¿POR QUÉ ESTA DECISIÓN?

1. PORQUE SOMETERNOS A NUESTRAS AUTORIDADES GOBERNANTES ES UNA EXPRESIÓN DE CONFIANZA Y OBEDECCIÓN DEL SEÑOR  

   En medio de las críticas a la exageración y al pánico excesivos, debemos preguntarnos: “¿Qué significa ser la iglesia local en un momento como este? ¿Cómo honramos a Dios en Santa Ana? No podemos curar el virus. No podemos responder las preguntas de todos al respecto. No podemos calmar el pánico del mundo. Podemos confiar en el Señor.

   Una forma en que podemos confiar en el Señor es sometiéndonos a nuestras autoridades de gobierno. Romanos 13:1 instruye a los cristianos a someterse a las autoridades que gobiernan por encima de nosotros ... porque han sido instituidos por Dios mismo. Con tal que nuestros legisladores y gobernadores no nos instruyan a violar la Palabra de Dios, es nuestra alegre responsabilidad someternos a los mismos, siempre confiando en el Señor.

   El gobernador Gavin Newsom ha recomendado que las reuniones de menos de 250 personas no deberían reunirse en persona si no se puede enforzar un "espacio social de 6 pies". Esta recomendación solo es efectiva en la medida en que la gente la siga.Como iglesia, tenemos la oportunidad de seguir con alegría esta recomendación mientras confiamos en el Señor. 

2. PORQUE AMAMOS Y CUIDAMOS DE NUESTROS VECINOS DE SANTA ANA

   Los líderes de esta iglesia no son expertos en salud pública. No sabemos los peligros y amenazas de este virus. No conocemos los detalles específicos sobre la detección, el tratamiento o la contención. Aquellos que sí saben esas cosas han recomendado una respuesta particular al virus en aras de reducir su propagación. Esto se está haciendo por la seguridad y el bien de nuestros vecinos. Nuestra decisión de cumplir con estas recomendaciones es una declaración a nuestro vecindario de que amamos y cuidamos a nuestra comunidad. Somos una iglesia del vecindario que existe para difundir la Alegría de Jesús por el bien de nuestros vecinos. Esta decisión es una expresión de nuestra misión.

3. PORQUE MIENTRAS LA REUNIÓN EN PERSONA ES IDEAL, EL CORAZÓN DE NUESTRA REUNIÓN NO CAMBIA. 

   A través del advenimiento de los avances tecnológicos modernos, aún podemos adorar "juntos" en estas circunstancias únicas. Podemos cantar juntos, escuchar la Palabra de Dios predicada juntos y orar juntos. Nuestra oración, de hecho, es que el Señor nos enseñe y profundice nuestra comprensión de la naturaleza de los principios cristianos esenciales como la adoración, el compañerismo y el discipulado.Manténgase atento a nuestra página de Facebook para ver anuncios sobre cómo sintonizar nuestro servicio de transmisión en vivo de Facebook (Facebook Live) a las 10:30 am.

4. PORQUE DIOS ES NUESTRO REFUGIO Y FUERZA

   Queremos ser muy claros: no nos estamos "escondiendo" del virus por miedo. Estamos jugando nuestra parte en nuestra comunidad de Santa Ana para promover la salud de la comunidad, por respeto a nuestras autoridades gubernamentales y amor por nuestros vecinos.

   Nosotros no tenemos ninguna razón para entrar en pánico. La tierra gime bajo el peso de los efectos del pecado. Los gemidos son particularmente fuertes en este momento. Pero Jesús ha vencido al pecado. Jesús ha vencido a la muerte. El Señor es nuestro refugio y fortaleza. Nuestro sentido de seguridad, protección y bienestar proviene de saber que Él ha declarado el final desde el principio y está trabajando en Su poder soberano, incluso ahora, para lograr Sus propósitos redentores en Cristo Jesús.

   *** LEA EL BLOG AL PRINCIPIO DE LA PRÓXIMA SEMANA PARA ACTUALIZACIONES SOBRE NUESTRAS REUNIONES DURANTE EL MES DE MARZO ***

Why This Decision?

1. Because Submitting To Our Governing Authorities Is An Expression of Trusting and Obeying the Lord

   In the midst of critiques of excessive hype and panic, we have to ask ourselves, “what does it mean to be the local church in a time like this? How do we honor God in Santa Ana?” We can’t cure the virus. We can’t answer everybody’s questions about it. We can’t quell the world’s panic. We can trust the Lord.

   One way that we can trust the Lord is by submitting to our governing authorities. Romans 13:1 instructs Christians to submit to the governing authorities above us … because they’ve been instituted by God Himself. If our lawmakers and governors don’t instruct us to violate God’s Word, it’s our joyful responsibility to submit to them out of trust in the Lord.

   Governor Gavin Newsom has recommended that gatherings smaller than 250 people should not gather in person if a “6 foot social space” cannot be enforced. This recommendation is only effective insofar as people follow it.

   We have to opportunity as a church to joyfully follow this recommendation as we trust the Lord.

2. Because We Love and Care About Our Santa Ana Neighbors

   The leaders of this church aren’t public health experts. We don’t know the dangers and threats of this virus. We don’t know the specifics about screening, treatment or containment. Those who do know those things have recommended a particular response to the virus for the sake of curtailing its spread. This is being done for the safety and good of our neighbors. Our decision to abide by these recommendations is intended to a statement to our community that we love and care for our community. We are a neighborhood church that exists to spread the Joy of Jesus for the good of our neighbors. This decision is an expression of just that.

