Small Groups, Men’s and Women’s Group Cancelled This December
There is an irony that though we intend for the Christmas season to be a time of drawing near to the Lord and family, our "hearts [are] as busy as Bethlehem" and consequently, we can be in danger of leaving as much room in our hearts for Him as there was in the Inn the night of His birth.
Thus, we'll be cancelling small group, men's meeting and women's meeting for the remainder of December, 2018.
For The Sake of Drawing Near To Christ and One Another
BUT, it's for the sake of "preparing Him room" and prioritizing fellowship with one another. So, consider doing the following:
- Get together with at least two people/couples/families for dinner over the next couple weeks on nights that you have open.
- Use the few free evenings that you have this Christmas season to have times of family worship and devotion
- Go through an advent devotional as a family (recommendations here)
- Gather a smaller group of friends from the church for a fun, optional Christmas activity to enjoy one anothers' company
Let's worship our incarnate Savior this December on Sundays and intentionally make room for Him in our lives and families throughout the week
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God Gives Grace To Those Who Need Grace
In the second message in our Christmas series, Pastor Kyle preached from Luke 1:26-38 concerning a young girl named Mary. This young girl is considered by many the world over as sinless and able to dispense God’s grace. Hardly an ordinary person. However, the Biblical account rather teaches us about a Mary who, rather than being able to dispense grace, is desperately in need of it. More importantly, it teaches us about a God who delights to give grace and to give it through a King whose Kingdom will never end.
Bring a Lunch and a Folding Chair
This Sunday (12/9), as soon as church ends, you can head over to the 2nd Street Promenade. We’ll eat lunch together with one another and with our neighbors. Plan to bring your own lunch and maybe even buy lunch for a guest.
25 Christmas Presents for 25 Foster Youth
Last Sunday, members of Sovereign Grace Santa Ana dropped off their “Be The Miracle” gifts. Olive Crest, a child welfare nonprofit in Santa Ana, asked every child and youth under their care in the foster system what they would like for Christmas and then created a “wish slip” for every wish. Some of the wishes seem strange and might not be what you would ask for for Christmas at that age. Nevertheless, 25 of these youth who have no family at Christmas will open up presents on Christmas morning and discover that someone cared enough about them to get them exactly what they asked for.
If you participated in the Be The Miracle drive this year, thank you. Thank you for demonstrating the generosity and love of the God who gave then gift of His Son even when we didn’t ask for it.
Zechariah: An Ordinary Man Through Whom God Accomplished The Extraordinary
The story of the birth of Christ is one of the most unfathomably awesome stories ever told. What makes it infinitely more incredible is that it’s real. This Christmas, we’re being introduced to four real characters of the real story of Christmas, who in turn introduce us to the story’s central character. Listen to the first message in our series about Zechariah, the man God used to bring the forerunner to the Messiah into the world.
Friday, December 7
This year, we've spent be spending the first Friday of every month. Church members who fast for all 12 Fridays (all 11 since we missed January) will be invited to a year-end party to celebrate the answers to our prayers. If fasting is new to you, here are some instructions.
This month, we’ll be fasting and praying for broken families in Santa Ana. The Christmas season is one which is often marked by pleasant memories with family. For those with turbulent family situations or without a family, holidays like Christmas can incite more pain than pleasure. Here are some ways you can pray:
Pray for children without families this Christmas; children in the foster system
Pray for families in which domestic violence exists
Pray for children whose parents are divorced
Pray for the marriages that are broken
Pray that God would enable the households in our church to provide a sense of family to our neighbors without family this season
Pray that God would adopt Santa Anans into His eternal family, regardless of their present state of family
7:00pm on Thursday at the Houlton Home
All ladies, high-school-aged and older, are invited to join the women’s meeting this week. Whether you just visited Sovereign Grace this week or have been coming for a year, this meeting is a place where women at all stages of life can come and learn how to be women whose lives honor God - women who live in light of the Gospel. For more information, contact Rebecca Erkelens at bequita_17@yahoo.com.
While every day is an opportunity to consider the earth-shattering reality that God took on human flesh and entered into the flow of humanity, Christmas is a unique opportunity to dwell upon the birth of Christ, our Savior. As a church, we want to join you in worshipping God for His precious gift of a Savior. See below for information about a Christmas series, Christmas services, Christmas family devotionals and even a Christmas music playlist.
A Christmas Series
This December, we’ll spend four Sundays exploring “The Cast of Christmas”. More than characters in a nativity, each “character” in the Christmas story reveals the glory of the incarnation of Christ. This particular Christmas season, we’ll meet Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds. Join us and invite your friends to come and meet the biblical people who in turn introduce us to the baby who was born to save the world.
Christmas Services
Sunday, December 23rd @ 10:30am - Christmas Sunday service at Heninger Elementary
Monday, December 24 @ 6:00pm - Christmas Eve Service with Sovereign Grace Church of Orange (121 South Center Street, Orange, CA)
Christmas Devotionals
The Dawning of Indestructible Joy by John Piper
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus by Nancy Guthrie
Come Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul David Tripp
A Christmas Playlist
Sovereign Grace Christmas Playlist on Spotify