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 - Hopper & Burr in DTSA
10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
Of all the means of grace, there's one that does the heaviest lifting. One all the others point back to, respond to, and revolve around. One that does the primary work involved in making us more like Christ: the word of God. When it comes to God's appointed means to change us, it's the word that does the work. Above all else, 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 teaches us the work the word performs is to give life. Spiritual life. True life. Eternal life. The life in which we take up the means of grace. And the conviction, renewal, power, understanding, and help to live that Christian life. All of this comes through hearing, reading, and receiving the word of God. In Jesus Christ - the incarnate Word of God who has done the work to save us. In the gospel - the good news of his salvation. And in the Scriptures - God’s written words which reveal who Jesus is and all his gospel means.
This week, 4 groups will meet throughout our city to share in the joy of Jesus and apply his 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 week.
Join us, as we partner with LivingWell to spend the morning walking together in support of their ministry and the women and babies they serve! This is a great way to love your preborn neighbor and serve women experiencing crisis pregnancies.
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.
Everyone who raises $100 will receive a t-shirt!
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 9th 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 weekly newsletter for ways to volunteer.
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 - Roenicke & Lee Homes
7:00pm - Williams & Erkelens Homes
10:00am - Meeting Room: Ballroom
As of this week, we’ve got new locations & dates for our small group gatherings! We’re multiplying from 3 groups to 4 and expecting that the decreased size of each group will position us to disciple and care for one another even more effectively. Going forward, here’s what you need to know to make sure you don’t miss out on these important moments:
Roenicke Group (Downtown South) - 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 7pm
Lee Group (North Santa Ana) - 1st & 3rd Thursdays at 7pm
Houlton Group (Downtown North) - 1st & 3rd Fridays at 7pm
Erkelens Group (East Santa Ana) - 1st & 3rd Fridays at 7pm
This Sunday we began a sermon series on the means of grace. We’re turning the page on the book of James which taught us that "wisdom is the way” to wholeness in our lives. If wisdom is the way to spiritual wholeness, then the means of grace are the vehicles that get us there. The means of grace are HOW we change. The God-appointed activities to make us more like Christ. As we engage in them, they function like conduits by which heavenly grace comes to us here upon the earth. They are practical, tangible, visible, and experiential connecting points to our lives in this world that cause, empower, and enable us to live them out God’s way.
Throughout this new series, God's word will call us to open our hands and receive his grace as we give ourselves to: 1) Our worship on the Lord’s Day, 2) The Word of God, 3) Prayer, 4) Fellowship with one another, 5) The Sacraments of Baptism and, 6) Communion, and, 7) the grace of Generosity. God works in us through each of these grace-bringing activities to make us more like Christ - who is Wholeness Himself. We began with the Lord's Day, which is a true buffet of grace. An opportunity for us to experience all the means with an intensity and impact that just doesn’t happen the rest of the week. We were challenged to see every Sunday as remarkable and call it the best day of the week. Because each Sunday is a day for resting in grace. A day for remembering and rejoicing in grace. And a day that orders our lives according to a rhythm of grace.
Join us for our first neighborhood outreach of the year! This Saturday, we’re going into French Park and DTSA to strike up spiritual conversations, pray for our neighbor’s needs, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re expecting the Lord will bless our efforts of ordinary evangelism in extraordinary ways.
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.
Reach out to Robert Lopez to RSVP or ask any questions about getting involved.
We’ve got an important update to share with you. Members of Cross of Grace, please make it a priority to attend this brief family meeting on Sunday, 2/2. We’ll meet in the Theater at 12:15pm after the service breakdown is complete and our regular reservation comes to an end.
