1. Cornerstone Fellowship's
Flock Notes
March 2013 | Monthly Newsletter of Cornerstone Fellowship of Mill Run
www.cornerstonemillrun.com
What Are You Hunting For?
Your Monthly Pastoral Rant by Pastor Steve Olivieri
Mark Your Are you as tired of the snow, wind, sleet, & cold as I am? I know this is
probably something that will get a universal “amen” but seriously the
Calendar weather in central PA is bipolar I'm convinced! It's constantly up & down
March 14 – 16 10am - 4pm and when it gets cold usually there's a pretty big storm followed by lot's of
Church Bake Sale @ Twice Cherished clean up for days afterward. Maybe this is just my cabin fever talking, but
I'm ready for spring, how about you?
Children's Consignment Boutique Despite my very evident case of cabin fever spring in not my
– located in the Ollie's Outlet Plaza in favorite time of the year. I love fall! I love football and all things Pittsburgh
Steelers & even despite the recent bad press I love the Penn State Nittany
Duncansville, Pa Lions. My wife has yelled at me more than a few times for throwing things
at the TV when either of the two previously mentioned teams are losing.
March 24 – Palm Sunday Just to give you an idea of my devotion to the black & gold. My son Ethan
#
Dedication of Makayla Hope Olivieri came home from the hospital after just being born wearing a no 43 Troy
Polamalu jersey. My love of football is only surpassed by my love of
New Member Ceremony: Connie Hufford hunting. I am an avid bowhunter. Also, at least personally the first day of
buck season is equal to or even greater than Christmas day.
When I was a kid hunting & sports was my life. Some would argue
March 31 – Easter Sunday not much has changed. This was how my family spend quality time
together growing up. Some of my favorite memories included waking up
Sunrise Service: 8:30 – 9:15 early with the brothers & my dad getting the layers upon layers of clothes
Community Breakfast: 9:15 – 10:15 on to brave the elements. All three brothers piling our gear into Dad's pick-
up, talking about all the deer we saw the week before as we drove to meet
Easter Egg Hunt: 9:45 – 10:15 up with cousins & uncles to hunt with us. W alking for mile after mile sitting
and staring out in eager expectation of a big bruiser whitetail buck for hour
Main Easter Service: 10:30 – 11:45
after hour. It didn’t matter that an overwhelming majority of the time the
*Baptism's & New members officially only thing we got was cold, exhausted & hungry. It didn’t matter you just
sat in 15 degree for 9 hours just to see 2 does at daybreak. It didn’t matter
joining the church will occur at all. W hy? This was and is one of the favorite ways my family spends
during the Main Service time together. This is what our family loves to do.
For as long as I can remember my family was also always very
involved in the church. It's no surprise then I was very active in youth group
growing up. My youth leaders didn't have bible degrees & were just

2. What Are You Hunting For?
And the rant continues...
volunteers. Yet they taught me things no bible class ever around the campfire and make each one of us say at least
could. They taught me the most effective way to reach one thing we learned that week. During this sharing time I felt
someone with the gospel is by having a GENUINE God tugging on my heart for the first time that I'm suppose to
relationship with them first. They invested themselves tell people about Jesus for a living.
personally in each kids who walked through there doors Well what's my point with all of this? The relationship
for youth group. Having a genuine friendship with a I had with my youth leaders & kids in my youth group are
bunch of naïve hormonal teenagers, that’s not easy! right near the top of reasons why I'm still in the church &
As a youth group the single event we all looked want soo passionately for others to know Jesus instead of
forward to going to the most was the Creation Music going down a more destructive path.
Festival in Mount Union, Pa. For those deprived souls Did you know, according to a Barna group poll, that
who have never been to it, Creation is the Christian 59% of teenagers who are active in their youth groups today
version of W oodstock. It is held the last week of June will stop attending church at some point between ages of 18
every year in which 100,000 people camp out for up to 5 & 29? Looking back at where the kids of my old youth group
days in the fields of Agape farm. During these 5 days are now I’d say that statistic is pretty accurate. The big
Creation hosts dozens & dozens of the biggest Christian question is what in the world happens between the ages of
bands and motivational speakers in the country. 18 & 29 that so many leave the church altogether?!? Just
For youth groups it is an opportunity to open imagine 3/5 of the 100,000 crazed campers at Creation, by
young impressionable eyes to experience first hand how the time there my age (31), aren’t going to church anywhere!
