April 10, 2024
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Thank you as always for your support, as it is making a difference! March has been an absolutely incredible month for Christian Union Vita here on Cornell’s campus. The Lord has continued to move in extraordinary ways, and I’m so excited to share a few high points with you so you can celebrate with us!
First and foremost, we are praising the Lord for over a dozen students who have put their faith in Jesus this semester! This is an extraordinary blessing, and we are rejoicing in the salvations the Lord has allowed us to see and be a part of on campus. Your support helps to make this possible, so rejoice with us as a member of the team of workers who are a part of this harvest. Pray that God continues to draw more and more students to a saving knowledge of Him!
Thank you as always for your support, as it is making a difference! March has been an absolutely incredible month for Christian Union Vita here on Cornell’s campus. The Lord has continued to move in extraordinary ways, and I’m so excited to share a few high points with you so you can celebrate with us!
First and foremost, we are praising the Lord for over a dozen students who have put their faith in Jesus this semester! This is an extraordinary blessing, and we are rejoicing in the salvations the Lord has allowed us to see and be a part of on campus. Your support helps to make this possible, so rejoice with us as a member of the team of workers who are a part of this harvest. Pray that God continues to draw more and more students to a saving knowledge of Him!
March 12, 2024
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
We are off to an exciting start to the spring semester here at Christian Union Vita at Cornell! The sun has been peeking through the normally gray skies more than it usually does during this time of year, and God has been pushing back against the kingdom of darkness as well! We’re celebrating what He is doing, and we want you to be able to celebrate with us as we share these with you.
First and foremost, we are praising the Lord for six students who have put their faith in Jesus this semester! This is an extraordinary blessing, and we are grateful for the movement of the Holy Spirit and allowing us to be a part of His work in bringing the lost to Himself. Your support allows us to carry out the ministry that makes this possible, so rejoice with us as part of the team of workers who were a part of this harvest. Pray that God continues to draw more and more students to a saving knowledge of Him!
We are off to an exciting start to the spring semester here at Christian Union Vita at Cornell! The sun has been peeking through the normally gray skies more than it usually does during this time of year, and God has been pushing back against the kingdom of darkness as well! We’re celebrating what He is doing, and we want you to be able to celebrate with us as we share these with you.
First and foremost, we are praising the Lord for six students who have put their faith in Jesus this semester! This is an extraordinary blessing, and we are grateful for the movement of the Holy Spirit and allowing us to be a part of His work in bringing the lost to Himself. Your support allows us to carry out the ministry that makes this possible, so rejoice with us as part of the team of workers who were a part of this harvest. Pray that God continues to draw more and more students to a saving knowledge of Him!
November 14, 2023
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
It is hard to believe that we are over halfway through the semester here at Cornell! Time seems to go by faster with each passing day, even more so when we are busy—and things have certainly been bustling at CU Vita!
There has been a steady stream of new faces coming to the Mott Center for our prayer meetings and social events. The students who are already engaged in ministry and fellowship with other believers at CU Vita have been so faithful to invite their friends, some of whom have little to no exposure to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Continue to pray that the Holy Spirit equips us all for the work and empowers us for the opportunities!
It is hard to believe that we are over halfway through the semester here at Cornell! Time seems to go by faster with each passing day, even more so when we are busy—and things have certainly been bustling at CU Vita!
There has been a steady stream of new faces coming to the Mott Center for our prayer meetings and social events. The students who are already engaged in ministry and fellowship with other believers at CU Vita have been so faithful to invite their friends, some of whom have little to no exposure to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Continue to pray that the Holy Spirit equips us all for the work and empowers us for the opportunities!
October 12, 2023
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
I am so excited to give you an update regarding Christian Union Vita! We are praising God for the incredible things He has been doing during the first few weeks of classes here on the campus of Cornell University!
Our Freshman Welcoming Campaign was a tremendous success, with hundreds of meetings between our faculty, current students, and incoming first-years. We enrolled 40 freshmen in our Bible courses–20 men and 20 women! Several of our new first-years are already stepping into leadership roles and contributing greatly to the work of making Jesus the most talked about name on campus. In addition to adding a healthy number of freshmen, we have also added many other students of all years throughout this period, leading us to a total Bible Course enrollment of over 100 students! Many of these transfers and upperclassmen also feel the Lord calling them to step up and take greater responsibility in the work of the Great Commission, giving us even more to celebrate. The Lord is so faithful!
I am so excited to give you an update regarding Christian Union Vita! We are praising God for the incredible things He has been doing during the first few weeks of classes here on the campus of Cornell University!
