GO See, Go Study, Go Serve
GO Serve-Dubai (J-Term)
Dubai, one of the two primary cities of the United Arab Emirates, is a growing player in the world economy. Home to over 150 nationalities, Dubai serves as a center of international business, tourism, and shipping. Because of remarkable religious tolerance, Dubai also has become a hub for Christian ministry, particularly among the expatriate community.
Project Focus
The Cornerstone GO Team will be: (a) learning firsthand the story of how God has been at work in the Gulf countries, (b) providing encouragement and prayer support to those serving long-term in the region, (c) exploring additional ways in which Cornerstone can partner with the United Christian Church of Dubai and other related congregations in the future.
Key Dates
Trip dates - Saturday, December 27, 2008 through Monday, January 12, 2008
Informational Meeting - Sunday, October 5, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Student Leader Conference Room
Applications Due - Wednesday, October 8, 2008
First Team Meeting - Wednesday, October 15, 2008
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
GO Serve-Chicago (Spring Break)
Chicago is around three hours from Grand Rapids, but offers CU students a wealth of exposure to cultural diversity. Our home base for this urban experience will be Sunshine Gospel Ministries, located in the historic Woodlawn neighborhood on the south side of the city. The team will stay with other college groups at the Ellis Avenue Baptist Church.
Project Focus
This project features morning teaching sessions focused around God’s heart for the city, issues of systemic racism, the cycle of poverty, and the historic and cultural framework of Chicago. Afternoon service projects offer exposure to other ministries in Chinatown, Uptown, and the “Little India/Little Pakistan” neighborhood clustered around Devon Street.
Key Dates
Trip dates -Saturday, March 7, 2009 through Saturday, March 14, 2009
Informational Meeting – Sunday, October, 26, 2008k, 7pm, Corum
Applications Due – Friday, November 7, 2008
First Team Meeting – Wednesday, November 12, 2008
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
GO Serve-Memphis (Spring Break)
This team will take a road-trip to Memphis, partnering with SOS (Service Over Self, Inc.) in the Binghampton neighborhood. The team will stay in the purpose built SOS camp facility, using that as a base of operations, joining with other college students to work in the neighborhood.
Project Focus
The stated SOS mission is to “empower persons and transform neighborhoods with the love of Christ through home repairs, strategic neighbors and personally investing in the community with staff and interns.” The lessons learned while physically serving the neighborhood will be reinforced through evening worship and teaching sessions.
Key Dates
Trip dates – Sunday, March 8, 2009 through Sunday, March 15, 2009
Informational Meeting – Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 9pm, Spiritual Formation
Applications Due – Friday, October 24, 2008
First Team Meeting – TBA
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules
GO Serve-Mexico (Spring Break)
This trip will focus on Merida, a city on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico. While numerous college students will flock to the neighboring city, Cancun, to party their spring break away, Cornerstone’s team will immerse themselves in the joy of getting to know their Mexican host families. The trip will include visits to an orphanage, a Christian school, a juvenile correction center, and other cultural excursions.
Project Focus
The mission is to provide participants with a cross-cultural group experience while interacting with current justice issues and kingdom values enabling the development of a global world view. The trip will serve as an “informative justice” cultural experience that helps students learn from those serving in culturally unfamiliar contexts.
Key Dates
Trip dates – Saturday, March 7, 2009 through Sunday, March 15, 2009
Informational Meeting – Sunday, October 19, 2008, 7pm, Corum
Applications Due – Friday, October 24, 2008
First Team Meeting – TBA
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
GO Serve-India (Summer)
India, the second most populous nation in the world, is also one of the fastest growing factors in the world economy. The CU team will be primarily based in Mussoorie, a bustling resort town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. The team will also spend time in the fascinating capital city, New Delhi.
Project Focus
The CU team will partner with the ministries of TEAM India, a national organization involved in church planting, youth camps, medical ministry, and education. We will gain exposure to the wide variety of ways that TEAM India is serving God’s people and will assist them in carrying out some camps at their ministry center in Mussoorie. The trip will also offer CU students a firsthand look at two of the predominant religions in India – Hinduism and Islam.
Key Dates
Trip dates – Sunday, May 17, 2009 through Wednesday, June 2, 2009
Informational Meeting – Sunday, October 19, 2008, 7pm, Corum
Applications Due – Friday, October 24, 2008
First Team Meeting – Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 8:30 pm, Spiritual Formation
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
GO Serve-Italy (Summer)
Imola and Forli are located just east of Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region of North Central Italy. Imola and Forli are rural cities surrounded by orchards and vineyards. The population is culturally diverse due to immigrants from other European nations coming to work in the orchards. Roman Catholicism is the primary religion and there are very few evangelical churches in the region.
Project Focus
GO Team objectives: 1. Work with missionaries to minister to children through a summer camp that teaches English and Soccer. 2. Partner with missionaries to introduce them to the community in which they will be church planting. 3. Providing support and encouragement to the missionaries and local churches we will be partnering with.
Key Dates
Tentative trip dates – June 3, 2009 – June 24, 2009
Informational Meeting – Sunday, October 19, 2008, 7pm, Spiritual Formation
Applications Due – Friday, October 24, 2008
First Team Meeting – Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 8:30 pm, Spiritual Formation
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
GO Serve-Kosovo (Summer)
Kosovo shares a border with northeast Albania and is the world's newest country with independence from Serbia having been declared February 17, 2008. Tensions still exist between the 90% Albanian Muslims and the 8% Serbian Orthodox in spite of the UN bringing an end to the war of ethnic cleansing in 1999. Because it was the USA which encouraged the UN to get involved, Kosovars love the USA and love Americans so much so that some of them have American flags hung on a living room wall or flying on a balcony.
Project Focus
The Cornerstone GO team will help heal ethnic tensions and develop relationships with kosovars by assisting with one of two annual English camps for children hosted by CrossWorld at the Better Life Center, a large gymnasium. We will be eating our meals together at the center but lining in Kosovar homes within easy walking distance of camp, which meets from 9-12 AM each day. We'll each be assigned six or seven 8 & 9 year-old campers whom we'll shepherd through the daily camp activities of opening exercises, English class, crafts, sports, and snack time. English camp creates great opportunities to develop relationships with campers as well as with camper's parents during daily scheduled afternoon home visits with a long-term goal of winning them to Christ.
Key Dates
Trip Dates - June 25 through July 8, 2009
Informational Meeting - Sunday, October 19, 2008
Student Leader Conference Room
Pizza/meeting begin at 7:30 PM
Applications Due - Friday, October 24, 2008
*Weekly meeting times will be set in coordination with team member schedules.
Please contact Julia Moore for more information.
