Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moment in the life of our church. It will be our last small group before our December Fallow Month. You won’t want to miss the final small group this Friday at 7pm in order to encourage one another and be encouraged. To care for others and to be cared for. To point your brothers and sisters to Christ and apply his gospel to their lives, and experience the same.
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re moving our monthly Women’s Meeting up a week. This month, the ladies of CGSA will gather to share in an informal Friendsgiving fellowship night as they share in the grace of friendship. No turkeys, potatoes, or fancy dishes necessary. We’re keeping it simple. If you are able, please bring an appetizer, snack, or dessert to share as we spend the evening celebrating God’s goodness through our relationships and giving thanks to his name.
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:
6:30 am - French Park Grass Area
7:00 pm - Davis Home
7:00 pm - Erkelens & Lee Home
5:00 pm - Plaza Calle Cuatro, Downtown Santa Ana
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
7:00 pm - Hopper & Burr
It’s here! The seventh edition of the Sovereign Grace Journal. It’s written by Sovereign Grace pastors for the pastors and members of Sovereign Grace Churches. We hope you will enjoy reading it. You can purchase a hard copy on Amazon, download the full PDF, or simply read it article by article (below).
What Does Partnership Mean for Church Members? (Riley Spring)
Partnership Stories, Ministry in Hard Places (Stephen Bowne)
A Band of Brothers, Pastors United in Fellowship (Steve Teter)
United in Governance, An Introduction to Sovereign Grace Polity (Rob Flood)
The Value of Extra-Local Leadership (From the Working Group on Extra-Local Leadership)
Grab a friend or two and head to Downtown Santa Ana this Saturday, for the annual Plaza Navideña! The event celebrates the start of the holiday season and is a way to meet our neighbors and support local businesses, as the city lights a Christmas tree right in the heart of downtown Santa Ana. This free community event is open to all with entertainment, kids crafts, and photo opportunities. The tree lighting ceremony will begin promptly at 5:30pm. Find out more information here.
As Ephesians chapter 4 begins, Paul shifts his emphasis from what God has done for us (the indicative) to how we respond to it (the imperative). In light of all God has done to make us the church and in awe of all the church is (see chs.1-3), we are called to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called" (4:1). The first application of this, as those who have been called to life and peace with God and each other, is the charge to fight to maintain peace within the church. The continued enjoyment of God's peace will be experienced as we make war on what causes divisions among us. Paul encourages the Ephesians & us to walk out the unity that characterizes the Church of every age. Sharing in common the seven amazing "ones" that have become ours through the one gospel which has created the Church (4:4-6). Living in a manner which is worthy and reflective of that gospel as we live together "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love," as we strive, not against one another but together with each other, to preserve the peace that God has established with us (4:2-3).
Every year our family of churches enjoys a family reunion. A time when pastors, wives, and members of Sovereign Grace Churches come together for a week of worship, fellowship, and encouragement in our shared mission. This year there are 700+ registrants from 22 different nations attending our annual gathering in Orlando. It’s sure to be a sweet time away!
As a pastoral team we say thank you for sending us! This conference is one of the highlights of our year - and this time, there are ten of us going! The Houltons, Schlieders, and Roenickes, as well as the Cunninghams and Lopezs have registered to attend. It’s a joy to attend and always makes us eager to come back and serve the church. In addition to sending us, we also ask that you please pray for us while we’re here. Throughout the week, you can pray that:
The Lord would refresh our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Pray that we would be brought so close to the fire of the cross that the sparks would fall on our hearts and set our affections aflame for Christ.
The Lord would use this time to equip us to serve our church well. We’re being sent by the members of our church for the members of our church. Pray that we’d come back better leaders than when we left.
The Lord would build existing and establish new relationships among pastors and members of Sovereign Grace Churches across the globe.
The Lord would give us moments of clarity about our local mission. Pray for the Lord to fill us with His Spirit to give us a greater longing to spread the joy of Jesus to our neighbors.
The Lord would be with Jason as our Western Region votes to affirm his ordination to pastoral ministry. This is the final step in his long journey of being assessed and equipped to be a pastor at Cross of Grace. Pray his call to ministry would once again be affirmed and that we’d return with good news of a coming ordination service!
Every second Thursday, the men of our church gather together to sit under God’s word and spur on each other’s walk with Christ. All guys, 15 years and older, are invited to participate in a conversation where "men talk like men" about God. Join in at the 4th Street Market patio at 7:00 pm.
This Men’s Meeting will be the last meeting before our December fallow month. Be sure to make it a priority to attend.
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re moving our monthly Women’s Meeting up a week. This month, the ladies of CGSA will gather to share in an informal Friendsgiving fellowship night as they share in the grace of friendship. No turkeys, potatoes, or fancy dishes necessary. We’re keeping it simple. If you are able, please bring an appetizer, snack, or dessert to share as we spend the evening celebrating God’s goodness through our relationships and giving thanks to his name.
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:
6:30 am - French Park Grass Area
7:00 pm - Fourth Street Market Patio
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
