An Update On Our Neighbor Relief Program

In March, as the country was beginning to go on lockdown, we created the SGSA Neighbor Relief Grant to help those in our church and in our city who were hurting from the aftermath of COVID-19. Since launching, we have:

• Helped 9 Inviduals or Families

• Issued 18 Grants

• Given $5,176 in assistance

These numbers are a reflection of your generosity. We’re thankful for what God has done in you and through you. But so are the recipients of your generosity. Take it from one of them in particular, who said,

“Hello, I want to thank God for his immense love for having put you on my path in this moment of crisis. It is a blessing for my family for the help that you have given us. I want to thank the whole community that has made this possible. Know that you are helping many families in need including my family thank you for your prayers at all times God bless you.”

We are still awarding grants.

You may still donate directly to our Neighbor relief fund here, as we continue to position ourselves to love our Santa Ana neighbors. If you and your family would benefit or known someone who would benefit from this grant, you can apply here.

Let’s continue to be a church that lifts one another’s burdens up to the Lord

Keep sending us your prayer requests. We’re so used to knowing one another’s needs through experiencing regular fellowship. While the state begins to open up and we are able to meet in person again, we still want be lifting our brothers and sisters up in prayer. It’s important to know how to pray for one another and to ask the Lord to guide us, sustain us and encourage us each individually in this season. Here are the prayer requests from this past week (anonymity is maintained):

1. Pray for our new Ebell Club Neighbors, the residents of the French Park, Lacy Park and Downtown Santa Ana neighborhoods - that the Lord would bring new visitors from the neighborhood to our church to hear the good news of the Gospel.

2. Pray for those experiencing the sustained financial effects of COVID

3. Pray for those walking through personal wilderness experiences

4. Pray that God would reveal His redemptive power through Christ in the midst of this 2020 wilderness

5. Pray that God would continue to empower the preached Word in our church

6. Pray for the ministry of the Spirit in our small group meetings

7. Pray for the gifts of the Spirit to be active in all of our small and large gatherings

8. Pray for racial unity in out city

9. Pray for those experiencing health crises and those who are at-risk

10. Pray for the requests of individuals who have shared them on our church Slack prayer channel. If you have questions about how to be added to this, email office@sovgracesantaana.org

    KEEP SENDING PRAYER REQUESTS TO PRAYERS@SOVGRACESANTAANA.ORG.

Our Monthly Women’s Group is This Thursday

Our regularly scheduled mid week programs are up and running again, following careful guidelines to ensure the health of all attendees. These meetings will occur outdoors until further notice, with 6 feet of social distance between each member present, masks required and in observance of CA Guidelines. Childcare will not be provided.

7PM IN THE MALONE BACKYARD

If you have any questions about this meeting or need the address, please email krista@sovgracesantaana.org

Our First Sunday Together at Ebell

This Sunday was the first time we swung open the doors for an in-person gathering in 16 weeks. Some chose to remain at home and watch via livestream. Please know that this is an entirely acceptable option for anyone who doesn't yet feel comfortable gathering. While it may have felt different than before, it was still such a joy to be in the same room together worshipping. Take a look at some pictures from our first Sunday together!

God Brings Us Into The Wilderness To Bring Us To The End Of Ourselves

God led the Nation of Israel into the wilderness after liberating them from the hands of the Egyptians. He promised to be their God and bring them into a land of promise; a “new Eden”. But on their way, they complained about the wilderness and even expressed a desire to return to Egypt. When they saw the promised land, they feared the power of the current inhabitants. When God denied them entry on the basis of their lack of faith, they tried to force their way in.

Israel teaches us that in the wilderness, settling for lesser Edens and trying to force our way out of the wilderness are equally ineffective. There is only one way out of the wilderness - and the answer may be surprising to you.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

Godly Fatherhood Reflects the Fatherhood of God

God is the best Father. He cares for the weak. He loves without fail. He provides out of the abundance of His grace. He’s patient and long-suffering as His children grow and stumble toward spiritual maturity. He sacrifices for those He loves.

We thank God for the Fathers among us who reflect these traits.

We’d also invite you to pray with us for God to raise up more fathers in our communities to raise up the next generation in wisdom and godliness.

Small Groups Meet This Friday Night

Our regularly scheduled mid week programs are up and running again, following careful guidelines to ensure the health of all attendees. These meetings will occur outdoors until further notice, with 6 feet of social distance between each member present, masks required and in observance of CA Guidelines. Childcare will not be provided.

