THEY’RE UNSAFE IF THE TRUTH IS UP FOR GRABS

Most of us, at the very least, tend to shy away from disagreements. Many are tempted to avoid them at all costs. Still others will boldly enter disagreements, but do so standing on their own opinion, perspective or experience. It’s the latter which often makes engaging with those who disagree feel unsafe in the first place! In the church, we know we will inevitably disagree with one another if we’re living in close fellowship together. So how do we deal with disagreements? Listen to last week’s sermon from Acts 15, which tells of two historic disagreements, and learn how a shared commitment to the Gospel turns disagreements from a threatening danger into a redemptive opportunity.

Listen to the sermon HERE.

LA SALVACIÓN ES DEL SEÑOR

This Sunday, a new Spanish song will be introduced. It’s a song that proclaims the security and victory that has been achieved in and for us through the salvation of the Lord. Whatever threats may be uttered by the fears within our hearts, Christ’s salvation speaks a better word. Take a few minutes and read the lyrics below and watch the music video online to familiarize yourself with the song. If you’re an English speaker, plug the lyrics into Google translate and read, learn and meditate on them before Sunday.

VERSO 1
Aunque el mal se levante contra mí
No temeré, no temeré
Y aunque vea mi carne perecer
No temeré, no temeré
Si al sufrir se conmueve mi fe
No temeré, no temeré

PRE-CORO
Y diré al Señor
Refugio mío, mi fortaleza
Tu nombre bendeciré
En todo tiempo
En Ti confiaré

CORO
Escudo alrededor de mí
No temerá mi corazón
La salvación es del Señor
Mi vida escondida está
En Cristo por la eternidad
La salvación es del Señor

VERSO 2
Todo el peso de tu ira recayó
Sobre Jesús y no temeré
Perfecto amor que ha cubierto mi maldad
Y echó fuera mi temor y no temeré

PUENTE
//Mi alma espera en el Señor
Él es mi roca y mi canción
Me aferro a Sus promesas
Que en Cristo ciertas son
La salvación es del Señor

PRAYER IS THE POWER OF THE POWERLESS

As we heard in the new year’s sermon, prayer is one of the greatest tools and weapons at our disposal. Even when we feel we might have nothing, we still have access to the throne of the Lord and Creator of all things, who acts on behalf of those He loves in power. Why wouldn’t we pray? Here are a few topics of prayer to guide your prayers this week.

1. Pray for the leaders of our city, state and nation (1 Tim. 2:1-2) as unrest continues to prevail and the inauguration of a new president is on the horizon.

2. Pray for those in our city who are experiencing new or perpetuating stress financially, familial or otherwise.

3. Pray for courage for one another in accordance with last week’s sermon from Acts 13-14 - courage in the midst of trials, courage to spread the joy of Jesus to our neighbors, courage to be ambassadors for Jesus in a world opposed to Him.

4. Pray that the result of such courage would be the reduction of grumbling and complaining in our hearts, no matter the situation (Phil. 2:14)

5. Pray that the Gospel would be demonstrated and proclaimed through baptism this Sunday

6. Pray for our Zoom small group meetings on Friday night - that the Lord would meet us and do a work among us by His Spirit in the virtual setting.

7. Pray for any who receive a positive covid test or who are needing to quarantine as a result of exposures.

8. Pray daily for your spouse, your children, your roommates and those closest to you.

9. Pray for the requests of individuals who have shared them on our church Slack prayer channel. If you have questions about how to be added to this, email office@crossofgracesa.org

   KEEP SENDING PRAYER REQUESTS TO PRAYERS@CROSSOFGRACESA.ORG

JANUARY 11-17

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post to lay out in one place what’s going in the life of the church for the upcoming week. See below for a snapshot of what’s on the calendar this week:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15: SMALL GROUPS (VIRTUAL)

• Check with your small group leader for more information

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Outdoor Courtyard

SUNDAY, JANUARY 17: BAPTISM

• Immediately after the Sunday service - Location: Houlton home front yard

WRITE ONE NOTE, CARD OR LETTER TO ANYBODY EVERY MONTH

Our 2020 church challenge, if you’re able to recall, was a hospitality challenge. We chuckle to think that there has never been a worse year to do such a challenge. It is true that man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps (Prov. 16:9).

This year’s challenge, however, is pandemic-proof. Our encouragement to you (including kids) is to make it a point to write one handwritten card, note or letter to a different person every month this year.

Why this challenge? On the surface, nearly every single book of the New Testament is a letter. But beyond this, writing letters is a way we can love one another (John 13:34) even when we can’t see one another. It’s a way that we can consider the needs and interests of others above our own (Phil. 2:4). Writing is a means of letting someone know how you’re praying for them (James 5:16), why you’re grateful for them (2 Thess. 1:3) and how you see God at work in their lives (2 Tim. 1:5). It can even be an effective way to share the joy of Jesus with your neighbor.