big this Jesus thing really is. It is a life altering Rick W arren, pastor of the Saddleback church in CA
experience to see almost 100,000 people jumping up & & author of Purpose Driven Life, thought these stats were
down like lunatics as a band plays songs proclaiming soo troubling he set up a conference to understand why. In
how awesome Jesus is. this conference teens themselves were some of the keynote
Beyond the bands & speakers, for a teenager speakers so pastors & church leaders around the world
without any money you can only hide from everyone for would hear from there own lips why their leaving the church.
so long. Camping out like this forces fellowship. It forces Teens described that when they walk in the front
you to learn how to live peaceably in the midst of others. doors of the church it seems so archaic at times they felt like
Even more than just learning how to not avoid the they've enter into a time warp transporting them 30 years
world & kill each other. Our youth group leaders made us back in time. They continued that while technology & the
live out our faith in fellowship by doing chores, cooking image of the church needs updated, the gospel message
meals for one another as well as making sure certain cannot be watered down or masked with smoke & mirrors.
kids didn’t set off illegal fireworks & get us all kicked out. Kids & young adults today are cynical by nature
They also made us go to seminars & listen to speakers questioning everything & can spot hypocrisy a mile away.
each day. They yearn for a rational faith that is able to answer tough
Now my old youth leaders had flaws just like the questions. They despise the sugar coated superficial version
rest of us. Overall though, they taught us in simple yet of church where everything & everyone is perfect & has it all
profound ways HOW to grow in our faith and live it out, together. They are looking for real hope & a fellowship of
not as isolated individuals but in community. believers that will walk with them & help them make Godly
On the last night of Creation my senior year in choices instead of condemning them for mistakes. They are
high school something happened that changed my life. looking for family. If they don't find it in the church they'll find
The last night every they would get everyone to sit family somewhere else. It seems many are doing just that.
Scripture of the Month
1 Corinthians 3:7-9 7 So neither he who plants nor he
who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things
grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters
have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according
to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers;
you are God's field, God's building.

3. The rant is almost finished I promise…
Even those young adults who try to connect with the broader church came to realize the church most of the time
didn’t know what to do with them. Because they didn't look or act like most who attended they constantly felt like an
outsider. They were told if they want to serve they can run the sound equipment in the back. Bottom line: young
adults lost the family that kept them attending when they were in youth group so many left the church.
If we are called to make disciples out of the nations, how good of a job are we doing as a church if 3/5 of our
young people stop attending? This is the kind of stuff that will cause a pastor to lose sleep at night. If churches really
want to make an impact in our cynical culture we need to develop real relationships with people, not just hand them a
gospel track & head off to our next target. St. Francis of Assisi has the famous quote, “Preach the gospel at all times.
If necessary use words.” As a pastor of a small church I don't have all the ministries, resources & an army of
volunteers like a large church does. The way a small church reaches the lost is by developing real relationships with
people & personally walking along side of them showing them God's love through the ups & downs of life. Chances
are if you hand that same person a track, they have already heard that line before & frankly may not believe you.
It's true. Another mind-blowing statistic is that 94% of Americans have heard the gospel message before &
less then half attend church. There are many reasons why. One reason comes from the book I’m reading on sexual
purity. It says growing up in America we’re taught NOT to rely on others for help from birth. Americans have this built
in sense of, “I can do it on my own thank you” independence. From Rocky to Rambo to the Marlboro Man when it
comes to facing problems, we’re taught to talk less, tighten up your boot straps & just fix it. We’re taught real men
don’t cry. Heaven forbid you actually go to counselor or think about joining a support group. Counseling is only for
those who are “really messed up” & support groups are only for drug addicts & abusive alcoholics. I'm not that bad!
Things aren't that bad, yet suicide rates for teens & young adults are skyrocketing. Obviously then we aren’t
able to just do things on our own. Newsflash! The bible is full of manly man & Godly women whose best quality was
realizing they COULDN'T DO IT ON THERE OWN ANYMORE! They needed God AND OTHERS for help & SO DO
YOU! I feel this is really where the church needs to step up. W hat do I mean? I mean we all, no matter how perfect
we think we are, have skeletons in our closet. When was the last time you felt like you could share any of those
skeletons without fear of rejection or condemnation? If I was a betting man, I'd wager a month's salary that most of
you reading this article will probably say, if your honest with yourself, there's really NEVER been a time when you felt
comfortable enough with anyone ever to share stuff that sensitive with.
