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December Newsletter 2006 Pastor Don Cameron Says… November and December have seen some great things happen around Cornerstone. Boys Brigade finished with an end of year dinner where the boys received awards for the year and spoke about how much they enjoyed the program. – We’ve been talking to local Secondary Schools about running ‘Youth Dimension’ programs for students around Dandenong. – Cleeland Secondary College students donated $400 towards our Christmas programs. – Several Cornerstone (MIDDWAY Cobras) Footballers attended the RecLink League Presentation night at the Whitten Oval. Our favourite concreter Lenny’ is out of a coma and making a steady recovery from a very serious illness. It was great to visit him and have him talk back to me after many weeks of visiting him in intensive care. Christmas time remains a busy time of year for most organisations like ours. Perhaps an even busier time is during January when many new people visit our Wednesday program seeking food and other assistance from our skeleton crew while our regular helpers take a well earned break. We would like to have more volunteers for Wednesdays in January so contact me if you are available to help out (0415 888 528). It’s also a busy time for single Mum’s coping with their children home for school holidays and I’m planning a few activities for regular Boys Brigade people who can’t wait for the program to start again. We continue to talk with interested people about new programs at Cornerstone in 2007 and I welcome ideas and feedback from anyone who has something to say or would like to help out. May you have a blessed Christmas and be a blessing to others all through 2007. Pastor Don Cameron 0415 888 528 / DonInDandenong@netscape.net Cornstone Name Change Over the years Cornerstone has had the business name of Local Churches Urban Mission Inc. This has been confusing and early this year it was decided to change the name to Cornerstone Contact Centre. This has been approved by the government and all the appropriate changes have been made to our letterheads, account etc. Donations Financial support can be given through our website and follow the prompts. Cheque’s should be made out to Cornerstone Contact Centre and posted to Cornerstone Contact Centre PO Box 358, Dandenong 3175. Combined Services This was a Sunday Night meeting at Dandenong Baptist and supported by the Dandenong Ministers’ Fellowship. Pastor Charles Lazaro from the Dandenong Baptist Church led the service and brought a challenging message. Fellowship was enjoyed after the meeting over supper in the adjoining hall. Office Opens January 29th, Dates for December and January Cornerstone Christmas Lunch Friday December 22nd. January program Dates: Corrections to recommence on January 31st. February 7th lunches commence. 
Single Parent’s Dinner: Run by Winepress (Berwick AOG) for single Parents and 250 children., and their children Cornerstone and Avocare were again pleased to be supporters in the background providing funds and goods for the Chritmas Hampers. This is one way Cornerstone can input into the City of Casey where at least 30% of our clients come from. With a sit down meal for the parents and a festival and party food for the children. A happy band of volunteers feted 130 single Single Mums Dinner and festival run by Winepress Church in Berwick. Cornerstone has assisted this program over a number of years. What Is CHIPS Cornerstone has assisted in sending children in crisis to CHIPS Camps and will in 2007 again sponsor several children. Christians Helping in Primary Schools is a non profit organization which was formed to link the local Christian churches with local primary schools. Its purpose is to provide love, support and encouragement to the primary school community. Pastor Eric Wieckmann, often known as ‘Captain Eric’ has been involved with children’s work for the last 20 years. In fact, he was even a child himself once! He was awarded the MTC (Ministry to Children) children’s worker of the year in 2000. Nominated for citizen of the year in 2002 and won citizen of the year for Casey City in 2005. He sees some 10,000 children a year in Australia and overseas. C.h.i.p.s is able to provide (through the support of churches): – Seminars for students, teachers and parents. – A range of camps and programs for children in crisis. – Counselling and welfare services. – A resource centre with a range of programs and equipment available. Pastor Max & Alison regularly represent Cornerstone at CHIPS breakfasts held for pastors, principals and teachers in the City of Casey. Learn more on their website: www.chips.org.au Volunteers’ Outing:
Since the meal program commenced in 1996 each year a special Christmas function has been organized for the volunteers. Cornerstone Contact Centre is a faith mission run in the heart of downtown Dandenong. It combines welfare assistance with a Drop In facility to meet the needs of the many disadvantaged people in the area. Cornerstone is transdenominational being administered by Christians from a variety of church backgrounds. Cornerstone meets in the old Church of Christ building on the corner of Mason and Walker Sts Dandenong. It is next to the tax office and surrounded by a variety of government and welfare agencies. The building is owned by the Rado family who allow Cornerstone to use the property free of charge. Cornerstone is recognised as a safe haven for people who live on the fringes of society. It provides a variety of programs that meet the needs of this very multicultural community. Cornerstone provides meals and crisis assistance in the municipalities of Casey and Greater Dandenong for people in the district who have multiple needs. Editorial By Pastor Max Walker There Is Indeed “Room in the Inn!” It was a cold, windy night in Nairobi, Kenya with sheets of tropical rain beating down throughout the evening. In the huge slum adjacent to our St. Mary’s Mission Hospital an unwanted child was born in secret and thrown out naked into a fetid garbage pile. All night long this child lay exposed to the rain and cold. The next morning some kind people from the slums discovered her in the garbage pile and brought her to St. Mary’s. She was gray, wet-wrinkled from the rain, so cold a thermometer couldn’t record her temperature, and barely alive with only feeble remaining gasps. Using hot water bottles to gently warm her, oxygen, glucose, and liberal amounts of love, St. Mary’s nurses were able to bring this little child back to life. Bugs from the garbage pile that had crawled into her mouth and ears were removed. By the next day she was able to begin bottle-feeding. Named “Hazina” (meaning “‘treasure“’ in Swahili), this tough little child is now a happy resident of our newly opened Maternity Ward. We thank God for the gift she is to us as a “Catholic Center of Health Care Ministry In Service To The Poor.” Rev. William Fryda, M.M. Nairobi, Kenya. When I read this true story on the Net I was reminded that despite the chaotic and brutal world we live in there are good people who care giving of themselves to assist others and by doing so they make a difference. Let us continue to reach out demonstrating Christ’s love to those in need. May God bless you and yours this Christmastide. Important Dates 2006 FINAL SATURDAY NIGHT PROGRAM SAT. 16TH. FINAL LUNCH FOR 2006 WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY DECEMBER 22ND. DROP IN OPENS AT 9.00 AM. SPECIAL XMAS LUNCH AT 11.45 AM. CAROL SINGING. Cornerstone 2007 CORNERSTONE WILL BE OPEN ON A WEDNESDAY ONLY IN JANUARY COMMENCING ON THE 3RD. NOTE: 10.00 AM. – 1.00 P.M. A LIGHT LUNCH WILL BE SERVED. AS MOST OF OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE ON HOLIDAYS. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO HELP OVER JANUARY SEE PASTOR DON. CORNERSTONE OFFICE WILL OPEN ON WEDNESDAY JANUARY 31ST NORMAL PROGRAMS COMMENCE FROM WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 7TH WITH LUNCH AT 11.45 AM.
For further details check out the website or contact us as indicated below. * All correspondence to CEO c/o PO Box 358 Dandenong. 3175.
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Overall Cornerstone has approximately 50 volunteers giving a variety of types of assistance to the programs and it is their dedication, enthusiasm and hard work that provide the necessary assistance to ensure the various programs happen. As a group the volunteers gather for training and bonding at least five times a year. This year activities have included two evening training sessions, a daytime training session followed by a Christmas in July lunch, a barbeque lunch at Lysterfield Park and culminating in a bus trip and trip by ferry down the Yarra to Williamstown.