Ah… summer camp.  How does one describe it?

Faith–building lessons about the heroism of the Lord Jesus.  Silly games.  Camp food.  Silly songs.  Hayride.  Swimming.  Canoeing.  Serpent slaying.  Capture the flag.  Sports.  Bonfire.  Smores.  A cabin full of third & fourth grade boys.  The toilet in said cabin overflowing. 

And, oh yes… shaving cream fights.

Children’s Bible Camp 2007 was a fantastic success!  Nineteen of the church’s children (and one adult in his unforgettable acting debut as Goliath of Gath) treated us to a very impressive presentation of “A Man After God’s Own Heart”—an original three–act play based on the early life of David. 

Excellent work, children!  And thank you again to all the adults who worked so hard to help the children get themselves prepared for this service to the church.  It was both delightfully fun and richly edifying.

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.  Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
—Jesus

Have you ever thought about how much food there is in the Bible? The story opens in a garden paradise where special attention is brought to the fruit hanging off the trees. The story ends at a wedding feast. And in between, there’s a lot of talk about food.

The Old Testament liturgical calendar had something like 90 feast days built into it every year (compared to but one fast day). Sharing a meal with the saints of God, in the holy presence of God, is something that is woven into the very fabric of godly living, both before and after the coming of Christ. The prophet Isaiah describes redemption itself in terms that would make a South Beach Dieter blush: “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (25.6). There’s much more that could be said on this topic as well, but just note that it’s certainly no accident that when God appeared in the flesh he came “eating and drinking,” and his enemies thought they could get away with naming him “a glutton and a drunkard” (Luke 7.34).

So it’s no wonder God’s people have a hard time calling something “fellowship” unless there’s a casserole involved somewhere along the way. Whether it’s a church picnic (pictured above), the refreshments we enjoy every Lord’s Day, the monthly Shepherding Group meetings, the bimonthly Fellowship Meals, the drinks and snacks that surround every event (be it for the men, the women, or the children), or the Lord’s Supper itself, we are always learning how to love Christ and one another better over food. This is but one more delightful way that God has designed the blessed community of the church. “I am unwilling to send them away hungry” (Jesus - Matthew 15.32). “He has filled the hungry with good things” (Mary - Luke 1.53).

Mark Twain once said, “All you need for a good education is a log with a good student on one end and a good teacher on the other end.”

Well, since Cornerstone was formed (in September of 2003) this has been our log. We are in the beginning stages of buying land and building our own home, but for the present, the gymnasium of Hagemann Elementary School is serving us just fine.

We have the very best of teachers (Jesus, the Son of God Himself), and together we are learning to become better students of the faith and life that he is teaching us. He instructs us in these things every week through his Word, his Spirit, his gospel, his worship, his sacraments, and through the fellowship of his assembled people.

These are the basic things you need for a good church. Pews and stained glass are nice, but our log is all that is necessary. One day we’ll probably look back on it nostalgically.