As we head into Thanksgiving, we are so grateful for all of those who partner with Friendship Sports to make its ministry and impact a reality. Our theme for 2022 is “The Ripple Effect.” Mike Breaux says the ripple effect is when we make ourselves available to God, where your life touches a life, which touches a life, which touches another life. We strive to do that by being the heart, hope, and hands of Jesus through sports.

This fall, with the help of our Ministry Intern Alec Papale, we once again have embarked on a campaign that engages student athletics at Cornerstone with serving the homeless. We have taken various athletes and teams downtown to help with multiple ministry partners who serve the homeless. We did our “BOGO Nights” with women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and CU bowling at their home events to raise awareness and engage the campus community to serve those struggling with homelessness. Through our fall campaign, we donated 250 pairs of insulated socks and 25 winter caps to Matthew’s House Ministry. We have our largest BOGO night event planned for February with a goal to donate another 300 items through men’s and women’s basketball and men’s volleyball. We have created an online store where you can buy FSI Swag, and for every purchase you make, a pair of insulated socks are donated to a local shelter. CLICK HERE to see how to purchase and have the items shipped directly to you.

In October, we spent the day with a group of teenagers from MACC Sports in Detroit. The group had lunch with the Cheer squad, enjoyed the men’s and women’s basketball game, and had dinner together. We connected with the Cornerstone women’s basketball in a post-game devotional, and question and answer time, and an opportunity to share the Gospel and how we try to live out our faith through sports. We discussed more ministry plans to take groups to Detroit over the winter and spring with the dream of creating a Friendship Sports Camp this summer to pour into a larger group from the ministry in Detroit.

In January, we hope to launch “Pre – Game,” our online subscribe devotional that will come out automatically three times a week to those who subscribe. Our goal is to create a three-day-long devotional connected with sports, written by students and coaches we work with to journey together and share with anyone interested! Student ministry interns will be working to develop this in December and January.

Late July, plans for our second Yellowstone Leadership Trip to Cody, WY, are in the works. Here, our goal is to take a group of young leaders to the mountains and pour into their opportunities to grow in practical Biblical leadership qualities. We will be building on last summer’s trip.

This spring, we will be gearing up for plans to take Cornerstone women’s basketball on a Vision Trip to Guatemala in partnership with Hands of Grace Ministry. This trip will take place in August. More information will be coming.

Sports Ministry Leadership Breakfast will begin in February with the student leaders we work with.

Please be in prayer for all of these projects, specifically the students we are pouring into and the funds we need to make it happen!