In the past, churches in Old Towne Orange put up signs saying "Come visit us." These never replaced the value of a personal invitation, but they did help the city know there was a congregation nearby eager to welcome newcomers.
Help us continue to establish our presence in Old Towne. Get on yelp.com or google maps and give us an honest review. Help other people learn more about our church and feel welcome this Sunday.
Join us as we read 12 books in 12 months. This month we are reading a mystery or detective novel. Here are a few recommendations:
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Black Echo by Michael Connelly (set in L.A and O.C)
Younger readers can find good reviews and recommendations here.
We are part of a family of congregations who labor together for the advance of the gospel, the good of the church, and all for God's glory. We are called Sovereign Grace Churches. This is an update on our sister church called Lakeview Christian Center in New Orleans.
Our denomination is more than a network of pastors or an association of congregations. We are family. So when all the pastors of our churches in the Western U.S. get together, we do more than work. We play.
From Pastor Eric...
"We may not be very good at bowling, but Orange definitely rocks the best socks."
This Friday Ali and Mina have an appointment with US Immigration regarding their petition for asylum. They've waited 3 years. This is it. One person makes the decision as to whether or not they can remain in the USA.
You can read their stories here and here. They love Jesus dearly and would covet your prayers.
This past Sunday our pastoral team announced their nomination of Dustin Smetona for the office of pastor. We are so very grateful for this man and his family. They have been a gift to us.
As we begin the process of ordination, we need your help. Our constitutional documents prescribe a 14 day period for written and oral feedback.
"Once the pastors and the candidate are all supportive of pursuing ordination, they will notify the church and invite their further input over the next 14 days. The active involvement of the congregation is necessary in the confirmation of an pastor’s call and, at a minimum, should require extensive informal interaction with the congregation regarding the suitability of the pastoral candidate.
During the ordination process, members of the church are asked and given opportunity to submit in writing their observations, affirmation, or critique of the man in question. This is not to propagate gossip and slander, but to allow opportunity to stop the process if there is information the pastors lack in evaluating the man. Additionally, affirmation will help confirm the selection of the candidate. Such feedback is an important opportunity for the congregation to assist in the ordination process.
The feedback of members of the church will not be understood as a binding vote on the ordination of the candidate but may be a deciding factor in his qualification. It will be up to the pastors to handle the feedback as they deem most appropriate."
Everything you need to know about what we believe about pastors and how we ordain them can be found here.You might also like to review our statement on Bi-vocational Pastors since we do not plan on compensating Dustin at this time. He will be working as a volunteer.
“We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry . . . The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will leave in our wake" (John Piper)
Your pastoral team is committed to being a band of brothers who love one another like we love our Lord. No agendas. No demands. Vulnerable, dependent, and committed.
As these men (including the Pastoral Residents and their families) continue to adapt to the complexities of a growing congregation, they met recently to talk priorities. You can read the entire document here, but these were the three...