Church & Community Profile

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Blake Nash
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1 Church & Community Profile

CornerStone Church History In September, 2001, nine adults began to plan and pray about starting a church in east Maple Ridge.

Steady growth occurred for the first several years due to the great teaching and preaching of Dan Ost, our former Senior Pastor who planted AFBC, and also due to intentional efforts to extend a warm

We have met in various locations in Maple Ridge, from elementary schools and community centres, Albion Hall, and even an elementary school conversion on the nearby community of Whonnock, with the

2 CornerStone Church History In September, 2001, nine adults began to plan and pray about starting a church in east Maple Ridge. On Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002, Albion Fellowship Baptist Church (AFBC) held its first service. We began with the support of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches of BC/Yukon. Steady growth occurred for the first several years due to the great teaching and preaching of Dan Ost, our former Senior Pastor who planted AFBC, and also due to intentional efforts to extend a warm welcome to newcomers. We have met in various locations in Maple Ridge, from elementary schools and community centres, Albion Hall, and even an elementary school conversion on the nearby community of Whonnock, with the plan to eventually have a permanent home in the Albion area. These locations brought various challenges from being double-booked to cleaning up the debris from Saturday night rentals. Each Sunday morning was a rigorous task of transforming a bare room into a sanctuary for worship and hearing from God. These common places, whether multipurpose rooms, frigid school gyms, or well-worn community halls, are where the roots of Albion Church began, with the hard work of volunteers dedicated to serving the Lord. Volunteers gathered well before the doors opened for Sunday service to get the rooms in order. This could take the form of a quick scan for cleanliness to an allhands-on-deck mop and trash removal from the previous booking, including beer cans and streamers. We operated as a church-on-wheels with the bulk of our belongings stored in a utility trailer and towed to the current venue. Later, a converted travel trailer was added to our assets and hauled to Albion Hall each week, providing much needed classroom space. 1

CornerStone Church History 2 The church atmosphere was, and still is, that of a family. Everyone knew everyone and we welcomed new faces right away.

3 CornerStone Church History 2 The church atmosphere was, and still is, that of a family. Everyone knew everyone and we welcomed new faces right away. We took to heart that our immediate mission was the Albion area and planned an outreach event, Albion Dayz, for the families nearby. A small group of people undertaking a large outreach event was a daunting task for our little church but in the end it all came together for several years in a row. Each Christmas we delivered a hand-crafted gift to 500 homes in the Albion area with the reason-for-the-season included. We collected food for the local food bank, provided financial and other support for families in need, and participated with the local women s correctional facility by sewing Christmas gift bags that were filled with gifts and distributed at Christmastime. When we moved to our Whonnock facility, we also hosted several community events, community BBQ s and fun days, but our heart was always for the people of Albion, and we continue to host events in Albion, such as our popular Trunk or Treat event at Halloween, giving young families a safe, not-too-scary alternative for their little ones. From the coffee and hot apple cider bar for the grown ups to linger at, to the man on stilts handing out balloons, to the bouncy castles, craft tents, (and of course, lots of candy!) we continue to seek and serve the Albion community. Having begun as a church plant in 2002, the character of our church still is reminiscent of the early days of Albion Church, with intentional emphasis on inclusive, whole-family activities as well as age specific events and programs throughout the year. Movie-Night-Under-the-Stars, Fall Fun Fest, and lunches followed by soccer or volleyball, are just a few of the ways we stay connected with the larger church family. Small groups provide a warm setting for building closer relationships. We have been blessed by a great group of volunteers, many of whom were here from the beginning.

4 Community Overview Maple Ridge offers a wealth of diversity to all who live or visit here. Located 45 km east of Vancouver, one of Canada s major commercial centres, our community benefits from the many advantages a sophisticated city has to offer while enjoying a quieter lifestyle, away from the urban pace. With the majestic Golden Ears Mountains to the north and the mighty Fraser River to the south, Maple Ridge consists of 260 square kilometres of land that is a reflection of both its rural heritage and an optimistic future. Maple Ridge is a place for families. A friendly, small town atmosphere is maintained with many festivals and celebrations, from agricultural fairs to jazz festivals held throughout the year. Modern schools offer quality education for children of all ages and abilities. Proximity to Vancouver also offers students a wide range of choices in post-secondary education. Other education options include Maple Ridge Christian School offering a pre -K to Grade 12 private school education. Meadowridge School is an independent, coeducational, International Baccalaureate World School offering students a university-preparatory education from Junior Kindergarten (age 4) to Grade 12. 3

Community Overview Maple Ridge is made up of seven distinct historical neighbourhoods: Haney, Albion, Hammond, Yennadon, Ruskin, Whonnock and Webster s Corners.

Over the past decade Maple Ridge has been one of the fastest growing municipalities within the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). Growth rates for Maple Ridge average approximately 3.

5 Community Overview Maple Ridge is made up of seven distinct historical neighbourhoods: Haney, Albion, Hammond, Yennadon, Ruskin, Whonnock and Webster s Corners. The immediate neighbourhood of Albion, where CNC is situated, is one of the fastest growing areas in our region, home to many young families. Over the past decade Maple Ridge has been one of the fastest growing municipalities within the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). Growth rates for Maple Ridge average approximately 3.7% over the last ten years, The population of Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows just exceeded 100,000. Population by Age Maple Ridge is a young community. The two largest age groups are the 0-19 age range and the age range. In comparison to the GVRD, Maple Ridge has a significantly higher proportion of children (0-19 years old) with nearly six percent more children than the GVRD as a whole. 4 Housing Housing prices here have been, and continue to be, among the lowest in the GVRD. Maple Ridge is an attractive location to home buyers not only because of location and lifestyle, but for good value too. Detached Home--Housing Price Index Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows: $714,600 (Compared to Greater Vancouver: $1,545,000) Townhouse- Housing Price Index Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows: $405,000 Apartment Housing Price Index Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows: $209,100

Facility & Membership CornerStone Neighbourhood Church has met in a variety of locations over the years including community halls, churches, and schools within Maple Ridge and have now settled back

Sunday morning we occupy the foyer of Samuel Robertson Technical School, a high school located in the heart of Albion. We make use of 3 classrooms for children s church.

