Made Especially For You
Our Worship Podcast
Hey there, fellow worshippers, music enthusiasts, and tech-savvy friends! Welcome to the Cornerstone Worship Podcast, your go-to hub crafted specifically for the members of our worship and tech teams. Here, we release new episodes monthly, tailor-made to pair with our monthly worship theme. Take a listen each month to be encouraged & glean invaluable insights. Our hope is that after you listen, you'll feel more fully equipped to lead our community with a better understanding of our monthly worship focus, its significance, and the important role that you play in our community.
This Month's Topic
We sing in worship in order to unite ourselves with each other and in Christ. Singing the same words at the same time with others can unite us, physically and spiritually. Research shows that as singers breathe according to musical phrases, their heartbeats will align as they sing together. Singing about a common goal, purpose, or object of worship, builds comradery. When we gather to worship, music isn't just background noise. It's a powerful tool that unites us.Β
This Month's Episode
In this episode, Jeff Graves got together with Stan Hankinson, Abby Provencher, & Alex Castellanos to talk about unity. They enjoyed a near perfect night, windows open, crickets singing, talking about how God has wired us biologically to enjoy and benefit from singing. In a spectacular brain-fart while trying to remember the word "blessing", Jeff created a new phrase: "side-gift". There are many side-gifts that we get when we experience unity as a team and as a congregation. Take a listen!
A big thank you to Stan, Abby, and Alex for your time and transparency, and thanks to Jeff for guiding us through.
Past Episodes
AUGUST 2024
Jeff meets up with Anne, Jesse, & Jerry to talk about edification through worship.
JULY 2024
Jeff meets up with Jordan, LaDonna, & Morgan to talk about responding to God's call through worship.
JUNE 2024
Jeff meets up with Tim, Zach, & Larissa to talk about glorifying god through worship.
A Few Random Facts
Meet The Team
Jeff Graves
There's always some song bouncing in my head, but who knows what genre it is. I'm all over the place. I had my first church solo when I was in first grade and sang "God Can Do Anything!" I recently retired from vocational ministry after 40 years serving in Texas, Illinois, and New Jersey, mainly dealing with teens. I love thinking outside the lines and in between the lines of the Bible.
Laramie Street
Music & creativity have always been a part of my life. I started violin when I was 5 years old and electric bass at 14. After graduating with my BFA in studio art, I got involved with a church plant and I started to serve with my artwork. I've been tinkering, wiring, paper mache-ing, building, designing, painting, and installing stuff in the church ever since.
Beck Smith
I grew up in a musical family and dabbled in playing most instruments, but found that it wasn't the ideal way for me to feel engaged in worship. When I was 14 I began helping out with the tech in the church, and I have been all tech, all the time, ever since. When I'm not elbows deep in cables or hours into an edit, I'm in school studying production.
Noreen Abdon
In a small church in the Philippines at the age of 6, I performed a special number- singing with a CD instrumental track. That was the first time I sang on stage by myself. In the following years, I joined a vocal master class led by renowned pianist, Vera Tisheff, served on my church's worship team for 6 years, and attended WPU as a Popular Music Major. I am now studying Music Therapy at MSU.
John Van Buiten
JVB to some, John or Johnny to others. Accountant by day, musician by night (and I guess also some days). I started piano at 5 years old and organ at 13. I played in church for the first time at 6 years old and have been involved in worship music ever since. When I'm not accounting or making music, my three kids keep me on my toes.