A Note From Chris May 27, 2021

Church! With Memorial Day coming, summer is close behind! While summer is often filled with a schedule change, family vacations, time at the pool, or more outdoor activities, it’s also a great time to really grow in faith! Let me encourage you to dig in this summer spiritually and not let this time pass you by without some concrete effort put in toward growing in Christ. 

Here are a few key ways to connect this summer at Cornerstone:

1) Stay engaged! 
Summer has a way of naturally pulling us away from patterns of consistency. So we have to fight a bit to get or remain consistent with Jesus. Set aside some time each day to read your Bible and pray. Make weekly, in-person worship a priority. When you are gone, set aside a time to worship online. Check out the webpage here that we’ve created to supply a Bible reading plan and some supplemental materials for our summer study through Exodus (more on that next week). Maximize your summer for Kingdom good by having intentional spiritual conversations with family and friends.

One helpful prayer going into a day is, “Lord, lead me to conversations about you today.” Sometimes I’m shocked by how a conversation turns to spiritual things, until I remember the prayer I prayed and my desire to be used by God.
 
It’s not only important for grown-ups, but for our kids as well. The experiences and relationships built through the church in the summer are often the ones our kids refer to when they tell their Jesus story. The summer is crammed full of opportunity for kids and students, some of which are time-sensitive right now (Kid's Camp registration closes June 1!). You can check out all the summer events, including camps here.
 
2) Get on a team!
This year, one phrase we’ve used a lot is, “In a group, on a team.” Community is a critical part of spiritual growth, so simply watching online during quarantine limits the level of growth we can achieve. This summer, as both campuses are now back meeting together in person and growing toward the fall, we are emphasizing getting on a team. Find a ministry area where your gifts can be best utilized to serve Jesus and others through Cornerstone.

There are literally dozens of service areas at both campuses and online that range from smaller commitments to larger ones, from in-front sort of roles to behind the scenes. If you find yourself a bit disconnected or having a hard time getting yourself back on campus to worship regularly, one way to really grow is to serve on a team. It is so completely fulfilling for you, but also a blessing to someone else and our church family. As our in-person numbers are growing again, the needs in children’s ministry and other key ministry areas are once again increasing.

You can check out serving opportunities here, but do not be limited by a list. The best way to get involved isn’t a sign-up card, but a conversation. Talk with one of our pastors or another volunteer and jump in. You won’t regret it!

This weekend, we finish our "Signs of Life" series through the book of John. Please read John 10 in preparation as we gather and worship this Sunday!

Yours and His, 
Chris VandeLinde