Rancho Capistrano Blog

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Family!

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What a great weekend we had! �It was so cool to honor all of you educators out there! �You do so much for our kids, so thank you all! �In fact, like I mentioned to you before, this church is packed with talent! I was just told today that another one of our members, Dave Goldenberg, just won Teacher of the Year for his school site as well! �If his name sounds familiar it's because Dave leads our CLASS ministry teaching Classes 101-401! �Last weekend I also learned we now have over 200 small groups at Rancho doing 40 Days in the Word!! Margaret Aubin has done an amazing job leading our Small Group Ministry. THANKS Margaret!�

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What was the message about?

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Pastor Rick continued our 40 Days in the Word series "Seeing What God Wants Me To See." �You can certainly read the bible, but what you want to do is see what God wants you to see when you do. �If you were out of town or could not make it to church, please go towww.saddleback.com�and look under "Archived Services" to find out how you can see what God wants you to see when reading His word!

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What's happening this weekend?

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Let me start by saying, you know how there are some people that really don't want anyone knowing it's their birthday? Um...NOT ME! :-) This Sunday, February 12th is MY BIRTHDAY....WAHOO! �I love that my birthday falls on a Sunday so I can see my church family and get my birthday hugs...I love it! �I view birthdays as something special because we have no idea how much time we have on this earth, and I love celebrating another year. That's why if you are a part of our Rancho campus you will receive a call on your birthday letting you know we are thinking about you, and we love you!

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Students' Baptisms THIS SUNDAY!

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This Sunday we are going to celebrate as 8 students come forward and announce publicly they belong to Jesus and they are not ashamed to let everyone know it! �This is HUGE, and I would like all of us to come out and cheer them on as Pastor Josh baptizes each one. �I can't wait!

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CLASS 201 THIS Sunday!

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If you have not taken CLASS 201, this Sunday is your chance! In fact you will be taught by a Teacher of the Year. How cool is that! :-) CLASS 201 will help you develop incredible tools to grow your faith. You can register for CLASS 201 online atwww.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano. You can also sign up for CLASS 101, our membership class, there as well. CLASS 101 will be next week, February 19th.

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What's coming up?

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Next weekend, on February 18^th�& 19^th, Melanie and I are SO excited to announce to you, our church family, the sex of your future nephews or nieces! We have planned a cool little way of announcing it and we can't wait to share! �We don't know yet, BUT we will next week! �I need to know soon because I have to prepare to buy them little USC football jerseys, or little USC cheerleader uniforms, or who knows, maybe one of each!? :-)

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Spanish Ministry Update!

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Next week, on February 19^th, I am excited to introduce Jose Menaldo! He will be leading our Spanish Ministry/Service, and I can't wait for you to meet him. �You will love this guy! �Jose has such a heart for our Spanish speaking community and we are thrilled he will be here to lead this ministry! �If you know anyone you can invite to our Spanish service, or if you would like to help get it started, feel free to email Jose at�josemenaldo@hotmail.com. Spanish services will begin Saturday, February 25th at 7:00 p.m. right there in our Rancho worship center!

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40 Days in the Word Church Potluck!

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On Sunday, March 4th immediately after our 11:00 service we are going to celebrate what we have learned and how we have grown together as a church family over the past several weeks. We have added over 100 small groups during this campaign and now have over 200 small groups here at Rancho! We HAVE TO CELEBRATE THAT! �Now, I know this church has some incredible recipes, so I can't wait for this event! �It would be great if you could come with your whole small group! �There will be an area where you can take small group photos, but if not, come anyway. �I would love to get my picture taken with you! �I love potlucks; there's nothing like fellowshipping with your church family, making new friends, and having fun enjoying some great home cookin! �Reply to this email and let me know what you're bringing! �I will be making my famous Valencia surprise...actually, I'm not the best cook but it will be made with love, so when I say famous, I actually mean you won't get sick. �I promise! �This may turn into me making it and then saying, "Melanie help!!" :-) Either way it will be a surprise for all of us! hee hee

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Please let me know how I can be praying for you. No one in this church will ever be on their own. �We are a family and we will always stick together believing our God can do ANYTHING!

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I love you, and can't wait to see you this weekend!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

Service Days/Times Sat. 5:00 pm, �Sun. 9:00 & 11:00

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

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Hey, Saddleback Rancho Family!

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I would like to begin by saying 40 Days in the Word has officially started...BIG TIME! We ordered TONS of new material for this new campaign and ran out again this past weekend! I love seeing all of these new small groups starting! I had so many of you let me know after each service how much you got out of Pastor Rick's message, and like I mentioned, unless you are going over it again and discussing it within your small group, you probably have forgotten most of it by today. That's why it's so important to get connected in a group so you can learn, grow, and be encouraged by one another.�

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Speaking of Pastor Rick's message, what was it about?

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Pastor Rick taught on "Why Can I Trust The Bible?" This message was an incredible way to kick off this new series we are in. It is crucial that you are making it to church during this series as we learn and grow together as a church family. However, if you were sick or out of town and were not able to make it to church, please visit�www.saddleback.com�today and look under "Archived Services" to watch the entire message!

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Men's LIVE streaming of Pastor Kenny Luck's Thursday morning study is almost here!

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Alright dudes, starting THIS Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 a.m., we will start streaming Pastor Kenny Luck and join our Lake Forest Men's morning study LIVE! �Don't miss out. �It's a great way to get your day started. For more information please contact Russ Hanson atrewithruss@yahoo.com. If you have any questions regarding anything Men's Ministry please contact John Houtenville our Men's Ministry leader at�jhoutenville@att.net.�

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You mentioned a Spanish service at Christmas. �Is that still on?

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YES, we have been working with a great friend of mine Jose Menaldo to start our new Spanish service. I have known Jose for years. He literally grew up at Saddleback Church. He taught at El Encuentro at our Lake Forest campus and served on the Local P.E.A.C.E. team for years, up until last year when he went to work in his family business. Saddleback Church always remained his home church, and he is excited to come on over to Rancho and reach out to our Spanish speaking neighbors! �As of right now, we are looking at the Spanish service to start February 25th at 7:00 p.m.! If you or someone you know would like to be a part of getting this new ministry up and running, please feel free to email Jose at�josemenaldo@hotmail.com.�

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When is the next CLASS?

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In February, we are having two CLASSes! �First on February 12th at 1:00 p.m. we are going to have CLASS 201, our Spiritual Maturity class. Then on February 19th we will offer CLASS 101! �I know we just had CLASS 101 this month but (and this is SO cool) we have noticed a huge influx of new folks and we wanted to give them and anyone else that has not taken CLASS 101 a chance to take it. If you have yet to take CLASS 101, our membership class, or CLASS 201, our Spiritual Growth class, February is your month! Both classes will be located in the worship center at 1:00 p.m. You can register online�www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistranotoday!

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Update on your future nephews or nieces! :-)

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I thought it would be cool to let you know when Melanie updates her blogwww.melanievalencia.blogspot.com�since she always includes pics and other news. She has included her most recent baby bump photo and it's still hard to believe that 5 months into her pregnancy, my stomach is still bigger than hers! What is that all about! :-) When you see the pictures you will understand what I'm saying. I promise there are two babies in there. I have seen the ultrasounds! I will continue to give you updates as we get them. In fact, in the next couple of weeks, Melanie and I will share with you the sex of the babies. Then later Melanie will have a shower, and ALL the women of our church will be invited! It will be a potluck right here in our worship center! �Please NO gifts; just bring yourselves and maybe some yummy meals! The more food the more she will bring home for me! :-) �By the way, please keep us in prayer; our next appointment with the doctor is February 9. �I think at that appointment I will ask the doctor if I can invite my family to the hospital when Melanie delivers... I can't wait to see the look on his face when he asks how many are in my family and I can say about 1,300. :-)

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I LOVE MY FAMILY!