DTSA SMALL GROUP: HOULTON’S YARD

"EAST SANTA ANA” SMALL GROUP: ERKELENS’ YARD

We have seating spaced out for families, hand sanitizer available and masks available for those that don’t have one. If you are not quite comfortable joining us in person yet, we will have a “Zoom In” option available for all.

If you have any questions or concerns about small groups or need an address, please send an email to office@sovgracesantaana.org.

As We Prepare to Meet Together Again, Spend Time Praying For One Another

Keep sending us your prayer requests. We’re so used to knowing one another’s needs through experiencing regular fellowship. While the state begins to open up and we are able to meet in person again, we still want be lifting our brothers and sisters up in prayer. It’s important to know how to pray for one another and to ask the Lord to guide us, sustain us and encourage us each individually in this season. Here are the prayer requests from this past week (anonymity is maintained):

1. Praise the Lord with those who are celebrating the Supreme Court’s decision to continue the DACA program

2. Pray for Reunion Sunday- that the Lord would bring new visitors from the neighborhood to our church. Pray for health & safety as we meet together again.

3. Pray for racial unity in our city

4. Pray for the Lord to use the preaching of the Word through the series “Waiting on God in the Wilderness” to grant us perspective, hope, conviction and to see the mighty hand of God at work in the wildernesses we walk through.

5. Pray for the Men in Our Church- Father’s day is this Sunday. Pray for strength and endurance in the middle of fatherhood. Pray for comfort for those who are longing to be fathers.

6. Pray for the requests of individuals who have shared them on our church Slack prayer channel. If you have questions about how to be added to this, email office@sovgracesantaana.org

   KEEP SENDING PRAYER REQUESTS TO PRAYERS@SOVGRACESANTAANA.ORG.

GOD HAS BEEN MERCIFUL TO US IN CHRIST. WE WANT TO BE MERCIFUL TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND OUR NEIGHBORS

If you or your neighbors are facing medical, financial, food-related or any other kind of challenges due to the coronavirus outbreak, here’s your one-stop shop of resources available to residents of Santa Ana and throughout Orange County. We will update this list on a weekly basis to keep you up to date on all available resources.

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

• COVID-19 Testing and Screening - FDA Approved testing in OC. By appointment only. No out of pocket cost but your insurance may be billed later. 

  • https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing-and-screening

• Santa Ana COVID-19 Testing - AltaMed-Santa Ana Bristol - (888) 499-9303 for appointment

  • 2720 S. Bristol St. #104, Santa Ana; Mon-Sat 9am-3pm

• Additional Testing in Buena Park, Orange, & San Juan Capistrano - 888-634-1123  https://lhi.care/covidtesting

• COVID-19 Hotline - 714-834-2000 

  • General questions regarding COVID-19

• Health Referral Hotline - 800-564-8448

  • The Orange County Health Care Agency has established a Health Referral Hotline to call if you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms or have questions about the virus.

• COVID-19 Health Referral Hotline - 833-426-6411

The Orange County Health Care Agency has established a Health Referral Hotline to call if you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms or questions about the virus.

• Orange County Healthcare Agency - COVID-19 “What you should know” - http://cms.ocgov.com/gov/health/phs/about/epidasmt/epi/dip/prevention/novel_coronavirus.asp

Contains daily updates on the spread of and response to COVID-19 within Orange County as well as other additional resources and informational graphics and flyers.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

• Rental/Utility Assistance - Salvation Army of OC - 714-384-0481 

Santa Ana Office - 1710 West Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92703

Other cities served: Fullerton, La Habra, Yorba Linda, Brea, Placentia, Buena Park - 714-451-8080

Anaheim and Villa Park - 714-783-2344

• Rental/Utility Assistance - Share Our Selves - 949-270-2100 - https://www.shareourselves.org/services/financial-assistance/

• Rental/Utility Assistance - Serving People In Need (SPIN) - 714-751-1101

  • https://www.spinoc.org/news for COVID-19 response;

  • https://www.spinoc.org/programs for general programs for those in need

• Rental/Utility/Misc. Assistance - St. Vincent de Paul in Orange County - 714-542-0448 http://www.svdpoc.org 1505 East Seventeenth Street Suite #109, Santa Ana, CA 92705 

  St. Vincent de Paul provides home visits, hospital visits, food pantries and grocery distribution, financial aid for utilities, medication, household items, rent assistance, temporary housing (motel voucher), transportation (bus passes, gasoline), and clothing. 

For those who have experienced job-layoffs or a reduction in hours/pay:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) - https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/pandemic-unemployment-assistance.htm

  • Up tp 39 weeks of benefits to Californians who are: business owners, self-employed, independent contractors, or those with a limited work history who are out of business or have significantly reduced their services as a direct result of the pandemic.

