How do we understand a “pandemic” biblically? Why is this happening? What role does such an event have in God’s redemptive purposes? These are important fundamental questions to have answers to. Thankfully, God’s Word speaks very clearly to each of them.

Take a few minutes and read this blog post written by Kevin DeYoung, “The Coronavirus is a Result of the Fall”.

Have a conversation with those in your household over what you read. Discuss it with another family over a “Zoom dinner”. Look up the Scriptures referenced and mediate on them. Fill your mind with God’s Truth rather than the varying opinions and perspectives of everyone around you.

Let’s Worship Together While We Are apart

This Thursday night (March 26th), Sovereign Grace Music is hosting a livestream worship session!

Let's all tune in together at 4:30pm PST and sing praises to our Lord.

You can find Sovereign Grace Music’s Facebook page here.

Life is rapidly changing for everyone. People are working from home, kids are home from school and overall adjusting to being limited to staying in their homes . Events, hangouts, and parties are canceled. It’s tough. We wanted to provide a little window into some of these changes as a reminder that we’re all in this together.

Below we’ve included photos from members with a short note. If you’d like to be included in a future blog post, please send a picture to photos@sovgracesantaana.org with a brief description.

I’m officing full time out of Silas’ bedroom, since Kelsey already works from home at our “home office”. The desk under the bunk bed is a suitable place to work, though! The kids are loving having both mom and dad home, but it’s been more difficult than expected to find a new routine that balances everyone’s schedule. - Kyle Houlton

“In this time it was my goal to engage my students and give them an opportunity to come together and express themselves musically and perform for others. I put this video together of them playing a song I wrote- here’s the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfEXhq2Iz3Q&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2jfnsu2c73opL8At_vhw-edwVe7zTc3CF53ScYjWeBW2AoFNcVHZsf_uE” - Mike Alvarez

“Rayanne and I have been having a lot of fun baking together. Last Sunday we made cinnamon coffee cake before church! “ - Krista Alvarez

“The wedding is on. Thank you all for praying! I am working on wedding stuff and here’s Jim’s project.” - Angie Cunningham

“Kyle is working from home so we are just laying low and hanging out with this little girl! She got some cool new shades from my aunt.” - Cat Roche

WE ASKED YOU TO SEND US YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS

Thank you for responding and sending them. We’re so used to knowing one another’s needs through experiencing regular fellowship. We talk to one another on Sunday morning. We share life together at small group. We host one another in our homes. We can’t do any of that right now. It’s important to know, however, how to pray for one another and to ask the Lord to guide us, sustain us and encourage us each individually in this season. Here are the prayer requests from this past week (anonymity is maintained):

1. Please continue to pray. Sammy and Veronica have decided to postpone the big celebration and have a small backyard ceremony next Saturday. Please pray for wisdom as we try to work out details and good health for us all. Thank you for walking through this process with us. We feel your love and support and faith! Pray for our son’s wedding; still haven’t finalized a place. Pray the wedding would honor the Lord and be extra special for Veronica and Sammy.

2. Praying for the staff and residents of the Orange County Rescue Mission as well as the staff and residents at homeless shelters in the city of Santa Ana. Asking the Lord to give wisdom to the leaders and staff to keep those in their care healthy that outbreaks of COVID-19 among an already vulnerable population living in close quarters would be prevented. Asking the Lord to protect these high density communities as well as those who work in them.

3. My nephew’s 3-year-old son, Simon, is receiving his first round of intense chemo right now because he has brain cancer.  Please pray for healing and protection for his hearing, vision and cognitive function 

KEEP SENDING PRAYER REQUESTS TO PRAYERS@SOVGRACESANTAANA.ORG.

Did You Know we are publishing daily devotionals?

Every day during this quarantine, a member of our pastoral team will be writing a daily #CaliforniaQuarantine devotion to help you anchor your heart and mind in God's Word as you start your day in a changing time.

Head to our facebook page here to follow along.

Extending Mercy In Our Community During the Pandemic

In the midst of this crisis, we want to do all we can to support our church members and Santa Ana neighbors whom are affected by the COVID-19 virus. Ample funds have been made available.

Please consider doing the following:

1) Donate to our relief fund here.

2) If you know someone who could benefit from this program or if you yourself would benefit, fill out the application, here.

EACH FRIDAY UNTIL CHURCH LIFE RETURNS TO NORMAL

Until our church calendar normalizes and we’re allowed to meet together again, we’ll conduct a 1-1.5 hour zoom call to receive a brief update from one another and pray together for one another and for our neighbors. This is the rare chance we get to see one another in one place. We love seeing your faces and hearing your voices.