A NEIGHBOR, A CHURCH MEMBER, A FAMILY MEMBER …

Who should you write to? Anybody. There are no restrictions here. If you write to others in the church during some months, we’ll likely see a church built up in faith and encouragement this year. If you write to unbelievers, we hope we hear testimonies of Santa Anans coming to saving faith by the end of 2021. You could write to someone as close to you as your spouse and as relationally distant from you as an estranged family member.

A SPECIAL DINNER FOR ALL WHO WRITE 12 LETTERS

Everyone who fulfills this challenge (including kids!) in every month of 2021 will be invited to a special dinner in early 2022 to celebrate, eat good food (contingent on the state of the pandemic) and tell stories of what God did through the simple discipline of letter-writing.

Ready, set, go …

On Sunday, Jason Roenicke preached from Acts 13-14. These two chapters represent the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul. They also represent the initial fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that His disciples would be witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). But taking the message of the Gospel would be met with adversity and hot opposition, as became abundantly clear for Paul from the outset. Persevering in the mission, then, requires courage. Where does this courage come from? What does courage look like? Where do we go to find courage that will sustain a lifetime of witnessing to the name of Jesus in a world that’s opposed to Him? Listen to Sunday’s message to learn more.

Listen to the sermon here.

BAPTISM AFTER SERVICE, SUNDAY, JANUARY 17th

Baptism is one of the sweetest moments in the life of the church. It’s a visible portrayal of the effects of the Gospel in a person. Baptism does not save a person or contribute to their salvation. Rather, it’s an outward display of an inward work that has already taken place. It’s also an act of obedience, something that every believer is commanded to do.

JANUARY 17TH IN THE HOULTON’S FRONT YARD

On Sunday January 17th, immediately following our service, we will have the joy of watching some of those among us get baptized. This will be a brief event held outside, with social distancing made possible. All COVID precautions will be taken. We highly encourage you to come and witness this sweet moment in our church.

If you’re interested in being baptized or just have questions about baptism, please email kyle@crossofgracesa.org.

PRAYER IS THE POWER OF THE POWERLESS

As we heard in last’s week’s sermon, prayer is one of the greatest tools and weapons at our disposal. Even when we feel we might have nothing, we still have access to the throne of the Lord and Creator of all things, who acts on behalf of those He loves in power. Why wouldn’t we pray? Here are a few topics of prayer to guide your prayers this week.

1. Pray for the leaders of our city, state and nation (1 Tim. 2:1-2) as unrest continues to prevail.

2. Pray for those in our city who are experiencing new or perpetuating stress financially, familial or otherwise.

3. Pray for those in our church who are undergoing quarantine or who are currently ill.

4. Pray for those who are experiencing health issues unrelated to Covid.

5. Pray for those who are searching for work.

6. Pray for those who have recently suffered heartache and loss.

7. Pray for those who need discipline and strength in particular areas of their Christian walk.

8. Pray for those whose faith is failing and weak.

9. Pray for faithfulness and courage on behalf of leaders in the church and all Christians in our city to continue to proclaim the saving message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

10. Pray for the requests of individuals who have shared them on our church Slack prayer channel. If you have questions about how to be added to this, email office@crossofgracesa.org

    KEEP SENDING PRAYER REQUESTS TO PRAYERS@CROSSOFGRACESA.ORG

JANUARY 4TH- 10TH

Every Tuesday we publish a blog post 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:

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10TH: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

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

WHICH MONTHLY MEETINGS WILL RESUME AND WHEN?

Our annual “fallow month” which occurs every December, during which we cancel everything but our Sunday gathering in order to allow for organic growth of relationships during a typically crazy month … has ended. Now that January is upon us, though, the Southern California region remains under a strict lockdown. So which meetings on the church calendar will resume and when?

WE’RE PRIORITIZING OUR SUNDAY GATHERING

Until further notice, Sunday morning gatherings are the only in-person meetings which will remain on the calendar. This means that small groups, men’s meetings and women’s meetings and the upcoming spring class are all on standby for the time being. One main reason for this is that when positive cases and exposures do come to light, tracing the exposures within the church becomes exponentially difficult if multiple meetings per week are being conducted, which in turn threatens the possibility of us gathering at all during the week. Thus, in order to protect and preserve our Sunday gathering, we’ll avoid all other gatherings.

SMALL GROUPS AND MEN’S AND WOMEN’S MEETINGS WILL RESUME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

We know that this is difficult for you. It’s difficult for us, too. Small groups are a lifeline of God’s grace to most of us where God’s Spirit gives us sweet reminders of the Gospel through rich fellowship, giving us the strength we need to carry on during difficult times. If you’re longing for these meetings to resume, that’s a good thing. Look to your small group leader for updates on how your small group might creatively create a context for fellowship without an in-person gathering, make a commitment to grow in your personal devotional life and prayer life and press into individual relationships with others in the church. Text them and ask how you can pray for them. Be mindful of needs. Continue to love one another. God has sustained us this far. He’ll sustain us still.