2011 a year in review and looking ahead to 2012!

Hi,

It's hard to believe Christmas is only a few days away! How ironic that this season can be the time we "crowd out" Jesus the most with all our holiday plans, shopping trips and get-togethers. I know I've been guilty of this! Been making an effort though to spend extended times with Jesus in the morning to restore my tired soul and prepare me to serve Him during the day.

Praying for You!
How is your soul doing? Is it frantic, worried, tired? Is it content, rested, at peace?

Prayed for each of you this morning that the Holy Spirit would fill you afresh with His power and enable you to enter into this season with a worshipful heart!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Small Group Highlights for the Year!
God's been doing some exciting things in our small groups at Cornerstone! Some highlights include:

* Turbo Training Group attended by 6 potential leaders! (4 of them are serving as leaders in their respective groups/ministries.)
* 2 new small groups!
* Over 20 people who have connected with new small groups or as "open chair" members!
* 9 Semester Groups offered this year!
* Spring Small Group Leader Retreat (with guest spiritual director).
* Fall Small Group Leader BBQ Kick-off
* VHS is now TRANSFORM
* Exploring the idea of "Missional Small Groups" Together during Transform gatherings

What to Look Forward to in 2012!
Small Group Visits I'd like to visit and meet up with each one of your small groups in the coming year! It will give us a good time to connect, pray and celebrate what God is doing in your groups. I'd like to know how I can support you to be all that God wants you to be.

PLUS, I'd also like to take some time to share with you and have dialogue about "Missional Small Groups". This will be a key goal for our small group ministries in the coming year and will require our prayers and conversations together.

Exploring "Missional Small Groups" in our Transform GatheringsWe will continue to spend time in our Transform Gatherings exploring and sharing about "Missional Small Groups". This will include learning about the three key missional rhythms of group life: 1) Missional communion with God; 2) Missional relating with others; 3) Missional engagement with the world. We will also look at 21 practices that relate to these three missional rhythms. We'll also begin to think and experiment together how we can begin to live this reality out in our lives and in our communities.

Thanks for your faithful service and may the coming year of ministry be our best one yet!
Merry Christmas!

Jeremy
www.cornerstonesmallgroups.blogspot.com