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:
6:30am - French Park Grass Area
7:00pm - Schlieder Home
10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
The church is like a body with many members (1 Cor. 12:12). Our lives are connected. We need one another. Church membership is our way of ensuring everyone who belongs to our congregation enjoys the benefits and privileges of being a part of Cross of Grace Church.
We want to make it simple for anyone interested in becoming a member of Cross of Grace Church to pursue the process. If you’ve been visiting for any length of time, this class is for you. We invite you to join us for one two-hour class on a Sunday afternoon immediately following our worship service. You’ll receive an introduction to what we believe and how those beliefs shape our life together as a church and have the opportunity to ask any questions you have. Lunch and childcare are provided.
If you are interested in this class, register here.
We advance our mission as a church as we make and mature disciples to the glory of God. This happens as we preach, proclaim, share, celebrate, and yes, even, sing the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this reason, our very own, Fernando Madrigal is going away for a 5-day intensive in Louisville, KY with Bob Kauflin and other worship leaders in Sovereign Grace Churches to grow in spurring on the singing of our church. Being built up in order to come back and build us up as the word of Christ dwells all the more richly among us through "singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col 3:16). The intensive is based on Bob’s book, Worship Matters, and it is an intentional context where pastors and leaders of worship in song can cultivate strong and clear theological categories for worship, have the opportunity for hands-on practice and feedback, and benefit from interaction and relationships with other leaders from diverse contexts.
Would you pray for Fernando and the entire Worship Matters Intensive group in the following ways:
That they would be refreshed in the joy of their salvation and lead others to sing out of their own satisfaction in Christ
That they would be equipped theologically and musically and grow in their capacities as leaders in their congregations
That they would enjoy the goodness of our partnership together in Sovereign Grace Churches and be reminded that we’re not on mission alone
That they would have rich times of fellowship and ministry to one another
That the Lord would bless, sustain, and cause Fernando, Liz, and the entire Madrigal family to know his pleasure as they make this sacrifice and invest in the good of our church
After 5 months, we came to the close of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. How did he finish off what is arguably the most complete outline of the Christian life in all the Bible? Did he say, “Now go out there and do it! You got this! Go be the church through whom God is working in the world!” No. Far from concluding with a call to get out there and do our part to make all the blessings of Ephesians a reality, the Apostle concludes with a call to prayer. He does so because we need God to make any of Ephesians work. We can’t put on God’s armor, have healthy marriages, enjoy peace with one another, or be God’s church without God’s help. Prayer is how we connect ourselves to God and all that he’s doing. So it’s to prayer we must turn if we want to be the church God is using to do his work in the world.
Every 1st & 3rd Friday of the month at 7pm, three different groups meet throughout our city to share in the joy of Jesus, care for one another, and apply the gospel to each other’s lives. This week, our small groups will be discussing the reality of spiritual warfare and encouraging one another to rest our souls in the victory of Christ.
Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moment in the life of our church. Make it a priority to attend one this Friday.
A few weeks ago, we started participating in a fundraiser for Livingwell Pregnancy Center, a local nonprofit dedicated to loving mothers and loving their babies - those already born and those yet to be born. This is important work and it strikes near to God’s heart for the most vulnerable among us.
Don't Forget to fill up your bottle with coins, cash, or checks and bring it to church this Sunday! This will conclude our Baby Bottle Drive Fundraiser.
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:
6:30am - French Park Grass Area
7:00pm - Houlton, Roenicke, and Erkelens Home
10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
This March, join our team, as we partner with LivingWell to spend the morning walking together in support of their ministry and the women and babies they serve!
In order to participate, we encourage you to start collecting sponsors! All the donations you collect will be used to support LivingWell’s center - offering free women’s health services to the community and support groups for those suffering from past pregnancy losses.
Our very own, Jim Cunningham, is our Team Captain. When you register for our team, make sure to put “Jim’s Team” in parentheses after your name. Everyone who raises $25 will receive a t-shirt, and the Cunningham’s have graciously offered to provide a prize for whoever on our team raises the most money. To register and download your sponsor form, visit the site here.
For any questions regarding our Team, please feel free to reach out to Jim Cunningham here.
In Ephesians 6:10-20, the new set of clothes we put on in Christ includes armor for battle. Satan and the “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (6:12) are real and really intend to oppose the progress of the gospel, the progress of our growth in Christ, and the pursuit of peace within the Church. But, even as the struggle is real, we “take up the whole armor of God” (6:13) and fight with confidence that we will win because Christ has already won. We look to him and are strengthened to stand firm in these evil days because he’s already stood underneath the wrath of God, the curse of death, and all the hatred of the devil and emerged victorious on the other side.
Daylight savings Sunday is coming and that means our annual all-church Communion dinner is around the corner as well. Mark your calendars for March 10th at 5:00pm as we switch gears from our regular Sunday service for a special evening centered on the Lord's Supper. We will eat and drink together as we meditate more deeply on our Savior's sacrifice.
Not only will we share in the eating of a meal. We’ll share in the preparation of the meal. This is an event that requires all hands on deck. More details to follow on how to prepare and what to bring so keep an eye on the blog.
