[4고급] I want to encourage you today that even during multiple crises  

June 16, 2020

 
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

 

Dear Saddleback Family,

 

I want to encourage you today that even during multiple crises - COVID-19 and the continued  racial injustices - God is at work behind the scenes. Did you know that crisis is often the precursor for revival? Revival never happens in good times - it happens in bad times.

 

People are most likely to come to Jesus when they are either in tension or in transition. We've had more people come to Christ in these past 16 weeks than we have in any other 16-week period in Saddleback Church's history.

 

God is still at work in 2020. He intends to bring good out of the bad. If you know how God has worked in the past, you recognize that this moment could be ... might be ... can be ... a precursor to another Great Spiritual Awakening in our nation and world!

 

You know that our nation deeply needs healing. We've all been praying for it. But it all depends on how we as his church respond to what is happening. I have been SO PROUD to see how Saddleback Church has shown up to love and listen to the community during this crisis. Have I told you lately that I love you?

 

Pastor Rick

 

 
CHURCH NEWS


 
 
 
 
Cinderella's Closet Helps Foster Youth Celebrate Pandemic Prom in Style

 

The pandemic has caused a lot of events to be cancelled over the past few months - vacations, graduations, concerts - the list could go on and on. "Normal life" was put on hold and replaced with stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines. One annual tradition that was cancelled for many high school students around the country was prom.

 

Prior to the crisis, a ministry called Cinderella's Closet OC, which operates out of Saddleback Rancho Capistrano, was getting ready to provide more than 500 prom dresses to high school girls who would not have been able to attend their proms due to financial hardship.

 

The dresses had already been donated, and the ministry was getting ready for prom season. But then the pandemic hit, and dreams of high school proms vanished across Southern California. After cancelling the ministry's outreach event and securing storage space, the dresses and accessories were carefully packed away for next year's prom season. But God had other plans for the dresses during this pandemic.

 

Recently, a group home for foster youth, isolated since the start of the pandemic, decided to hold a "mini prom" for their high school aged youth. They heard about Cinderella's Closet and reached out to Saddleback to see if our church would be able to help provide dresses for the girls. 

 

Erin Carlton, Ministry Leader for Cinderella's Closet, saw this as a wonderful opportunity to bring some merriment during these uncertain times. She asked the girls at the group home to write a wish list. She then searched through the stored dresses to find the right size, style, and color for each of the 10 girls and put together gift bags. They also received new makeup, jewelry, a Target® gift card, and a devotional.

 

A leader at the group home shared a few letters from the girls with Erin. They were beyond thrilled with the dresses and felt so loved. So while the ministry's large prom event was postponed because of COVID-19, dresses from Cinderella's Closet helped a few special girls celebrate prom in style during the pandemic.

NEWS YOU CAN USE


California Personal Care Services Such As Nail Salons to Reopen

 

State officials have released new COVID-19 industry guidelines for personal care services, such as nail salons, which can reopen this Friday.

SPREAD HOPE, NOT FEAR


Share these images on your social media channels to help spread hope to your followers!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LAUGH OF THE DAY


Did you know that sometimes laughter is the best medicine? Take a quick break from all the news and updates and have a laugh with us!


 
 
Give to the Saddleback Relief Fund


Over the past few months, we have been able to feed over 130,000 people because of your generosity! This month two generous families have stepped up to offer a matching grant of $135,000. That means any gift you give to our Food Pantry in June will be doubled up to $135,000!