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:
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
Every six months, we hold a brief members meeting after service. This meeting will last about 45 minutes, since we have some big announcements. The meeting is mandatory for all members, but guests are welcome as well. This meeting is a time to communicate what we wouldn’t communicate on a typical Sunday morning. We’ll look back on what God has graciously done in the last 6 months in our church and look forward to where we believe God is taking us as a church. Come this Sunday eager to hear what God is up to in our church.
The unity of the church is not just the absence of conflict, an atmosphere of niceness, or a concept in our heads that is disconnected from our hearts. Psalm 133 tells us that it is "good and pleasant" when we live together in unity (133:1). We should be affected by this. We should be filled with joy. This psalm takes us deeper into understanding and appreciating what this joy is like. It leads us to consider what might be keeping us from enjoying all God has for us in our life together.
Our final Bridge Course session is Monday, November 20th at 7pm. We are ending our series with a very important question: Why did Jesus have to die? What did his death accomplish? Could God have saved us any other way? We’ll explore all this and more over the course of a meal, a talk, and a conversation where every perspective is encouraged. Even if you’ve missed the previous sessions, ALL are welcome to join in as we wrestle through these big questions of life. Sign up below or invite a friend and we’ll see you on 11/20 at Hopper & Burr (202 W 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701).
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).
