In traditional masonry construction, the cornerstone is the first stone set when construction begins. It is placed at the corner where two walls will rise.
Everything that follows depends on that stone.
The cornerstone fixes the position of the building on the site. It establishes the angle of the walls. Masons measure outward from it, course by course, stone by stone. If the cornerstone was square, the building would stand true. If it was set poorly, every wall that followed would carry the error.
A single stone determined the integrity of the entire structure.
Perhaps this is one reason the image of the cornerstone is significant to me. Growing up, my last name was Forgue, a French name. Long before this family reached the Chicago area where I was raised, the Forgue’s were stone masons in France who later migrated to Canada. In time, some of them came to Illinois and helped build churches in Chicago.
I like to imagine those earlier hands setting stones carefully into place, knowing that what they built was meant to stand for generations. When you grow up with a story like that somewhere in your family history, it is no wonder that I came to love architecture.
Scripture reminds us that the cornerstone is not simply a stone. “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Psalm 118:22)
And we read, “the faithful are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Ephesians 2:20)
The people who first heard those words understood the image immediately. In their world, buildings of stone rose in every town. Everyone knew that if the cornerstone was true, the structure could stand for generations.
If it was not, the problems would reveal themselves over time. This is the moment Rocky Mount is living through now, when we are looking at our foundation, and finding it has been structurally damaged.
When a city receives a state audit that reveals a financial crisis, the natural response is to search for explanations. Some will focus on individual mistakes. Some will argue about personalities. Others will try to divert the conversation altogether.
Leadership, oversight, responsibility, these are the stones that determine whether the structure of a city stands straight or begins to lean. In our case, the misalignment has shown itself.
The encouraging thing about faith is that it always leaves room for renewal. Builders know that if a structure begins to fail, the answer is not cosmetic paint or temporary supports. The answer is to return to the foundation and set things right.
I believe Rocky Mount is capable of doing exactly that.
Cities are living things. They can correct their course. They can reestablish the principles that allow good government to function. They can set their direction again with honesty, responsibility, and a shared commitment to the future. It is going to take new leadership.
Can or should we expect those who lacked oversight and good decision-making to suddenly fix what they presided over?
The cornerstone did not fail. Leadership did.
Scripture reminds us that the cornerstone is a promise about what can be built when the foundation is true.
That promise still belongs to Rocky Mount.
The audit revealed that Rocky Mount must reset the lines that guide the entire city.
This audit, this crisis, this revelation must return the community to first principles.
Integrity, oversight, responsibility. Leadership that understands it is placing stones that others will build upon.
Rocky Mount is not starting from nothing. This city has strong people, deep faith, and a long history of believing in the future of this place.
What lies before us now is the necessity to save ourselves from ourselves with how we vote, who we vote for, and to determine quickly if the only answer is to have the state come in and run things, if so, now would be a good time.
Main Street Rocky Mount 