FIRST SUNDAY

When the Haire family arrived in Akron in late February, 1997, we knew that we would probably attend the Cornerstone Church where Charlie Young had been pastor for many years.  He had since been elected Conference Superintendent and Brenda (his wife) was now the Lead Pastor.  The church had exploded with growth from 200 to 400.  So, upon arriving in Cuyahoga Falls, I called for time and directions.

Sunday morning, we arrived early and waited at the side of the foyer.  The first service was already meeting.  The longer we waited, the more people arrived.  Finally, it started to become uncomfortably crowded.  Now, we were being pressed into the corner where the entrance to the office suite was located.  Troy (17 at the time), being a head taller than most, leaned down and said, “Dad, I think I’m gonna like this church!  There are some gorgeous girls here!”  😉  Finally, the foyer was packed.  I wondered how the people would get out of the service!  Then, Dave Potter, an usher, opened the sanctuary doors and the people started flooding out!  It was one of the most amazing moments of my life!  Everyone in the foyer made a hole and the crowd passed through – high-fiving us and telling us what to expect when we got into the sanctuary!  The excitement was higher than what you’d find at an NFL football game!  People were pumped!  We couldn’t wait to get into the sanctuary.  People literally ran to get good seats and save them for their friends and family!  I had never seen a church like this before!  Things couldn’t start soon enough for us!  Every seat was filled!  

David Haydu and the worship team came out and he started leading us in worship.  I had never heard these songs.  Here’s one that I remember:

[Verse 1]

Down the mountain, the river flows
And it brings refreshing wherever it goes
Through the valleys and over the fields
The river is rushing and the river is here

[Chorus]
The river of God sets our feet a-dancing
The river of God fills our hearts with cheer
The river of God fills our mouths with laughter
And we rejoice for the river is here

[Verse 2]
The river of God is teeming with life
And all who touch it can be revived
And those who linger on this river's shore
Will come back thirsting for more of the Lord

[Verse 3]
Up to the mountain, we love to go
To find the presence of the Lord
Along the banks of the river, we run
We dance with laughter giving praise to the Son

I'll never forget it!  I later learned that seventy-five percent of this congregation were first-time believers!  They didn't know the rules!  They were dancing in the aisles!!!!!  This music made you want to dance!  Did you know that the Aramaic word for 'dance' and 'rejoice' is the same word?  There probably ought to be a lot more "rejoicing" in most of our churches...

Everything was WONDERFUL and the excitement was off the charts!  Then, came the prayer time and people seemed to rush the altar.  Others came and crowded around them to pray WITH them!  There was weeping and genuine sincerity!  It was hard to take in!  And finally came Pastor Brenda and her message and we were mesmerized!  What an incredible teacher!  Her passion shines through and she points you to Jesus!  The worship team came back with an invitation.  And finally, we sang the ‘river song’ again and were dismissed!  IT WAS AMAZING!  We knew we’d found our church!  

We talked briefly with Pastor Brenda after worship.  They were saying 'good-bye' to an associate pastor that very Sunday.  She asked if I was available and so we quickly told her about our new job.  I told her I would ask our new employer.  Shelter Care gave me permission to work part-time, so Brenda hired me.  By June, another Associate Pastor left and she asked me to become the Lead Associate!  I was honored and privileged to be part of this amazing movement of God for nearly six years!  When I left, it was a growing church of over 700!!!!! with three services every Sunday morning!  I learned so much and was so impacted by so many including Charlie Young, Brenda Young, Jim Stetler, and a group of staff members who were deeply committed and sacrificial!  They were highlight years of my forty three years in ministry!  God was SO GOOD!

Oh, hey, by the way, Cornerstone Church is still there and still giving out great ministry!  Along with many of you, I'm now worshipping online as a result of the Co-Vid 19 virus.  I now "go to church" about three different places every Sunday morning.  One of my stops is always Cornerstone.  It's cutting edge, vibrant, relevant and won't let you change channels!  😁  If you'd like to join them, they worship at 9 AM, 11 AM, 5PM & 7 PM - you can find them here: https://www.cornerstonechurch.info/

Etiquette

Wikipedia's definition of etiquette:  

Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group.