Our Freshman Welcoming Campaign was a tremendous success, with hundreds of meetings between our faculty, current students, and incoming first-years. We enrolled 40 freshmen in our Bible courses–20 men and 20 women! Several of our new first-years are already stepping into leadership roles and contributing greatly to the work of making Jesus the most talked about name on campus. In addition to adding a healthy number of freshmen, we have also added many other students of all years throughout this period, leading us to a total Bible Course enrollment of over 100 students! Many of these transfers and upperclassmen also feel the Lord calling them to step up and take greater responsibility in the work of the Great Commission, giving us even more to celebrate. The Lord is so faithful!
August 4, 2023
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
I hope that these summer months are treating you well! Things are currently quiet around the campus at Cornell, but in a few short weeks, thousands of students will pour into Ithaca and the surrounding communities as a new school year begins. That means there will be thousands of individuals who need to hear about and experience the Good News of Christ. We at Christian Union Vita are excited about the opportunities God has in store for the coming year. Our student-led outreach team has already contacted over 100 incoming students, and the work has barely begun.
I hope that these summer months are treating you well! Things are currently quiet around the campus at Cornell, but in a few short weeks, thousands of students will pour into Ithaca and the surrounding communities as a new school year begins. That means there will be thousands of individuals who need to hear about and experience the Good News of Christ. We at Christian Union Vita are excited about the opportunities God has in store for the coming year. Our student-led outreach team has already contacted over 100 incoming students, and the work has barely begun.
February 3, 2023
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
I’m Dr. Marcus Buckley, and as the new CU Vita Ministry Director, I first want to say thank you for your support of the great work God is doing on campus here at Cornell University. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of this effort for the Kingdom, and I’m grateful that God has opened this door of opportunity. I have served as lead pastor for nearly 29 years, and I am truly excited for this new journey that the Lord has for my family and me. My wife, Lea Ann, is also on the CU Vita staff as the Administration/Ministry Associate, and we are genuinely excited to be here in Ithaca.
I’m Dr. Marcus Buckley, and as the new CU Vita Ministry Director, I first want to say thank you for your support of the great work God is doing on campus here at Cornell University. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of this effort for the Kingdom, and I’m grateful that God has opened this door of opportunity. I have served as lead pastor for nearly 29 years, and I am truly excited for this new journey that the Lord has for my family and me. My wife, Lea Ann, is also on the CU Vita staff as the Administration/Ministry Associate, and we are genuinely excited to be here in Ithaca.
January 12, 2023
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
We are just two weeks away from the start of the spring semester at Cornell, and we are looking forward to all that our faithful Savior is going to do through our students in Ithaca in this new year. I was so encouraged by a recent conversation with one of our students, a member of the Cornell wrestling team. After battling back from a serious injury last year, he recently began wrestling again with great success, only to injure himself again a couple of weeks ago. And this injury could end his wrestling career. But even in the face of this disappointment, his faith is strong, trusting in God’s plan and providence. As we talked together over lunch, we rejoiced in the goodness of God and the amazing gift of eternal life through Christ, which put everything in perspective. Seeing the faith of this student in the midst of trials and challenges reminded me that God is surely with us and He is faithful to preserve and sanctify His people at Cornell.
We are just two weeks away from the start of the spring semester at Cornell, and we are looking forward to all that our faithful Savior is going to do through our students in Ithaca in this new year. I was so encouraged by a recent conversation with one of our students, a member of the Cornell wrestling team. After battling back from a serious injury last year, he recently began wrestling again with great success, only to injure himself again a couple of weeks ago. And this injury could end his wrestling career. But even in the face of this disappointment, his faith is strong, trusting in God’s plan and providence. As we talked together over lunch, we rejoiced in the goodness of God and the amazing gift of eternal life through Christ, which put everything in perspective. Seeing the faith of this student in the midst of trials and challenges reminded me that God is surely with us and He is faithful to preserve and sanctify His people at Cornell.
October 31, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Thank you for your partnership and prayers! We have been so encouraged by the ways that our students have been seeking the Lord this semester. There are now five different prayer meetings going on throughout the week with 35-40 students in attendance each week. There are four student-led meetings and one meeting that I lead on Monday mornings focused on revival and renewal at Cornell. At this prayer meeting, several prominent male student leaders from across different campus ministries gather together with me to pray for the week ahead, for every campus ministry, the leaders, upcoming meetings, the local churches and pastors, and for God to pour out His Spirit at Cornell for the awakening and salvation of many souls.
Thank you for your partnership and prayers! We have been so encouraged by the ways that our students have been seeking the Lord this semester. There are now five different prayer meetings going on throughout the week with 35-40 students in attendance each week. There are four student-led meetings and one meeting that I lead on Monday mornings focused on revival and renewal at Cornell. At this prayer meeting, several prominent male student leaders from across different campus ministries gather together with me to pray for the week ahead, for every campus ministry, the leaders, upcoming meetings, the local churches and pastors, and for God to pour out His Spirit at Cornell for the awakening and salvation of many souls.
