Spreading The Joy of Jesus Right Where He Is

He's a student at Santa Ana College. Ambitious to become equipped for a long and successful career. Even more ambitious for fellow students at Santa Ana College to come to know Jesus. Jerry recognizes that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. And he's joyfully responded to God's calling of him to make disciples on his college campus. Partnering with Intervarsity Campus Ministries and even assuming a leadership role, Jerry can be seen wandering around campus with a banner aimed at recruiting even more laborers. 

Ultimately, those who come to Christ through Intervarsity's ministry will be folded into a local church. God is building His church through people like Jerry. God will build Sovereign Grace Santa Ana through people like Jerry. 

Eat The Food. Meet Our Neighbors

Come to Downtown Santa Ana this Thursday (9/14) night for one of the biggest social events of the year. The city wants to lure you in by packing your belly with delicious food. We hope you'll be drawn in by making new friends with our Santa Ana neighbors. 

If you'd like to join us as we mozy around and sample the 40+ offerings around DTSA, we'll be meeting at Starbucks at 4th and Broadway at 6:00pm. This is a kid-friendly environment. Other details for the event can be found here. We hope to see you there. 

It's Been Narrowed Down to a Few.

We asked you to pray a couple months ago for a meeting place. God has answered those prayers. Thanks for your faithfulness.

But we're still asking you to pray. As we come down to the home stretch with a few different "candidates", we have decisions to make. We love the facilities that God has brought before us as options. More than that, we love the people we've had the privilege of interacting with. We're asking you to pray for additional favor with them. This has been a good process. We're excited about what comes next.

Be on the lookout. In the coming weeks, we'll be announcing where Sovereign Grace Santa Ana will be holding its first public services.

SOMEONE LOOKING FOR MORE

Many who now call our city home find their roots in other parts of the country ... or the world. Rodney is one of those. Born and raised in Georgia, his career brought him to Southern California. He grew up in the church and can quote Scripture with the best. He built a career in aerospace engineering. He loves talking with people. He's also fallen on hard times recently and has been without work for many months. 

We've caught up with Rodney on numerous occasions, each time, pausing to pray with and for him. He's looking to get more out of life: in a new job, in an "authentic" church, in a community of people who can become like family in a place where he has no family. We thank God for people like Rodney. We are also committed to continue to pray for people like Rodney. To see the joy of Jesus spread throughout his life. 

If you want to meet him, swing by the Starbucks in DTSA early just about any weekday morning. He'll be delighted to chat with you. 

On the campus of SAC

This last Sunday, brothers and sisters from different local churches and one campus ministry came together on the campus of Santa Ana College. The day before school started. To pray for the students. For their families. For the professors. If the joy of Jesus is going to spread through Santa Ana, only God can accomplish it. Prayer is essential to our mission. So, as you pray for our church planting efforts, pray also for our city:

• For students of all ages who have just started the fall semester
• For our Santa Ana neighbors whom you're being introduced to on the blog
• For racial and socioeconomic divisions to be overcome by the Gospel
• For the oppressed and marginalized in Santa Ana to find true community in the Church

Each small group is a fraction of the larger local church. We gather for the purpose of discipleship - to help one another grow as disciple-making disciples. But this is no somber meeting. Because Jesus has made us disciples. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection for us. This is good news! And so, because this is the message that is our fuel and foundation, our small group meetings are celebrations of what Jesus has done and is doing. 

If you live in Santa Ana. If you live closer to Santa Ana than Old Town Orange. If you have a distinct connection with or heart for Santa Ana, come and celebrate with us in DTSA. Contact Kyle Houlton at kyle@sovgraceoc.org for more information. 

Jim has lived and run a business in Downtown Santa Ana for decades. He's watched the changes that the city has experienced first-hand. But he's not thrilled about all the changes and last year, even had to shut the doors on his newsstand business that he co-owned with Mike, his partner, near Fourth and Broadway. Jim loves Santa Ana and he's committed to staying here. But he's trying to figure out where he fits in this changing city. We want him to know Jesus. We want people like Jim that they were created to fit; to belong; in God's family through faith in Christ. 

Starbucks Coffee, 4th and Broadway

On the 4th Wednesday of Every Month

We'll be meeting on the patio of Starbucks Coffee in DTSA every 4th Wednesday at 6:30am. Who is invited? Anyone who lives in Santa Ana. Do you have to be a Christian? No. So what's the purpose, then? To sit down, open the Bible and have friendly, open discussion about whatever questions you have about Christianity, God or the Bible. Over a hot cup of liquid energy, of course. 

It's early, but it'll be worth your time. In fact, we'll even buy you a cup of Joe. 

Come join us next Wednesday, August 23, for our first installment.