PLEASE MAKE THIS A PRIORITY ON YOUR CALENDAR

The call-in information for this call is listed below:

Call in online or with the app: https://zoom.us/j/6583688098 (Meeting ID: 658 368 8098)

Call in on your phone without the app or internet: +16699009128,,6583688098# US

GOD HAS BEEN MERCIFUL TO US IN CHRIST. WE WANT TO BE MERCIFUL TOWARD ONE ANOTHER AND OUR NEIGHBORS

If you or your neighbors are facing medical, financial, food-related or any other kind of challenges due to the coronavirus outbreak, here’s your one-stop shop of resources available to residents of Santa Ana and throughout Orange County. We will update this list on a weekly basis to keep you up to date on all available resources.

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MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

• COVID-19 Health Referral Hotline - 800-564-8448

The Orange County Health Care Agency has established a Health Referral Hotline to call if you suspect you have COVID-19 symptoms.

• Orange County Healthcare Agency - COVID-19 “What you should know” - http://cms.ocgov.com/gov/health/phs/about/epidasmt/epi/dip/prevention/novel_coronavirus.asp

Contains daily updates on the spread of and response to COVID-19 within Orange County as well as other additional resources and informational graphics and flyers.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

• Rental/Utility Assistance - Salvation Army of OC - 714-384-0481 

Santa Ana Office - 1710 West Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92703

Other cities served: Fullerton, La Habra, Yorba Linda, Brea, Placentia, Buena Park - 714-451-8080

Anaheim and Villa Park - 714-783-2344

• Rental/Utility Assistance - Share Our Selves - 949-270-2100 - https://www.shareourselves.org/services/financial-assistance/

• Rental/Utility/Misc. Assistance - St. Vincent de Paul in Orange County - 714-542-0448 http://www.svdpoc.org 1505 East Seventeenth Street Suite #109, Santa Ana, CA 92705 

  St. Vincent de Paul provides home visits, hospital visits, food pantries and grocery distribution, person-to-person visit for assessment, discernment and encouragement, financial aid for utilities, medication, household items, rent assistance, temporary housing (motel voucher), transportation (bus passes, gasoline), and clothing.  available assistance.

For those who have experienced job-layoffs or a reduction in hours/pay:

• CA Unemployment - General Number & Website - English 1-800-300-5616 - Spanish 1-800-326-8937 https://www.edd.ca.gov/unemployment/. Representatives are available at the following toll-free numbers, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon (Pacific time) except on state holidays.

To file a claim online: https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/Filing_a_Claim.htm

• CA Unemployment COVID-19 Specific Resources: Disability insurance for those off due to COVID-19 due to mandatory quarantine or unpaid sick/get better time after having the COVID-19.

To connect to claims: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm 

Frequently Asked Questions: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019/faqs.htm 

• Disaster Loans for Small Businesses - https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

• Labor & Workforce Development Agency – Information regarding: Paid Sick Leave, Disability and Unemployment Insurance, Paid Family Leave, Workplace Health and Safety Guidance, Employer Assistance, CA Department of Public Health, & Common Sense Tips for Staying Healthy - https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/

Additional State-sponsored assistance:

• OC Social Services Agency - http://ssa.ocgov.com/calfresh/apply

  • To apply for various aid/relief programs such as CalFresh (food stamps), CalWorks (homeless, diversion, and immediate need assistance), and General Relief (temporary cash assistance to adults without children)

  • Check your eligibility or sign-up for benefits by going to https://www.mybenefitscalwin.org/

Job Opportunities - for those in need of employment due to lay-offs or temporary furlough:

• Amazon Jobs - https://www.amazondelivers.jobs/?cmpid=PRPRLC0780H6

  • Amazon is adding 100,000 new full and part-time positions across the U.S. in our fulfillment centers and delivery network to meet the surge in demand from people relying on Amazon’s service during this stressful time, particularly those most vulnerable to being out in public.

  • Sign-up for job alerts in your area by texting AMAZON to 77088

• Walmart Jobs - https://careers.walmart.com/

  • Walmart is adding 100,000+ jobs nationwide in response to the COVID crisis

• Domino’s Jobs -https://jobs.dominos.com/dominos-careers/

  • Domino’s is adding 1,000s of jobs nationwide in response to COVID crisis

FOOD/GROCERY ASSISTANCE

• CA Meals for Kids Mobile Application - https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/mo/cameals.asp

  • The CA Meals for Kids mobile application helps you find nearby California Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs Sites through your iOS, Android, or Microsoft devices.

