Tizir, a tenant of ours, finds his Cornerstone apartment to be a blessing.

Hot off the press! Our “fall” newsletter, just barely in time before the calendar officially changes to winter. Check out the list of prayer requests for our affordable housing ministry, plus stories about a recent work day, our newly full-time managing director’s visit to a housing conference, and an update on our new rehab project, the one we’re hoping to get some funding for soon. That’s the one that will contain two transitional housing apartments designed for graduates of the Grace and Peace Winter Shelter.

Merry Christmas and happy new year from Cornerstone!

http://www.cornerstone-housing-ministry.org/newsletter/2011-fall-newsletter/

Cornerstone, a nonprofit corporation, was started in 1976 by members of Grace and Peace Fellowship, PCA, to address a need for stable, low-income housing in St. Louis city. We have always focused on rehab rather than building new; our Bible verse is Isaiah 58:12:

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

More recently, board members have come from several churches.

Efforts began with the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood, which was in decrepit condition at the time. Cornerstone bought a number of buildings there and worked on rehabbing them. As the neighborhood gentrified, most of these were eventually sold to provide operating revenue.

In about 1990, Cornerstone began buying properties on Etzel Street in the West End, roughly near Page at Skinker, and rehabbing there. Today that is where most of the Cornerstone buildings are. In the meantime, New City Fellowship chose to begin ministries in the same area.

The new project at 5936-38 Etzel is currently a duplex in unoccupiable condition. We will make it into two efficiencies on the first floor, plus a three-bedroom apartment on the second floor. We are hoping the two efficiencies will make great dwelling places for graduates of the Grace and Peace Winter Shelter. This housing is not transitional; it will be managed like other Cornerstone housing, with the tenants free to stay as long as they like and as long as they hold to terms of the lease.

Find out the latest on our new building project, great news about a big donation, and …  the big step we’re taking… right here!

A team including members of Grace and Peace Fellowship and others got plenty accomplished at a workday this past Saturday. Several of us worked on the new Cornerstone project, clearing out junk and debris from the two-family building purchased six months ago. Cornerstone is gathering funds to be able to rehab it into three apartments, two suitable for residents from the Grace and Peace Winter Shelter.

Groups finished the work of chopping and chipping a big old tree that fell down last year, and tidied the landscaping on Etzel Street.

Our latest newsletter is out!

It’s been a while since the last one. During that time we’ve

–changed managing directors and
–started a new project, a building rehab on Etzel Street that we expect will include small apartments for two graduates of the Grace and Peace Winter Shelter.

Check it out!

http://www.cornerstone-housing-ministry.org/newsletter/2011-spring-newsletter/

or the printable version,

http://www.cornerstone-housing-ministry.org/2011_01_spring_nl.pdf

Blessings,

Jim Lowe and Phyllis Wheeler, board members

Several groups are finding Cornerstone to be a great mission trip opportunity. We got some wonderful help over spring break this year! To the left is a team from Grace Church in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

And InterVarsity students from Iowa and St. Louis University (below) helped us out too. Thanks so much, folks! What a great ministry opportunity for you, and a huge boost for us!