Mathew Evan Cornell passed peacefully into the Lord's presence on October 15, 2024, at 11:11 a.m. His unwavering devotion to his family, pastoral care, and faith in the Lord prepared his heart for this heavenly homegoing.

Pastor Mathew was born on May 2, 1961, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to the late Norman Cornell and Joy Houston. He married his sweetheart, Debbie Hern, on March 7, 1999, and together they were blessed with a large and loving family. For the past 26 years, they made their home in Ivins, Utah.

A faithful servant of the Lord, Pastor Mathew had a deep love for the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministered for many years at New Life Christian Center in St. George, Utah. He was a beloved teacher of In-Depth Bible Study and served as the head of Media and Technology for both New Life Christian Center and New Life Christian Academy. He also provided instrumental support to the Kingdom Kids Children's Ministry and various other ministries. Over the years, Pastor Mathew held pastoral and teaching positions in Assisted Living and Prison ministries, both at New Life and other churches. He was tender-hearted, exuding the love of Christ in his interactions and through his warm hugs. His heart's desire was to serve and bless the church, make disciples, and co-labor to expand the Kingdom of God. He did so faithfully and with great love. He will be deeply missed by his family, church community, dear friends, and all who knew him.

It was Pastor Mathew's keen and instinctive understanding of technology that afforded him a successful early career in the banking industry. He also had a passion for photography, graphic design, and video editing, blessing many with his artistic talents, including beautiful photographic art and poignant video tributes. He used these skills to build an impressive multimedia booth and technological infrastructure for the church, enabling them to livestream worship services and special events regularly.

Pastor Mathew is survived by his wife, Debbie; his children: Danny, Steven, Shasta, Joshua, Brittni, and Cheyanne; his grandchildren: Noel, Dominique, Seyenna, Sirenna, Shaylee, McKinley, Victoria, and Treyvin; his great-grandchildren: Aire and Kaikane; and his siblings: Sharky, Ken, Carolyn, Paul, and Tom. He is preceded in death by his sister, Diana, and his parents.

Despite the sorrow of missing Pastor Mathew on this side of glory, we join with all of Heaven in rejoicing that he has completed his earthly assignment and is now in the blessed presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

A Celebration of Life Service for Pastor Mathew Cornell will be held at New Life Christian Center on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. New Life Christian Center is located at 1062 E Tabernacle St., St. George, UT 84770. A reception will follow immediately after the service at the same location. Pastors Javier and Ia Jimenez will officiate the service.

For those wishing to support the family, a GoFundMe has been established: Help Pastor Mathew Cornell's Family in Crisis