INVITE YOUR FRIENDS TO THE FINAL CLASS

Our fall 2024 Bridge Course began on Monday, 9/9. For the past 9 weeks, we’ve shared meals and built relationships with our neighbors as we’ve wrestled through the big questions of life. Friendships have been formed. Many honest perspectives have been shared. Questions have been answered. The gospel has been proclaimed. And it’s been an absolute blast.

During our journey on the Bridge, here’s what we’ve discussed so far:

• Am I a good person?

• Why doesn’t God forgive everyone?

• How can God allow suffering?

• How could God send people to hell?

• Can we really trust the Bible?

• Is Jesus really the only way?

• Why did Jesus have to die?

• Why do we matter?

• Is Christianity really worth it?

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

We wrap things up this week by asking the very appropriate question, “Where do we go from here?” This will take us into a discussion about the local church and God’s enduring purpose for it in the world. A conversation that will conclude with an invitation to our neighbors to join us there on Sunday.

If you have a friend who’s asking, “Can I love Jesus but not the church?” Skeptical about getting involved with “organized religion.” Or is on the fence with whether or not they should give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings, invite them to join us for this final meeting! We trust they’ll come away seeing the church in a new light.

When and where does it take place?

• Date: Monday, November 11, 2024

• Time: 7pm-9pm

• Location: Hopper & Burr, 202 W 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701

• Dinner provided!

Invite your friends & neighbors to join in today!

SHARE THE REGISTRATION LINK

MEET AT THE EBELL PARKING LOT AT 9:45AM

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news” (Romans 10:15).

On Saturday, November 23rd, we’re going into our French Park neighborhood and DTSA to have spiritual conversations with our neighbors. We’ll take the initiative to get to know them, ask how we can pray for them, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Love to do this sort of thing? Come on down! Scared to do this kind of thing? Then come on down as well! We’re expecting that the Lord will use us to extend his welcome to our neighbors as he takes our very ordinary efforts and blesses them in extraordinary ways. You’re invited to grow more confident in striking up spiritual conversations, learn from your brothers and sisters as you watch them reaching out, and see God “paint our city blue,” one blade of grass at a time.

We’ll meet at the Ebell parking lot at 9:45am to pray before we go out. We’ll wrap up around noon at Hidden House for a quick debrief.

Please reach out to Robert Lopez if you have any questions.

NOVEMBER 5 - NOVEMBER 11

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, NOVEMBER 7: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30am - French Park grass area

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7: MEN’S MEETING

• 7:00pm - Hopper & Burr (202 W Fourth St, Santa Ana 92701)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10: STARTING POINT

• 12:30pm - Houlton Home

  • Register here for the class

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11: THE BRIDGE COURSE FINAL MEETING

• 7:00pm - Hopper & Burr (202 W Fourth St, Santa Ana 92701)

  • Registration is open throughout the course - invite a friend anytime!

ASK GOD WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY

All of us experience a gap between where we are and where we want to be. We want to be spiritually whole. We long for our lives in this world to “work.” Last week in James 1:1-4, we learned that the trials we endure are designed by God to get us to where we want to go. If trials are the vehicles, then wisdom is the way to wholeness. James 1:5-11, contains the first mention of “wisdom” in the letter and highlights our need to turn away from our own understanding and acknowledge God in all the various ways that will be examined throughout the rest of the book. And to get this wisdom, all we have to do is ask. And ask we can and ask we should. Because the foolish sinners that we are have become beloved sons and daughters before our God and Father through our faith in Christ the Son. Because God is rich with wisdom and ready to give it away without reservation. Because the wealth of this wisdom is a treasure no one can take from the "lowly," and remains the prize of prizes even to the one with plenty. Believe God has what we lack. Believe God will listen and answer. Be confident and ask away!

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

REMEMBERING THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION

On October 31, 1517, a German Monk named Martin Luther nailed a document calling for reform in the Catholic Church to the door of the local church in Wittenburg. What followed was a movement that has changed both the Church and the world to this day!

