HELP LET OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW
Our Block Party is less than 2 weeks away! You can participate in the following ways:
THE BAPTISM AND TEMPTATION OF JESUS PROVE HE’S THE FIRST AND ONLY ONE TO PLEASE GOD
We’re learning through the Gospel of Mark that the first question you should ask of each story in Mark is “who is Jesus?” This is true in the accounts of the baptism and the temptation of Jesus. What we discover about Him in these stories is that through His coming suffering, foreshadowed by His baptism and His active obedience demonstrated by His successful resistance of temptation…Jesus has won God’s pleasure. He’s succeeded where Adam failed. Where Israel failed. Where we failed. And the pleasure He won allows us to dare to ask such an audacious question as, “if He could win God’s pleasure for Himself, then perhaps He could win God’s pleasure for us?” Listen to last week’s sermon from Mark 1:9-13 to find out more.
LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE
VOLUNTEER FOR THE FRENCH PARK BLOCK PARTY ON JULY 30
We’re throwing a party to show our neighbors how glad we are to be their neighbors. We want to give them a glimpse of the joy we have in Jesus and invite them to enter into it. We have eager expectations God will work through this event to create and cultivate relationships with our neighbors, but we need your help to make this party possible! As an expression of our mission in our city, we encourage you to volunteer with the Block Party as a means of outreach to our neighbors. Get involved by serving in one of the following areas:
Neighborhood Outreach - Join us on Saturday, 7/23 at 10am to invite our neighbors to the Block Party, pray for them, and share the gospel as you have the opportunity.
Set Up & Tear Down - Arrive in French Park at 3pm on the day of the party to set up tables & chairs and stick around afterward to break it down.
Serving Food & Drinks - We need volunteers to play the pivotal role of placing tacos in the hands of all our guests! We’ll have delicious Tacos de Campesino tacos, summer sides, ice cold drinks, and tasty treats to share with our guests.
Running Games & Activities - We need volunteers to facilitate our party games and activities. We’ll have a bounce house, good old-fashioned water balloon toss, and lawn games set out for some friendly competition.
Bringing Party Supplies - We’ll need tables for food, chairs for our guests, and EZ-Ups to shield us from the summer sun! Let us know if you can contribute any of these items to make our party possible.
VOLUNTEER BY SIGNING UP HERE
EVERY 1ST AND 3RD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH
Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moment in the life of our church. They are a context where biblical discipleship happens within the church as we connect the truths of the gospel to every aspect of our lives. Each group meets in a home, splitting their time between singing, praying, and discussion. Some groups include young children in their meetings. All groups welcome guests. Carve this time out in your calendar to be refreshed in the gospel and to serve your friends by pointing their lives to Christ.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SMALL GROUPS, CLICK HERE
JULY 11 - JULY 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:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13: SUMMER PARK DAY
10:00 am - Morrison Park, Santa Ana
FRIDAY, JULY 15: SMALL GROUPS
7:00 pm - Houlton, Schlieder, or Erkelens Home
SUNDAY, JULY 17: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 10AM UNTIL AUGUST 24TH
Members of the church will be gathering for a casual park day every Wednesday morning. This is a once-a-week hangout to encourage fellowship in the church, meet our neighbors, and “go into our city” to share the joy of Jesus.
Anyone is welcome, whether you have kids or not. Bring a blanket or chair and some snacks and join us each Wednesday at 10am through August 24th. We hope to see you there!
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT US HERE
THE GOSPEL OF MARK’S FIRST QUESTION SHOULD BE OUR FIRST QUESTION
This Sunday Pastor Kyle kicked off our new sermon series in the book of Mark. It’s a New Testament book that, unsurprisingly, introduces us to the story of Jesus. But at the outset, nobody except for John the Baptist really knows who Jesus is. Everybody has an assumption. But Jesus’ true identity and the work He came to do is only progressively revealed through the books 16 chapters, until finally, His progress ends at a cross; a cross that, to everyone’s surprise, reveals Jesus’ identity most truly and gloriously.
First and most importantly, Mark asks, “who is Jesus?” His Gospel teaches us that “who is Jesus” should also be our first question in every situation - a lesson we’ll learn well through our many months progressing through this sermon series.
LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE
STARTING THIS SUNDAY
As we begin this new sermon series in the magnificent Gospel of Mark, we want to help you to follow along. That’s why we’ve given each of you a journal. If you don’t have one yet, ask one of the ushers this Sunday for a copy. This is a book that you can and should bring along with you every single Sunday for the next 9 months or so. Why? Because it’s a Bible/journal, with passages from the book of Mark on every left-hand side of the page and lines for taking sermon notes on every right-hand side of the page. Note taking during sermons helps you to retain what you’re hearing, to listen more attentively and to capture key quotes and phrases that you can then go back and reflect on. It’s a great training tool for kids who are aging out of children’s ministry. It helps them to learn how to listen and what to listen for during sermons. Make this book a priority every Sunday and enjoy filling your heart and mind - and journal - with the truth of God’s Word from the book of Mark.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK
This month’s book of the month is likely one you’ve read before. It’s the Gospel of Mark. Don’t just pass this by, though. Actually take some time over the new week or two and read through the entirety of Mark once or even twice. Acquaint yourself well with it and equip yourself to maximize this sermon series. To assist you even further, we’ve created an online reader’s version for you just below.
FIND THE READER’S VERSION HERE
ALL GUYS 15 YEARS AND OLDER ARE INVITED TO ATTEND
Men's Meeting is a monthly conversations in an informal setting, where "men talk like men" about God. The topics are chosen to challenge the group and promote humble theological dialogue. Open to all guys, 15 years and older. Meets every second Thursday at the 4th Street Market patio at 7:00 pm.