6 Facility & Membership CornerStone Neighbourhood Church has met in a variety of locations over the years including community halls, churches, and schools within Maple Ridge and have now settled back into the Albion neighbourhood where the vision for the church began. CNC currently rents two spaces to meet the needs of our ministries. Sunday morning we occupy the foyer of Samuel Robertson Technical School, a high school located in the heart of Albion. We make use of 3 classrooms for children s church. Two nights a week we rent the gym of Albion Elementary School to hold a junior and senior youth group. Additionally, Burnett Fellowship Baptist Church, another local FEB Pacific church has provided us with office spaces for pastoral and staff use. Current membership: 41 adults The average age of members is estimated at 42 years old (the age of all members is not recorded). Membership is required for most ministry leadership positions in the church. A snapshot of attendance Sunday, February 26th, 2017 Attendees: 122 Adults: 83% Children ages 0-10: 17% 5

Finances History, Growth of Receipts & Expenditures Year Revenue: Expenditures: 2001-02 $33,498 $36,420 2002-03 $84,810 $72,262 2003-04 $102,048 $92,627 2004-05 $118,205 $124,161 2005-06 $129, 725

7 Finances History, Growth of Receipts & Expenditures Year Revenue: Expenditures: $33,498 $36, $84,810 $72, $102,048 $92, $118,205 $124, $129, 725 $127, $123,219 $127, $198,330 $135, $ 290,070 $ 235, $ 292,191 $ 240, $ 328,969 $ 331, $273,262 $422, $174,416 $170, $185,852 $202, $206,120 $185, $248,259 $202, * $154,420 $174,758 6 Some of the growth of AFBC revenue and expenses are a result of the fundraising activities and projects undertaken by Seeds of Love and Hope (SOLAH). SOLAH was started by AFBC as an outreach to establish and support a ministry to destitute children in Colombia. In December of 2006, AFBC, on behalf of SOLAH, purchased a 2.5 acre property in Medellin, Colombia, and SOLAH became a large part of the church budget until recently, when SOLAH received non-profit charitable status under the Societies Act. Although still an integral part of CornerStone ministries, SOLAH is now able to function financially as a separate organization.

8 Church Staff At this time CornerStone Church has one paid staff member, Natasha MacArthur, who is our part-time administration guru. Pastoral History The Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches of BC/Yukon conducted a thorough planning and interview process. East Maple Ridge was identified as a promising location for a new church plant. The committee selected Dan Ost as its first pastor. Dan began with a home group Bible study in September, 2001, and held the first church service in March, He played an integral part in drawing people in and nurturing the church in its growth for nearly ten years. He resigned from CornerStone for personal reasons, finishing his tenure in March of In 2012 Scott Carruthers became the senior pastor for CornerStone Neighbourhood. In January 2017 he resigned from his role to pursue a career outside of ministry. And we are looking forward to the next chapter in God s plan for our Church with a new lead pastor! 8

Learning to apply Biblical concepts to everyday life and walking with Jesus every day is our objective.

9 Children s Programs Children s Programs Three groups of children meet during the service. Average attendance is 25 children. Little Pebbles: Ages 3 Kindergarten Cornerstone Kids: Grades Rocks: Grades 5-6 (meet on alternate Sundays) Our goal is to help children know God and learn to have a relationship with Him. Learning to apply Biblical concepts to everyday life and walking with Jesus every day is our objective. In Children s Church, opportunities are provided for the children to learn, have fun, and connect with positive Christian role models. As they grow older, they are encouraged to be role models for younger children. Several older children have already begun serving as helpers in Children s Church. Teaching schedules are designed on a rotating basis so that teachers can be in the worship service as much as possible, while maintaining a consistent presence in the classroom to foster familiarity with the children. Nursery Childcare is provided for children less than 3 years of age during the worship service. 9

Youth Programs Youth Ministry Senior Youth (Grades 8-12): CornerStone Senior Youth Ministry exists to bring non-believing teens into a relationship with Jesus, connect with Jesus and other teens, and

They meet every Tuesday for Bible study, worship, and games, and have outreach and group building events throughout the year as well.

10 Youth Programs Youth Ministry Senior Youth (Grades 8-12): CornerStone Senior Youth Ministry exists to bring non-believing teens into a relationship with Jesus, connect with Jesus and other teens, and grow in passion for Christ, release teens to make a difference for Christ and others, while surrendering to Jesus in every part of their lives. They meet every Tuesday for Bible study, worship, and games, and have outreach and group building events throughout the year as well. Junior Youth (Grades 5-7): CornerStone Junior Youth Ministry exists to introduce kids to Jesus and help them grow in their friendship with Him. They meet weekly on Monday nights to play games, eat lots of candy, and dive into God s Word. Although they are young, these kids are passionate about their friendship with Jesus. Junior Youth Group provides a safe place for them to grow, ask questions, and dig deeper. 10

Faith-sharing activities by Australian churches

NCLS Occasional Paper 13 Faith-sharing activities by Australian churches Sam Sterland, Ruth Powell, Michael Pippett with the NCLS Research team December 2009 Faith-sharing activities by Australian churches