GOD’S WORK IN THE WORLD THROUGH OUR FAMILY OF CHURCHES

From Dave Taylor, our Director of Global Missions in Sovereign Grace Churches:

In a recent ‘Quarterly Prayer Update’ from Mark Prater, SGC Executive Director, he wrote the following...

      'A verse that has been on my heart for a year now, which I spoke from at the Council of Elders meeting, and during the Pastors Conference is John 15:5 where Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” We will bear much fruit for Christ by abiding in Jesus dependently for apart from Him we can do nothing. One of ways we abide in Jesus dependently is to bring our needs to Him in prayer. Jesus says in John 15:7, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” 

Abiding dependently means asking Jesus consistently in prayer for His help and provision so that we can bear much fruit for Him… We so need Him!! 

With that in mind, here’s how you can be praying for us in the month ahead...

1. Please pray that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace Churches a renewed desire, and opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers in our communities and workplaces.

2. Please pray for the Ark Church in Dnipro, Ukraine asking God to continue to protect them, and to use them to meet practical needs, and to offer gospel hope to those around them who have been impacted by the war.

3. Please pray for Chiesa Grazia Sovrana of Torino, Italy as they ’soft-launch’ the Church this month and begin to meet. As they look to reach out and invite others into the church, please pray that the Lord would expand the church plant team and that the unbelievers they are working with would come to saving faith.

4. Please pray for Joselo Mercado, Lead Pastor of ….. and Emerging Nations delegate to Latin America, as he heads to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 11th-13th April, to run a marriage seminar and leadership training for Oasis Church. A Church SGC has related to for around 20 years.

5. Please pray for the 10 students currently in our Ethiopian Pastors College (Trinity Fellowship Pastors College) in Addis Ababa asking God to equip them for pastoral ministry. Pray also for Josh Pannell, Dean of the Trinity Fellowship Pastors College asking God to give him grace in leading this second class of students. 

6. Please pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the many gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world. 

… May we depend on Him and bear much fruit!!

ALL GUYS 15 AND OLDER ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

Every month, the men of our church gather together to sit under God’s word and spur on each other’s walk with Christ. All guys, 15 years and older, are invited to participate in a conversation where "men talk like men" about God. Tonight they’ll ask and answer the question, “How do we enjoy Jesus?”

TONIGHT AT 7PM AT HOPPER & BURR (202 W 4TH ST, SANTA ANA)

AN OUTWARD SIGN OF AN INWARD WORK

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. A means of grace given to us in order to participate in God’s promise of new life in Christ. Professing our faith in Jesus, making our public entrance into his people, and representing our union with him in his death and resurrection - dying to sin and being raised to walk in newness of life. It’s also an act of obedience, something that every believer is commanded to do.

BAPTISM IMMEDIATELY AFTER SERVICE THIS SUNDAY AT THE CUNNINGHAM HOME

Join us at the Cunningham home immediately after church this Sunday (4/14) to celebrate the baptism of new believers and have a hotdog lunch. If you’re interested in being baptized or have questions about baptism, please contact one of our pastors.

APRIL 8 - APRIL 14

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:

THURSDAY, APRIL 11: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30am - French Park Grass Area

THURSDAY, APRIL 11: MEN’S MEETING

• 7:00pm - Hopper & Burr (202 W 4th St, Santa Ana)

SATURDAY, APRIL 13: LEADERSHIP COHORT

• 7:00am - Cunningham Home

SUNDAY, APRIL 14: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

SUNDAY, APRIL 14: BAPTISM SUNDAY

• 12:30pm - Cunningham Home

TRUE JOY IS FOUND WHEN WE SEEK IT IN JESUS

The gospel is the foundation of our life together as the household of God that is Cross of Grace. Our doctrine is like the walls and pillars that protect the purity of our gospel and support the structure in which it is found. Our culture is what it's like to experience life in the house. And when you look in on our life together, the first mark of our culture is joy. We are a joyful people because we’re convinced that there's nothing better than believing in and belonging to Jesus. The Apostle Paul agrees, and his words in Phil 3:7-9, celebrate our conviction that true joy is found when we seek it in Jesus. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

COME AND BE ENCOURAGED

Every first & third Friday 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. Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moments in the life of our church. Make it a priority to attend one this Friday.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SMALL GROUPS, CLICK HERE

ME ENCANTO SANTA ANA

Spend the day blessing our city and building relationships with neighbors! Join us for the first ever Me Encanta Santa Ana event, as we beautify the parks of our city and adorn our gospel proclamation with good works. Seize the opportunity to love our city, meet new neighbors, and pursue gospel conversations with them.

This volunteer day will be open to all participants ages 8 and up. Volunteers ages 8-12 are required to be accompanied by a registered adult volunteer. The community projects include park cleanups, painting, cultivating community gardens, and more! Sign up to serve at Jerome Park to be together with our group from Cross of Grace led by Kara Davis.

HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT

• 7:30am - 9:00am check in at Jerome Park

  • Get your Me Encanta Santa Ana t-shirt

  • Grab-and-go breakfast

• 9:00am -12:30pm specialty projects (transportation to and from included) :

  • Registration is now open and includes projects like park cleanups, painting park facilities, and beautifying our community gardens. (Click here to view specific project sites and list of projects or visit www.santa-ana.org/me-encanta)

• 1:00pm - 3:00pm community concert and resource fair at Jerome Park

  • Health & wellness resources

  • Community concert

  • Thank you lunch

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, APRIL 12 AT 5PM

A FUN WAY TO SUPPORT A GREAT CAUSE

Support the good work of LivingWell to support moms in crisis and love our preborn neighbors, by signing up for the 2024 Women’s Fundraiser Tea at LivingWell Pregnancy Center on 4/20. Invite your friends, mothers, and daughters to this special morning! Not only will you get to enjoy tea and treats, but you will also have the opportunity to hear a special message! You can find out more information about the event here.

Contact Angie Cunningham for more details.

APRIL 1 - APRIL 7

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:

THURSDAY, APRIL 4: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30am - French Park Grass Area

FRIDAY, APRIL 5: SMALL GROUPS

• 7:00pm - Houlton, Roenicke, & Erkelens Home

SUNDAY, APRIL 7: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

THE GOOD NEWS OF EASTER

The good news of Easter is the good news of new life. Deep down, we all want this. But if we're being honest, we struggle to believe we can really have it. Into this struggle, the story of Easter speaks with the power to change our personal stories now and forever. What’s the story? That Christ is crucified for you to do away with the old. Christ is risen for you to bring you into something new. Christ is welcoming you - whoever you are, whatever you've done, however you've regarded him before - to receive all this as your own through faith in him. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE