JUDAH
John & Lestra Gross, tribe leaders

“Arise, Shine Judah – Ascend to the mountain of the Lord, to the Mighty One of Israel, and receive your inheritance!”

John and Lestra Gross were saved in 1978 and have been at Cornerstone for over 24 years. John became Minister of Music in 1979 and was ordained in 1994. Lestra has served in various capacities involving teaching, children’s ministry, women’s ministry, and counseling.

“In the spring of 1978 we were still just a couple of hippies. One day, Lestra said she thought that we should take our (then) two children to church. I was an atheist at the time, and Lestra, an agnostic, felt that the children’s going to church would be a prudent thing to do with respect to child rearing (duh). We had never been to a church, so I said, “Sure, I’ll go. I know of a metaphysical church here in town. Maybe I could practice my mantra.” So we found ourselves at the “Church of Today” that next Sunday. Everyone was sitting in lotus position and singing a really cool song, “We are all gods.” I thought it was wonderful! But they had no nursery, so we never went back. Then we heard about a church nearby that was non-denominational. As far as we were concerned, that was fine. We wouldn’t mind going to a church with a mixture of Buddhists, Hindus, and Unitarians – you know, “non-denominational.” Well, guess what church it turned out to be: Cornerstone! When we walked in I was overcome by the presence of God. I got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit that day. It took Lestra a few weeks longer, but soon we were both born again and ready to serve the Lord. Less than a year later I became Minister of Music.”