Volunteer Highlight – Bonnie Walker

An article by Brent Chavez    2 Comments

We are extremely blessed at Cornerstone to have some of the most talented musicians serving and volunteering within our ministry. It always inspires me to get to worship with the different members of our team! One of those talented people is Bonnie Walker, one of our veteran volunteers! Bonnie took the time to answer our questions below, so take a look and get to know her a bit!

What’s Your Name? Do you have a nickname? My name is Bonnie Walker. I have a couple of nicknames within our ministry. Brian has a sister named Bonnie so when we first met he started calling me “B”. It kinda stuck and soon Jason Williams started calling me B too. Brian and I have the same initials so he became BDub; Jason is JDub and I’m BWalk or BWalka. Take your pick!?!?

What instrument do you play at Cornerstone? I play keys in the band. I have a Yamaha P250 and a Korg Triton. Definitely wish I had more gear but it’s all good. …Would love to have a vintage Hammond kicking around at church. It’s super difficult to emulate a great B3 sound.

What’s your musical background? I started playing the piano in a summer Parks and Rec. class when I was eleven. I followed that up with private lessons and then headed down the classically-trained path. I attended ASU as a piano performance major for a couple of years but transitioned into education. I’ve played in a lot of different settings – accompanist for musicals and solo instruments, several cover bands, an original jazz/rock band and my favorite gig of all; worship bands.

Who’s your favorite musician? Favorite band? Man, this is such a difficult question to answer. I don’t have enough attention and focus to stay dedicated to one favorite so I kind of bounce around among many. I’d say the most current genius that blows me away is Matthew Bellamy. Muse is a must see. Phil Collins is another amazing musician. Mozart is probably at the top of the list. How can a human brain produce such a high level of patterning and intricacy? I can’t fathom his abilities. Brandon Boyd, lead singer of Incubus is another truly gifted musician. His spiritual beliefs aside, Boyd can create. I’m most impressed by a musician that can go unplugged and be just as impacting as when in a full band and he’s one of the best. Matt Maher is another current phenom song writer.

Who are a few of your musical influences? Hmm… Steely Dan, Elton John, Dan Fogelberg, Phil Collins, Boz Scaggs, Sade, George Winston, 7:22 band (Steve Fee, Todd Fields, Kristian Stanfill), and most current influence – Isaac Slade (keyboard player, The Fray).

What’s your favorite verse, quote, or scripture? Romans 5:1-5 “¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

This passage reminds me that tough times produce pressure in our lives. Through that pressure, we persevere which means to remain under. If we remain under the pressure of suffering, we are moldable and shapeable; God can sculpt us as we live to be free in Him. When Paul says we can rejoice in our sufferings he is not referring to an escape from trials, rather a basis for dealing with them. Why would, how could anybody take joy in the fact that trials, difficulties, heartaches, and disappointments come crashing down around us? The one who has no hope, no confident assurance of glory will falter when suffering comes to crowd out joy; confidence in a glorious future gives strength for the present. Hope and grace is sufficient, my friend.

How long have you been involved at Cornerstone? What made you want to get involved with the Worship Arts Team? My family and I started attending Cornerstone in early 1996 and I’ve been a part of the worship arts team ever since. Tina Wilson, Tom Wilson’s daughter (Tom was pastor at New Hope Community Church in Chandler) called me and said there was a new church that needed a keyboard player. I hooked up with Linn Winters and said I’d help out. One thing led to another and eventually (by default) I was organizing the worship arts team. Back then we were singing special music with tracks, singing in small ensembles, and even a choir. There was a worship band too. I’ve been involved in the search/hiring of all of our worship directors and held various positions within the ministry including worship admin and worship leader – dude, that was a moment… So here I am 14 years later and still playing in the band. I am so humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be called to serve alongside so many great people and great players/singers. The cool thing is that there have been difficult seasons in my life where I’ve needed to step down and refocus on my family and yet I wasn’t forgotten or unwelcome when God decided it was time for me to serve again. That is a rare moment in a fast-spinning ministry where players come and go. Cornerstone’s worship arts team has been and continues to be steadfast through this unpredictable life that I live.

What was the greatest concert you have ever been to? Peter Frampton’s Pinball Wizard Tour. Epic no doubt.

What is your favorite song? Favorite album of all time? I have a lot of favorite songs but my favorite album could possibly be Elton John’s Greatest Hits (1974), Jesus Culture’s We Cry Out, or Matt Maher’s Empty and Beautiful.

What is your favorite song to play / sing at Cornerstone? Matt Maher’s “Lay It Down”. The simplicity is mesmerizing, the freedom to connect with Jesus instantaneous, and somehow Matt sculpted lyrics that takes our humanness out and lets our Christ-follower lead.

Everything I long to be

I lay it down at Your feet

I lay it down

I lay it down

I lay it down at Your feet

Oh pearl of greatest price

No act of sacrifice

Can match the gift of life I find within Your gaze

Oh what a sweet exchange

I die to rise again

Lifted up from the grave into Your hands of grace