Media Release

Another Year at Cornerstone

Set for another year at Cornerstone Community Canowindra

17 February 2005

Over one hundred friends and family, from as far away as Adelaide and Melbourne, filled the Canowindra Anglican Church on Saturday night as the new Cornerstone Community students for 2005 gave their public commitment to the year ahead. This ceremony follows four weeks of introduction to the life, study and work of the community, giving each student time to carefully consider the kind of adventure that is before them. In short address, Dave Richards, Dean of the training centre, reminded the gathering of the key position these young men and women were in as they develop their faith in a time of unprecedented cultural change.

"This group of students are legendary. In an age where commitment to anything is minimalised and dependence on God considered naive, these young men and women have decided to invest at least one year to honestly think through their future from an eternal perspective, and consider the questions that are somewhere in the back of everyone's heart and mind; questions about origin, destiny, purpose and fulfilment."

Steve Shearn, a computer programmer from Queensland admitted: 'coming to Cornerstone for two years will have significant effects on my career in information technology, but some things are really worth careful and thorough consideration. This year I am hoping to become stronger as a person and in my faith, to learn more about God, and to really get into what matters in life, even if it costs me something I've worked hard for. All you can take with you after you die is yourself and your friendship with God"

While these new students move in, last year's students move out in the form of two mission teams to Dubbo. There they will complete their second year of the Diploma of Christian Studies. Chris Cuddy, Manager of Turf the Lot and member of Cornerstone Community said:

"This year of practical Christian mission gives our students an opportunity to present the truth of Jesus in ways that are relevant and tangible to ordinary Australians. We understand that the church no longer plays the role in families lives it did some twenty years ago, and are passionate about equipping men and women to live out the same truth in their every-day lives. Living the truth has always been very compelling".

As usual, the students come from a range of locations: Brunei, Korea, Melbourne, Adelaide and Newcastle, and vocations, including Nursing, Hospitality, IT and Teaching. Cornerstone Community, Australia's first whole-of-life discipleship training ministry, is celebrating its fifteenth year in Canowindra this year.

For more information Contact:

Cornerstone Community

217 Cucumber Lane

Canowindra  NSW  2804

postal: 217 Cucumber Lane Canowindra NSW 2804

phone: (02) 6344 1985

fax: (02) 6344 1805

email: canowindra@cornerstone.edu.au

Dean Jon Giger

Administrator David Etty