Like it or not, children learn these behaviors primarily from their parents.  

When Debbie and I were raising our kids, we were concerned that they have a proper sense of respect for etiquette and proper social behavior.

I remember when Travis brought a prom date to our home for pictures along with two other couples.  When they returned to their cars, I was watching from our porch on Bradshaw Avenue.  Travis was the only boy who opened the door for his date.  I was proud!  

We had some help with cultivating culture in our kids.  Our good friends, David and Karen Kelly occasionally helped us with this process.  I remember a day of touring near Ligonier, Pennsylvania with David and Karen one day many years ago.  David taught Travis about sorbet and other delicacies from enjoying a fine meal.  

About once a year, we would have a big night out as a family!  We would go to a much nicer restaurant than usual where our kids would encounter the complexities of multiple forks and spoons.  We'd talk about proper behavior in such a setting.  I would pull the chair out for Debbie and have the boys do so for Tracie.  We'd unfold our cloth napkins and place them on our laps.  

Then, we would leave the restaurant and attend a concert, play or other fine event in one of the downtown Pittsburgh venues.  On one of these occasions, David and Karen treated us to the opera, "The Magic Flute".  It was a delightful evening of teaching our kids appropriate behavior for such a setting.  I remember, during the intermission, David and I caught Travis and Troy gawking at a statue of a naked Cupid who had a water fountain at a conspicuous location! They were pointing and giggling!  David and I giggled at that scene for the rest of the evening!  

I remember taking the kids to see "The Nutcracker" one Christmas season. After a delicious meal at Dingbats, we went to the Benedum Theater for the show.  We were seated just under the edge of the balcony.  Tracie was probably six years old.  Her mom had permed her hair and she had a very beautiful, full dress on.  She was a picture of beauty!  We settled into our soft, cushioned seats as the lights went down and the orchestra began playing.  A few minutes later, I looked down on Tracie - who was sound asleep!  :-)

Parents have an awesome responsibility in raising their children.  There's so much to teach. We must not forget some of these basic lessons.  I must admit to being appalled recently by the eating behaviors of some children and youth.  Things like eating with an open mouth, hovering over one's food, or gulping it down like you're in a race can be offensive.  Who better to check these behaviors than a loving parent?  

For nearly six years, Debbie and I ran a licensed home for behaviorally-challenged children in Summit County, Ohio.  We had hundreds of children in-and-out of our home during those years.  Most stayed for three days;  some stayed as long as a year.  Many of these kids (aged from 5 to 17) came from homes where there was not much structure.  Some had never set down at a table to eat a meal.  Others had no idea how to use a fork.  

Over and again, Debbie and I had to teach basic skills to these children.  

Some wanted to eat super fast in order to get back to playing our Nintendo game.  When they would hop up to run from the table, I would stop them and have them sit down again.  Then I would have Troy or Tracie explain to them about leaving our table.  They would explain:  "You have to ask our Dad if you can leave the table.  You can't leave until he says you can."  You should have seen the looks of astonishment!  

Yet, most of those children learned to enjoy the conversation around our table!  I always managed that conversation by interviewing each kid (including ours).  Many of these children had never had an adult listen to them talking about their day at school!  

Over the course of repeated visits to our home, we saw remarkable progress in many of these kids' lives.  

Maybe we, as parents, need to step up to higher standards for ourselves - for the sake of our kids!  We've been there!  The parenting role is exhausting;  especially for those who are doing it alone!  But, it's worth it when you see your grown-up kids handling responsibility in an appropriate way.

I beamed with pride when Travis served as the United States Naval Academy's Superintendent's Flag Secretary.  In this role he planned exquisite banquets and receptions for the Admiral.  Honored guests often included Congressmen and Senators as well as military dignitaries.  Travis moved among these individuals and did so with grace and style.  He'd been taught well!