts a desire to adopt, we welcomed our daughter into the world in September last year and officially adopted her into our family in December! She has been such a gift, and we are humbled by the grace that God has given us in our daughter. Although we’re still adjusting to life with baby, we enjoy getting out to explore the sights and tastes of Seattle and nearby mountains, and love the city God has put us in!
“What are you most passionate about?”
Jesus. Specifically, I’m passionate about making disciples of Jesus. I love being a part of what Jesus is doing here in this city, and getting a front row seat at seeing Jesus work in the lives of those He’s placed around me. I want to spend my days making Jesus look as good as He is, and pouring into others who want to follow hard after Christ; lovingly serving their families, missionally relating with their neighbors, and are passionate about making disciples. Out of this, my prayer is that more churches will be planted, communities will be transformed, and generations of men and women will be redeemed for the Glory of God.
“How did you get involved with DCC?”
I moved to Seattle 6 years ago with a desire to see people meet Jesus and help plant churches. I didn’t know what that would look like, and how it would happen, but I clicked with the vision of the Acts29 church planting network (based in Seattle at that time), and wanted to spend a season growing and being equipped in the context of a local church. I met Adam Sinnett in 2007 while working alongside him at a previous church. After spending 3 years growing as a disciple and leader, I began to pray about the next season, and invited others to pray with us. During that time, I learned that Adam was also praying about planting a new church in Seattle. My wife and I love Seattle, wanted to stay in this city, and so we began to pray with Adam. In the Spring of 2010, it was clear that Jesus was opening the door for us, and so I resigned from my current position, and started working with Adam in helping plant DCC!
“What are your current areas of oversight?”
I currently serve as the Executive Deacon of our church. This includes overseeing our finances, operations, and administration. Basically, I help keep us above board, out of jail, and planning for the next season as a church. Additionally, I currently oversee all our Cornerstone Communities and will be responsible for our discipleship pathways that are kicking-off this fall. I also help lead a community in Belltown. I’m thankful for the DCC family I get to walk alongside!
“How did you determine that you were called to be a pastor?”
To be honest, 10 years ago, being a Pastor wasn’t even on my mind. But as I continued to trust Jesus with my life, He began to grow within me a deep love for others and His church. As I grew, I questioned and wondered if eldership was on the path that Jesus was leading me on. Although I never desired to be a pastor, I wanted to submit myself to Him, and let Him shape my life, vocation, and ministry. Three years ago I threw my “hat in the ring” to test that pastoral call. It was a season spent opening my life to other brothers who could affirm and encourage that call, while offering me wisdom along the way. Jesus has used that process to not only refine me as a man, husband, and leader, but also to solidify His call on my life to be a pastor. To be honest, most of the time I feel inadequate to pastor others. It’s constantly a place of deep abiding trust in Jesus. But, I also know that I love his Church, specifically Downtown Cornerstone, and want to give my life for it. I aspire to be an elder so that more and more folks would be able to taste and see that the Lord is good!
“How can we be praying for you and your family in this season?”
Being in full-time ministry is one of the most rewarding jobs, but also one of the most draining. When your life revolves constantly around people, sin, brokenness, and the endless list of stuff to do, you’re tempted to forget that God is the one who is in control, and He’s already won the battle. My prayer is that I would continue to trust Jesus as I help lead His people, and that I would find deep rest in Him along the way. I would ask that you would pray for our family and marriage as well. 1 Peter 5:8, says that the “devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”. It seems like as our church has grown, so have the spiritual attacks of the enemy that usually come in the form of lies, in hopes to undermine our identity and faith and trust in Jesus. Please pray not only for protection, but when they come, that we would cling to Jesus’ promises, no matter what we feel.
Seattle’s Annual Pride Parade is set to begin this Sunday, June 30th, at 11am.
Please note that 4th Avenue will be closed all the way from Union to Denny and blocked off beginning at Cherry (see map below). Free street parking will be very difficult to find as Westlake Park will be the staging area of the parade.
If you drive to our gatherings, we recommend arriving early to find a place to park and enjoy breakfast downtown, or taking the bus in.
Families: We offer parking validation in the Pacific Place Parking Garage for folks with babies/children and/or special needs. Please visit Cornerstone Kids to get your parking garage ticket validated.
Throughout the summer we’ll be corporately gathering together as Downtown Cornerstone Church around the following events. These events will not only be a great opportunity to grow together as a church, but an opportunity to get to know, love and serve those that Jesus has placed around us. Mark them on your calendar and consider who you can invite!
Additionally, our communities will be gathering in various forms throughout the summer. if you’re not connected to one, email to get plugged into one today!
