HISTORY

May 6, 1979Cornerstone holds first worship service, under the leadership of Rev. Gary and Sharon Williamson, in a renovated plumbing shop on Centralia Road in Chester, Virginia. Cornerstone was launched by West End Assembly of God under the leadership of Dr. H. Robert Rhoden. More- Early History
1980Cornerstone grows and moved its meetings to the Chester Community Center.
May, 1981Pastor Gary shares vision that Cornerstone would be a Healing Center!
1983Sunday morning worship service moved to the Thomas Dale High School.
January 1986Cornerstone moved to its present location at 10551 Chalkley Road.
August, 1987Pastor Gary Wayne Williamson drowns.
September, 1988Wayne and Diane Mancari move to Cornerstone and he is installed by Dr. H. Rhoden Rhoden as Senior Pastor.
May, 1993"Jesus, the Healer" statue, carved by Claudia Rees, is dedicated.
June, 1993Pastor Wayne leads first Missions trip to Guatemala
June, 1995Diane Mancari launches first Kids' Summer Fellowship.
July, 1995Started having two Sunday morning services
November, 1995"Expanding for Ministry" campaign results in funds to add classrooms, youth room, nursery and offices.
September, 1999Isaiah 61 Inner Healing Prayer Ministry is launched.
September, 2001Started having three Sunday morning services.
December, 2000Let's Go to Bethlehem Ministry is launched reaching 18,000 in two weekends.
February, 2002Pastor Wayne leads first missions team to India.
August, 2002Pastor Shawn leads first missions team to Lima, Peru.
January, 2004Cornerstone funds the building of six churches in Northern India, and one in Lima, Peru.
February, 2004Building Our Lives Together In Christ stewardship campaign results in many people sacrificing to build for the future.
June, 2004Pastor Brandon launches Common Ground Ministry to Young Adults.
January, 2005Discipleship journey launched calling Cornerstone to a lifelong and transforming journey following Jesus into truth, experience, and relationship.
June, 2005Outreach Ministry launched in Shady Hill.
July, 2005Pastor Brandon Baldwin leads first missions team to Mali, Africa.
September, 2005Pastor Jason Marshall joins team and launches 90 Degrees Middle School Ministry
November, 2005Rowena Hall, Missions Task Force Director, leads first missions team to Biloxi, MS after hurricane Katrina.
June, 2006Pastor Shawn takes the position of Community Pastor, closing his time in youth ministry. Adam Reuss joins the team as Youth Pastor.
June, 2006Cornerstone launches a major Small Group effort
July, 2006Pastor Brandon leads first missions team to Irkutzk, Russia.
July, 2006Pastor Adam joins trip and leads tenth Missions trip to Northern Cheyenne Nation in Lame Deer, Montana
October, 2006Cornerstone opens a Community center in Shady Hill
April, 2007Sara Franco leads the first missions team to Romania.
May, 2008Cornerstone's first Celebrate Jesus Service.
September, 2008New Fellowship Hall and classrooms dedicated.
January, 2009God's purposes of Cornerstone continue to be come clear as vision unfolds: "Joining together in the power of the Holy Spirit to be healed, transformed and sent by Jesus to a work in need."
July, 2009Hannah Baldwin leads first missions team to Cambodia.
December, 2009"Let's Go to Bethlehem" returns the sights, sounds, and smells of Bethlehem to the Chester community for a final year.
February, 2010Cornerstone family sacrificially responds to giant of financial crisis with "Five Stones - Faithful Kingdom Living in Trying Times."
July, 2010Cornerstone celebrates 1,000th person to go on missions trip.
August, 2010Pastor Shawn and Sara Franco, having served Cornerstone for 15 years, becomes Senior Pastor, when God calls Pastor Wayne and Diane to move after twenty two years of ministry at Cornerstone.
September, 2010Pastor Rowena Hall joins ministry team, along with Children's Ministries Directors Hannah Baldwin and Krista Gagliardo.
December, 2010Cornerstone raises over $25,000 for missions and new ministry opportunities through Advent Conspiracy
September, 2011Pastor Travis Jones joins ministry team as Student Pastor.