DECEMBER 14th-20th

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:

DECEMBER FALLOW MONTH REMINDER

• It’s our annual Fallow Month- Small groups & Men’s & Women’s meetings are cancelled. We do this so you can press into natural and more intimate opportunities to relate to your church family and neighbors. The holiday season is notoriously one of the busiest times of the year. We want to help you to take advantage of the few free moments you have to spend unhurried, unscheduled time with one another and with family for the grand purpose of allowing your heart to be re-fertilized by the work of Christ. .

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20: CHRISTMAS SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

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

SPREADING THE CHRISTMAS JOY OF JESUS

Last Friday & Saturday, our pastoral team, Kyle and Jeff donned festive Christmas gear, loaded their “sleigh” with gifts and hit the Orange County roads to make special Christmas deliveries to church members! The journey included 2 nights, 8 hours, 170mi, 17 happy households, sweet moments of prayer and great memories made. Spend some time looking through these special pictures from their journey!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

In March, as the country was beginning to go on lockdown, we created the CGSA Neighbor Relief Grant to help those in our church and in our city who were hurting from the aftermath of COVID-19. Since launching, we have:

• Helped 12 Individuals or Families

• Issued 24 Grants

• Given $7,276 in assistance

WE ARE STILL AWARDING GRANTS.

This fund was established primarily as a means to assist you as you love and serve your neighbors. You’re giving them the infinitely invaluable treasure of Jesus as you share the Gospel with them. We also want to help you to support them with any material needs they may have as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic’s economic effects. The fund is also available to members of the church who continue to struggle in the midst of the pandemic. If you and your family would benefit or known someone who would benefit from this grant, you can apply here.

THE FATHER GIVES HIS BEST TO THE WORST

The generosity of God Father is astounding, pure and simple. It’s rivaled by no one and nothing in the created realm. So great is it that it’s hard to get our arms around it to grasp and appreciate its magnitude, but 1 John 4:14 helps us. How? By teaching us simply that the Father sent His Son. What’s contained in this simple statement is the reality that God the Father’s relationship to Jesus is that of divine father and son - a perfect relationship comprised of perfect love, perfect unity and perfect harmony. The Son is the Father’s greatest treasure. What further deepens our appreciation, though, is the consideration of who the Son was sent for. To learn more and grow in your gratitude for God’s generosity toward you in the Gospel, listen to last Sunday’s sermon.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

O COME, ALL YOU UNFAITHFUL

This Sunday we’ll be introducing a new Christmas song during our Sunday service from Sovereign Grace Music’s new Christmas Album, Heaven Has Come. This song reminds us that Jesus didn’t come to save the faithful and righteous, but the unfaithful and broken. The incarnation of Christ is an invitation to all who have a need for a Savior; to all who lack joy, peace, hope; to all with a guilty conscience; to all who are aware of their deep spiritual emptiness this Christmas season. The lyrics are below, in English. Read them slowly as you consider how God’s promise is peace for those who believe and listen to this song in preparation for our Sunday gathering.

LISTEN HERE.

Lyrics:

Verse 1
O come, all you unfaithful
Come, weak and unstable
Come, know you are not alone

Verse 2
O come, barren and waiting ones
Weary of praying, come
See what your God has done

Chorus
Christ is born, Christ is born
Christ is born for you

Verse 3
O come, bitter and broken
Come with fears unspoken
Come, taste of His perfect love

Verse 4
O come, guilty and hiding ones
There is no need to run
See what your God has done

Bridge
He’s the Lamb who was given
Slain for our pardon
His promise is peace
For those who believe

Verse 5
So come, though you have nothing
Come, He is the offering
Come, see what your God has done

CHRISTMAS EVE IS TWO WEEKS AWAY

For the second year in a row we will be hosting a Christmas Eve service right here in DTSA. This service is an excellent opportunity for us to reach out to our friends, family, and neighbors - many of whom may not know the deep and all-satisfying joy of the birth of Christ. The service will be held outdoors in the Ebell Courtyard and will include a message preached in both English and Spanish.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 5:00PM AT THE EBELL CLUB OF SANTA ANA

December 7th- 13th

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:

DECEMBER FALLOW MONTH REMINDER

• It’s our annual Fallow Month- Small groups & Men’s & Women’s meetings are cancelled. We do this so you can press into natural and more intimate opportunities to relate to your church family and neighbors. The holiday season is notoriously one of the busiest times of the year. We want to help you to take advantage of the few free moments you have to spend unhurried, unscheduled time with one another and with family for the grand purpose of allowing your heart to be re-fertilized by the work of Christ. .

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

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

WE’VE DECIDED TO CANCEL OUR DRIVE-THRU CHRISTMAS PARTY

After much conversation and deliberation, our pastoral team has decided to cancel our upcoming Christmas Party for a few reasons. Why? Though we believe we’d be able to conduct the drive-thru party, we want to comply with the regional stay-at-home order as much as is possible, while prioritizing our outdoor Sunday gatherings, which are allowed under the order. Further, we were questioning whether a drive-thru event was worth the effort in the first place.

WE STILL HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL PLANNED

Our Pastoral team will be visiting the home of every family in the church this weekend to drop off a special basket filled with goodies for your family to share-including a white elephant gift from another church member!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?

If you haven’t donated a $5 gift for our gift exchange, we are still collecting them! Send an email to Krista Alvarez here and she will coordinate with you! Besides that, simply wait for a member of the pastoral team to contact you to set up a short visit!

IF WE LOSE THE VIRGIN BIRTH, WE LOSE A SINLESS SAVIOR

The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is a critical member of the cast of Christmas. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing that she would be with child, she reasonably questioned how this might be since she was a virgin. In Luke 1:35, Gabriel’s response explains that it would happen by the generous activity of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit’s work in the virgin birth, we receive an invaluable treasure in a sinless Savior - a baby born with a fully divine nature, equipped with the very power of God to save, and born with a fully human nature, yet without sin, qualified to stand in our place and take the penalty for our sin. Listen to last Sunday’s sermon to learn about the wondrous gift of the Holy Spirit at Christmas.

Listen to last Sunday’s sermon here.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AT 6:30PM - A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our church loves to throw parties and Christmas time is no different. For health and safety concerns, this year we have had to adjust our annual Christmas party- but it will be just as fun as it always is. This year we will be hosting a Drive Thru Christmas Party. Your family will drive through the alleyway by the Houlton Home, starting off in a line on Greenleaf Ave. There will be stops along the way for activities that your family can participate in from your car.

What Can You Expect?

• A socially distant and safe experience for you with all Covid precautions (like sanitizing between cars) being taken.

• Fun stations to drive through with food and games (with prizes!)

• A competition for the most festive car

What Do You Need to Do? We need TWO things from you for this party:

1) Deck Out Your Car! We will be having a competition for the most festive looking car (inside or out). We will be taking pictures of each car & posting them on Slack for everyone to vote on. The winner will get a special prize!

2) Donate a Pre-Wrapped, $5 Gift for our gift exchange game. What you give is up to you - funny or serious! Please bring your rewrapped gift to church THIS Sunday or contact Krista Alvarez to arrange a drop off!

We’re looking forward to celebrating this Christmas season with you. If you have any questions, please contact us at office@crossofgracesa.org.