September 9, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
We are so encouraged by what God is doing through our freshmen outreach efforts this fall and by the way that our leaders are seeking the Lord and helping shepherd the incoming class by teaching them the Word of God, praying with them, and welcoming them to Cornell in practical ways.
We are so encouraged by what God is doing through our freshmen outreach efforts this fall and by the way that our leaders are seeking the Lord and helping shepherd the incoming class by teaching them the Word of God, praying with them, and welcoming them to Cornell in practical ways.
July 8, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
We hope you are having a wonderful summer. Our students are enjoying all kinds of experiences all over the world during their summer break and it is a joy to know that they are shining the light of Christ and the glory of God wherever they are.
We hope you are having a wonderful summer. Our students are enjoying all kinds of experiences all over the world during their summer break and it is a joy to know that they are shining the light of Christ and the glory of God wherever they are.
May 4, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greetings from Ithaca and the CU Vita ministry. We are thankful for your partnership and prayers. As we enter the final stretch of the spring semester, we are looking back with gratitude for what God has been doing in our midst these recent weeks.
Greetings from Ithaca and the CU Vita ministry. We are thankful for your partnership and prayers. As we enter the final stretch of the spring semester, we are looking back with gratitude for what God has been doing in our midst these recent weeks.
April 4, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
This month I am writing to ask for your prayers — and your attendance — at a special event: “God at Work: Revival Then and Now” on April 23.
The Christian Union Vita Cornerstone Board, made up of Cornell alumni from the classes of 1972 through 2020, has planned a great morning featuring a robust panel of alumni and others who were part of the Jesus Movement here in the 1970s. The event will include teaching on revival, prayer, worship, and a chance for alumni and current students to connect. It should be a powerful morning to remember how God moved here during that time and to pray that revival might come again at Cornell and beyond.
This month I am writing to ask for your prayers — and your attendance — at a special event: “God at Work: Revival Then and Now” on April 23.
The Christian Union Vita Cornerstone Board, made up of Cornell alumni from the classes of 1972 through 2020, has planned a great morning featuring a robust panel of alumni and others who were part of the Jesus Movement here in the 1970s. The event will include teaching on revival, prayer, worship, and a chance for alumni and current students to connect. It should be a powerful morning to remember how God moved here during that time and to pray that revival might come again at Cornell and beyond.
February 3, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greetings from Ithaca! The spring semester is getting underway this week. Our students are once again enduring the realities and restrictions of life with Covid. Group gatherings are currently discouraged and while students are on campus, all classes at Cornell are being taken remotely for the first two weeks of the semester. We are, however, hopeful that things will open up soon. We have been holding weekly CU Vita student leadership meetings via Zoom for the past two weeks, and we will meet again this coming Thursday night. We have been reconnecting and praying together, and fine-tuning our plans for the semester ahead, some of which I will describe in the following prayer requests.
Greetings from Ithaca! The spring semester is getting underway this week. Our students are once again enduring the realities and restrictions of life with Covid. Group gatherings are currently discouraged and while students are on campus, all classes at Cornell are being taken remotely for the first two weeks of the semester. We are, however, hopeful that things will open up soon. We have been holding weekly CU Vita student leadership meetings via Zoom for the past two weeks, and we will meet again this coming Thursday night. We have been reconnecting and praying together, and fine-tuning our plans for the semester ahead, some of which I will describe in the following prayer requests.
January 3, 2022
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
On behalf of the students and staff of Christian Union Vita, I wish you a happy New Year! We are looking forward to the spring semester at Cornell, trusting God for His continued faithfulness and grace to our ministry. God has richly blessed this group of students, fanned into flame gifts and talents, brought students to faith in Jesus Christ, and matured believers for the glory of His Name on this campus. We could not do this without you. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. God is working through you for the glory of His Son Jesus at Cornell. We praise God for this partnership in the gospel!
On behalf of the students and staff of Christian Union Vita, I wish you a happy New Year! We are looking forward to the spring semester at Cornell, trusting God for His continued faithfulness and grace to our ministry. God has richly blessed this group of students, fanned into flame gifts and talents, brought students to faith in Jesus Christ, and matured believers for the glory of His Name on this campus. We could not do this without you. Thank you for your continued prayers and support. God is working through you for the glory of His Son Jesus at Cornell. We praise God for this partnership in the gospel!
