Our Monthly Women’s Group Is Meeting This Thursday

Our November women’s meeting was rescheduled in light of the Thanksgiving holiday to the first Thursday in December. This meeting will occur outdoors, with 6 feet of social distance between each member present, masks required 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 have 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@crossofgracesa.org

JESUS IS THE GIFT WE WANT AND NEED

It’s the rare Christmas experience - tearing away the wrapping paper and realizing that what lies within is something that you actually need and that you’ve actually been longing for. Infinitely more rare is a gift of invaluable worth that meets the most basic and fundamental need that we carry. Only one gift like this exists and His name is Jesus. When Anna the prophetess met him days after His birth, her response instructs us and reminds us of just how great a gift Jesus is. Listen to the first message in our 2020 Cast of Christmas series to hear more and prepare your heart to receive the gift of the incarnate Christ this Christmas.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM CROSS OF GRACE 

We hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving Holiday with your family. The pastoral team of the church are profoundly thankful for you. Your friendship, your joy, your love and faith are a gift of God to your church, your neighbors and your family. We hope you’re filled with thankfulness today toward the God from whom every good and perfect gift comes (James 1:17). 

OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE. WE HAVE MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR

We, of all people, should find the act of giving thanks on this Thanksgiving holiday natural. This year has been difficult in so many ways, but the hand of the Lord has been with us individually and corporately every step of the way. God is at work in our hearts, our families and our church. And His work is a gracious one because of the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Look around you today. Take a moment and pause as a family to see and give thanks to God for His grace as you see the evidence of His grace.

OPEN YOUR EYES TO THOSE WHO MIGHT FIND GIVING THANKS DIFFICULT TODAY

There are no doubt many of our Santa Ana neighbors - perhaps even some among us - who are much more keenly aware of their sorrows than their joys today. Pray for them. After you take a moment to give thanks to the Lord, take a moment and pray for those who are suffering in our community. If you find yourself in that category, please feel free to ask for prayer directly by contacting one of our pastors at kyle@crossofgracesa.org. 

As a church, it’s our joy to give thanks to the One who gives His grace freely through His Son, Jesus Christ.

NOVEMBER 23RD-29TH

Every Tuesday we publish a blog to share what’s going in the life of the church for that week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26- HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

• Women’s Meeting has Been Postponed to December 3rd

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

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

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 @ 6:30PM

Every year CGSA loves to throw a Christmas Party to kick off the month of December. In light of COVID-19 and wanting to ensure the health and safety of our members, we will be hosting a safe and socially distanced, Drive Thru Christmas Party!

This will certainly be a unique and memorable party for us a church. Stay tuned next week for more details on what to expect.

THE GIVERS AND RECEIVERS OF CHRISTMAS

The Book of Acts has been teaching us about the timeless traits we find in the church. Christmas is the timeless story of the coming of God’s promised Messiah.

This Christmas, we’ll be examining 5 more characters in the cast of Christmas who all teach us about the wonder of God’s generous nature and what it means to receive God’s gift, this Christ. In this third and final installment of “The Cast of Christmas”, we’ll meet the following givers and receivers:

Anna

God The Holy Spirit

God the Father

Jesus

Us

We look forward to spending this Christmas season with you. 

In light of the Thanksgiving Holiday falling on the 4th Thursday of this month, our monthly women’s meeting has been postponed until the following week on December 3rd.

WHERE DO YOU LOOK DURING TIMES OF ADJUSTMENT FOR STABILITY AND CERTAINTY?

The early church was undergoing a massive, even historic, change in Acts 11. Peter was making some big claims. Things were happening that were unprecedented among God’s people. Jesus’ disciples were having to adjust. In that adjustment, God graciously provided evidence that He indeed was behind this movement; He provided proof of His presence to assure His people that making this adjustment was something that He had ordained and He would give grace for. For us, 2020 has been a season of constant adjustment. Where do you look for stability and courage? The proof of God’s presence is all around you. You might just need to open your eyes to it …

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

OUR SUNDAY MEETING WILL RESUME

A regular attendee tested positive for Coronavirus on Friday, 11/20. The positive test traces back to an exposure made on Monday, 11/16. Those in the church who had been exposed after Monday have been contacted and encouraged to remain home until a negative test result has been acquired. Those who haven’t been exposed may still plan on attending our in-person gathering tomorrow (11/22), provided you’re not showing any symptoms and follow recommended CDC guidelines during our service. Those remaining at home can still access the Sunday service via livestream.

THIS ISN’T THE LAST TIME THIS WILL HAPPEN. WE HAVE A PLAN.

You can read our church’s official Covid-19 protocols here and read CDC guidelines here for greater detail. For the sake of simplicity, though, the following three points summarize the essentials of how we intend to respond and how we’re asking you to respond in the case of future exposures or positive test results:

1. If you have knowingly been exposed, please contact the pastoral team ASAP. It’s recommended that you acquire a Covid-19 test and remain at home until a fully-informed collaborative decision can be made on the basis of contact tracing, negative test results and other factors.

2. If a small group/church gathering attendee tests positive and is suspected to have been positive during the time of a church gathering, the decision will be made to either contact trace and recommend that those exposed follow the steps outlined in point #1 or (in the case that a significant number in the church have been significantly exposed) move subsequent gatherings to the virtual context entirely until the threat has subsided.

3. If you do test positive yourself, contact the pastoral team ASAP and follow all CDC guidelines including a 10-day quarantine followed by a negative test result and inform all those with whom you’ve had personal contact since exposure as soon as possible.

We know you might be growing weary. We are too. But we have been given the sustaining grace of Jesus Christ our Lord. Let’s continue to go to Him in prayer, depend on the strengthening of His Spirit, love one another despite continued differences in perspective and give God glory as we continue to endure.