• CA Unemployment - General Number & Website - English 1-800-300-5616 - Spanish 1-800-326-8937 https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/. Representatives are available at the above toll-free numbers, with NEW hours beginning April 20th: Sunday through Monday (7 days a week) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Pacific time) except on state holidays.

To file a claim online: https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm

• CA Unemployment COVID-19 Specific Resources: Disability insurance for those off due to COVID-19 due to mandatory quarantine or unpaid sick/get better time after having the COVID-19.

To connect to claims: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm 

Frequently Asked Questions: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/faqs.htm 

• Disaster Loans for Small Businesses - https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

• Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: Federally funded benefits distinct from UI program for the self-employed, employed individuals who lack sufficient work history, independent contractors, and gig workers. 

• California Disaster Relief Fund: Will support undocumented Californians impacted by COVID-19 who are ineligible for unemployment insurance benefits and disaster relief, including the CARES Act, due to their immigration status. Approximately 150,000 undocumented adult Californians will receive a one-time cash benefit of $500 per adult with a cap of $1,000 per household to deal with the specific needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals can apply for support beginning next month.

• Labor & Workforce Development Agency – Information regarding: Paid Sick Leave, Disability and Unemployment Insurance, Paid Family Leave, Workplace Health and Safety Guidance, Employer Assistance, https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/

Additional State-sponsored assistance:

• OC Social Services Agency - http://ssa.ocgov.com/calfresh/apply

  • To apply for various aid/relief programs such as CalFresh (food stamps), CalWorks (homeless, diversion, and immediate need assistance), and General Relief (temporary cash assistance to adults without children)

  • Check your eligibility or sign-up for benefits by going to https://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/

Job Opportunities - for those in need of employment due to lay-offs or temporary furlough:

• Orange County OneStop- https://www.oconestop.com/employment-opportunities

  • Assisting those looking for employment. View their job board.

• OC Virtual One-Stop- 714-480-6420 www.onestop.com

• Amazon Jobs - https://www.amazondelivers.jobs/?cmpid=PRPRLC0780H6

  • Amazon is adding 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public.

  • Sign-up for job alerts in your area by texting AMAZON to 77088

• Walmart Jobs - https://careers.walmart.com/

  • Walmart is adding 100,000+ jobs nationwide in response to the COVID crisis

• Domino’s Jobs -https://jobs.dominos.com/dominos-careers/

  • Domino’s is adding 1,000s of jobs nationwide in response to COVID crisis

CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE

• Children’s Home Society of California - https://www.chs-ca.org/

  • Offering childcare reimbursements for essential workers and referrals for locating childcare

• The YMCA of Orange County - https://ymcaoc.org/essential-services-child-care/

  • Offering childcare for essential workers during COVID-19 crisis

MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE

• OC Health Care Agency Mental Health Services - https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/resources-all County sponsored resources for anyone struggling to cope with the COVID-19 crisis

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide - https://www.nami.org/covid-19-guide

• Senior Guide to Mental Health During Coronavirus: Tips for how seniors can stay healthy and connected during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • https://www.medicareadvantage.com/resources/senior-guide-to-mental-health-during-covid-19

• OC Mental Health Hotlines:  https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/mental-health-support

  • OC WARM Line: (877) 910-6412 - Confidential 7-day a week telephone support services for anyone struggling with mental health, substance abuse, etc.

  • Community Counseling - (714) 645-8000 - Short term services, Mon-Fri

  • OC-Links - (714) 834-2332 - To be linked to county behavioral health services

  • Suicide Prevention Line - (800) 273-8255 - 24/7 English & Spanish crisis counseling for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

• Gaining Internet Access during COVID-19: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/availableinternetplans.asp 

• California Guide for Immigrants: https://covid19.ca.gov/guide-immigrant-californians/

  • A PDF guide for immigrants living in CA during this crisis 

• SAUSD Family & Community Resource Page: https://www.sausd.us/covid19resources

• OC Schools Anticipated Start Dates - https://newsroom.ocde.us/when-will-the-2020-21-school-year-begin-here-are-the-anticipated-start-dates-for-oc/

  • SAUSD to resume classes on 8/10. It is TBA whether this will be on-campus, virtual, or a hybrid approach.

FOOD/GROCERY ASSISTANCE

• Pandemic EBT: Families can receive up to $365 per child to spend on groceries in addition to picking up meals from school through this new program.

  • APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 30th

  • Visit www.ca.p-ebt.org/info for more info.

