PARTICIPATING IN GOSPEL PARTNERSHIP THROUGH PRAYER

We joyfully partner with Sovereign Grace Churches. We’re grateful that we’re not on our own as we carry out our mission. One way we express that partnership is through prayer. Below are the 4th quarter 2022 global prayer requests from Sovereign Grace Churches. Join us as we pray for our gospel partners:

• Pray that God would draw unbelievers to Sovereign Grace churches as we hold our Christmas related events and services in December.

• Pray that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelieving family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers over the holiday season.

• Pray for the Arche Church in Dnipro, Ukraine that Sovereign Grace is relating to, and sending money for war relief efforts, asking God to protect them, and to use them to offer gospel hope as the war continues in that nation.

• Pray for the men who are participating in our Church Planting Cohort: Ramon Flores (Yuma, AZ), Gabriel Magill (Warren, PA), Perry Wang (Charleston, SC), Jeremy Hetrick (Harrisburg, PA), asking God to use the Cohort to equip them to plant a Sovereign Grace church in the next year or two.

• Pray for Dave Taylor (Director of Global Missions) and the Sovereign Grace Leadership Team asking God to give them wisdom in exploring partnership opportunities with churches in Poland and Sweden.

• Pray that God would use the Sovereign Grace Music “Prepare Him Room” concerts in various cities in December to celebrate the birth of Christ and to declare the good news of the gospel.

• Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world.

GRAB A COUPLE FRIENDS AND HEAD TO DTSA FOR ICE SKATING AND WINTER FUN

Santa Ana Winter Village is back again for a second year, right in the heart of Santa Ana. All ages can enjoy an outdoor ice-skating rink, live entertainment, holiday shopping, local food trucks, and much more.  Family-friendly activities available throughout the month.

Head to their events page for more information on full month-long event details, directions, parking and other activities.

DECEMBER 5 - DECEMBER 11

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

IF IT WEREN’T FOR OUR SIN, JESUS WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN BORN

Last week we learned that Christ was born from sinners for sinners. But in what way did Jesus come for sinners? To raise their spirits? To be an example? To inspire them to be better people? Or to rescue them from an otherwise inescapable situation? Matthew 1:18-25 teaches us that Jesus was not born to be an example, inspiration, or sentimental piece of tradition - he was born to be a Savior. To save us from the sins which deserved God’s wrath and separated us from God’s presence. In this way, Christmas is a confrontation before it’s a celebration. An annual reminder that it took the Son of God taking on flesh to save me from my sin. But, once we’ve been confronted, we’re made ready to celebrate the only Savior who, unlike so many “so-called saviors,” doesn’t mock our deepest hopes, but fulfills them.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: Daily Devotions for Advent by Sinclair Ferguson

Benefit from the pastoral wisdom and care of Sinclair Ferguson as he opens up the first two chapters of Matthew's Gospel in these daily devotions for Advent. Each day’s reflection is full of insight and application, and will help you to arrive at Christmas Day awed by God's redeeming grace and refreshed by the hope of God’s promised king.

Purchase a Copy of the devotional here

plan to be AT THE MADRIGAL HOME THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2ND AT 6:30PM

Howdy partners, it’s time to party! Join us at our annual Christmas potluck for an evening of fellowship, fun, and white elephant gift exchanges as we celebrate the coming of Christ!

HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT:

1. Costume Contest - Compete to win the “Costume of Christmas” Award. Bonus points will be assigned if your costume pairs with your potluck item!

2. White Elephant Gift Exchange - We’ll have 2 gift exchanges, one for the kids and one for adults. Please bring a pre-wrapped & unlabeled gift to enter the exchange. For the kids, just grab something from around the house. For adults, there’s a $5 spending limit, but we encourage you to find something fun around the house if you can.