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There is a reason why I want to include you in all the baby news. It's because Melanie and I view each of you as literally part of our family. This is the exact type of thing we do with our family. �I don't want to ever keep anything from you. �If I'm going through a hurt like the loss of my mom, I want to include you in it. If we are going through the joys of being expectant parents, I want to include you in it. When Melanie and I were having trouble getting pregnant, I wanted to include you in that as well.�I can't tell you we are a family and we need to be there for each other, then live my own private separate life. All that to say is I would never ask anything of you that I would not be willing to do myself, and not just "do" because that's what we are supposed to do, but really believe that what we are doing is for a purpose (getting closer to Jesus and getting closer with each other). I wouldn't ask you to serve, or be in a small group, or invite someone to church if I am not doing that myself, and I would never tell you to be open and honest if I weren't willing to do this myself. �I don't encourage you to do these things just to do more "things." I encourage you to do them because of how much I have personally grown by doing them, and I want the same for you. I also encourage you because I believe this church get's it! You amaze me daily by caring enough to invite someone new to church, (resulting in unbelievable growth in just one year), getting into a small group (which last time I checked we were over 170 small groups...amazing), and all of you serving in ministries...this church is loaded with talent! So when you hear me say I love you, there is a reason for that. It's because I REALLY love you, my church family!!�

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I have been noticing more prayer requests and first time visitors on the cards! Thank you SO much for taking the time to fill them out. I read EACH ONE!! Please always let me know what I can be praying for.�

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I checked the weather for this weekend. It will be sunny and in the 70's! Winter in the O.C.!

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I LOVE YOU AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS WEEKEND!

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Pastor James�

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano Campus

Service Day/Times Sat. 5:00 p.m. Sun. 9:00 & 11:00 a.m.

Class 101 - Discovering Our Church Family - February 19

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

CLASS 101 at SADDLEBACK RANCHO CAPISTRANO

Discovering our Church Family

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Class 101 is�a basic introduction to our church family and is designed to clearly explain who and what our church is.� This class�covers Our Salvation, Our Statements, Our Strategy and Our Structure.� You will hear the history of Saddleback, learn how living the 5 biblical purposes are necessary in order to fulfill God's purpose for your life, and discover plans for the future of Saddleback.

At the end of Class 101�you will have the opportunity to�fill out, sign and submit�the Membership Application or�wait until another time.

Lunch will be provided - childcare is not available for this event.
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You were designed to be part of a church family and we hope Saddleback�Rancho can be that family for you.

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This class will be�held�in The Worship Center at�the Rancho Capistrano�campus.�

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Go to our events calendar to register.

The Weekly Update!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

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Hey, Saddleback Rancho Family!

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I would like to start by saying how cool it was to see so many new small groups start in just the past 2 weeks! That tells me that this is a church that wants real connections with each other, and has a thirst to have a better understanding of God's Word! I LOVE IT!

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What was the service about?

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Pastor Rick taught on "Building My Life on the Bible." I always make sure if any of you missed the service you can get caught up by going online. As we get into the 40 Days in the Word campaign, it is so important that we stay current on each week's message so we can all grow together. So, if you could not make it to church you can simply go to�www.saddleback.com�and click on "Archived Services." Let's make sure we are learning and growing together!

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Students' Ministry Update!

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Saddleback Rancho Capistrano Students' Ministry is led by our Students' Pastor Josh Pease and goes from 7th grade all the way up to College (Crave)!

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I wanted to give you the opportunity to check out some cool pics of this awesome ministry and the next generation of leaders here at Saddleback!

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For up-to-date info on Jr. High and High School simply�click on this link�www.facebook.com/pages/SSM-Rancho-Capistrano/201573889929479�It is the official Facebook page for 7th-12th grade here at Rancho! It is brand new; we wanted you, the parents, to have a way to not just get updated info but also see what your students are up to! :-)�

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For the latest up-to-date info on College (Crave) you can click on this link�www.facebook.com/craverancho.�

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Pastor Josh and his AMAZING team of volunteers are doing a great job. The future of this church is SO BRIGHT!

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Vision Night Update!

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THIS Friday we will stream LIVE from Lake Forest as our Senior Pastor, Pastor Rick, lays out the vision for our church. This will be a great evening hosted by our WONDERFUL Small Groups Director Margaret Aubin. If that name sounds familiar to you, it's because Margaret has worked SO hard on placing all of our 164 (and growing) small groups! She also leads our Women's Ministry here at Rancho! Thank you, Margaret!! Again it will be THIS Friday evening in the Rancho worship center from 7:00-9:00 p.m. and dinner will be provided!

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I would like to get more connected, but where do I start?

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Here is a list of a few ministries to help get you started!

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Margaret Aubin - �margareta@saddleback.com�- Women's/Small Groups

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John Houtenville -�jhoutenville@att.net�- Men's Ministry

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Joe & Gabi Clark -�joecephus11@hotmail.com�- Celebrate Recovery

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Josh Pease -�joshp@saddleback.com�- Students' Ministry (7th grade - College)

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Tammy Roland -�tammyr@saddleback.com�- Children's Ministry (infants - 6th grade)

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Scott Coventry -�scottc@saddleback.com�- Director of Adult Ministries (oversees all existing and new ministries)�

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Jose Menaldo -�josemenaldo@hotmail.com�- Spanish Ministry

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Zack Barker -�zackb@saddleback.com�- Worship Ministry

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So, unless you are a man, woman, or child we don't really have anything for you. :-) I want to make sure that no one in this church is on their own...no one! If you are having a hard time finding a small group or not able to make one of these ministries depending on where you are at, then come see me and I will make sure we get you plugged in. This church is a family, and I don't want anyone in our family feeling left out! This year has started with a bang, and behind the scenes my team and I are working on some AMAZING events for this year as well as bringing over some more signature Saddleback Ministries to Rancho!! This year is going to be so exciting with all of us using all of our gifts and talents; I don't want anyone left out!

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We are all in this together... so please let me know how I can be praying for you!

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By the way they say it may be raining, but no need to worry about me. I will still be out there! I have my sweet Finding Nemo umbrella that Dick gave me so I am all ready to roll! :-) �Be sure to bundle up too...it will be a freezing winter storm 65 degrees and drizzle...hee hee!

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I love ya and can't wait to see you this weekend as we kick off this awesome new campaign together!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano Campus

Service Days & Times: Sat. 5:00 p.m. and Sun. 9:00 & 11:00 a.m.

Come Take the Plunge - Baptisms at Rancho - Every Saturday and Sunday!

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:50:00 GMT

Baptisms at Rancho Capistrano in our New Baptismal Pool - Every Saturday and Sunday!

If you have been thinking of being baptized but wanted to wait for just the right time.that time is NOW! Click on our events calendar and register or send an email to tamaras@saddlebackvolunteer.com or some see us before or after service on Saturday or Sunday each week.

Here are some answers to questions I have heard:

"I was baptized as a baby..doesn't that mean anything?"� Of course it meant something..to your parents or whoever made the decision for you.� I'm sure it was a special moment for them, but if I were to ask you how it made you feel, it would be impossible for you to know.� It's a public declaration of your faith.� Being baptized doesn't "save you"; this happens after you have continuously and knowingly accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

"Why do I need to be baptized by submersion"? We simply follow the example of how Jesus himself was baptized.�� "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water" Matt. 3:16.� In fact, the word baptize is a Greek word 'baptizo' which means "to immerse or dip under water".

"What if I get my hair wet?"��I will go get hair dryers for you!!!

"What if I forget to bring a change of clothes"? We have shorts and shirts ready for you!

"Will the water be heated"? YES!

"Will I be cold when I get out?"� NO!� It's going to be 85 degrees outside! :-)

"Who will be there?"� Anyone you invite.and your church family will be cheering you on.

Guys, I can remember the day I was baptized.� It was an amazing night with Pastor Kurt Johnson baptizing me at our Lake Forest Campus.� I will NEVER forget that moment for the rest of my life!� I want you to have that exact same moment..the moment when you declare publicly that Jesus Christ is your personal savior!� We have already done several at our campus and I LOVED each and every person that I had the incredible honor of baptizing!� I loved the looks on their faces as they came out of the water to cheers by our church family.� If you are ready to make this commitment, it would really help us be prepared if you register today!

