WE ARE ONE BODY, MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER

Church membership is not “membership in a club.” It’s “membership in a body.” As Paul says in Ephesians 4:25, we are one body, yet “members one of another” - vitally connected and working together for the good of the whole. In this way, becoming a church member is an expression of commitment to the people around you. A grace-empowered pledge to fulfill the “one anothers” of Scripture with a specific group. These others are the men and women identified in a particular local church. As members of Cross of Grace Santa Ana, we have the privilege of living out the Christian life with one another. We celebrate and grieve with one another. We build deep relationship with one another. We join arms to advance the joy of Jesus in a particular neighborhood with one another. We help one another pursue holiness. We remind one another of the sweetness of the gospel.

In light of this, we praise God for the new members - Chase & Anabel Early, Joctan Martinez, Jacob Zato, Jose Meza, and Lily Rodriguez - we had the joy of introducing this last Sunday. Be encouraged by what Chase Early, had to share with us during his new member testimony:

1 Timothy 1:15 - “It is a trustworthy saying and deserving full acceptance: That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among who I am foremost. Yet for this reason I was shown mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His patience as an example for those who are going to believe upon Him for eternal life.” The eternal lovingkindness of our Heavenly Father has faithfully led me closer to Jesus over the last 15 years since my conversion at San Diego Teen Challenge. God also used my wife, Anabel, to show me there is a church that’s a better fit for our family’s needs. Through the 9Marks church finder webpage, she found Cross of Grace. When I looked at the website, I observed the photos of the profound beauty of simply gathering in homes to worship God. I also read the Statement of Faith and believe the same biblical truths. I also believe that Reformed doctrine is the most biblical interpretation of scripture as it centers on the authority of God’s word, the power of the gospel of grace, and the purpose of mankind to worship and enjoy God forever. My Spirit-born desire is to be a church member where three things are consistently happening.

1. The pastors faithfully, passionately, patiently, and humbly teach God’s Holy Word with love for the Author and the hearer - all without apology.

2. The community of the redeemed is rich in faith, hope, love, and joy and expresses this toward one another by God’s grace through the simple means of studying, praying, worshiping, serving, and living together.

3. The church is evangelistic. Desiring to obey our Lord’s great commission to seek and save the lost and make disciples of all nations until the end of the age.

Since our first Sunday service, I felt so welcomed and blessed to see my family also welcomed with loving, open arms. In the spirit of Christ’s words to “Come!” Pastor Kyle invited my family to have dinner with his family within the first week of attending a Sunday service. From our first Friday small group where the hospitality and authentic kindness that Kyle, Kelsey, and the Houlton family showed, to the listening ears of Pastor Jeff and Christopher at the men’s group, to Pastor Jason and Kayleigh cooking my family a delicious meal and answering my questions for 2 and a half hours on a Sunday evening. Right away, I saw that this congregation was devoted and encouraged to truly live for Jesus without compromise. To be a people who worship God with joy, confess together, pray for one another, and receive God’s glorious mercy together. This is a reason to rejoice! I have also experienced God’s sweet grace through seeing my wife encouraged and loved by the godly women here Rosie, Marina, Liz, Katie, and Kelsey to name a few.

Lastly, I rejoice to see our sons Malachi and Josiah beginning to form Christ-centered relationships. They are blessed to see other godly men loving their wives, leading their families, and delighting in knowing God.

We thank God for adding new laborers to the harvest that’s before us. We’re excited for these new members to join us in spreading the joy of Jesus in Downtown Santa Ana!

THE ONLY FAITH THAT SAVES

James' argument that we must "be doers of the word, not hearers only" reaches its pinnacle and peak in 2:14-26. In this familiar and challenging passage, James clarifies the relationship between faith and works. What role do works play in our acceptance before God? Do faith + works = salvation? So that in the final analysis, we contribute something to the outcome? Does faith alone + nothing = salvation? So that good works are optional, nice to have, but not necessary to be present in the life of the saved person? James offers us a better equation. One that is less mathematical and transactional, and much more organic and alive. Good works flow out of saving faith like the fruit that naturally blossoms on the branches of a plant that’s rooted in nutrient rich soil. Faith is the root. Works are the fruit. All those who plant their roots in Christ will necessarily demonstrate these visible, tangible, and demonstrable signs of life. This is because: we’re saved by faith alone, but true saving faith is never alone.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

DECEMBER 24TH AT 5PM

We’re excited to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with a traditional candlelight service. We'll sing classic carols, read the nativity story, and hear good news of great joy.

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

All are welcome to join us for this special moment as we rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Invite whoever you’re spending Christmas with to come along as we share in the joy that Jesus was born to bring! You can find a copy of our digital flyer here that you can text, email, or share on social media to invite your family, friends and neighbors to our service.

SING THE SAVIOR’S BIRTH

There are two special events coming up that involve the music ministry of our church. Consider lending your voice to the celebration!