  • The Emergency Meal Sites section may be used during unanticipated school closures due to emergency situations. Download the app and search in your area!

• Santa Ana Food Pantries - https://www.211oc.org/food/groceries.html

  • Serve the People-  714-352-2911 - 1206 East 17th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • 6am-9am

  • El Sol Academy - 714-543-0023 -1002 North Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • Email mercado@elsolacademy.org for detailed information 

  • First Presbyterian Church of Santa Ana - 714-542-7253 - 600 North Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

    • 10am-3pm, Tuesday-Thursday

• Second Harvest Pop-Up Drive Through Distribution - https://www.feedoc.org/covid-19-update/

  • 9am-Noon, Saturdays throughout COVID crisis. At the Honda Center, 2695 E Katella Ave, Anaheim 92806

  • Serving 500-1,000 families in a drive-up format with a one-week supplemental supply of bagged food.

• Waste Not OC - https://www.wastenotoc.org/pantries/

  • A cross-county food pantry map to 200+ food pantries across OC

• Catholic Charities of Orange County - https://ccoc.org/programs/

  • See English & Spanish CalFresh Healthy Living Calendar for information on OC food pantries.

• So-Cal Grocery Stores Open Early For Seniors and those with Medical Conditions

  • Northgate Market - 7am-8am (Seniors, Pregnant Women, Disabled)

  • Big Saver Foods - 7:30am-8am (Seniors)

  • Stater Bros. - 7:45am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

  • Smart & Final - 7:30am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

  • Albertsons - 7am-9am (Seniors)

  • Vons - 7am-9am (Seniors)

  • Target - Wednesdays, 8am-9am (Seniors, those with medical conditions)

  • Whole Foods - 7am-8am (Seniors)

  • Gelsons - 7am-8am (Seniors)

  • Ralphs - 7am-7:30am (Seniors)

  • Superior Grocers - 7am-8am (Seniors, Disabled)

• Grab & Go Meals - Free lunch and at many locations, even breakfast are offered to all students 18-and-under at multiple school in most Orange County school districts - https://na0.icarol.info/resourceview2.aspx?First=1&country=United%20States&sp=CA&county=Orange&city=-1&org=2287&agencynum=67353452

• Additional Resources by City: Select the service from: Food, Food Pantries, or Grab & Go Meals at https://www.211oc.org/ and on the page that loads, search by city in the section that reads, “Search for resources in or near a location”

• Additional information by School District (school closure length, grab & go meal times & locations): https://newsroom.ocde.us/these-oc-districts-are-offering-grab-and-go-meals-at-a-campus-near-you

GENERAL SERVICES

Dial 2-1-1 to be linked to any of the following services: 

• Women, infants and children (WIC) help

• Food and food stamps

• Homeless shelters

• Substance abuse

• Prenatal care

• Help with housing assistance

• Help with utilities

• Emergency housing

• 24-hour crisis, suicide help and suicide counseling

• Mental health services

• Food distribution

• Access to healthcare

• Medical, dental help and vision clinics

• Government assistance programs

• Transportation assistance

• Elder services

• Nutrition assistance

• Help for low-income families

• Other youth and child care issues

• Other physical and mental health services

KEEP SENDING PICTURES OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD WORSHIPPING TOGETHER

This was our second Sunday apart from each other and we continue to miss you all. We’re grateful to the Lord, though, for modern technological advances that allow us to worship together despite the inability to meet in person. Thank you for sending photos and videos of your household worshipping together to photos@sovgracesantaana.org. We loved seeing them. This will be what services look like for at least another few weeks, so keep sending them along to remind your brothers and sisters of the voices that are joining together with them as we sing, listen and pray on Sunday mornings. Take a look at a few photos from this livestream Sunday.

How You Respond To The Reality of Death Tells Your Neighbors How Real Your Jesus Is

Death is the great equalizer. In a fallen world, its reality constantly looms. Sometimes, though, we’re more aware of it than at others. When faced with death, whether actual or potential, how do you respond? The First Century church at Thessalonica were tempted to despair at the death of their loved ones. Why? Because they misunderstood the implications of the resurrection of Christ. We, likewise, must understand - what death is, what Jesus’ resurrection means for us, how steadfast His hope is and what grieving should look like for a Christian in the face of death. This is a subject which has extreme relevance in these days. Listen to this week’s message to learn more.

If you missed tuning into this week’s livestream, you can listen to the sermon here.