3. Potluck - We’re calling on you to help us have plenty of tasty Christmas treats to eat and drink. Please follow the general outline below when bringing a potluck item to share:

   • If you are a party of 1-2, bring a drink and/or dessert to share

   • If you are a party of 3, bring a side dish to share

   • If you are a party of 4 or more, bring a main dish to share

NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2: ALL-CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY

• 6:30 pm - Madrigal Home

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

WEEKLY MEETINGS ARE CANCELLED FOR DECEMBER

In the world of agriculture, soil must remain “fallow” once every few years to maintain its fertility for years to come. To lie fallow is to lie unplowed and unplanted for a time in order for nutrients to be restored. In the month of December, we are letting our church calendar lie fallow. Why? Not so that you can pull away from the life of the church, but instead to press into natural and more intimate opportunities to relate to your church family and neighbors. The holiday season is notoriously one of the busiest times of the year. We want to help you to take advantage of the few free moments you have to spend unhurried, unscheduled time with one another and with family for the grand purpose of allowing your heart to be re-fertilized by the work of Christ, fellowship with the saints and companionship with unbelieving neighbors.

WHAT’S NOT CANCELLED?

• REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES

• CHRISTMAS PARTY ON DECEMBER 2 (MADRIGAL HOME at 6:30PM)

• CHRISTMAS Day SERVICE (Ebell Club at 10:00 AM)

If you ever have any questions about church events, you can look to our church calendar, which is always updated to reflect changes to meetings or events.

Subscribe to the church calendar here.

WHO JESUS WAS BORN FROM TEACHES US WHO HE WAS BORN FOR

As we begin our 2022 Christmas Series on the birth stories of Christ, we begin by taking a look at his family tree. What sort of people did he descend from? What kind of men and women did the Second Person of the Trinity deem fit to relate to as he took on flesh and entered into the world? The answer in Matthew's genealogy should surprise us. It's a family tree of sinners, foreigners, and imperfect people! God chose weak, weary, and unfaithful ones to be the ones through whom his Son would come. They seem like unlikely candidates, but who else could he pick? Who else but a family line of sinners for the Son of God who’d come to save sinners? In the drama of the Christmas story, these are the men and women we relate to. We are the unfaithful ones, born in sin and suffering under the curse, who receive the rescue of God's own Son. Christ was born for them, Christ is born for us.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THE SEASON OF ADVENT STARTS THIS SUNDAY

This Sunday marks the start of the Advent season! A season that celebrates the “advent” or “coming” of Christ into the world. Over the course of the next 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas, we’ll prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas as we sing well-loved songs about the Savior of the world, see the glory of Christ shining through the pages of Scripture, and celebrate the fact that Jesus not only came once but is coming again!

A WEARY WORLD REJOICES

We celebrate that Christ came into the world in fulfillment of God’s promises of old in order to accomplish our salvation. We long for the day he’ll come again to make all things new. During Advent, we look both backward and forward as we worship the One who came from heaven to earth and will one day come again to usher in the new heavens and earth.

As we prepare our hearts to enter into the Christmas season which is so full of so many wonderful things, would we prioritize the most wonderful of them all: Jesus Christ who was born for us. Prioritize the Christ of Christmas this Christmas season and prepare your heart to celebrate his birth by:

• Studying the birth of Christ - As an individual or a family. Open up God’s word, study the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth, and walk through Advent devotional as you count down the days to Christmas. Here are a few suggested resources:

  • Children
    Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski
    The Promise of Christmas by The Daily Grace Co.

  • Adult Devotionals
    The Dawn of Redeeming Grace: Daily Devotions for Advent by Sinclair Ferguson
    Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul David Tripp

• Singing the birth of Christ - Not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout the entire season! Fill your mind and heart with songs that celebrate the coming of Christ and sharpen your affections for him. Add the following to your Christmas mix:

  • Heaven Has Come by Sovereign Grace Music

  • Prepare Him Room by Sovereign Grace Music

• Spending time with brothers and sisters in Christ - This Christmas season, prioritize Christ by prioritizing his people. Take advantage of our December “Fallow Month” by prioritizing fellowship with one another in the church. Use the times during the week we’d normally meet as a church to: go ice skating in the city, have a game night, host another family for dinner, or do whatever you enjoy with other members in the church.

• Sharing the good news of the birth of Christ - Make your joy in Christ more full by sharing it with others. Pray for opportunities to share the good news of Christ’s birth with those in your life who have yet to receive him this Christmas season.

Join us for our Christmas Series, “Christ is Born for You,” as we behold the glory of the One who came to save us!