Note: Children�between 8 and 12 need to attend the Children's Pre-Baptism class�through Saddleback's Children's Ministry prior to baptism; please call�contact Trisha at�trishaj@saddlebackvolunteer.com with any questions.

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The Weekly Update!

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

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Hey, Saddleback Rancho Family!

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Last week in my mid week message, and again from stage last weekend, I said that this church will double again by this time next year! Well, I think you are on board because we had over 150 more than our weekend average already with so many new faces...I LOVE IT! �I have said this before, but a big part of why I love you inviting people to church is what it does for you. �When I see the looks on your faces as you introduce someone you brought, it is filled with so much excitement and love for that person. �I am so excited to see what God does through you in our church this year! This campus is going to put all of our gifts on the line for Jesus; it's going to be the most exciting year of our lives! �In fact, after last weekend's Saturday night service there was a guy who has never been a part of any church before and he came up to me and said "I'm just getting started and all of this is completely new to me, but I'm in, let's do it".. isn't that so cool!

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What was the message about?

Pastor Rick taught on "How To Get Through What You're Going Through". �If any of you are still on Holiday mode and did not make it to church this weekend, you have to see this message! �All you need to do is simply click on this link�www.saddleback.com�and go to "archived service". trust me, you do not want to miss this message!

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IMPORTANT 40 DAY'S IN THE WORD CAMPAIGN UPDATE!

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PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 20th at 7:00 p.m.!

We are going to meet at the Worship Center right there on our Rancho Campus to join Pastor Rick�as we go LIVE to Lake Forest to prepare to launch our new spiritual growth campaign "40 DAYS IN THE WORD!"� Come celebrate, be encouraged and hear the vision straight from straight from our Senior Pastor! �Don't miss out! �(Dinner will be provided) This is the same vision night Pastor Rick mentioned in the message last week, it's gonna be great!

To RSVP simply go to this link�http://www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano/events/eventdetails.aspx?id=44938�and click on the "Register Now" tab on the bottom left hand side of the page. �For any specific questions feel free to email Margaret Aubin at�margareta@saddleback.com.

I am so excited for our church as we grow and learn together. �By the end of this campaign we will all not only have a much better knowledge of God's word, but we will also have a greater love and appreciation for it! �I have a copy of the materials and I can't wait to get started...SOOOO GOOOOOD!

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What's coming up?

ATTENTION ALL MEN!!

Starting Thursday, January 26th at 6:45 a.m. we will begin streaming Kenny Luck's Thursday morning Bible Studies LIVE! �Pastor Kenny Luck has an amazing way of unpacking scripture and making it very relatable for men of any stage of life. This will be in addition to our Men's Wednesday Night group. This is open to all men; we are all one church so men if you know guys that may go to our Lake Forest campus but live out here, it may be easier for them to go to the Rancho worship center before work... so feel free to let them know about it. �Also, please keep in mind we have a super star of our own, John Houtenville, leading Wednesday Nights at 6:30! �For more information about the new Thursday morning's please feel free to email Russ Hansen at�rewithruss@yahoo.com. �If you would like information on anything regarding Men's ministry please contact our Men's ministry leader John Houtenville at�jhoutenville@att.net.

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Class 101 is THIS Sunday!

If you are new or have been coming to Saddleback for a while and would like to take Class 101 to find out who and what we are all about, this Class is for you! �Class will begin at 1:00 and will be right there in our worship center (lunch will be provided).�

In fact here is the upcoming Class schedule for the next two months:

Class 201 - 2-12-12 at 1:00 p.m.

Class 301 - 3-11-12 at 1:00 p.m.

Class 401 - 4-15-12 at 1:00 p.m.

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Baby update!

Alright, is it bad that the twins are not born yet but I still want to show you their pictures? �My beautiful wife Melanie put together a blog to keep all of us updated and she just put up new pictures of the ultra sound. Some of you have been asking to resend the blog site so here it is�melanievalencia.blogspot.com. �I have had the flu this week so I could not go to Melanie's doctor appointment but they would like to see us back in a couple weeks to tell us the sex of the babies! As soon as we find out, we will be sure to let you know...we have a feeling. but we will wait a few more weeks to be sure. By the way, thank you to all the dads out there that have told me about all the gray hairs I will get if they are both girls! :-)

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2012 will be a great year for our church!

I know some of you are going through some tough times right now, maybe some of you have believed people that have put you down or you don't think you are good enough to make a real difference. �Maybe some of you think when we make big goals that you will leave it to others because you don't think you can contribute. �I am here to tell you that couldn't be further from the truth! �God has a great plan for your life! �How do I know?� Because that's what He promises.

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Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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Love you, and if there is anything I can be praying for you about let me know...we are all in this together!

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Also, please continue to pray for the Reese family as they go through this very difficult time . A great great way to honor little Jessie is to carry on the message she left, and that is no matter what your going through NEGU Never Ever Give Up! For more information on NEGU or how you can get involved with giving Joy Jars for children going through cancer please visit�www.thenegufoundation.org�or call the toll free hotline 1-888-648-6348.

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See you this weekend!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Church

Rancho Capistrano Campus

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

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Happy New Year, Saddleback Rancho Family!

I hope all of you had a fun and safe New Year's weekend. �Last weekend was great. �It was so cool on New Year's Eve to not only show "Star Wars" but to have Princess Leia and Darth Vader show up for pictures! :-) Thank you to everyone who helped make that a fun evening for the kids! New Year's Day was a blast. We had Student's Weekend with worship led by our Student's Worship Leader, Chance. Then we had our first scheduled live teaching by our Student's Pastor Josh Pease and myself. It was so much fun!�

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Is it too late to sign up to be in a small group for the new 40 Days in the Word campaign?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! �Reply to this email and I will make sure we get you connected so you can experience this AWESOME new campaign! Like I mentioned before, I have seen the curriculum and it is SO good. You will be shocked at all the new biblical knowledge you will gain from this one campaign.�Trust me, you do not want to miss out!� Thank you to EVERYONE that emailed me last week that you wanted to get into a group!

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When is the next CLASS 101?

It will be Sunday, January 15th at 1:00 pm! �In fact, starting January 15th we are going to have CLASS on the second Sunday of every month. That way it will be so much easier for you to know when CLASS is. We will start with CLASS 101 (Saddleback's Membership Class) and go all the way to 401 (Discovering your Life's Mission). If you haven't taken CLASS 101 but would like to make�Saddleback Church�your home church, you can register today by going to�www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano�(lunch will be provided)!

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Let's start the New Year right!

There are some of you who may be reading this thinking that 2012 will be just another year of doing the same old routine. �Maybe you are going through the motions of life--you get up, go to work, watch t.v., go to bed, and then do it all over again. �Please know that God didn't give you the gifts He gave to simply exist; He gave them to you to LIVE and make a real difference in this life for Him. �Following God's plan for your life is the most exciting life there is. �If you want real excitement in 2012, say the most exciting prayer any of us can say: "God, do whatever you want with me." �Trust me. HE WILL! �As a church family, what do you say we open ALL the presents God has for us. �Let's do some bold things for Him this year, and let's do it together as a church family!�

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What's one of our biggest goals for 2012?

I am saying in faith that Saddleback Rancho Capistrano will double in 2012! �I know we can do it because this church has already doubled from this time last year! What gives me the confidence to make such a bold goal? �It's because we have a BIG God that can do anything, and after spending a year getting to know our church family, I know this is a church that loves BIG goals! This is a church that thrives on doing the impossible, because we believe that with Jesus ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! �I will make a deal with you--if you keep stepping out and inviting people, then I will keep adding services! Why keep inviting more people to church? �Because there are real people out there who need Jesus just as much you and I do, and there is no greater way to live than to live a life that God has planned for you!�

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How will we reach our goal?

