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:
6:30 am - French Park Grass Area
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
7:00 pm - French Park Grass Area
Paul says in Ephesians 4:25 that we are one body, yet “members one of another”. So, think of church membership not so much as “membership in a club” and more as an expression of commitment to the people around you. The Bible is full of “one anothers” - commands toward believers to act in godliness toward other people. What Scripture makes clear is that these “others” refer to a specific group of people and not all people generally. These others are the men and women identified in a particular local church. As members of Cross of Grace Santa Ana, we have the privilege of living out the Christian life with one another. We celebrate and grieve with one another. We build deep relationship with one another. We join arms to advance the joy of Jesus in a particular neighborhood with one another. We help one another pursue holiness. We remind one another of the sweetness of the gospel.
In light of this, we praise God for the new members, Keiren Wright, Manny Mora, Daniel Umoru, Nidia Manzano, Anna Forslund, and Carson Turbedsky, we had the joy of introducing this last Sunday. Be encouraged by what new members, Keiren & Manny, had to share with us during their new member testimony:
For the past few years at school, we didn’t really have a church community, and after graduating it became clear that was a big hole in our Christian walk, both individually and together. Growing up at Sovereign Grace Church of Pasadena, I (Keiren) loved the teaching of Sovereign Grace Churches, and Christian and Kara had invited us to check out Cross of Grace Santa Ana. You guys immediately were so welcoming into your lives and community together, you’ve already prayed with us and invited us into your homes. We’ve already played sports with a lot of you as well! We loved how the pastors preach about outreach and you guys actually live it out. We’d been looking for a community of people we could walk with and learn from and share the good news with together, and we’re really happy to be able to join Cross of Grace!
We look forward to joining our new members in spreading the joy of Jesus in Downtown Santa Ana!
One of the many important updates we shared during our recent Members Meeting was the announcement of Jason Roenicke’s ordination service! On January 21, 2024 we’re planning to ordain him as a pastor at Cross of Grace Santa Ana. He’s humbly submitted himself to a process of evaluation and assessment, read page upon page, passed his exams with flying colors, and served our church faithfully and joyfully for the past 3 years. All that remains to do is to hear from you one last time. Before you receive Jason as your pastor and he’s formally installed as a leader in our church, we’re giving you a final opportunity to provide your assessment of his leadership, character and influence in the church. So far, we’ve heard nothing but positive feedback. We’re grateful to God for the work that seems to be evidenced in his life. However, we won’t assume we’ve heard everything from you. Maybe it’s nothing but good and providing evidence of God’s grace. If so, go ahead and tell us. We want to be prudent where we need to be prudent and celebrate where we can celebrate.
Missed the Members Meeting? Please reach out to a pastor to learn about some important updates in the life of our church. Watch the blog for more details to come.
Paul turns from the general principles of putting off the old and putting on the new and provides specific aspects of the old life we need to do away with in Ephesians 4:25-31. But, far from this passage being a list of “don’ts” there is much for us to do as well. Because as we live the new life, we’re not just saying “no” to the old and broken but saying “yes” to the new and following Jesus into a better, blessed, and more beautiful kind of life together. A new life governed by love that does away with all the words and deeds that are incompatible with how God has spoken and acted toward us in Christ (4:32-5:2).
Join us Sunday, 12/24, at 10:00am as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ: God with us, the Savior of the world. We'll sing classic carols, read the nativity story, and hear good news of great joy. There will be special activities for the kids and holiday treats for everyone to take home.
All are welcome to join us for this special moment as we rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Invite whoever you’re spending Christmas with to come along as we share in the joy that Jesus was born to bring! You can find a copy of our digital flyer here.
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” of Scripture with this local body of Christ. They’re also individuals whom we, as a church, commit to do the same with and for. We praise God for his grace and the advancement of his gospel in Santa Ana.
Every six months, we hold a brief members meeting after service. This meeting will last about 45 minutes, since we have some big announcements. The meeting is mandatory for all members, but guests are welcome as well. This meeting is a time to communicate what we wouldn’t communicate on a typical Sunday morning. We’ll look back on what God has graciously done in the last 6 months in our church and look forward to where we believe God is taking us as a church. Come this Sunday eager to hear what God is up to in our church.
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:
6:30 am - French Park Grass Area
10:00 am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
12:00 pm - Ebell Club Ballroom
Baptism is a celebration. Friends, family, and the church gather around to rejoice in what God has done. Celebrating because God the Father, through the sacrifice of His Son, by the power of His Holy Spirit is saving men and women from sin. The lost are being found. Baptism is the evidence of this.
This last Sunday, we had the joy of witnessing the baptism of Anna Forslund, Truett Houlton, and Nidia Manzano. Check out the pictures and relive the celebration of new life in Christ.
Let’s celebrate Christmas with the Church throughout the ages! Confessing the “one Lord” Jesus Christ who came to save us from our sins with those who’ve come before us. This anthology edited by Nancy Guthrie draws from the works and sermons of classic theologians such as George Whitefield, Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, and Saint Augustine, and from leading contemporary teachers such as John Piper, Randy Alcorn, Tim Keller, and Joni Eareckson Tada to help readers enter into the wonder of Jesus’s incarnation and birth.
