This upcoming Sunday, we have the privilege of welcoming new members into our midst. These are people who have committed to participating in the life of the church and performing the “one anothers” of Scripture with this local body of Christ. They’re also individuals whom we, as a church, commit to do the same with and for. We praise God for his grace and the advancement of his gospel in Santa Ana.
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.
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
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
12:00 pm - Ebell Club Ballroom
Baptism is a celebration. Friends, family, and the church gather around to rejoice in what God has done. Celebrating because God the Father, through the sacrifice of His Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit is saving men and women from sin. The lost are being found. Baptism is the evidence of this.
This last Sunday, we had the joy of witnessing the baptism of Anna Forslund, Truett Houlton, and Nidia Manzano. Check out the pictures and relive the celebration of new life in Christ.
Let’s celebrate Christmas with the Church throughout the ages! Confessing the “one Lord” Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sins with those who’ve come before us. This anthology edited by Nancy Guthrie draws from the works and sermons of classic theologians such as George Whitefield, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and Saint Augustine, and from leading contemporary teachers such as John Piper, Randy Alcorn, Tim Keller, and Joni Eareckson Tada to help readers enter into the wonder of Jesus’s incarnation and birth.
Beginning in Ephesians 4:17, Paul begins laying out what it looks like to live lives worthy of our calling (4:1). He begins by contrasting the believer's way of life apart from Christ (4:17-19) with our new life in Christ (4:20-24). Likening it to a change of clothes: putting off the old-sin stained garments, and putting on our new set of clothes in Christ. Something which happens decisively at our conversion but continues on throughout our entire lives. Continuously tossing the sin-stained rags back into the coffin-hamper, and putting on our new identity in Christ. And everyday, as we exercise our faith in Christ and get freshly dressed in him, the Lord will continue to make us more and more like Christ - renewing our minds, re-orienting our desires, and restoring his image in us. We used to go all out getting dressed up in the old clothes. Should we not work just as hard to put on the new?
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 cultivating friendships with unbelieving neighbors.
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.
Baptism is one of the sweetest moments in the life of the church. It’s a visible portrayal of the effects of the gospel in a person. A means of grace given to us in order to participate in God’s promise of new life in Christ. Professing our faith in Jesus, making our public entrance into his people, and representing our union with him in his death and resurrection - dying to sin and being raised to walk in newness of life. It’s also an act of obedience, something that every believer is commanded to do.
Join us at the Cunningham home immediately after church this Sunday (12/3) to celebrate the baptism of new believers and have a hotdog lunch. If you’re interested in being baptized or have questions about baptism, please contact one of our pastors.
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
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
12:15 pm - Cunningham Home
This year as the pastors and wives of Sovereign Grace Churches gathered for our annual conference, we were well-served by faithful, joyful, and timely gospel preaching. Your pastoral team encourages you to listen to all 5 of these main sessions. They’ll bless your soul, build you up, and equip you for gospel mission in our current cultural moment.
