Posted by Hollie Price
June 17, 2025
Long before founding Cornerstone Church in 1989, 
Pastor Emeritus, Armand Tiffe, and his wife, Kathy, each experienced a personal transformation that shaped their lives and future ministry. Neither were raised in homes where a relationship with Jesus was central, but both encountered friends in young adulthood who shared the gospel with them and invited them to Bible-teaching churches. Armand, 27 at the time, came to faith after what he describes as a season of pride and resistance. Initially trying to challenge a Christian friend’s beliefs, he began attending The Gospel House Church and, after several weeks, surrendered his life to Christ. Kathy, raised in a devout Catholic setting, wrestled with uncertainty about salvation until a conversation with a Christian friend in trade school began a year-long search for truth that ultimately led her to faith at age 23. The two met at Parkside Church and were married ten months later. They are blessed with two adult children, their spouses, and five grandchildren. Their son, Armand III, is an elder at Cornerstone.
As Armand grew in his faith, he began leading a Bible study at his church and later joined the pastoral staff, where he served for seven years. During that time, both he and Kathy felt a deepening desire to plant a church. They didn’t know when or how it would happen, but they trusted God with the timing. While they waited, Armand pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Church Ministry from Liberty University and continued to serve faithfully.
In those days, many churches in the area were either newly planted with a strong focus on conversion but little follow-up on discipleship, or they were older churches that had lost a relevant connection to the community and the needs of individuals in the church. Armand and Kathy envisioned a church that would offer sound, faithful teaching and speak to the real spiritual needs of people today. After much prayer and discussion in early 1989, they took a step of faith and decided to begin the process of planting what would become Cornerstone Community Church.
Soon after that decision, they reconnected with Fred and Lauri Bucci, friends they hadn’t seen in over a year. To their surprise and encouragement, the Buccis shared the same vision and were eager to join in the work. In the summer of 1989, a group of twelve people gathered for the very first Cornerstone meeting, held on the porch of the Bucci home. Within six weeks, that small group grew to 25, and the following week they held their first public worship service.
As attendance continued to grow, the church began meeting in a small room at the Lyndhurst YMCA. That space soon filled, with attendance rising from 60 to over 100, prompting a move into the gymnasium for more room. While the growing numbers were encouraging, the physical space came with challenges. There was no heat, no air conditioning, and no windows, which made long-term ministry difficult as they were navigating the challenges of a young church.
After six and a half years of worshiping at the YMCA, the need for a permanent church home became clear. In 1994, the church began searching for property. The members responded with prayerful generosity, giving sacrificially and trusting God for provision. The site where Cornerstone now stands was suggested by church member Bobette Hatteberg and, after a congregational vote, was approved for purchase. Over the next 18 months, members dedicated their time and resources to renovating the older part of the building and constructing the Worship Center. The first worship service in the new space was held in March of 1996.
Armand and Kathy served Cornerstone faithfully until 2015, when Pastor Paul answered God’s call to serve as our senior pastor. Over 26 years of ministry, they witnessed God’s hand at work in countless ways. They saw lives changed, prayers answered, children raised in the faith, marriages restored, and missionaries supported through the generosity of the church family.
Though they are no longer in full-time ministry, Armand and Kathy remain active in their faith and their love for the church. They continue to serve as God leads and feel honored to be a part of what He is still doing in and through Cornerstone. Their hope is that everyone who walks through the doors of this church is encouraged “by what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do, for God’s glory.”