It's real simple, first we are going to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and we are going to love our neighbors as ourselves. The only problem with having a church that truly loves people is figuring out where we are going to seat everyone (now that's a great problem)! :-) Second, we are going to use ALL of our gifts for God's glory!�

1 Peter 4:10

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace."

So, let's use the gifts we have been given and let's make 2012 the most exciting year of our lives!

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We will resume our normal service times beginning THIS weekend!

Saturday - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday - 9:00 & 11:00 a.m.

Let's go Rancho...let's make history!

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I LOVE YOU!!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Church

Rancho Capistrano Campus

pastorjames@saddleback.com

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

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Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!

What a weekend! �I asked you to invite someone to church and boy, did you! �We had a TON of new faces come through! �I had the honor of meeting so many at each service and as they left, they were sure to let me know how much they loved being there! �I loved meeting all of the new people you brought with you, and I also loved the look on your faces as you introduced them to me. �It was filled with so much love and excitement! �We ended the weekend with 6 services and over 1,600 in attendance! �It was a great weekend with a very special candlelight service and Christmas carolers! �I said it before but I am going to say it again...THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered! �You made a HUGE difference, especially at the 5:00 service! T hat service was jam packed, literally every seat was taken with people standing in the back of the worship center, and to watch the volunteers give up their seats so that our guests could have a seat was just so cool! �My mind is already thinking of next year.� Let's just say no matter what the weather is in south Orange County, it will be snowing at Rancho! :-)

�

How was the Christmas Day service?

It was AWESOME! �It was really cool to see so many of you come out on Christmas day...and still bringing new people! �I owe a BIG thank you to Pastor Tom for suggesting we do a service on Christmas; he was so right! �The Saddleback Rancho Kids Choir was SO cute! Thanks to Zack, Tammy, and all the parents for making that so special for all of us!

�

How did the Spanish service go?

�It was great with lots of new faces as well! �We had 62 people come and 2 people gave their lives to Christ! �Way to go Javier! �Great job getting it all set up! �Just to give you an idea--this is about how many our college ministry started out with and now they have already doubled. �I see the same thing happening with our Spanish ministry as well, and I can't wait!

�

How did Fullerton go?

Rob Jacobs did a great job putting it all together. �In fact 3 people gave their lives to Christ on that one service! There was one guy who had never been to a Christmas service ever, and he was volunteering doing traffic. �I love that!�

�

What's happening this weekend?

New Year's Eve Movie Party!

Be sure to come spend some time with your church family for a safe fun New Year's Party! �We are going to watch "Star Wars" in HD! �The movie will begin at 6:30 and dinner will be provided. We will have a galactic picture area for everyone and a special guest from a galaxy far, far away! :-) �I can't wait for Saturday. �It's going to be so fun! Feel free to dress up in fun Star Wars or space-themed attire! �All you need to do is bring yourselves and whomever you want to invite. The more the merrier!�

New Year's Day�

We will have one service at 11:00 for Student's Weekend. All of the Saddleback campuses will have Student's Weekend, and our Student's Pastor Josh Pease will be teaching live at Rancho! �I will also join him as well. �It's going to be so fun!

�

What's coming up?

40 Days in the Word is coming!

I am so excited for our upcoming campaign! �We are going to start 40 Days in the Word this winter. �I am not kidding, I have NEVER been more excited for a campaign than I am for this one. �Do you ever find yourself reading scripture but you just don't really understand what it all means? �Or do you find yourself having a conversation with someone about your faith but when they ask you about the bible you get stuck on how to answer them? �In 40 Days in the Word we will get expert teaching on scripture so that we as a church will be equipped with accurate biblical knowledge. �If you are not in a small group, GET IN ONE! �All you need to do is reply to this email and we will take care of the rest. �I have seen the material and I am telling you it is absolutely incredible! �If you would like to host a group or find one to be in, let me know and let's get you going!� Don't let 2012 start with you not being connected in a small group!

�

Melanie and I are SO thankful for you, our church family!

We wanted to thank you so much for all the wonderful cards, hugs, phone calls, and emails about our babies. �You have all been so supportive and kind. �We are just so blessed to have you in our lives! We always say we are a family and this church really lives that out. We want all of you to be a part of their lives from the beginning...I mean the very beginning! So, Melanie has created a blog�www.melanievalencia.blogspot.com�to keep our family updated so that we can all be a part of this process together. This is what it means to do life together, you are our family and we love you so much!

�

See ya Saturday for our New Year's Eve Party!

Love you!

�

Pastor James

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

�

The Weekly Update!

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas, Rancho!

What a weekend! I will never forget our first anniversary weekend. It was filled with so much love and fun! We ended it with a great anniversary party, and it was just so special all around. I would like to thank all of you who stayed to clean the worship center. I was so moved when I walked into what I thought was going to be a mess, and it was all clean! I just love this church!�

�

What was the message about?

Pastor Tom taught on "Living Above Disappointment." This message was so timely for so many this time of year. Please, if you could not make it to church this weekend, go to�www.saddleback.com�under "Archived Services" today!

�

I could not make it to church this past weekend.� What was the BIG announcement?

Melanie and I are pregnant with TWINS!! �We will get to meet our babies June 28^th, 2012. This is the due date the doctor gave us. Like I mentioned this past weekend, get ready because you are all about to be aunts and uncles to our babies! It was so special for us to share the news with you, our family, this past weekend! We are going to let all of you know what the sex is of both babies as soon as we know. Until then, any name suggestions? All I have (and I say "I" because Melanie did NOT sign off on these) is for two boys right now, Walt and Roy Disney Valencia hee hee. ;-) Send us your suggestions!

�

Christmas Service Update:

Start thinking of who you are going to invite to church;�this weekend is the PERFECT opportunity! Christmas Eve we are going to have special Christmas carolers! They will be all dressed up, so you will think you are walking into a classic Charles Dickens novel!

�

Here are the times for Christmas Eve:�

11:00, 1:00, 3:00, & 5:00 (candlelight service)�

*Please remember the 11:00 & 1:00 are family services, meaning there will be no children's program for those two service times.

�

Christmas Day (new message)

11:00 am - featuring our Saddleback Rancho Capistrano Kids Choir!

3:00 pm - our very first LIVE Spanish service!

�

If you can help us and volunteer for whatever service you will be attending, please email Tamara Smith at�tamaras@saddlebackvolunteer.com

�

What's coming up?

New Year's Eve Movie Party Night!

�

Beginning at 6:30 we will show "Star Wars" in High Definition! This is going to be so cool! It will be complete with food, a family galactic picture area, great fellowship with your church family, and a very special visitor from another a galaxy far, far away! Also everyone gets a free light-saber (glow stick)! This will be a great night with fun for the whole family! We wanted a fun safe alternative for our church family on New Year's Eve, and we wanted to be done early to get you home before the roads get too dangerous.�

�

New Year's Day Live service!

We will have one service on New Year's Day at 11:00 am. It will be students' weekend at�Saddleback Church�for all of our campuses, so rather than watch the Lake Forest message, we will have our Student's Pastor Josh Pease and me teaching live!

Christmas is just a few days away. Who will you invite this weekend?

�

This weekend will be the only time most people will go to church all year, and that's why we are starting early in the morning and going into the night. Why? Because we have faith that God will use every single service to change a life forever! Whose life will you invest in? Who will you invite?�

There is something so special happening here at Saddleback Rancho Capistrano. I really can't explain it in words. It is a unique family atmosphere that someone just has to be there to understand. God is using you in an incredibly unique way! I am convinced if someone comes to one of our Christmas services they will come back because of the atmosphere you all project. It's so loving and warm!�

I know this time of year can be hard with all the crowded malls, all the gift shopping you have to do, all your Christmas parties you have to go to, and all the stresses that sometimes come from this time of year, but let's remember why Christmas is so special.

