Our Cornerstone

A reflection based on 1 Peter 2:4-10

One town founder, fond of rock walls, built a mile of them through Boulder Creek, rendering it reminiscent of the English countryside. The walls came down as lots were split and town grew, but one still runs the length of Boulder Street right in front of my church. Rounding the corner from Main Street, it’s just a few yards before the wall comes into view. Those stones, mottled with dirt, moss and age, held in place by gravity and occasional cement cry out, “This is God’s house,” as much or more so than our hundred-year-old building. The church built on land donated by lumberman J.W. Peery, is painted white and fashioned of wood and sweat. The pews have held logging men, resort-goers, retirees, baby boom families and commuters. The building has burnt to the ground and rebuilt twice. The wall is made of stones hauled from Boulder Creek and stacked by Chinese laborers who built railroads in the 1880’s and has withstood the great San Francisco earthquake, and more recent Loma Prieta temblor.

Our congregation dates back to Wesleyan class meetings 140 years ago, our name changing with each Methodist reconfiguration. This is our history, but not our foundation. God is our true founder and architect. Scripture is our blue print, faith the nails that join us together. We stand on the corner of Boulder and Mountain Streets. More importantly, we stand on the Cornerstone--the Living Stone.

O Cornerstone, help us to stand on the living stone, and in so doing become steppingstones for others into your home.