I'm not suggesting we be able to tell just anyone, anytime, anywhere our deepest darkest sins, but without the
exposing those skeletons to the light we will never experience real & complete acceptance. W e will always have it in
the back of our minds, “if they really knew me, the REAL ME, they would get rid of me in a second.” Jesus says he
loves us unconditionally!! He knows every skeleton, & still died for You. How amazing is that! How different would
church be if we would stop hiding behind the masks & let others in to see the real us & were actually
accepted..without condition..AS FAMILY? How different would that feel? How absolutely wonderfully & powerfully
freeing would that be? This is God's vision for His people, His family, His church. Let this be our vision too.
Cornerstone Fellowship Bake Sale!!
200 Hollidaysburg Plaza
Duncansville, Pa 16635
(814) 695-2556
– located across from The Meadows
in the same plaza as
Wendy's & Ollie's Bargain Outlet
Where: Right outside the Twice Cherished Children's Consignment
Boutique during there 30% off Spring Sale
When: March 14 – 16th from 10am – 6pm
How to help: Please we need your help with baked goods, soups, &
any other homemade goodies your willing to donate.
*Also we need volunteers willing to help sell baked goods as well!

4. Prayers & Praises
Arthur Burnham: Arthur had suffered a fractured hip and torn left rotator cuff after
he fell through a roof & fell 10 feet during a missions trip to Peru. Praise God his hip
is recovering very well. He is only needing a cane to help him get around. He
recently needed an MRI on his left shoulder which apparently will need surgery if he
is going to gain full use of it again. Lord give Arthur peace & healing.
Kim Clapper: Continue to keep her in your prayers as she continues on with life
after the passing of her husband of 42 years. She has some good days and some
bad ones. Lord give Kim comfort daily.
Sandy Morrison: Last friday Sandy had surgery to reverse the colostomy & put
things back together after she suffered a bowel obstruction last October. She is in
good spirits & is recovering very well. She hopefully will be discharged from the 415 Mennonite Road
hospital sometime late this week. Lord thank you for Sandy's successful surgery!
Altoona, Pa 16601
JR, Latisha & Camryn Clapper: They are facing the daunting task of searching for Office: (814) 942-4003
a home to buy. Lord give them peace & discernment.
Pastor's Cell: (703) 629-0441
Makayla Olivieri: After spiking a fever on Monday morning she took another trip to
the ER at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. Thankfully it was only a quick trip as
doctors said it was just a virus. Also pray for Sara that she will get some sleep & rest Sunday Services
dealing with a house full of sick kids. Lord give the Olivieri family peace & rest. Sunday School: 9:30am
Worship: 10:30am
Patty Brandt: She is experiencing a lot of pain in her back with cysts discovered on Awana Club: 6 - 8pm
her spine. Lord give her comfort & healing.
Special Praise to all the new members joining this Easter Sunday: Thank you to
Dan & Sandy, Emily, JR & Latisha, Patty, Karen & John, Paul, Bobbie Jo & Jimmy, &
last but certainty not least Connie for their desire to become members of the
Cornerstone Fellowship family. Lord thank you for their dedication & euthusiasm. Let
each one be accepted with open arms into the church family in Mill Run.
Cornerstone Idea Corner – Update
Church Signs: Matt Clapper of Maverick Outreach/Discipleship Committee: Our
Graphics has agreed to design & help first meeting is tentatively planned for mid
install our new church signs. Cost & final April. Exact date will be decided after
design are still in the working stages. Easter.
New Secretary: Latisha Clapper is VBS 2013: VBS has been scheduled once
already hard at work organizing the again with the Clowns for Christ June 17 –
church office. She has help set up the 21st. This years theme will be running the
pastor's library & starting to help with the race with perseverance.
church website & flyer designs. Good
work Latisha! Cross & Nail Worship Service: The
Hulse's have agreed to help organize
these worship services again after Easter.