�

Luke 2:8-14

�8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." �13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,�14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven,�and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."�

�

Please let this be a reminder to you that no matter what your financial status is, or what disappointments you are experiencing this time of year, Christmas represents us getting the greatest gift of all time! It's one that will last for eternity, and it was specially picked out for us by our�Father who loves us more than anything!�

�

I love you SO much and can't wait to see you this weekend! Be sure to introduce me to the new folks you bring with you!

�

Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

949-609-8029

Bring Your Christmas Spirit - Help Serve Our Church Family and Guests

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Would you like to help us at our Christmas Eve and Day Services for 2011?

�

Rancho Capistrano wants to be sure all who come to our campus this Christmas will experience a warm and inviting place where they will be loved.

�

We can use help before and after each of our services. �Please check in 20 minutes prior to a service so that we can let you know where our biggest need is at that time.

�

To sign up early and be on the list before you arrive, please send an email toTamara at tamaras@saddlebackvolunteer.com.

�

When you arrive on campus for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day:

Please check in at our Volunteer Check-in.
Volunteer Central is located to the left of the Worship Center.
Look for the green and red balloons.
Sign in and get your name tag and Christmas smiles.
We will then send you off to an area that is most in need.

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!

�

I REALLY missed all of you last weekend! �I have already heard from some of you about what you did for Good Neighbor Weekend, and it is SO cool.� Send me your stories! �I have a funny one to share. �One of our members, John, went across the street to his neighbor to ask if they needed any help. The neighbor said sure, so John went inside to see if they needed some boxes moved or maybe help with the Christmas tree. Well, the neighbor proceeded to show John the room that needed to be dry walled! Way to go John, taking one for the team. We love you, stud!

�

Let's get right to what's happening this weekend!

Anniversary Weekend is just a few days away! �This weekend is going to be our most special weekend yet as we celebrate our one year anniversary! �I will baptize after each service! �We do have one baptism for the 9:00 service, which I can't wait, but if you have not been baptized you can start our Anniversary Party off right by getting baptized after the 11:00 as well!

�

What can I expect for Anniversary Weekend?

�

We will have our regular services Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday 9:00 & 11:00 am. �Immediately after the 11:00 service we are going to PARTY! �We will break down the chairs in the worship center and the patio by the baptismal for some great food and a slide show of our past year together playing in the background! We will also have TONS of fun for the kids out in front of the worship center with bounce houses and fun games. �It's going to be AWESOME! �Oh...also one more thing, I have a BIG announcement I will share with my church family on Anniversary Weekend! �You do not want to miss this weekend; it's going to be very special for our church family!

�

Is there still time to sign my child up for the Saddleback Kids Christmas Day Choir?

�

YES! �The first rehearsal will be THIS Saturday beginning at 6:30 P.M. �It will start right after our Saturday Night service, and if you would like any additional information, please feel free to email our Children's Director Tammy Roland at tammyr@saddleback.com.

�

Christmas update!

�

Here are the service times for Christmas Eve:

�

11:00 am (family service)

1:00 pm (family service)

3:00 pm�

5:00 pm (candlelight service)�

�

* Please note that family service means we will not have children's programs. �We will have our full children's program for our 3:00 & 5:00 services.�

�

How can I help? YOU CAN VOLUNTEER AT ONE OF OUR FOUR CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES!

�

We have the best volunteers around! �Our folks are there rain or shine, but all of our regular weekend volunteers need to be able to go to church too! �We can't expect the same people who always volunteer to handle all of the services. All you need to do is reply to this email with what service you plan on attending and that you are able to help for that service. It's that simple! Let's make sure we give everyone a chance to spend time with their families at one of the four services!!

�

Christmas Day we will have one English service (different message than Christmas Eve) at�11:00 a.m. (family service).

�

This is going to be so cool. I can't wait to see our Saddleback Kids Choir in action!

�

Christmas Day we will have one Spanish service at 3:00 (live)

�

If you know anyone who speaks Spanish and is looking to check us out, Christmas Day will be the perfect time! �If you would like additional information, or you would like to help, please feel free to email Javier Martinez at javierm@saddlebackvolunteer.com.

�

Any sneak peeks?

�

NEW YEAR'S EVE MOVIE NIGHT PARTY at 6:30! (dinner will be provided)

�

Alright, this is going to be awesome! �The movie will be "Star�Wars"��in High Definition! So, feel free to let all the little Jedi's come in whatever Star Wars costume they want. They can even wear their Star War's jammies. �I may even bring out my Ewok slippers! Also, in keeping with the theme of the night everyone will receive his or her very own light saber. Well, actually they will be glow sticks. :-) �We will also have a picture area so you and your family can take your galactic photos! There may even be a special visitor from another galaxy.� Stay tuned, kids! Everyone is invited, so feel free to invite anyone you know!

�

New Year's Day (family service)

�

We will have one service at 11:00 a.m. with me and Students' Pastor Josh Pease teaching live. It's going to be so fun!

�

I know we all have so much going on, but let's keep in mind that this time of year is the greatest opportunity for people to check out who Jesus is by going to church. �It was a Christmas service in 1995 at Saddleback that changed my life forever. NEVER underestimate what God can do with your life. �If there is someone you want to give up on, don't! �If there is someone you're nervous about inviting, don't be! �If you are afraid of what the person might think of you, don't! �When you invite someone with love in your heart it will always come across as genuine and non-offensive. �I came to church after the tenth time I was asked, but the way my aunt asked me was always with so much love, and God used Pastor Rick's message to change how I thought of church forever. �Let's not let this season go by without inviting someone you know. That's why we do what we do. That's why we have so many events and services--because we love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and we love our neighbor as ourselves. Remember, Jesus came to save everyone...and everyone is who this church is going after!�

�

I can't wait to tell you, my family, the special announcement this weekend!

�

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

�

Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Church

Rancho Capistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

949-609-8029

�

The Weekly Update!

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!!

�

I have to start with how AMAZING the Nativity lighting was! We thought we would have a great turn out, but what we got was an INCREDIBLE turn out! �Over 500 of you stood out there in the cold to witness this great Christmas tradition together! �Even though I loved watching the lights grow brighter and brighter as we sang together, �I was just so touched looking out to see our church family together...like a real family would be. �I loved seeing people hanging out and genuinely enjoying their time together. �I went up to one group that was there having a great time, and I asked if they were all in the same small group, and they said no we just met each other tonight! �I LOVE THIS CHURCH! �If you could not make it, I am so sorry. �It was just an amazing night! �However, if you would like to see the Nativity scene all lit up, all you have to do is drive down the 5 freeway. You can't miss it!! :-)

�

What was the message about last weekend?

If this was your first weekend at Saddleback, then you just got a taste of how BIG this church's vision is! �Pastor Rick taught the third part of our "Loving my Neighbor as Myself" series-- "God's Great Mission for my Life." �Like I mentioned, if you are looking for a church that will just play it safe and pat each other on the back about past accomplishments, then you are definitely in the wrong place! �God wants to use you in ways you can't even dream of. �So my word for you is...LET HIM! �These next 10 years at Saddleback will literally be world changing! �Please, if you could not make it to church, go towww.saddleback.com�under "Archived Services" to see the full message.�

�

What else happened last weekend?

�

We introduced Rob and Julie Jacobs, two of our Rancho family members whom we are sending to Fullerton to start a new Saddleback venue! �Rob and Julie will launch this new venue Christmas Eve, and we are so excited to come along side them! �Please join me in praying for them as they start this new journey. �They will also welcome their son, who they are adopting from Korea soon, so they will need all the prayers and support they can get! �If you would like more information about this new Fullerton venue, please go to�http://www.facebook.com/saddlebackfullerton�and�http://twitter.com/sb_fullerton�today!�

GOOD NEIGHBOR WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND...NO SERVICE THIS WEEKEND�DECEMBER 10th�& 11th!

�

This weekend we have an awesome opportunity to literally love our neighbor as our self. �I have heard some of the things you are planning to do for your neighbors and I love it! �PLEASE send me your stories. I can't wait to hear all about it! �If you or your small group still aren't sure what you can do, no problem! �All you need to do is email Bonnie Taylor at�bonniet@saddleback.com�and she will get you all set to serve in different projects for our neighbors near Rancho!

