Cornerstone welcomes all

PERKINS TWP. — People can expect to feel welcome at Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church. "Our church motto is, 'We are the church where the love of God is contagious, and everybody is somebody in Christ Jesus,'" senior pastor Bobbie L. Garrett Jr. said. "The motto was in place when I got here. Every opportunity I get, I put it on our correspondence, and we display that love to each other and to new people." Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1997 in the city of Sandusky and eventually moving to its current Columbus Avenue location, near Kroger, a few years later. Garrett, a 1987 Sandusky High School graduate and his wife, Sherry, have been the church's leaders for nine years. Growing up, Garrett attended Second Baptist Church on Decatur Street. His 15-year career in the Air Force took him overseas for 12 years of active duty service before three years in the reserves. At one point, he was stationed at the Pentagon. During his service, God called Garrett into ministry in 1999. He lived in Washington, D.C., where he met Sherry, until their move to Sandusky. "God brought me back to the area," Garrett said. "It's a very rewarding and good feeling to come back and serve in a community you grew up in. I often say I have a vested interest in the community because I'm a product of this community." Cornerstone offers two virtual services on Sundays — one at 10:30 a.m. and the other at 12:30 p.m. — on its social network page and via Zoom video conferencing. Ministries for men, women and children are available, in addition to Stone of Hope, a social services ministry that works with local faith-based agencies, like the Salvation Army, and other local organizations to connect people to resources. It's popular around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. If families or individuals contact Garrett, "we'll look to accommodate and see what needs we have," he said. "We're here to serve the community," Garrett said. "We want to be a blessing to any and everyone. We thank the community for allowing us to serve and be that beacon of light." Get to know Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church Address: 2515 Columbus Ave., Sandusky Phone: 419-271-5046 Website: cmbcsandusky.com Facebook: Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood