Cornerstone Chapel stands at 3939 Granger Road in Medina, Ohio, a Foursquare church that grew from 17 people meeting at Medina High School in May of 1985 into a multi-generational congregation known for teaching straight through books of the Bible, an energetic kids and youth movement called Revolve NextGen, a parallel Hispanic Ministry, and a steady stream of outreach across Medina and the wider world.
From 17 People at Medina High School to a Granger Road Campus
Cornerstone Chapel was started by founding pastors Jeff and Mary Jane Kolodziej in May of 1985 with 17 people at the Medina High School, and they led the church faithfully for 30 years. The church shaped its identity around a vision for upreach (worship), inreach (discipleship), and outreach (evangelism). By 1991, the current property on Granger Road had been purchased and construction began on a new church facility. As families continued to come to Christ, several building expansions followed. The phrase "building people for life" became the church's defining motto, along with the bottom-line statements: We Know God through life-giving Worship Services, We Grow in Faith through life-changing Small Groups, and We Go Make a Difference through life-fulfilling Dream Teams.
The name itself draws from the biblical image of a cornerstone, the foundation stone on which everything else is built. The church points to Jesus as that cornerstone and credits Him with both its origin and its continuing work. Today, Cornerstone Chapel exists to glorify God and to build people for life.
Sunday Mornings at 10 a.m.
The weekly worship service begins at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings and runs about 80 minutes, including worship music, announcements, and a message based on the Word of God. A livestream of the service runs at 10 a.m. on the church's YouTube channel for those who prefer to join from home. Bibles are available on a shelf near the center entrance inside the sanctuary, and worshipers are encouraged to follow along through the YouVersion Bible App under the Events tab.
Visitors can park in either the Granger Road lot or the Route 3 lot. A welcome team member stands at each entrance and is happy to direct guests. Coffee flows before the service, and the church cafe opens after, where newcomers can grab one of the "cornerscones" or other treats. Returning a connection card at the Info Center earns a coupon for a free item as a thank-you. The church hosts brief Meet and Greet gatherings with the staff in Room 5 after services on the third Sunday of January, March, May, July, September, and November.
Revolve NextGen: Kids and Students
The children's and youth ministries together form Revolve NextGen, serving children from nursery through 12th grade. The team's goal is to help young people come to know how much Jesus loves them and to follow in His footsteps through practical steps as they learn to live out their faith.
Revolve Kids classes for infants through 4th grade run during the 10 a.m. service. The nursery (ages 0-2) is staffed with caring adults in Room 2. Pre-K and Kindergarten gathers in Room 1 for age-specific Bible lessons, art projects, and a play area with a big slide. First through fourth graders meet in Room 4 for an energetic, Bible-packed class with hands-on ways to learn scripture. A Family Room is also open during the 10 a.m. service for parents with kids ages 0-2; it has a TV showing the service so adults can still follow along.
After worship on Sunday, the RVLV Junior High class (grades 5-8) heads to the Chapel for hangout time, games, and deeper Bible conversation. Wednesday evenings bring the youth back together from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., with junior high in Room 4 and high school students in the Chapel/Cafe for worship, games, a message, and small groups. The youth ministry can be followed on Instagram at RVLVYOUTH.
Small Groups Around the Community
Cornerstone Chapel believes that small groups are one of the best ways to grow in faith, connect with church family, and build relationships. Groups meet throughout the week on different days and in different locations around Medina, with three main sign-up windows beginning in January, June, and September. A Small Group List is available for those interested in finding a group.
GrowthTrac and the Core 4
Cornerstone Chapel's discipleship pathway is called GrowthTrac, a four-part sequence of 90-minute classes offered every other month at 8:30 a.m. with childcare provided. Each class is limited to 12 people. The Core 4 classes are:
- First Steps - an introduction to life at Cornerstone Chapel, including how to connect and serve.
- Freedom - a teaching on the healing and freedom available in Jesus, addressing wounds, bad habits, and negative emotions.
- Fire - a study of the Holy Spirit, including baptism in the Holy Spirit and Spirit-filled living.
- Flourish - discovering God's purpose and learning to live on mission in workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, and the wider community.
Participants begin with First Steps (formerly NextSteps) before working through Freedom, Fire, and Flourish in any order until all four are completed. The pathway also includes a Spiritual Gifts Test and steps toward Dream Team service and water baptism.
Hispanic Ministry in Room 4
A Spanish-speaking group meets every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Room 4, following the English service. Chris Novak serves as the Hispanic Ministry Director, and Pastor Angela Sullivan is the listed contact for those interested in learning more about the ministry. The gathering provides a Spanish-language home within Cornerstone Chapel's broader congregational life.
Going Out: Outreaches and Mission Trips
A long list of community outreach teams gives Cornerstone Chapel a strong external focus. The Adopt-a-Block team meets once a month on Saturday mornings to connect with neighbors around the church's property. The Mobile Blessing Team takes blessing out into the community. The Cups Cafe Team partners with the local Cups Cafe once a month to serve meals and beverages to neighbors. Nursing Home Teams lead worship and Bible study once a month at Broadway Creek and Samaritan Care nursing homes. CitiReach partners throughout the month for dinners, distribution, and family events. The CARE Team serves people in the congregation who are homebound or in need of care during a difficult time. An annual Ice Festival outreach invites volunteers to fill and distribute bags of cookies at Medina's Ice Festival, and past mission trips have included Belize, Nicaragua, and West Virginia.
Cornerstone Chapel also partners with a diverse roster of missionaries and ministry leaders abroad:
- Rusty and Hannah Nottingham - urban ministry in Akron, Ohio.
- Simon and Elizabeth Lee - church planting in Hat Yai, Thailand.
- Stacee - student and athlete development in Belize.
- Jose and Sylvia - mobilizing Latins into global missions, especially in the 10/40 window.
- Cornell Jordan - evangelist and youth minister traveling across America and abroad, including Kenya, Madagascar, and Mexico.
- Dwight - leadership training with Harvest Preparation International Ministries (HPIM).
The church is affiliated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and its denominational missions arm connects to Foursquare Missions International, Foursquare Disaster Relief, and Foursquare Missions Press.
Be Healed, Be Free
"Be Healed Be Free" is a signature ministry at Cornerstone Chapel, rooted in the conviction that Jesus offers healing for wounds, bad habits, and negative emotions. The Freedom Core 4 class and a recommended reading list (featuring authors such as Peter Scazzero, Jack Frost, Molly LaCroix, and Dr. Anita Phillips) support the ministry's focus on inner healing and spiritual freedom.
A Foursquare Church in Medina
Cornerstone Chapel is affiliated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Its beliefs are summarized in a set of 5 Distinctives and 22 Statements of Faith, both available on the church's resources page. The churchwide Bible reading plan guides the congregation through Old and New Testament readings over several months each year, and prayer-and-fasting resources encourage individuals to set aside distractions, take up daily Scripture reading, and seek the Holy Spirit's leading.
Plan Your Visit and Get Connected
First-time guests are welcomed with coffee before the service and a cornerscone afterward, with a connection card offering a free treat coupon as a thank-you. Bibles are free near the sanctuary entrance, and the YouVersion Bible App makes it easy to follow along digitally. Online visitors can join the livestream at 10 a.m. Sundays on the church's YouTube channel. A Digital FreshStart Pack collects resources for newcomers, including links to download the YouVersion app, follow the churchwide Bible Reading Plan, attend a First Steps class, and connect with a small group. For the curious, the Plan Your Visit page walks through what to expect from parking to children's check-in to the cafe, with text-message updates available by texting "UpdateCC" to 84576.
Pastors and Ministry Leaders
Cornerstone Chapel's pastoral team is led by Pastor Mark Giaimo as Lead Pastor. Pastor Mike Gardiner and Pastor Melanie Gardiner serve as Assistant Pastors, and Pastor Deb Giaimo serves as Associate Pastor. Sharin Harvey is the Children's Director, Andrea Sauer the Nursery Director, Pastor Angela Sullivan the Youth Director, Chris Novak the Hispanic Ministry Director, and Kent Davis the Outreach Director. The church office can be reached at (330) 723-3334 (closed Mondays) and at thestone@cornerstonechapel.org.