�

What's coming up?

OUR ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND is�Dec. 17th�and 18th!! �We are coming in on one year together and what a year! �It is so amazing to think we didn't even know each other a year ago, and now I look at you as my family! �I REALLY LOVE MY FAMILY! �In fact, I have something very special I can't wait to share with my family on Anniversary Weekend! �I know December is a crazy month, but do whatever you can to make it on Anniversary Weekend. �I can't wait to celebrate with you!�

�

Can I get a sneak peak on what to expect on Anniversary Weekend?

YES, immediately after our�11:00�service we are going to PARTY! �We will have fun activities for the kids, food, music, a slide show of our first year together...and my special announcement! �If you are thinking of getting baptized, after the 11:00 service on the 18th would be a GREAT way to start our anniversary party! �Email me back and let me know if you would like to get baptized on Anniversary Weekend, and we will get you all set up!

�

Are we having a Spanish service on Christmas?

YES! �Javier Martinez has done a GREAT job with our Spanish Ministry! �I am very happy to announce that on Christmas Day at 3:00 P.M. we will have our very first live Spanish service! �If you would like more information please contact Javier at�javierm@saddlebackvolunteer.com�or you can call for more details�(760) 216-1157.

�

How many services will we have on Christmas Weekend?�

We have 6 Christmas services!!

Christmas Eve

We will have special Christmas carolers dressed to impress; you will think you are walking into a Charles Dickens book) :-)

11:00, 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00� (which will be our Candlelight service!)

�

Christmas Day

11:00 A new message and the service will feature our Saddleback Rancho Capistrano kids choir and at 3:00 we will have a live Spanish Service.

*Please note if you would like to have your K-6th grader be a part of our Christmas Day choir please contact Tammy Roland at�tammyr@saddleback.com

�

Kid's Choir sounds AWESOME, but will there be an opportunity for adults who would like to be a part of the Rancho band?

YES! I have asked Zack Barker, who heads up all worship for Rancho, to give you all the information you will need to get plugged in, so here you go!

BAND AUDITIONS!!!

We're having band auditions this Saturday, December 10th in the Worship Center! �If you play an instrument and are interested in using your talents at our church, please come at 10 a.m.! �Email Zack Barker with any questions! �zackb@saddleback.com.

�

Any Sneak Peaks?

New Year's Eve Movie Night!�

If you do not have plans, or you have kids and it's hard to make it to any New Year's Eve parties, come on down to the Ranch for some family fun! �We are going to watch a movie and just have a great time together as a church family! �The movie will begin at 6:30 (dinner provided). We want to have fun together on New Year's Eve, BUT I also want to make sure we all get home early enough to avoid what can be a dangerous night on the roads.�

�

New Year's Day!

�

We will have one service at 11:00! �This will be our first planned live service with myself and our Student's Leader Josh Pease teaching. It will be a BLAST!

�

Can we get a hint of 2012??

Alright, because you are my church family, 2012 will be an incredible year for us! �Here is just a small taste. We will go from BIG quarterly events to BIG monthly events for our church family. We have 2 MAJOR campaigns that I can't wait to get into, Thursday morning Men's study taught by Kenny Luck from Lake Forest streamed in LIVE (with our new technology from the Saturday night services), Easter Lights, and much, much more! �If you thought 2011 was great, wait 'til you see what God does with this church in 2012!�

�

So, why has this church doubled in one year? Why are we doing Fullerton and a Spanish service when we have only been here for a year?�

God's hand is clearly on this church. The creator of everything has hand selected YOU to build this church with your gifts and talents, and you are not afraid to invite everyone you know! �Because of that, this church will be twice as big as we are now this time next year. So why do you and I do this? It's because Jesus cares about EVERYONE...and EVERYONE is who we are going after!!!! There is NO slowing down; we are just getting warmed up! BRING ON 2012!�

�

I love you SO much and I am going to miss you this weekend, but I can't wait to hear those stories!

See you Anniversary Weekend.trust me you do NOT want to miss Anniversary Weekend!!!

�

Pastor James

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapsitrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

949-609-8029

Nativity Lighting - Come Join Us Saturday, December 2 at 6:30

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:09:00 GMT

THIS SATURDAY AT 6:30! Immediately after our Saturday Night service we will all walk down together and sing some Christmas songs, have some hot cocoa, coffee, and tea, and experience this AWESOME Christmas tradition as a church family. Hundreds of thousands of cars on the 5 freeway will see what the true meaning of Christmas is all about, and we will all be the first ones to see it light up together as a church family! YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!

The Weekly Update!

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!!

�

I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving! As I was writing last week's Thanksgiving mid-week message I was so amazed looking back at what we have all been through this past year. Just think of that for a second. This time last year we didn't even know each other, and now we have become a real family! This year is not done quite yet; December is going to be our most exciting month yet!

�

Let's get to what last week's messages were about.

�

It is so important for us as Christians to actually know what we believe. Pastor Rick always likes to say leaders are learners, and it is so true. That's why last weekend we heard from two special guest speakers. Dr. John Dickenson taught on "Why Historians Take the Gospel Seriously" (Saturday night), and Sean McDowell taught on "The Reliability of the New Testament" (Sunday morning). After this weekend I am that much more excited about the upcoming campaign starting in January called "40 Days in the Word." If you are not yet in a small group, GET IN ONE!! I can not stress this enough. Most people spend LOTS of money getting this kind of biblical education. You can sign up this weekend to get into a small group or you can simply reply to this email and we will get you all set up!

�

Last CLASS 101 of 2011!!

�

If you have not taken CLASS 101 yet, this Sunday is the day! This is Saddleback Church's membership class where you will learn who we are and what we are all about. If you have been checking out Saddleback and would like to take the next step and become a member, this will be the last class of this year, so hope to see you there! You can register anytime by going to www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano.

Baptisms!

�

When we started I set a goal for this campus that we will have 100 baptisms this year. It was a big goal, but hey we have a BIG God! As we head into the last month of 2011 I am now setting a new goal for the month of December. We are going to baptize 25 people this month! That will put us over 100, and that will be over 100 people publicly announcing that they belong to Jesus. How cool will that be! Why 100? It's just a big number I thought of when we started, and I love setting big goals and watching what God does with them! I baptized 3 more amazing folks this past weekend, and one of them Karl, had a shunt in his arm for the chemo because he is currently battling cancer. He could have thought maybe I'll wait until my hair grows out a little, or at least until my shunt is out since he couldn't get it wet. Not Karl. He took off that hat, had someone hold his left arm so his shunt didn't get wet, and he did it!! I could just see Jesus rejoicing because Karl didn't care about anything other than proclaiming that Jesus is his Lord and savior! We have 3 services now and I will baptize after every service, so if you haven't gotten baptized but you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER! NOW IS THE TIME!

�

When is the Nativity Lighting ceremony?

�

Good Neighbor Weekend December 10 & 11!

�

I can't wait to hear all of the awesome stories that will come out of Good Neighbor Weekend! If you or your small group are just stumped about what you can do, please visit our Good Neighbor Weekend table to sign up for a local opportunity! We are not doing any one thing as a church but we do have some awesome projects you or your small group can sign up for to make a difference for our neighbors right next to our campus!�Don't forget, I want those stories!!�

�

What are the service times for Christmas Eve?

�

Christmas Eve we will have 4 services to choose from!

�

11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, & 5:00 pm!

�

Christmas Day we will have one service (message will be different than Christmas Eve)

�

11:00 am with a special performance by our Saddleback Rancho Capistrano Kid's Choir!

�

What are the details on how I can get my child signed up for the special Christmas Day performance?

