We want our neighbors to know that we're here, that we're here to serve them and that we're here to stay. Online presence is one of the best ways to spread that news. Help Sovereign Grace Santa Ana become more visible online by writing a review on Yelp. We want to do everything we can, including making our church as easy to find as possible, to spread the joy of Jesus to our neighbors.
We’re 5 chapters into the book of John together in our preaching series. Next week, the tone of John’s Gospel takes a turn as he transitions into the next major section. Through longer books like this one, it’s often helpful to take occasional trips through the entire book to get out of the “trees” and see “the forest”. If you’d like to read straight through, we’ve made a version without chapter or verse divisions designed specifically for reading through long chunks at a time. Spend some time this week and catch a glimpse of the forest of the book of John again.
Paul writes to the men of the church in Rome “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (Rom. 16:13). This is a solemn charge for a lifelong task. Christian men need God’s Word, God’s grace and other men to effectively and consistently act like men. We meet once a month to discuss, encourage one another and fellowship together toward that very goal. All men, high school-age and up are welcome. For questions, email kyle@sovgraceoc.org.
God has gifted every believer with gifts for the explicit purpose of building up the local church. As each person uses and grows in their gifting, it brings glory to God and the intended effect occurs - the church becomes a little bit more like what it is supposed to be. For the next 3 months, a group of men will be gathering every other Sunday evening to grow in the gift of preaching God's Word. They'll read Christ Centered Preaching, have discussions, prepare sermons and some will even preach in the coming months.
Some have preached many sermons. Some have never taught. We believe that the future preachers, teachers and leaders of Sovereign Grace Santa Ana will be men like these. Please pray that God's grace would be experienced by this group as they seek to honor Him by making much of Christ through the preached Word.
This year, we'll be spending the first Friday of every month. Church members who fast for all 12 Fridays will be invited to a year-end party to celebrate the answers to our prayers. If fasting is new to you, here are some instructions.
This month, we'll be praying together for the women in our city. Here are some suggestions for how to pray:
Every first Saturday in Downtown Santa Ana, the city hosts its famous Art Walk. It's a monthly event in DTSA where all of our neighbors are out and mingling and this coming Saturday is the first Saturday in September. If you want to meet our neighbors, this is where to do it. Clear your schedule this Saturday night, gather a group of friends and head downtown for the artwalk.
If you're buy Saturday, but still looking for something to do downtown this week, the Frida Cinema is showing a free Screening of Avengers: Infinity War on the back patio of the 4th Street Market on Wednesday at 8:00pm.
We want our neighbors to know that we're here, we're here to serve them and we're here to stay. Online presence is one of the best ways to spread that news. Help Sovereign Grace Santa Ana become more visible online by writing a review on Yelp. We want to do everything we can to spread the joy of Jesus to our neighbors.
High atop a hill above Trabuco Canyon this past Saturday, the leaders of Sovereign Grace Churches of Orange and Santa Ana looked forward to the coming year and beyond and planned as best we could for what and where we believe God is leading our churches.
It was an ambitious task, but at the end of the day, we know it's not by the strength or wisdom of our leadership that plans will be accomplished. It's by God's grace and His alone. We believe He is and has gone before us. We believe that we are simply carrying out the mission He has sent His Church on.
We also spent some time looking back over the last year and praising God for the grace He's already visibly extended through you. We returned more grateful for our brothers and sisters and cities than when we left.
God has equipped and established leaders in local churches. Leaders lead best when they're actively following the leadership of Christ.
This Saturday, the leaders (pastors, deacons, ministry team leaders) of Sovereign Grace Orange and Sovereign Grace Santa Ana will spend 12 hours planning, preparing and praying for Christ to lead our local churches. There might also be some playing.
Would you pray that these 12 hours would be well-spent? We hope that God works through small moments like these to build His church and save Californians - to spread the joy of Jesus in our cities.
We believe that God has planted Sovereign Grace Santa Ana in the DTSA neighborhood for the good of the neighborhood - to spread the joy of Jesus by proclaiming the Gospel and serving our neighbors.
Sometimes, serving our neighbors comes through big, coordinated and planned events.
Sometimes, and much more often, serving our neighbors comes through meeting the needs of our neighbors one by one. We have the privilege of extending God's mercy in this way.
This past week, a number of members worked together to help a family prepare for school by supplying school supplies, backpacks and uniforms.
We praise God for His mercy extended through you.
