Rancho Vista Church

What if becoming the person you want to be starts long before the moment you make a decision? What if you made up your mind before you clicked "buy," before you took one more bite, or before you lashed out at the people you love?

Together, let's learn how the decisions we make today can impact our lives tomorrow in our new message series, Pre-Decide.

Join us Sundays at 10 a.m. starting January 7.

"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!" Psalm 95:2

Join us for a special Celebration Sunday service tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. Let’s give thanks to God for all He has done in our lives in 2023 and look forward to a new year.

Advent Prayer by Henri Nouwen

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, ‘Come Lord Jesus!’

Amen.

In every moment, God is with you. Let’s celebrate Him together this Christmas at Rancho Vista Church.

Emmanuel

So often it seems we are so in the mood for Christmas,
but then something awful happens
and it changes everything.
But this is backwards.
Difficulties are constant: awful things happen—
and then Christmas comes along and changes everything.

This is the reason for the season.
“Because these days are dark,” the Beloved says,
“I come to be with you.
I see the pain, the loneliness, the despair.
I feel already the splinters of the manger, the nails.
And—therefore— I have come to be with you.”

Don't be afraid of the dark days, the broken days,
the hard days, the blank days.
This is where Christmas happens.

-- Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light

Rancho Vista Connect - https://mailchi.mp/ace8a8777801/rancho-vista-connect

Discover the gift you’ve been waiting to receive. This advent season, let's experience the abundant peace, hope, and joy of Jesus together at Rancho Vista Church. Join us at 10 a.m. in person or streaming live on Facebook.

Business Meeting this Sunday! Stay after church to vote on our budget and leadership team nominees.

Teaching people to love others, even those we may disagree with, requires just as much dedication as guiding them to love God. These two loves, as Jesus emphasized, are intertwined and cannot be separated. #EHDiscipleship #QOTD

Hey, RVC Family! Help us get decked out for the Christmas season this Saturday, Dec. 2, 2:30-4:30 p.m. We’ll be decorating our worship center and setting up a special photo booth area in the foyer. Hope to see you here!

RVC ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Dearest RVC Members,

This coming Sunday, December 3, RVC will be holding our annual business meeting immediately after church. During this meeting, Frank Walker will be presenting the annual budget. In addition, we will be nominating and voting for new leadership team members. It is very important that you attend the meeting. We ask every single one of you to prayerfully consider how you may be able to share your special gifts and talents to further the Kingdom of Christ by joining the Leadership Team.

If you would like to be considered, please get in touch with me prior to this weekend. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

In His Holy Name,

Ed Lopez

Leadership Chair

(619) 302-4289

Sponsor a Child this Christmas! Every year, Nancy Alvarado organizes a gift drive for over 60 underprivileged children from migrant families in Maneadero, Mexico.

To help, you'll be assigned a child who fills out a card with their Christmas wish list, often with items that they need like warm jackets, pants, socks, and school supplies.

The gift collection day is on December 9, at Rancho Vista Church. Please wrap and label the gifts.

You are also invited to be part of the gift distribution event, to be held on Saturday, December 16. A group will meet at the church in the morning and then will caravan down into Mexico.

If you’d like to sponsor a child or would like more information, please contact Nancy. Her email: [email protected] Or you can message her on Facebook.

If anyone wishes to contribute but not sponsor a child, blankets, shoes, and jackets are always needed and welcome.

In every moment, through the pain and through the joy of this life, He is with us. This advent, let's prepare our hearts for Christmas by reflecting on all of the ways that God is with us.

The new series begins Sunday, Dec. 3. Join us in-person or online, Sundays at 10 a.m.

If pictures could speak what would they say? Would they tell of all the stories of those in it and the hills and valleys of their lives?

Would this picture talk about the goodness of God and His faithfulness to Rancho Vista Covenant Church? Or about the silent moments where fear crept in and times were uncertain?

If this picture could talk, if it could tell the story, it would surely be that God is not done with Rancho Vista, that His story is not finished. There are more people to be loved and cared for, more stories to be heard, and more lives to be transformed in community. The best is yet to come!

“Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
rivers in the badlands.” -Isaiah 43:18-19