�

Zack Barker our Worship Leader and Children's Director Tammy Roland are putting together a special time of singing for Christmas morning! �If you have children who love to sing and aren't afraid to show it, then this is for them! The choir will be for children ages�Kindergarten - Grade 6. �There will be 2 mandatory rehearsals. �The first will be on Saturday, December 17th from 6:30pm - 7:15pm. �The second rehearsal will be on Christmas morning at 10:00am. �All rehearsals will take place in the Rancho Capistrano Worship Center.

�

To register your children into the choir or for more information please call our Children's Director, Tammy Roland, at (949) 609-8677 or email her at tammyr@saddleback.com.

�

What's coming up?

�

Mark your calendars for Sunday, December 18th! That will be our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY! Immediately after our 11:00 service we will break down the chairs in our worship center and set up tables for lunch. We will supply great food and awesome fellowship! We are also working on a slide show of everything that has happened this past year for you while you are eating. There will be bounce houses out front for the kids and some wonderful Christmas music! That weekend I will also make a VERY special personal announcement for you, my church family. I can't wait!! No hints on the secret. You just have to wait and see! :-)�

�

I can't wait to see you. Love you!

�

Pastor James

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Church

Rancho Capistrano

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

December Baptisms

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Baptisms!

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For more info about baptisms - click on our event calendar at the top of this page.

If you would like to be baptized this month, send an email to tamaras@saddlebackvolunteer.com.

The Weekly Update!

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!!

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Since it is the day before Thanksgiving I just wanted this mid- week message to be mainly letting you know how THANKFUL I am for you, my church family.

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You have all taken a chance to start something new here at Saddleback. In one year we have seen tremendous growth and SO many miracles! I have been with some of you when you welcomed babies into this world, and sat beside with others leaving this world. �I have seen us hand out 4,000 pairs of new shoes to those who needed them in our community, resurrect beloved south Orange County Christmas traditions, and start new Easter traditions. I have seen us go from a musty old building to a beautifully restored worship center. I have baptized you in freezing cold water in a little kiddie pool, and I have baptized you in an amazing new heated baptismal pool. I have seen people who didn't know each other when we started, in less than a year, be there for one other in extremely difficult times. I have seen God use ministries like Small Groups, Celebrate Recovery, Men's, Women's, and Crave, just to name a few, to connect us so that we don't just go to church on Saturday or Sunday, but we are also connected to each other's lives.�

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I have also seen our transformer blow out, and yet we continued to have full service with NO electricity. I have seen us pioneer new things never before done at Saddleback campuses, like live Saturday Night services, Crave, and Sunrise Service at Easter. I have seen amazing church events like the Nativity Lighting, Easter Lights, End of Summer BBQ, and Trunk or Treat. I have seen a Children's ministry that has gone from 60 or 70 children per weekend to over 200, and our weekend attendance from 650 to 1,300, and I WILL see 100 baptisms by the end of this year! I have seen lives changed, marriages restored, and relationships mended. I have seen talent exposed, giftedness shared, and warm invites to family, friends, co-workers and neighbors, resulting in expanded growth for our church family. I have seen strangers become family and ordinary people do extraordinary things for the kingdom...and we had a blast doing it! I get to see first-hand what it looks like to have God bless a church, and best of all, I get to see and experience it with you, my church family.�

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Not bad for 11 months! ;-)

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I love you so much, and Melanie and I want to wish ALL of you a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

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See you Saturday and Sunday!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor�

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

www.saddlebackranchocapistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

949-609-8029

Christmas Peace Boxes

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

There are people in our communities-in our own neighborhoods-who are wondering if they'll be able to give even one gift this Christmas. There are children wondering if they will be receiving anything this Christmas. The Christmas PEACE Box is a way for you to share love this Christmas.

To Learn More...click here.

For Rancho Instructions on what to do with the boxes and what to include in them....click here.

The Weekly Update!

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!

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I want to jump right into what the message was about last week. Pastor Rick taught part 1 of "Loving My Neighbor as Myself" I was wondering, do you find yourself keeping your distance from a neighbor in need, or are we really like the Samaritan, who treats our neighbor like we would like to be treated? Why do we do shoeboxes and cancel a full weekend of services, or even more specifically for our campus, why do we collect shoes for the kids in our community and build relationships with our local schools to meet the needs of the kids in our community? It is because we are a church that loves God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and we love our neighbors as we would love ourselves, and that is why God is blessing this church! We have no interest in talking about a lot of great things we should do, we just do it! If you missed last week or you would like to go over this message again please go to�www.saddleback.com�under "Archived Services."�

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Saturday Nights�are officially here!�

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I have got to tell you, I am so excited about Saturday Nights for a few reasons. This new service gives our church room to grow...and we are growing! I am also excited because it is a huge honor to be the first Saddleback campus to stream a live service feed. Friends, Saddleback Church is going around the world! We will be in places like�London,�Hong Kong, and�Tokyo! Even more locally we will have Saddlebacks in cities like�San Diego�and�L.A. that will need to stream live, and this campus is the pioneer in that frontier! Last week we had some glitches which we knew would happen. Any time you try new technology there are bound to be glitches, but our campus is the perfect place to do this. I did not have one single person complain...not one. This church gets it!! You know we are working out all the bugs and because they are getting all the kinks out now, hundreds of future Saddleback campuses will benefit from us having our�Saturday Night�services! This is such an exciting time in Saddleback Church history and we get to be right in the middle of it! It is so cool to be the pioneers who first tested this new live stream technology! Our great IT guys have been working all week researching better ways we can do this so we can continue to improve on it! If you haven't checked out the new Saturday Night service, check it out! Service starts at�5:00�so you can go to dinner right after!

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Will we get more Christmas PEACE boxes this weekend?

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YES! Boy, is this church generous! I have ordered hundreds more PEACE boxes so come pick yours up this weekend.

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What do I do with the box once it's filled?

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You can do one of two things. You can either give it to someone you know or even someone you don't know well but know they would appreciate it. Or you can bring it back for us to distribute.

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I saw the Nativity Scene going up. When is the lighting ceremony?

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Yes, the Nativity Scene is already going up and we have prepared a special lighting ceremony on Saturday, December 3^rd��at 6:30 P.M.� You do not want to miss this!

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For Good Neighbor Weekend when all the services are cancelled, is Rancho planning something for all of us to do together?

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YES! We are working out the final details now, but we will for sure have something planned that all of us can do together to let our community know we are here and we love them!

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Any super secret sneak peeks going on?

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Alrighty, here is something hot off the presses! We have been working behind the scenes for a while on something I have called the�Fullerton�project, but I can't keep it a secret any longer! In addition to our 4 Christmas Eve Services and one Christmas Day service (which will be different than the Christmas Eve message) Saddleback Rancho Capistrano, in less than a year since we started, will already start a new Saddleback plant in Fullerton!� What that looks like is we are sending one of our members, Rob Jacobs, to Fullerton to start a new Saddleback venue for the college and just post-college community. We are training Rob now and trying to build a team for him to start this new venture. Rob is an amazing friend, and he has a heart for both the city of Fullerton and the 18 to 30-something community. �Rob grew up in Fullerton, he was a teacher and an administrator for the Fullerton School District, and absolutely loves the people and the community of Fullerton!� First service will be Christmas Eve!�

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Here are some things you can start doing now to help.

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1. You can start praying that God will bless this ministry.

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2. You can pray about how you can help Rob as we send him to Fullerton.

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3. If you know anyone in or around Fullerton, or if you know students who go to Cal State Fullerton, Hope University, Biola, or�Fullerton College, you could encourage them to help start this new Saddleback venue!!

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It all starts with prayer. I have known Rob for a long time, since I went to Cal State Fullerton with him and now work with him at Saddleback, and I know he would love your encouragement and support. His email is�robj@saddleback.com� Let's let him know we are here for him, we love him, and we are praying for him!�

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Now, why are we having 5 Christmas services on Christmas weekend and another Saddleback plant in Fullerton on Christmas Eve when we ourselves haven't even been here for a whole year yet?

