GOD, THE TIMELESS PURSUER OF THE LOST

A Hellenistic Jew, a Samaritan and an Ethiopian eunuch walk into a restaurant …

It’s not a setup to a bad joke, but instead what Acts chapter 8 appears to be on the surface - three seemingly unrelated stories about three individuals and groups of people. What ties them together? The principle that God is about the business of saving people - individual people. In Christ, He has created a people (plural) for His own possession, but every single person He has called to Himself, He personally pursues with love and grace. Acts 8 teaches us that neither distance not defiance can stop or hinder God’s gracious pursuit of lost souls.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE WITH YOU

This upcoming Sunday, plan to remain in your seats for an extra ten minutes after our corporate worship gathering has concluded for what will effectively be a “mini” members meeting.

YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

Please make every effort to be there for this meeting. We understand keeping kiddos reigned in for this extra time is difficult. We’ll do our best to keep it short and sweet.

GOD IS ADDING LABORERS FOR THE HARVEST

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” with this local body of Christ. They’re also individuals whom we, as a church, commit to so the same with and for. We praise God for His grace and the evidence of the advancement of His Gospel through Santa Ana.

October 19th-25th

Every Tuesday we will be publishing a blog to share what is going in the life of the church for that week! We hope that this serves you and helps to keep you updated.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22: WOMEN’S MEETING

• 7:00pm - Houlton Backyard

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB, NEW MEMBERS SUNDAY, MINI MEMBERS MEETING

• 10:00am - Meeting Room - Outdoor Courtyard.

• We will be welcoming our New Members this Sunday.

• Plan to stay an extra 5-10 minutes after service for a few important church updates.

Coming Up Next Week

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26: FALL CLASS SESSION 4

• 7:00pm - Via Zoom. Link will be emailed to all registrants on Sunday.

WE’VE SUBMITTED FOUR DEACON CANDIDATES - NOW WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK

This Sunday, we announced our 4 candidates for the role of deacon in our church. Each individual has displayed a heart and attitude of serving the church over the past 3 years and have been assessed by the pastoral team and found to meet the qualifications of a deacon listed in Scripture.

THE CANDIDATES

1) Jim Cunningham

2) Liz Madrigal

3) Mike Alvarez

4) Christopher Erkelens

READ 1 TIMOTHY 3:8-13

Before they are formally installed as deacons, we are inviting you, the church, to send any feedback, specifically as it relates to the qualifications listed in 1 Tim. 3:8-13 you may have on any candidate to our pastoral team.

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST

By God’s grace and for God’s glory, Sovereign Grace Santa Ana is turning THREE years old! Because it would be inappropriate to respond to such grace without a celebration, we’re of course throwing our annual party.

THINGS WILL LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR

This year we will be celebrating at the Houlton Home at 4:00pm. We will still be serving tacos and we will still be playing kickball.

A FEW IMPORTANT DETAILS

1. Make sure to wear or bring some sort of active clothing. There will be activities for the kiddos, including a piñata! Invite your friends and neighbors.

2. The party will take place outside. Masks will not be required unless social distancing is not possible. Hand sanitizer will be readily available. Food will be served by a gloved team.

3. Bring a picnic blanket or chairs for your family. We will have limited seating available.

WE CAN’T WAIT TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU!

OUR MONTHLY WOMEN’S GROUP IS THIS THURSDAY

Our regularly scheduled mid week programs are up and running again, following careful guidelines to ensure the health of all attendees. These meetings will occur outdoors until further notice, with 6 feet of social distance between each member present, masks required (when social distancing is not possible) and in observance of CA Guidelines. Childcare will not be provided.

7PM IN THE HOULTON BACKYARD

Our Women’s group is currently reading through the book “Women of the Word” by Jenn Wilkin. You do not have to read the book to participate and anyone is welcome to join at any time!

If you have any questions about this meeting, the book study or need the address, please email office@sovgracesantaana.org

Acts 7 tells the story of Stephen, who when confronted by opponents, refused to recant his beliefs. The result? The cancellation of his life. While our lives may not be similarly threatened, confessing the truth of God’s Word may risk he cancellation of our reputations, jobs or social influence. In the face of such brash reactions and verdicts against what people believe these days, can we have any confidence or security? Yes. In the unchanging verdict of Jesus Christ through His death on a cross. This was the confidence Stephen had even as stones were being hurled at him. Listen to the sermon to learn about the strength of Jesus’ verdict over you even in the midst of today’s cancel culture.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

Reformation Day is Coming Up

It’s October 15 which means we’re just 16 days away from the 503rd Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation! On that day of October 31, 1517, a German Monk named Martin Luther nailed a document calling for reform in the Catholic Church to the door of the local church in Wittenburg. What followed was a movement that has changed both the church and the world to this day! Not only this, but this movement -which rediscovered the authority of Scripture as the only sole and infallible rule of the church, the glory of God as the goal of all things, and the centrality of the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone - has shaped our local church to be what it is today. The story of the Reformation is important to us because it’s a story that helps us better understand ourselves as it points us to the shoulders of the gospel-centered saints of old that we still stand upon today.

Here Are Some Helpful Reformation Resources

Below you will find a selection of resources that will immerse you in the story of the Reformation as you read, watch, and listen to the events which have shaped our church and the world around us.

Books & Blogs - Read the Reformation

Reading the Reformation: Top 5 Books - Scholars recommend their go-to book for Reformation history. Of the titles on the list, we highly recommend Michael Reeves, “The Unquenchable Flame.”

Documentary - Watch the Reformation

Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer - Available for free in its entirety for a limited time only. “Watch this documentary to discover the events God used in Martin Luther’s life that led him to rediscover the gospel of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.“

Podcast - Listen to the Reformation

Luther: In Real Time - From the Ligonier webpage, “It’s 1520. Martin Luther has been declared a heretic by Pope Leo X, and his books are being burned. How much longer before Luther himself is thrown into the fire? Enter the dramatic story at the dawn of the Reformation. Each episode is released 500 years to the day after the events described, allowing you to walk in Luther’s footsteps from his heresy charges to his famous stand for God’s Word. Hear, in Luther’s own words, what Protestants are protesting and why it still matters today.” Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

We hope this list makes you grateful to God for his work in the past and also encourages you to keep the spirit of the Reformation alive as we seek to always be reforming our church and our lives according to God’s Word. Semper Reformanda!

SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1st

By God’s grace and for God’s glory, Sovereign Grace Santa Ana is turning THREE years old! Because it would be inappropriate to respond to such grace without a celebration, we’re of course throwing our annual party!

Things Will Look a Little Different This Year

This year we will be celebrating at the Houlton Home at 4:00pm! We will still be serving tacos and we will still be playing kickball!

A Few Important Details

1. Make sure to wear or bring some sort of active clothing! There will be activities for the kiddos, including a piñata! Invite your friends and neighbors.

2. The party will take place outside. Masks will not be required unless social distancing is not possible. Hand sanitizer will be readily available. Food will be served by a gloved team.

3. Bring a picnic blanket or chairs for your family! We will have limited seating available.

We Can’t Wait To Celebrate With You!