1. Christmas Eve Service - on Christmas Eve, we’ll have a single guitarist and a choir. All voices are welcome. If you’d like to join in, please contact Pastor Kyle.

2. Carols in the Park - On December 15, we’ll be singing carols in French Park. It’ll be less formal than our Christmas Eve choir. The playlist will include a mix of classic hymns, seasonal favorites, and some fun ones for the kids. It’s the more the merrier for all who want to spread Christmas cheer by singing loud for our neighbors to hear! If you’d like to participate, please sign up here and plan on arriving at 5:50pm the day of the event.

WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

It’s the best time of year! What better way to celebrate the birth of Christ than by singing loud for all to hear. 

On 12/15 at 6pm, we’ll gather together in the heart of French Park to sing carols, spread Christmas cheer, and invite our neighbors to celebrate with us. We’ll serve up some hot chocolate, enjoy sweet treats, and extend an invitation for our neighbors to join us at church on Christmas Eve.

Here’s how you can get involved:

1. Invite Santa Ana neighbors, family, and friends to an evening Christmas festivities! We’ve got songs to sing, cookies to eat, and the joys of the season to share with them! You can share the digital invite linked here.

2. Along with extending an invitation, consider ways you’d like to get involved, either with setup, being part of the choir, or bringing a batch of cookies. SIGN UP HERE.

PLEASE SEE: POST-CAROLS CHANGE OF PLANS

We’ve made the decision to cancel our previously planned Christmas party that was set to take place right after caroling. The holiday season is filled with many good things, but it sure is a busy time! We’re moving to take an item off the schedule this time around. But by no means is this meant to cut our celebration short! Instead, it will allow us to linger in the park, continue conversations over hot cocoa, spend a few more unhurried moments together, and get home for a good night’s sleep as a new week kicks off.

IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT SUNDAY

This 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 building his church in Santa Ana.

Not only do we have this privilege, but right after the service we’ll stick around to reflect on all the Lord has done in the past 6 months and look forward where he’s taking us in 2025!

IMMEDIATELY AFTER SERVICE. MEMBERS REQUIRED, GUESTS INVITED

Every six months, we hold a brief members meeting after service which usually lasts about 30 minutes. This 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.

DECEMBER 2 - DECEMBER 8

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:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30am - French Park Grass Area

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8: NEW MEMBER SUNDAY & SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8: MEMBERS’ MEETING

• 12:00pm - Ebell Club

BAPTISM SUNDAY

This last Sunday, we had the joy of witnessing the baptism of Marley Muniz, Silas Houlton, Joctan Martinez, Jacob Zato, and Jose Meza. They confessed with their mouths what they’d believed in their hearts and proclaimed the saving work of Christ. What took place in their hearts was made visible before our eyes as they passed through the waters and emerged on the other side. Dying to sin. Being raised to new life. Signifying their sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All the promises of the gospel were sealed and confirmed in their hearts and minds as the Spirit worked through this ordinary means to bring them extraordinary grace. Decisively marking an end to the old life in sin. As well as the beginning of a new life, lived together with Christ’s people for the glory of Christ’s name, which has now begun and will carry on forever.

Check out the pictures and relive this celebration of new life in Christ. As you do, be encouraged that God the Father is still saving sinners through the finished work of the Son applied in the power of the Spirit. The lost are being found. Christ’s mission is advancing in our city. Baptism is proof that this is true.

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 let our church calendar lie fallow. We cancel small groups, men’s and women’s meetings, and any other mid-week activities. 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 refreshed by the work of Christ, fellowship with the saints, and cultivating friendships with unbelieving neighbors.

WHAT’S NOT CANCELLED?

• Regular Sunday Services

• Run Club - a great opportunity to build and enjoy relationships with fellow church members and Santa Ana neighbors

• Carols in the Park, followed by an all-church Christmas Party on Sunday, 12/15 (watch the blog for more details)

• Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Ebell Club at 5:00PM)

If you have any questions about church events, check out the church calendar. It’s kept up to date to reflect changes to meetings or events.

Subscribe to the church calendar here.

JAMES 2:1-13

God is after a people who demonstrate their obedience by the way they treat his people. One evidence that we're "doers of the word, and not hearers only" is how we treat those in need. If we help those who cannot help themselves. Our willingness to love our neighbor regardless of what he or she can do for us. James challenges us to “show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory” (2:1). Why does he need to tell us this? Because we’re prone play favorites, be taken in by outward impressiveness, gravitate to those who are most like us, and invest in relationships we can get something out of. But how did the Lord of glory treat us? He had nothing to gain by choosing us, but he did so anyway. He was rich, but became poor for our sake. He saw us dressed in the “shabby clothing” of our sin, gave us his righteous robes, and offered us a seat at his table. We've been saved by Christ's sacrificial love for neighbors who couldn't do anything to help themselves. He gave himself for our everlasting good, so that we would give ourselves for the good of those around us - no matter who they are.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE