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. 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 5 new members - Curtis Dobbins, Brad & Liz Hodgin, Josh Gamez, and Brianna Rivera - we had the joy of introducing this last Sunday. Be encouraged by what Brad had to share with us during his new member testimony:

We moved here in earlier this year in May for Liz’s job at CHOC. We are both from North Carolina which is where we moved from and have no direct ties to California.

We knew even before we moved here we wanted to quickly get connected with a healthy local church as we believe this is a fundamental part of the Christian life. We honestly were looking online for a reformed church and this was the first place we visited the first week we were here.

From the first time we visited Cross of Grace, we felt how genuine and welcoming the members here are. The first week we came so many folks introduced themselves to us and genuinely wanted to get to know us. We were quickly encouraged by the faithful, biblical preaching here as well. As we have spent more time here, we have enjoyed continuing to get to know everyone and see how this church is serving the city of Santa Ana.

We are excited to continue building relationships with you all! To serve the church and this community. And to invite friends and coworkers to join us at church here too.

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!

IF IT HAPPENED THERE, IT CAN HAPPEN HERE

We come to the final sermon in our mini-series. Up until this point, we've learned HOW revival comes - by the Spirit working through the ordinary means of grace. We've learned WHEN revival comes - whenever God wants to bring it. And now, we're left with one final question, "Do you believe it'll get here?" We know revival came in biblical times. We've heard the stories from church history. But do we actually believe revival will come to Santa Ana? Acts 19:8-27 speaks into our doubts and tells the story of the Ephesian Revival of AD 53-56. It paints a picture of the extraordinary fervor for Christ which results when the Spirit is freshly poured out upon the ordinary means. The point is not that everything that happened there will happen here. But instead, that IF it happened there, it can happen here as well. We respond to this story by envisioning, imagining, and asking "What would it look like for Santa Ana to become Ephesus?" 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

ALL LADIES, HIGH-SCHOOL AGED AND OLDER ARE INVITED

Each month, the ladies of CGSA gather for a time of discussion, encouragement, and prayer. All to promote the growth of women in Christ as women in Christ.

Tonight, they’ll dive into their second of three discussions of the book My Dear Hemlock. A modern take on C.S. Lewis’ classic, The Screwtape Letters, which is designed to answer the question, “What if Screwtape tempted a woman?” Whether you’ve read the book or not, come and join in on a conversation that promises to be the best kind of provocative and point you back to Christ. We hope to see you there!

JOIN IN TONIGHT AT 7PM AT THE SCHLIEDER HOME

THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Starting tomorrow, we're hosting a Journey of Generosity (JOG) retreat. It's a Friday - Saturday retreat led by our own Daniel Lee that's all about the joy that comes through generous living. We'll watch video stories, engage in personal Bible study, have focused solitude time before the Lord, and participate in authentic conversations with our friends. And at the end of it there won't be any financial ask of any kind! 

Here are the details:

• When: Friday, Sept 26 - Saturday, Sept 27.

  • 9/26 - 7pm-9pm with coffee and refreshments.

  • 9/27 - 9am-3pm with coffee, refreshments, and lunch. 

• Where: the Lee home.

• The event is entirely free.

• No childcare will be provided.

Your pastors got to attend one of these retreats earlier this year and we can't overstate the impact it made on us. We're jealous for you to have this experience as well. We believe the ceiling for joy in generosity is much higher than we've come to expect.

If you want to raise that ceiling, become a more grateful person, and believe even harder that “It’s more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), then this journey is for you! Space is limited, RSVP today!

You can learn more about the JOG here.

Reach out to Pastor Jeff to RSVP or ask any questions

CHRIST IS BUILDING HIS CHURCH

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 with whom we commit to do the same. We praise God for sending more laborers into his harvest, adding more members to our family, and advancing his gospel in Santa Ana.

Come ready to celebrate what the Lord is doing among us!

SEPTEMBER 23 - SEPTEMBER 29

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. Below we’ve got a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

• Basketball in the Park

  • 6:30pm - El Camino Park

    • Reach out to Manny for more info

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

• French Park Run Club

  • 6:30am - French Park Grass Area

• Women’s Meeting

  • 7:00pm - Schlieder Home

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

• Journey of Generosity

  • Lee Home

  • 9/26 - 7pm-9pm

  • 9/27 - 9am-3pm

  • Learn more & sign-up here

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

• Sunday Gathering at Ebell Club & New Member Sunday

  • 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

• The Bridge Course

  • 7:00pm - Hopper & Burr in DTSA

    • Invite your friends to join us for Bridge!

WE TOOK OUR JOY IN JESUS ON THE ROAD

This Sunday, we held our first ever service in the park! We worshiped God right in the middle of the neighborhood he’s placed us in and what a wonderful time it was! We gathered in the open, sang loud for all to hear, and offered our French Park neighbors a window into the joy we have in Jesus.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who helped bring everything from tables and chairs to coffee and sweet breads.

WHENEVER GOD WANTS IT TO

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been freshly convinced that we are people in need of revival in a world that desperately needs reviving. We’re asking God to do something about it. But, what if he doesn’t answer? What if revival doesn’t come quickly enough? What if we do all this now, and nothing seems to change? Waiting is hard. But the words of Christ in Mark 4:26-32 speak into our longing and help us wait with hope. His short answer to our big question, “When will revival come?” is “Whenever God wants it to come.” There’s nothing we can do to get around waiting on him. It's all in his hands and on his timetable (Mk 4:26-29). But this isn't bad news for us! Because Jesus makes it plain that God definitely wants to bring revival (Mk 4:30-32). He desires to make our little church grow up like a big tree that can shelter countless Santa Ana neighbors under the shade of its branches.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AT 7PM

This week, 4 groups will meet throughout our city to share in the joy of Jesus and apply his gospel to each other’s lives. Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moments in the life of our church. Make it a priority to attend one this week as we continue the Proclaim Course: a 4-part series of talks and discussions designed to encourage and equip believers to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. This time around we’ll ask, “How do I become a friend of sinners?”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SMALL GROUPS, CLICK HERE

SEE YOU AT FRENCH PARK AT 10AM

It’s time to take our joy in Jesus on the road. This Sunday, we’ll be taking our service right into the middle of our neighborhood. We’ll seize a special opportunity to gather together in the open, sit under the shade of the tall park trees, and offer our neighbors a window into the goodness of belonging to Jesus. Complete with coffee, donuts, and pan dulce to share.

Because this service will look a little different than a normal Sunday morning, here are a few things to note:

• Children’s Ministry: We won’t be offering our regular children’s classes. Instead, kids will stay with their families during the service. To help them stay engaged, we’ll provide some simple activities to keep their hands busy while still allowing them to listen and participate.

• What to Bring: We’ll provide a number of seats. But to make sure there’s enough to go around, we encourage you to bring your lawn chairs or blankets. We’ll have coffee and treats, but you’re welcome to bring some water and anything else you need to be comfortable outdoors.

• Where to Park: Anywhere you can along French or Minter St. Additional parking can be found on Vance, Tenth, or the other surrounding streets.

We can’t wait to worship together in French Park! Mark your calendars, invite a friend, and join us for this special Sunday of celebrating Jesus in the center of our neighborhood.