December 10, 2010

Dear Ministry Partners and Friends:

As I pulled up to the covered, heated garage where Andrew “ministers” a couple weeks ago, a single woman from the church also was arriving for “Oil Change 101.” After about a half hour of Andrew’s demonstration and instruction, she left with fresh oil and the know-how for changing it herself.

Then it was my truck’s turn. I was going to take Andrew up on his offer to flush my radiator, but before long, we discovered a busted thermostat and worn-out water pump too. Yikes. And with winter weather descending on Jackson Hole, double yikes. Those repairs definitely amount to more than I have right now. But two days later, Andrew took the afternoon off work to fix my truck. The job lasted well into the evening, but now my wife and daughter can cruise around town with a heater running hotter than ever despite the impending subzero temperatures.

Meanwhile, our faithful counseling director, Matt Mumma, has been commuting to work each morning shivering in his expedition-weight down parka, a bomber hat, and mittens while scraping ice off the inside of his windshield. Having a non-functional heater is a big deal when it’s -15ºF in the morning. But a touch of expertise from Andrew, and now Matt not only has a clear windshield, but he also no longer arrives at work with purple extremities. What’s Andrew’s motivation for this mechanic ministry? “I can turn a wrench, so I turn a wrench for Jesus and serve others.”

Meanwhile, one woman who recently plugged into the Cornerstone community runs her own unique “ministry.” Nearly every Sunday for the past several weeks, visitors who are new to both the church and the area and who do not know Jesus Christ show up at Cornerstone, all for the same reason. Finding this woman’s great hospitality through couchsurfing.com, she brings them along to church each week. And not only are the couch-surfers she hosts showing up for the Sunday service, but somehow she also convinces them to attend one of our weekly small group Bible studies. Each of her guests gets a first-class breakfast made for them in the morning, and they hear about the Lord.

From studying 1 Corinthians 12 on Sundays, we’ve been learning that God’s kind of local church is a community of individuals transformed by the gospel who intentionally benefit one another through a diversity of roles so that the one Christ is displayed. Local church life isn’t so much about structuring programs to attend as it is equipping every Christian to flourish in their Spirit-empowered giftedness. And what a joy it is to see God build his church.

And he continues to work here, purely by his sovereign grace. Here’s a fly-by of other recent happenings as 2010 comes to a close:

• One mom recently commented, “I’m so thankful you guys [the church plant team] were faithful to come here. I was ready to walk away from the church.”
• At one of our weekly small groups recently, after asking questions on heaven and hell and the gospel, a person who does not yet know Christ commented, “I want to believe this, but I know it will have serious repercussions if I do…” Indeed.
• On December 4th, Cornerstone ladies brought about 10 people from the community to the annual women’s Christmas Tea outreach. The gospel was preached, songs were sung, people were served, and one woman was even given a new MacArthur Study Bible, at her request.
• We completed another round of new membership, which included a family who was referred to Cornerstone by an acquaintance in Afghanistan. We had the recent privilege of baptizing one of the new members (in the good ol’ horse trough, of course) and there are plans to baptize another soon.
• We’re looking forward to closing out the year with our second Christmas Eve outreach service.

So, one last time this year, we invite you to join us in calling on our great God, who makes all things possible:

1. 1. Give God continued praise for the ways he is causing Christ to be displayed in the lives of many in Cornerstone (Ephesians 4:13). This is not possible to accomplish in mere human strength.
2. 2. Thank God for the ways his people are growing to use their spiritual gifts along with the unity he is causing within the church. Please pray for increased use of our giftedness and for unity among us all (Ephesians 4:3).
3. 3. Beg God to make the love of Jesus Christ the thing that controls all of us here; motivating and governing everything we do (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
4. 4. Ask God to grow the leadership in learning how to equip the body in their giftedness to do the work of the ministry so that the body of Christ is further built up (Ephesians 4:11-13). At the same time, pray that we also grow in humility (1 Peter 5:3).
5. 5. Pray that all in Cornerstone would have a greater knowledge of, hatred of, and resulting turning from our sin, along with a turning to and adoration of Christ (James 4:8-10).
6. 6. Request that we all grow in the knowledge and amazement of the true gospel of Christ such that we display it with our lives (Philippians 1:27).
7. 7. Pray that we all would be moved by the person and work of Christ to be zealous in reaching out to the lost without fear, but in love for souls, strengthened by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 1:7).
8. 8. Beg God to work powerfully in every sermon, discipleship meeting, counseling time, gathering, and all times around his Word, sanctifying the saved and saving the lost (Isaiah 55:11).
9. 9. Pray that God uses every conversation had, every word said, and every carol lyric sung at the Christmas Eve service to transform lives by the gospel. Pray many unbelievers would come (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

10. Ask God to continue to provide finances for the ministry to move forward (Philippians 4:19).

Your sacrificial giving continues to be used by God to fuel the ministry. Thank you so much for your gifts! Though we hope to be soon, we are yet to be financially self-supporting. If you would like to team up with us financially, please make checks out to “Cornerstone Church.” All of your offerings are tax-deductible. Checks may be mailed to: Cornerstone Church, P.O. Box 980, Wilson, Wyoming, 83014.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Eric, on behalf of the Jackson Hole church plant team: Leslie, Matt & Sera Mumma, Bryan & Ashley Chassard, Chris & Rebecca Buczinski, Melissa, Neill & Natalie Herbert