A Note from Chris - November 18, 2021

Maybe if you are like me, you absolutely can hardly believe that NEXT THURSDAY IS THANKSGIVING!

It seems like last week we were talking about summer plans, and now we have holiday plans in place and are preparing to visit family.  And while it’s hard to believe, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.  Pace of life changes, we get to be with family we haven’t seen in way too long, and there is a spirit of generosity present this time of year that brings out the best in people.  It’s something I wish we could experience all year long.

As we come to year-end, one of the things we find ourselves asking is this: How do we infuse generosity in our church all year long?  How do we make sure our community is cared for throughout the year?  During the pandemic, one of the ways we have been able to care for those in our community was through Cornerstone CARES.  If you recall, we launched an initiative called Cornerstone CARES in the middle of 2020 to help meet needs in our community locally as well as help with relief efforts in India.  

Since Cornerstone CARES launched, we were able to meet needs in these ways:
Feed 657 families in India for a month
Provide 50 coats for kids in the Metro East
Provide lunch for 10 weeks over two summers for kids in Shiloh and O’Fallon
Host two Christmas parties for CAC kids
Provide over 400 Holiday meals
Provide lunch or breakfast for teachers at 6 schools the last two years

And those are just some of the highlights.  What a blessing it has been to give and care for our community throughout the year.  And church, that is because you.  As you prepare for year-end, I want to take a second and let you know we are bringing back Cornerstone CARES and asking everyone to consider an above and beyond year-end gift that will help fund our community need in 2022.

One exciting way we will be able to focus the gifts given through Cornerstone CARES this holiday season is by helping meet the needs of refugees in our region. As the US left Afghanistan earlier this year, many refugees were displaced. Some are being relocated to the Midwest. St. Louis is anticipating 100 Afghan refugees a month for all of 2022. The US government helps them out for the first three months, but it usually takes an additional three months for these families to get settled in, find work, acquire household necessities, etc.

Cornerstone is setting a goal of $60k to fund Cornerstone CARES for 2022 and committing the first $20k to help four Afghan refugee families for 3 months through a local ministry called Oasis International. Would you consider joining this cause financially?  There is more to come on this as we get closer. For now, please begin praying about a year-end gift to serve others. If you are prepared to give, and through the end of the year, you can click here. (Select Cornerstone CARES as the "fund" for your gift.)

This weekend, we tackle the difficult and pointed passages in I Corinthians 7 on sex, marriage, singleness, and divorce. I’m praying for open hearts as we consider God’s best for us on some of the most challenging topics that face our culture today. See you Sunday!

Yours & His,
Chris VandeLinde