Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church, at 3535 38^th Ave., in Oakland, will celebrate the retirement of their longtime pastor, Dr. Lester L. Cannon, Sr. during the month of November. 

The retirement celebrations will be held on three consecutive Sundays: November 7, November 14, and November 21. There will be two services per Sunday: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The chosen theme is: “Our Pastor, Passing the Mantle.” (Numbers 27:12-22.)

Pastor Cannon announced his planned retirement in May of this year. He said that he was thoroughly convinced that it was time for him to retire from pastoring per se, but not from the ministry in general. Therefore, the Cornerstone Baptist Church family solicits prayers and support in honoring Cannon’s legacy and work for the past 42 years as senior pastor. 

The priorities of the Cornerstone Baptist Church are Evangelism, Discipleship, Christian Education, Missions, Youth Ministry and Stewardship. He has led the membership to become a 95% tithing church. One of his many accomplishments was the payoff and the burning of the church mortgage of $600,000.00 during his first 12 years as pastor.

He has been active in community affairs. Until 2015, he served as the chairman of the board of the Nationwide Evangelism Training (N.E.T.) for 25 years. He currently serves as executive board chairman of First Northern Christian Network (FNCN). He is former chairman of the Evangelical Committee for the Baptist Ministers’ Union of Oakland, a trustee for the Golden State Convention, East Bay Baptist Association and the Southern Baptist Convention, just to name a few. 

He established a Thurgood Marshall Program which currently serves men in recovery from substance abuse in conjunction with the Comprehensive Action Network.

He authored a book on prayer titled “Helpful Hints on Practical Prayer.” He has 33 ‘sons’ who have acknowledged their calling to preach the gospel, several of them are now pastoring and/or have pastored. 

In 2009, he realized a dream in opening the Cornerstone Christian Academy, a Christian school at Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church.

His teaching and preaching abilities have made him well loved, highly respected and much called upon. His first pastorage was at the Morning Star Baptist Church from 1974-1979. 

A native of Maben, Ala., he is the husband of Mrs. Minnie Ruth Cannon, the father of Minister Lester L. Cannon, Jr., and Tammy Cannon; grandfather of five, and great- grandfather of nine. Most of all, he is a man of God, whose main concern is the spiritual growth and needs (wholistic ministry) of those to whom he has been given the task of serving as Undershepherd for the past 47 years.   

“To God Be the Glory”

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Christy Price

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