A Note From Chris - January 7, 2022

Cornerstone! Happy New Year!

I was reminded last week of a passage that always encourages me. Revelation 21:8 says,
“And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”

The presence of Jesus means that things are being renewed, reformed, even recycled. The person of Jesus is about redeeming that which has grown “old” or is far from its original design. That means that the new year truly CAN be a “new” year in your life.

This weekend, I’ll share a message we call “The State of the Church Address”. We’ll take some time to celebrate what God has done over the past year as well as look forward to some “new” things in 2022. I hope you will do your best to prioritize joining our church in person in Shiloh or O’Fallon. If that is not possible, please join us online via Cornerstone Anywhere. Regular and consistent worship is such a critical and important discipline to set for spiritual growth in the new year.

I’m happy to share that via our Christmas offerings and designated gifts, we raised $28,654.43 with additional general fund year-end giving that helped us end the year strong and above budget. As we’ve communicated, the first $20,000 of that CARES offering will go toward Afghani refugees and Oasis International in St. Louis. If you have missed giving because of our two weeks online, you can bring your gift this coming weekend or access our multiple ways to give online. Let’s start this year strong in our giving to help fund ministry in 2022.

I’m excited about not only this weekend, but NEXT weekend, Sunday, 1/16/22, because we are launching a new service in Shiloh! Our Shiloh service times will shift to 9:00am, 10:30am, and 12:00pm. Be praying and thinking about where you and your family/friends will best fit on Sundays. We are looking for 100 people to help launch the 12:00pm service. If that is something you are willing to do, please click this link and let us know you are willing to help bring some critical mass to that service as we make space for new Ones in 2022.

Along with a later service time, we will have a food option following the 12:00pm service on campus at Shiloh. I’m told a rotation of pizza, burgers, pasta, and BBQ will be available for an affordable $3 per person. Attending the 12:00pm and then having lunch available for you and your people is a great way to spend an early Sunday afternoon! We will begin giving every single first-time guest to Shiloh a 1-time meal card to the grill to bless them and help build some energy around this new outlet. I’m prayerful and hopeful about how God will use this new outlet to reach new people and free up space in other services for folks who may be searching for God or a church home at an earlier service.

Can’t wait to worship with you Sunday! See you there!

Yours and His,
Chris VandeLinde