Come enjoy an extended time of fellowship following the Sunday service. Immediately after the service, we’ll head to the plaza to eat lunch and spend unhurried time together. Bring your lunch, lawn chairs, and blankets. And of course, we’ll have our famous Buck-O-Slice pizza for all to enjoy. If you’re a guest, your lunch is on us. We look forward to seeing you there.
Each year, the Executive Director of Sovereign Grace Churches, Mark Prater, challenges and exhorts all Sovereign Grace Churches by envisioning them for the upcoming year. This year, Mark looks at the disciples in the book of Acts who “risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” and encourages us to do the same (Acts 15:25-26).
Faithful obedience will require risk. There’s always the possibility of loss. Our reputation might change, others might look at us differently, or we might lose our status in the in crowd. To be clear, these risks aren’t reckless. Rather, Christians take the right, prayer-saturated, faith-filled risks for the cause of Christ. We take these risks because we believe in the good news of Jesus Christ.
Like these disciples, we do not count our lives and our desires as precious (Acts 20:24). Rather, we count all things as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Phil 3:8-10). That’s why we take risks.
Each Father’s Day, we celebrate God’s grace in the life of one man from our congregation. There are many men in our church who could have received this award—and we thank God for that! However, Joe was selected to represent them all. And it’s easy to see why. Joe loves the Lord and faithfully serves his family and the church. But don’t take our word for it. Read below to see what Jonathan, another church member, has to say about Joe.
Hi. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Jonathan Le. For those of you who do know me, you know that I think public speaking is the worst. But when we were asked to share about God’s grace in Joe’s life, I just couldn’t say no. I met Joe about 3 years ago when my wife Jennifer and I first started attending Sovereign Grace. Over those 3 years, Joe has become a great friend to us both. We’ve been able to witness first-hand the evidences of grace in his life in a few ways: in how he serves the church in various ministries, his hospitality towards many of us, and his growth in becoming a father.
When we first joined Sovereign Grace, it was a little hard for us. We were both at our previous church for over a decade, and making that jump to a new church is not easy, as I’m sure many of you know. Joe (and Karissa) were one of the first ones to come meet us and quickly opened their home to us. We were the guinea pigs for a series of dinners they hosted called, “Pho with Friends”. As the other resident Vietnamese couple, they obviously needed our expert advice. Not just a cute name, it was an intentional effort to share the blessings God has given them and to get to know other people in the church. At the time, they were relatively new to the church as well, but they didn’t just sit back and expect the church to serve their every need. They made conscious efforts to love and care for the fellowship that God has blessed them with.
Another way that God has shown his grace in Joe’s life is through his ministry with the church. We all have benefited from that today as he leads the church in worship. On top of that, he also leads a small group! The time and sacrifice it takes for those ministries is only possible because he lives out the gospel in his service to the church.
The last aspect I wanted to mention is how he’s taken on the role of a father. Jen and I have had the honor of being witnesses of his loving sacrifice to his family. From working the long hours at his less than ideal job, to researching the best (and coolest) gadgets to serve his family, Joe has taken on the role of fatherhood with grace and humility that is clearly from the Lord.
People today may be confused about what makes a manly man. But we don't have to be. Joe exhibits the very characteristics God looks for in men: hospitality, servant-heartedness, and sacrifice for his family. He also smokes a mean brisket. Congratulations Joe!
Last Sunday, Pastor Dustin preached from Acts 6:8-7:60. This passage recounts the story of Stephen, the church’s first martyr. Here, we find both inspiration and instruction. We read the moving account of Stephen’s faithfulness even when it cost him his life, and we learn about God’s gifts given to all believers. These gifts are given that we too might be faithful no matter what opposition we face.
Last Sunday, we celebrated our 2022 graduates. One of the graduates, Natalie, shared with us how the Lord has worked in her life to teach her to trust in him. She helps remind us how the Lord uses our circumstances, other people, and the church to grow our faith. Even when situations change or aren’t what we expect, the Lord is faithful. And in his providence, he gives us the church—a community of believers committed to one another every step of the way. You can read Natalie’s testimony below.
Hi everyone! I’m Natalie. I graduated last week from Orange Lutheran highschool. I have been so blessed to be able to go to OLu, and during these past 4 years I have grown in many ways.
My highschool experience was pretty unique in that we were required to take theology classes and attend chapels. While it was cool that my faith was mixed with my academics, it was also difficult to find true Christians at my school. It was hard to tell which students loved the Lord and which ones only dealt with it because of the school. This conflict actually led me closer to the Lord and the Church. I have grown in my faith as I search for Christian friends who I can enjoy and relate with.
Highschool of course has been full of ups and downs that have tested my faith. COVID has taken up the majority of my highschool experience and has changed it dramatically from what others have experienced. Sometimes I am tempted to feel cheated out of my experience or even be frightened that I still feel like a freshman. But even through doing online school and classes with masks, I feel like the Lord used this experience to strengthen my faith. I have grown to rely on the Lord and to trust in him way more than ever before.
Now I’m also thankful for this church although to be clear this wasn’t the church I was looking for. I wasn’t even looking for a church; I was only 4 and my parents made me come.
But I’m so glad this is my church and I grew up here. If you can imagine Dylan and Christy were my babysitter. So was Deacon Dave. Some of my first memories are having pizza parties in children's ministry with Mrs. Davis. I have been personally impacted by so many people at this church whether it was Anna Christensens encouraging me in the lord, Lauren Maples helping me through spiritual and personal problems, or Melissa Goins listening to me ramble. My faith is encouraged daily by everyone and I would not be who I am today without this church.
Next year I will be attending Azusa Pacific University and will be studying to become a nurse. My love of science and love of helping others has drawn me to this major so I am very excited to see what my future will hold. While moving away is a new and scary experience, I am sure the Lord will go with me and is already there.
Something that everyone tells me is that the Lord has a plan and to trust in him for my future. And while I still struggle with anxiety, I am so thankful I have a lord who knows what is coming and will always be there for me. Thank you for preparing me for this new season of my life. Thank you for loving me because you love Jesus.
We have a high view of church membership. Membership isn’t meant to be burdensome or make us suspicious or anxious. Rather, membership is a privilege and joy that affirms our commitment to God and to one another. This is a powerful statement in a low commitment culture. We love gathering together and experiencing God’s blessing of unity.
Our next members’ meeting is Sunday, July 10th. If you are a church member, plan on sticking around and joining us right after the Sunday service. If you are a guest or regular attender who is interested in church membership, contact our church office. We’d love to answer any questions you have.
Every Summer, we join our city for the Summer Concert Series at the Hart Park bandshell. The first concert is tomorrow night. Check out the schedule here, get a hold of your friends, and make plans to go.
Our denomination’s executive director, Mark Prater, is highlighting our development funds which support international gospel work. Take a few moments to watch the video, read this update from a leader in the Philippines, and consider giving above and beyond to support this important work.
