Cornerstone Church celebrates 75 years of faith, service and community impact
For more than seven decades, the church has remained committed to sharing the Gospel while uplifting hundreds of residents through feeding schemes, youth programmes and community outreach.
The Cornerstone Church of Nazarene recently turned 75, marking over seven decades of giving back to the community through faith, service, and outreach.
According to senior pastor Greg Baytopp, the church was founded on May 8, 1951, and he has been part of the congregation for the past 35 years.
Reflecting on the milestone, Greg said the church has remained true to its mission of impacting the community by sharing the Gospel, gathering in unity, and expressing God’s love through giving and serving.
“We are also guided by a vision drawn from Micah 6:8, which calls us to be a Christ-like, connected community with a Word-based purpose of making disciples by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God,” he said.
They are not only a pillar of faith, but the church is also involved in multiple initiatives aimed at uplifting the community.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, volunteers cook meals for about 300 community members, a programme that has been running for the past six years with the support of generous donations from individuals and organisations across the community.
The church also collects pre-loved clothing for those in need, assists job seekers with compiling CVs and submitting job applications, and is currently hosting a school holiday programme for children in partnership with another local church.
“We believe it takes a village to raise a child. The holiday programme continues to grow and provides children with a safe place to spend their school holidays instead of being on the streets.”
In addition, the church is working alongside other churches on an initiative aimed at encouraging community members to participate in the democratic process by voting.
Greg said the church’s outreach efforts are inspired by the teachings of Matthew 25 and reflect its desire to serve others in the same way Christ served.
“We believe we are called to be like the One we serve. That is what the Bible teaches us,” he said.
As the church looks ahead, Greg said its vision remains unchanged.
“We desire to continue reaching out to the community, serving those in need and making a lasting difference in people’s lives through the love of Christ.”