• CA Meals for Kids Mobile Application - https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/mo/cameals.asp

  • The CA Meals for Kids mobile application helps you find nearby California Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs Sites through your iOS, Android, or Microsoft devices.

  • The Emergency Meal Sites section may be used during unanticipated school closures due to emergency situations. Download the app and search in your area!

• Santa Ana Food Pantries - https://www.211oc.org/food/groceries.html

  • Serve the People-  714-352-2911 - 1206 East 17th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • 6am-9am

  • El Sol Academy - 714-543-0023 -1002 North Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • Email mercado@elsolacademy.org for detailed information 

  • First Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana - 714-542-7253 - 600 North Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • 10am-3pm, Tuesday-Thursday

• Second Harvest Pop-Up Drive Through Distribution - https://www.feedoc.org/covid-19-update/

  • 9am-Noon, Saturdays throughout COVID crisis. At the Honda Center, 2695 E Katella Ave, Anaheim 92806

  • Serving 500-1,000 families in a drive-up format with a one-week supplemental supply of bagged food.

• Waste Not OC - https://www.wastenotoc.org/pantries/

  • A cross-county food pantry map to 200+ food pantries across OC

• Catholic Charities of Orange County - https://ccoc.org/programs/

  • See English & Spanish CalFresh Healthy Living Calendar for information on OC food pantries.

• So-Cal Grocery Stores Open Early For Seniors and those with Medical Conditions

  • Northgate Market - 7am-8am (Seniors, Pregnant Women, Disabled)

  • Big Saver Foods - 7:30am-8am (Seniors)

  • Stater Bros. - 7:45am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

  • Smart & Final - 7:30am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

  • Albertsons - 7am-9am (Seniors)

  • Vons - 7am-9am (Seniors)

  • Target - Wednesdays, 8am-9am (Seniors, those with medical conditions)

  • Whole Foods - 7am-8am (Seniors)

  • Gelsons - 7am-8am (Seniors)

  • Ralphs - 7am-7:30am (Seniors)

  • Superior Grocers - 7am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

• Grab & Go Meals - Free lunch and at many locations, even breakfast are offered to all students 18-and-under at multiple school in most Orange County school districts - https://na0.icarol.info/resourceview2.aspx?First=1&country=United%20States&sp=CA&county=Orange&city=-1&org=2287&agencynum=67353452

• Additional Resources by City: Select the service from: Food, Food Pantries, or Grab & Go Meals at https://www.211oc.org/ and on the page that loads, search by city in the section that reads, “Search for resources in or near a location”

• Additional information by School District (school closure length, grab & go meal times & locations): https://newsroom.ocde.us/these-oc-districts-are-offering-grab-and-go-meals-at-a-campus-near-you

GENERAL SERVICES

Dial 2-1-1 to be linked to any of the following services: 

• Women, infants and children (WIC) help

• Food and food stamps

• Homeless shelters

• Substance abuse

• Prenatal care

• Help with housing assistance

• Help with utilities

• Emergency housing

• 24-hour crisis, suicide help and suicide counseling

• Mental health services

• Food distribution

• Access to healthcare

• Medical, dental help and vision clinics

• Government assistance programs

• Transportation assistance

• Elder services

• Nutrition assistance

• Help for low-income families

• Other youth and child care issues

• Other physical and mental health services

The Moment We Have All Been Waiting For Is Here…

JUNE 21ST - EVERYBODY WELCOME

10:00AM AT THE EBELL CLUB OF SANTA ANA

718 Mortimer Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701

It’s been 15 weeks since we’ve opened the doors on a Sunday morning and said “welcome” to any and all in-person attendees. More than a welcome to attend a service, we want to extend a welcome to come and meet the Savior of the world; to come and be a part of a diverse and loving community centered on Jesus - the one who unites us. We extend a welcome to all because the grace of God in Christ has welcomed all.

WHATEVER THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN, WHATEVER LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK, WHOEVER YOU ARE, YOU’RE WELCOME THIS AND EVERY SUNDAY

If you’re a resident of Santa Ana, you’re welcome. If you know somebody who goes to Sovereign Grace Santa Ana, you’re welcome. If you have a past full of mistakes and pain, you’re welcome. If you know nobody at the church or haven’t been to church in a long time or ever, you’re welcome. If you’ve not felt welcome in other communities for whatever reason, we extend a warm welcome to you to come and join us this and every Sunday to worship the God of the Universe and hear from His Word.

Things will feel different than normal because of the pandemic and we want to make sure that while we welcome you, you’re also provided a safe and healthy experience. Specific guidelines of what you can expect are available here.

If you have questions or concerns, please email office@sovgracesantaana.org