December 2, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
After having enjoyed Thanksgiving break, our students are in the final stretch of the semester. Year-end leadership meetings, Bible courses, and the CU Vita Christmas party are fast approaching and the students have loads of academic work to finish up during the coming weeks. As we look back on the semester, we are grateful for God’s gracious and powerful work in our midst. He has spoken through His Word, brought new believers to faith, and shined His light on the campus of Cornell through this amazing group of students. Thank you for praying for us for a strong finish to the semester!
After having enjoyed Thanksgiving break, our students are in the final stretch of the semester. Year-end leadership meetings, Bible courses, and the CU Vita Christmas party are fast approaching and the students have loads of academic work to finish up during the coming weeks. As we look back on the semester, we are grateful for God’s gracious and powerful work in our midst. He has spoken through His Word, brought new believers to faith, and shined His light on the campus of Cornell through this amazing group of students. Thank you for praying for us for a strong finish to the semester!
November 2, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
We continue to be encouraged by the ways that our students are growing and maturing in Christ, and the ways that they are reaching out with the gospel of Christ at Cornell. Bible courses and prayer meetings have been well-attended, students are enjoying fellowship at the Mott Center and events like hockey games, pumpkin carving, and hikes. Through it all God is at work to build the community, advance His kingdom, and open doors for the gospel.
We continue to be encouraged by the ways that our students are growing and maturing in Christ, and the ways that they are reaching out with the gospel of Christ at Cornell. Bible courses and prayer meetings have been well-attended, students are enjoying fellowship at the Mott Center and events like hockey games, pumpkin carving, and hikes. Through it all God is at work to build the community, advance His kingdom, and open doors for the gospel.
October 4, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
While the weather is cooling down at Cornell, the academics are heating up, as our students have been taking prelim exams over recent weeks. Bible courses have been very well attended and weekly prayer meetings are getting underway. One of our sophomore leaders, an engineering major from Pennsylvania, decided to lead a new prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. We are encouraged that an increasing number of students are feeling led to seek the Lord for personal renewal and wider revival together with their friends.
While the weather is cooling down at Cornell, the academics are heating up, as our students have been taking prelim exams over recent weeks. Bible courses have been very well attended and weekly prayer meetings are getting underway. One of our sophomore leaders, an engineering major from Pennsylvania, decided to lead a new prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. We are encouraged that an increasing number of students are feeling led to seek the Lord for personal renewal and wider revival together with their friends.
September 2, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
I hope you will be encouraged to know that your prayers for us for the start of the year at Cornell have been answered! During the first week of the semester that started last week, we were able to meaningfully welcome and serve over 40 new Cornell students. Many of them are finding Christian community with CU Vita and showing sincere interest in joining our Bible courses that start this week.
I hope you will be encouraged to know that your prayers for us for the start of the year at Cornell have been answered! During the first week of the semester that started last week, we were able to meaningfully welcome and serve over 40 new Cornell students. Many of them are finding Christian community with CU Vita and showing sincere interest in joining our Bible courses that start this week.
August 5, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
As I write this, I pray with joy and thankfulness for you and your partnership with us in the gospel at Cornell. We are expecting great things in the year ahead, for the Lord to work according to His good pleasure and His covenant promises. His steadfast love endures, even to this day, in each of your lives and communities, and on the campus of Cornell University, where we and our student leaders are endeavoring to follow Jesus for the sake of His saving and sanctifying work.
As I write this, I pray with joy and thankfulness for you and your partnership with us in the gospel at Cornell. We are expecting great things in the year ahead, for the Lord to work according to His good pleasure and His covenant promises. His steadfast love endures, even to this day, in each of your lives and communities, and on the campus of Cornell University, where we and our student leaders are endeavoring to follow Jesus for the sake of His saving and sanctifying work.
July 1, 2021
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
As we look forward to next year, we are praying that God will continue his good work at Cornell. We are so happy to report that we have already connected with many incoming freshmen, and we would love to meet more. Please pray that our efforts would be fruitful and that many incoming students would find Christian community at Cornell. Our leaders are eager to introduce new students to our community and many of the new freshmen are spreading the word about CU Vita with their class as well. It is such a big life transition for these new Cornell students and we long to be used by God to extend his love and grace and friendship to them during this challenging time. Pray that we would have wisdom and that God would open many doors for the gospel with this incoming group.
As we look forward to next year, we are praying that God will continue his good work at Cornell. We are so happy to report that we have already connected with many incoming freshmen, and we would love to meet more. Please pray that our efforts would be fruitful and that many incoming students would find Christian community at Cornell. Our leaders are eager to introduce new students to our community and many of the new freshmen are spreading the word about CU Vita with their class as well. It is such a big life transition for these new Cornell students and we long to be used by God to extend his love and grace and friendship to them during this challenging time. Pray that we would have wisdom and that God would open many doors for the gospel with this incoming group.