Serve the City | Saturday, July 20th
We are partnering with the Seattle School District for a day of service at Dunlap Elementary School in Rainier Valley. Service activities will include gardening, painting, and getting the school ready for students to come back in the fall. The more volunteers we have, the better we are able to serve this school so please mark your calendars and invite your friends!
All Church Campout | August 16th – 18th
We will be headed to the Port Angeles KOA for a weekend of community and fun! Click here for details and registration! Note: If you plan on staying in a cabin, you’ll need to make a reservation on your own by contacting the KOA at 360-457-5916 or 1-800-562-7558.
BBQ & Beach Baptisms | Tuesday, September 10th
Join us for our 3rd annual BBQ and Baptism event! We will gather at South Lake Union Park for a potluck BBQ followed by baptisms and celebrating what Jesus has done in individual lives. If you are interested in being baptized or learning more, you can read more here.
We depend on volunteer support for all of these events!
If you would like to serve the church by helping plan one of these events, please email or stop by the Connect Desk on Sunday.
We are calling this coming Sunday (06.09.13) “Church Planting Sunday”
We hoped to get this information out earlier, but were awaiting final details to come through. Though we will be continuing our series in 1 Timothy, this Sunday we will also focus on the following:
Awareness: Raising greater awareness of church planting and the Acts 29 Network that we are a part of. We are part of something much bigger than our individual church.
Mission: Feature several clips to highlight how God is spreading the gospel through Acts 29 around the world.
Sermon: Devote a portion of the sermon to the priority and necessity of church planting.
Giving: Take a special offering to raise additional funding for local and central funding in order, by God’s grace, to see the gospel spread through the planting of more churches, everywhere.
“What is the Acts 29 Network?”
The Acts 29 Network is a network of churches that plant churches that plant churches that plant churches all around the world. Acts 29 specializes in assessing, equipping, coaching and networking church planters. The goal of the Network is to continue the good work that began in the first 28 chapters of Acts, pushing back what is dark in the world, and heralding the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ by establishing more Bible-believing, Jesus-loving, gospel-proclaiming churches everywhere. You can learn more about the Acts 29 Network by visiting their website here.
“How can I help plant churches?”
There are two primary ways that you can help: pray and partner.
Pray: (1) Please be praying for our church and the other Acts 29 churches in the Northwest region. You can get a full list on the Acts 29 website. (2) Be praying that God would raise up an army of gifted, called and qualified men to plant more churches in our city and the cities of the world.
Partner: One of the biggest hurdles to church planting is often financial. It takes resources to plant churches, therefore a key component of Church Planting Sunday is the special offering.
“What is the special church planting offering?”
This special offering will help plant churches here and throughout the world. Of the total raised, 60% will be donated to Acts 29 and 40% will assist Downtown Cornerstone in its own church-planting efforts. There are two basic ways to give:
Give on Sunday: Write “Spread the Gospel” on the check memo line and place it in an offering basket. Or, you can give by cash. All cash contributions this Sunday will go towards church planting.
Give online:Or, you can give here through our online giving portal. To give towards church planting select the “Spread the Gospel” fund and follow the directions. Everything given over the next two weeks, starting today, will count towards this year’s Church Planting Sunday efforts.
Join us at South Lake Union Park on June 4th for picnic and games as we welcome in the summer!
This will occur in lieu of our normal community rhythm and is an opportunity to enjoy the sunshine with our neighbors and friends.
WHERE
South Lake Union Park, 860 Terry Ave N. We’ll gather just north of the model boat pond, and west of the MOHI.
WHEN
Tuesday, June 4th, 6pm-dusk
WHAT
Picnic & Games. Bring your own dinner (non-grillable) & yard games. Some drinks, snacks & sporting equipment will be provided.
PARKING
There is ample street parking on either side of the park that is free after 6 pm. The Lake Union Trolley leaves from 5th & Olive and runs right in front of the park.
On Sunday, April 7th 2013, we celebrated our 2nd birthday as a newly forming church in the heart of downtown Seattle. It was an exciting and grace filled day as we recalled God’s faithfulness to us these past 2 1/2 years! We put this short video together to remember some of our brief history as a church, and recount His grace to us along the way.
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
What happens when you combine a Hot Chocolate Run and Comicon? A parking warning!
This Sunday there will be a Hot Chocolate Run to the north of the church, circling the Seattle Center and down to Battery St. Tunnel. At the same time, Comicon will be going at the Convention Center downtown. Combined it could make it difficult to find parking in downtown this Sunday.
If you drive to our gatherings, we recommend arriving early to find a place to park, enjoying breakfast in downtown, or taking the bus in.
Families: We do offer parking validation in the Pacific Place Parking Garage, for folks with babies/children and/or special needs. Please visit Cornerstone Kids to get your parking garage ticket validated.