3. Because While Gathering in Person Is Ideal, the Heart of Our Gathering is Still Possible

   Through the advent of modern technological advances, we can still worship “together” in these unique circumstances. We can sing together, listen to God’s Word preached together and pray together. Our prayer, in fact, is that the Lord would teach us and deepen our understanding of the nature of essential Christian principles such as worship, fellowship and discipleship.

   Keep an eye on our facebook page for announcements of how to tune into our 10:30am Facebook live livestream service.

4. Because God is Our Refuge and Strength

   We want to be very clear - we are not “hiding” from the virus out of fear. We are playing our part in our Santa Ana community to promote community health, out of respect for our governing authorities and love for our neighbors.

   We, of all people, have no reason to panic. The earth is groaning under the weight of the effects of sin. The groans are particularly loud right now. But Jesus has defeated sin. Jesus has defeated death. The Lord is our Refuge and Strength. Our sense of safety, security and well-being comes from knowing that He has declared the beginning from the end and is working in His sovereign power, even now, to accomplish His redemptive purposes in Christ Jesus.

***Look To The Blog At The Beginning of Next Week For Further Updates Regarding Our Gatherings Through the Month of March***

PLAN ON STAYING AFTER THE SERVICE

Baptisms are the biggest celebrations in our local church. They're a public demonstration of what God has done in a new Christian's life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 

AN OUTWARD SIGN OF AN INWARD WORK

If you've never been baptized or even if you were baptized as a child and you consider yourself a Christian and you'd like to be baptized, email kyle@sovgracesantaana.org to begin the conversation. 

Jeff Schlieder has been serving for the past 8 months as the first intern at Sovereign Grace Church of Santa Ana. The role he’s occupied is one which serves the purpose of evaluation - it’s a period when the church has the opportunity to watch and experience a person’s gifting in order to determine how God might be calling that individual to serve a particular role in the church. We’ve wondered if God has called Jeff to be a pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Santa Ana. And we believe it’s a task given to the local church to assess the calling and gifting of a potential pastor.

Three Weeks to Submit Your Feedback On Jeff’s Internship

So far, we’ve heard nothing but positive feedback. We’re grateful to God for the work that seems to be evidenced in his life. However, we won’t assume we’ve heard everything from you. Before Jeff is proceeded on to the next stage of being positioned as a leader in our church, we’re giving you a final opportunity to provide your assessment of his leadership, character and influence in the church. Maybe it’s nothing but good and providing evidence of God’s grace. If so, go ahead and tell us. We want to be prudent where we need to be prudent and celebrate where we can celebrate.

Your Thoughts Can be Submitted Through This Form.

ALL MEN, HIGH SCHOOL AGE AND OLDER, WELCOME

THURSDAY, 7:00PM

FRONT PATIO OF THE 4TH STREET MARKET

2020 HOSPITALITY CHALLENGE

This is the third month of our 2020 Hospitality Challenge. Hopefully over the past few weeks, you have been thinking of different people you could share a meal with. We want you to be able to use both your home and your time for the glory of God and the good of our Santa Ana neighbors.

The first couple months of the challenge have already had a positive impact on members. Click here to read a testimony.

Why are we doing a hospitality challenge? Because it’s one of the best ways to get to know and love new neighbors. Author Tim Chester says,

“Few acts are more expressive of companionship than the shared meal… . Someone with whom we share food is likely to be our friend, or well on the way to becoming one.”

In this, we’re simply following the model of Jesus, who used food as a means for effective Gospel ministry:

“Jesus spent his time eating and drinking—a lot of his time … His mission strategy was a long meal, stretching into the evening. He did evangelism and discipleship round a table with some grilled fish, a loaf of bread, and a pitcher of wine.”

Out of ideas of who to invite into your home? Consider inviting one of your neighbors next door or down the street from your home. Don’t know any? Look for opportunities to introduce yourself to one or two of them in particular this month.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MAKING THIS CHURCH YOUR HOME CHURCH, REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS

REGISTER HERE

If you’ve been visiting Sovereign Grace Church of Santa Ana for any length of time, we’d like to invite you to our upcoming “Starting Point” class. It’s a class that takes place immediately after church on Sunday, March 15th. Lunch will be served. It’s an opportunity to learn about the particular beliefs of our church and what those beliefs look like in practice in the life of our church together and with our community. If you’d like to attend, please register here or at the link above.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SERVICE AT THE HOULTON HOUSE

LUNCH PROVIDED

We Remembered And Proclaimed

Our third annual communion service was a wonderful time of singing, listening, sharing, loving and remembering. A break from our normal order of service, our annual communion service is an entire Sunday celebration centered around the Lord’s Table. We share an actual meal together - many thanks to the hands that prepared the food, decor and everything else - and then together, we took the bread and the cup in remembrance of Jesus’ broken body and shed blood.

His Body Broken. His Blood Shed.

Listen to the message of the Bread and the Cup from last Sunday here.

DISCUSSION BEGINS AT 7PM

• SANTA ANA SMALL GROUP: ALVAREZ HOME

• “EAST SANTA ANA” SMALL GROUP: ERKELENS HOME

If you’d like to join a small group, visit a small groups or have questions at all, please contact office@sovgracesantaana.org

STARTING POINT - A TWO-HOUR CLASS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT THE LIFE AND BELIEFS OF THIS CHURCH

REGISTER HERE

If you’ve been visiting Sovereign Grace Church of Santa Ana for any length of time, we’d like to invite you to our upcoming “Starting Point” class. It’s a class that takes place immediately after church on Sunday, March 15th. Lunch will be served. It’s an opportunity to learn about the particular beliefs of our church and what those beliefs look like in practice in the life of our church together and with our community. If you’d like to attend, please register here or at the link above.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SERVICE AT THE HOULTON HOUSE

LUNCH PROVIDED