Semper Reformanda!

In case you missed it, we published a blog full of Reformation resources. Check out the post here.

TWO MORE SMALL GROUPS IN 2024

Our small groups encourage genuine relationships within the church. Each group meets in a home, splitting their time between singing, praying, and discussion. All groups welcome guests. Outside of Sunday mornings, small groups are the most important moments in the life of our church. There are two more small groups left in 2024, before our December fallow month. Make it a priority to attend one this Friday.

For more information about our small groups, click here.

MOVED TO NEXT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH

If you’ve been visiting Cross of Grace for any length of time and would like to learn more about what we believe as a church and how those beliefs take shape in the life of the church, this class is for you. If you’re discerning whether or not this is the church family the Lord is calling you to, this class is for you. If you’re ready to take the next step in pursuing membership at Cross of Grace, Starting Point is your starting point to do so!

Wherever you’re at in the process, we invite you to join us one two hour class. Immediately after church at the Houlton home in Santa Ana with lunch and childcare provided.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

OUR PASTORAL TEAM WILL BE AWAY FOR THE WEEK

Every year our family of churches enjoys a family reunion. A time when pastors, wives, and members of Sovereign Grace Churches come together for a week of worship, fellowship, and encouragement in our shared mission. This year there are 700+ registrants from 22 different nations attending our annual gathering in Orlando. It’s sure to be a sweet time away!

As a pastoral team we say thank you for sending us! This conference is one of the highlights of our year - and this time, there are six members going! The Schlieders, and the Roenickes, as well as the Lopez family have registered to attend. We’re grateful for this time which always makes us eager to come back and serve the church. In addition to sending us, we also ask that you please pray for us while we’re here. Throughout the week, you can pray that:

• The Lord would refresh our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Pray that we would be brought so close to the fire of the cross that the sparks would fall on our hearts and set our affections aflame for Christ.

• The Lord would use this time to equip us to serve our church well. We’re being sent by the members of our church for the members of our church. Pray that we’d come back better leaders than when we left.

• The Lord would build existing and establish new relationships among pastors and members of Sovereign Grace Churches across the globe.

• The Lord would give us moments of clarity about our local mission. Pray for the Lord to fill us with His Spirit to give us a greater longing to spread the joy of Jesus to our neighbors.

OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 3

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, OCTOBER 31: FRENCH PARK RUN CLUB

• 6:30am - French Park grass area

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1: SMALL GROUP

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3: SUNDAY GATHERING AT THE EBELL CLUB

• 10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3: STARTING POINT

• 12:30pm - Houlton Home

  • Register here for the class

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4: THE BRIDGE COURSE

• 7:00pm - Hopper & Burr (202 W Fourth St, Santa Ana 92701)

  • Registration is open throughout the course - invite a friend anytime!

FOR THE FINAL QUARTER OF 2024

We’re entering the final months of 2024, and we don’t want you missing out on any of the good things going on in the life of our church. Here’s your one-stop shop to make sure you’re in the know. Make sure to note some of the changes to our regularly scheduled events and save the dates below:

November

• 11/7 - Men's Meeting (moved up a week)

  • Hopper & Burr @ 7pm

• 11/10 - Starting Point: Immediately after service at the Houlton home

  • Register here

• 11/21 - Women's Friendsgiving (moved up a week)

  • Schlieder home @ 6:30pm

• 11/23 - Neighborhood Outreach: Meet in the Ebell Parking lot @ 10am.

  • Reach out to Robert with any questions

December

• 12/1 - Baptism Sunday: Immediately after service at the Cunningham home

  • If you’re interested in being baptized. Contact us here.

• 12/8 - New Member Sunday + Members' Meeting: Plan to stay an extra 45min after the service

• 12/15 - Carols in the Park: French Park @ 6pm

  • Join us for an hour of spreading Christmas cheer.!

• 12/24 - Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

  • The Ebell Club @ 5pm

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHURCH CALENDER HERE