June Gazette 2010
EDITORIAL:
Cornerstone Coordinator Don Cameron
May was another very busy month at Cornerstone highlighted by some very gifted preaching, donations of bibles, and other goods, the ‘Free Haircut’ Day plus the Endeavour Hills Rotary Club putting on another popular ‘Steak Night’.
Gloria and her team helped provide thousands of meals to hungry people, cold people were welcomed into the main hall to sit under our gas heaters, Wally and his team kept the urn filled up and the hot drinks coming while Ron and others invited people to put their name down to form a team of two to play ‘doubles’ games of snooker. Our office team of Sonya and Rick also worked hard picking up the slack wherever they were needed.
We’ve had new volunteers from the Winepress Church in Berwick, Calvary Chapel in Endeavour Hills, Casey Reformed Church in Hampton Park, the Endeavour Hills Rotary Club returning and students from Chisolm TAFE in Berwick plus several other places as well as our regular teams of volunteers. Somebody estimated we have over fifty volunteers at Cornerstone but a conservative head count shows we have at least three times that number.
Around one hundred women attended a women’s only event at Cornerstone on the Saturday before Mother’s Day when Mandy and her team from “Women’s Better World” put on a ‘pamper day’ with free haircuts, massages and other activities including food and drinks to honour women and mothers. Mandy is a qualified hairdresser and will open Cornerstone to provide free haircuts for men and women on the fourth Thursday of each month. They are in need of finances to develop their program so please contact Mandy on 0433 626 855 or email her at womensbetterworldinc@yahoo.com.au if you can assist.
Pastor Tom Curry and the Streetlighters Youth Ministry team continue to minister to many young people at Cornerstone on Friday nights from 7pm onwards. They also run a smaller youth church program at Cornerstone on Sunday nights as well as a soccer team on Saturdays. For more information about what they are up to contact Pastor Tom on 0414 893 852.
The Cornerstone building looked a bit nicer after a team from the Winepress Church had a working bee. The roof still leaks after some storms and it appears the roof tiles put up last year are struggling to stay on despite past attempts to wire in tiles and having cyclone clips clamping them to the batons. A builder suggested we replace a small section of the roof with tin and we are investigating that at the moment. We constantly need at least one set of washers replaced on our many taps so if anyone has the tools and a few minutes to help us out please let me know.
On a very sad note, Cornerstone regular Brian Wood passed away in early May. Brian had been attending Cornerstone programs for around ten years and had never caused a moment of trouble with anyone. Brian liked a drink and despite many stern warnings from Doctors he continued this habit until he died while visiting a friend’s house one Wednesday night. His funeral was in Fawkner where many Cornerstone people made the journey to honour Brian’s memory. His cheery voice, cheeky grin and dry sense of humour was always appreciated and he will never be forgotten by those of us who knew him well.
We continue to thank God for His many blessings to us and all who attend Cornerstone. I am always interested in hearing from people who have suggestions on how we can do things better or are interested in helping out as a volunteer.
MARANATHA!
Pastor Don Cameron
(Interim) Cornerstone Coordinator
DonInDandenong@netscape.net
Work: 9794 5654 / 0415 888 528
- Free hair cuts by
'Women's Better World'
Cornerstone Programs 2010
Monday
(ERHMA football team that many Cornerstone people are involved with) MIDDWAY Cobras Football training from 5.30pm – 7pm at Reid
Oval in Doveton
Call Coach Gary Lambert on 0425 763 072 for more details
Tuesday
Morning Church program for patients at the Dandenong Psychiatric hospital
Free music tuition on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday nights each month
Wednesday
Drop in program from 9am – 1pm with a hot meal served around 11.45am
Driver Awareness programs on selected Wednesdays
MIDDWAY Cobras football games every second Wednesday afternoon
Legal Advice on selected Wednesday mornings.
Please ring for an appointment.
Thursday
’Womens Better World’ cooking program for new Australians. Call Mandy on 0433 626 855 for more details
Driver Awareness programs on selected Thursdays
Friday
Drop in program from 9am – 1pm with a hot meal served around 11.45am
“Street lighters Youth Ministry” program from 6.30pm – 11pm. Call Pastor Tom Curry on 0414 893 852 for more details
Saturday
Drop in program from 7pm – 10pm with a hot meal served around 8pm
“Womens Better World” hairdressing and beauty programs. Call Mandy on 0433 626 855 for more details
Sunday
Afternoon drop in program from 1pm – 3.30pm on the 2nd and 4th Sundays each month
A visiting speaker shares a gospel message around 2pm and a hot meal is served around 2.30pm
Streetlighters Sunday night Youth Church / Bible study program. Call Pastor Tom Curry on 0414 893 852 for more details.
- Men from the Endeavour
Hills Rotary serve dinner
Women’s Better World Ministry at Cornerstone
Last year Mandy and Nathan from the “Women’s Better World” Charity spent many hours renovating a back room at Cornerstone that was severely damaged by water. Nathan put in a new floor, new ceiling, painted the walls and had other tradespeople come in to help with new lighting, interior design etc. The room was finished early this year and Mandy (professional hairdresser) and her team of Tafe students have provided hundreds of haircuts to Cornerstone people. Nathan and Mandy are originally from Iran and understand the ‘Dari’ language that Afghan people speak. Mandy wanted to provide a private place where women, especially Muslim women could along and get pampered without feeling nervous about taking off their head scarf around men. On Thursday 27th May, they opened the doors to anyone from Cornerstone (men, women and children) who wanted a free haircut and put on a morning tea in the Cornerstone hall as a waiting room. People turned up in droves and Mandy’s team were kept very busy. Mandy plans on doing this one Thursday morning each month among the many other programs they run. For more information about what Mandy and her team do or to donate to their cause, please contact Mandy on 0433 626 855 or via email at womensbetterworldinc@yahoo.com.au
- Dave Kranjec preaches the Gospel
A Letter From Prison
Part of a letter we received from a Cornerstone regular serving time in Barwon Prison for theft;
“… My psych is upbeat and set for the upcoming weeks. I’m working and still training. Jogging, reading and doing the psychology program are keeping me as busy as one can be. It’s the only way. I’m thinking of having a game or two of football before I get out but it gets pretty willing at times. Some blokes play like we’re playing for an early release from jail. I have to remind some of the younger blokes that all activities are privileges not rights. After the events of a few weeks ago a lot of recreation equipment has been confiscated (ie all bikes). It’s a bit ironic as I’m working in an area where there’s plenty of chains and metal for the things we make. If people are going to do things like the episode a few weeks ago it will happen regardless of where you are housed. Not the most comforting thought but that’s jail for you!… ”
This man has been homeless for the best part of the last five years and hopes to have accommodation when he is released. A local Church has a bed waiting for him.