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This year is not even done yet and it has been AMAZING!� We have seen so much growth and life change over the past year. We have pioneered new territory for Saddleback campuses, and all the while we have created a real family community here at Rancho. It has been unbelievable and something that I am so humbled to be a part of. That being said I have no interest in sitting back and getting comfortable! We need to continue to keep the pedal to the metal, we need to dream BIG and expect God to provide miracles for our dreams. Pastor Rick said something that I will never forget for the rest of my life. He said when you have a relationship with Jesus but you don't do anything to share the great news with others, it's like telling them they can go to hell.� Friends, I have sat at enough bedsides in hospitals to know that this life is temporary, and remember, eternity is forever.� I don't want any of you wishing you could have done more to share what Christ has done for you, or invite someone to church, or serve, or get baptized. Don't wait for everything to be perfect to get in the game, because if you're waiting for your life to be perfect, nothing will get done! So that's why we do what we do. I want us to trust that Jesus can do anything, and watch him continue to do extraordinary things with us ordinary people here at Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!�

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LET'S DREAM BIG TOGETHER AND GO FOR IT!�

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I love you so much, and I can't wait to see you Sunday...and now Saturday Night too! :-)

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Rancho Capistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

The Weekly Update!

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!

What a weekend! You know when I write these mid-week messages I want to be me. I don't want to just give you information, but I want to be real and have who I am show through. I pray and ask God to be with my words, and then I start typing. As I was praying before I wrote this message I was brought to tears as I had an image of how you showed up last weekend! You came out in force for our very first�Saturday night�service. Then the next morning as it was pouring you came out strong again! In fact we broke our children's attendance record for�Sunday at 9:00, and in one week our church grew by over 300 people!! I saw so many new folks because you took the challenge to invite someone you know. It was very emotional for me to see the families walking up in the pouring rain, little kids with their little umbrellas, families huddled up together to come to church when it would have been so much easier to stay home. I saw our volunteers out there soaking wet, ushering in cars, and our Team Yes folks greeting you as you came through. This is NOT a wimpy church, that's for sure!�As�I sat here thinking of those images, I just paused in amazement all over again. Let me make this as clear as I possibly can: That will NEVER get old to me, I will NEVER get used to that, and it will ALWAYS be exciting for me to see your commitment to grow deeper in your faith with your church family! I LOVE seeing the extraordinary things God does with ordinary people!

Alrighty, let's get to what the message was about last weekend!

Pastor Rick continued our financial series "Where Best to Invest." This is actually part 5 of this financial series. I love that our church would invest 5 weekends to talk about what is concerning millions of people, including those in our church. The lessons that are being learned through this series are meant to benefit you, so please, if you miss any of these messages, go towww.saddleback.com�under "Archived Services" to get the full message. I have been going to Saddleback for 15 years and I still learned so many great lessons that I can apply from this series.

How was Saturday night?

It was AWESOME!!! We worked really hard to make�Saturday Nights�at the Ranch as special asSunday mornings�and I think we did. The entire front of the church was lit up so beautifully. When I first saw all of the lights turned on, I looked like�Chevy Chase�in Christmas Vacation after he lit up his house! :-) It really is breathtaking, and then to be a part of Saddleback history, since we are the first regional campus to stream a live feed from Lake Forest's service, was just so cool! I then had the honor of doing the first evening baptisms at Rancho and then celebrated under the lights with everybody's favorite...tacos!! The energy was just amazing. I would encourage you to come check it out if Saturday works better for you; it's got a terrific vibe!�

What is Thrive?

We had Josh "Tex" Taylor, one of our students' leaders and the mastermind behind Thrive, come up and explain it last weekend, but if you missed it Thrive is a great way for your students to have a place they can hang out after school and do homework. The cool thing is we are seeing teens who don't even come to our church come and hang out because your kids are inviting them! If you would like to see pictures of what it looks like you can go towww.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano�It's super cool. They have a big screen, XBox, and our�Lake Forest�campus just donated 15 laptops so every student can have access to a computer with free WiFi! Here is what's coming up for Thrive to put on your calendar:

Thrive is�every Tuesday�and�Thursday from 3pm - 6pm�in the students portables.�

The Thrive Kick-off Pizza Party is tomorrow�(Thursday) from 3pm - 6pm�(Everything is taken care of. Just come on by!)

Any sneak peaks of what's coming up?

Attention Saddleback Rancho Students!�

Friday, November 18^th�from 6pm - 10 pm will be the first Monthly Movie and Hang out Night! (For more information please contact Josh Taylor at�josht@saddleback.com)

South Orange�County's favorite Christmas tradition, the Nativity lighting, is almost here!�

It will be Saturday, December 3^rd�from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm at the lakeside lawn. You do not want to miss this special evening! This is a beautiful tradition, started years ago by Crystal Cathedral, and brought back last year by our amazing volunteer team. This beautiful 50 foot Nativity scene was totally restored 100% by our volunteers, and it's incredible. The night will also include Christmas cookie decorations for the kids, Christmas music, and some great fellowship!�

Good Neighbor Weekend--December 11th!

For the weekend of�December 11th�we will not have any services. Instead we will devote our time to giving back as a family to the people in our community. We already have a blueprint of what we can all do together so stay tuned more information!

Hope for the Holidays!

Don't forget we need our church to show up strong for Hope for the Holidays where we can help give some at-risk kids in our community a Thanksgiving they will never forget. This is a great partnership we have with Albertsons, the District Attorney's office, the�Orange CountySheriff's Department,�and Capistrano Unified School District. For more information please go towww.saddleback.com/hopefortheholidays�and sign up today!

We have SO much to look forward to. This is going to be a wonderful time for us as a church family. This time of year can also be very difficult for those who may not live near their family or have lost members of their family. With Thanksgiving around the corner I want to make sure that NO ONE in our church will be spending Thanksgiving alone. If you don't have a place to go for Thanksgiving please simply reply to this email and we will make sure you will not be spending this holiday season alone. If you would like to be one of our host families and invite someone in our church to spend Thanksgiving in your home, please just reply to this email letting me know you would like to be a host family. We are a church family and we are going to stick together!

I know it might be a rainy weekend, but the way you guys are I am expecting another packed house! My family ain't afraid of no rain! :-)

I love you so much!

Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Church

Rancho Capistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com�(email)

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

949-609-8029

The Weekly Update!

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Hey, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano!!

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WOW, what a weekend! Let's get right to it!

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How was Trunk or Treat?

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It was a SMASH!!! I asked you to invite someone and you did! We had over 2,000 people show up! Does this church know how to party or what! The costumes were fun and creative, the train was awesome, and the chili contest...sooo goood! I mean even the hot dogs were the best I have ever had. No joke, it was just an amazing night! The best part for me was seeing the looks on the kids' faces when they saw their church decked out and ready for them to have some fun! I had one little trunk-or-treater say, "Wow, is this for us? This is SOOOOO cool!" I also LOVED seeing so many new faces. Many of you didn't waste the opportunity to invite someone you know. You have no idea what that simple invite could mean to someone. In fact, I actually noticed an immediate impact because last Sunday there were a lot of new folks who said it was their first time at Rancho and that the message was exactly what they needed to hear! Let's keep planting those seeds, and let's experience together as a family how God blesses those seeds. I love seeing first-hand the amazing way God works!

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How do we get our Trunk or Treat family photos?

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Simply click here�to locate your picture!

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What was the message about?

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Pastor Rick continued our Financial Fitness series "The Habits for Healthy Finances." As I mentioned previously a lot of new people came out of the service blown away on how timely this message was, but it was not just the new folks. I have been coming to Saddleback for 16 years, and I also have gotten so much out of this series including this past message. If you could not make it to church you can go to�www.saddleback.com�under "Archived Services" for the entire message.

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What else happened last weekend?

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Before the end of this year, I wanted to give you all something special to recap our first year together, highlighting all of us as a family. I wanted something that spoke about who we are and also give those who are new or thinking of checking us out an idea of who we are as well.

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To view this video simply click this link �http://vimeo.com/31508899�and enjoy this is for you!

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I know some of you have wanted to invite someone you know to church but not sure how to approach them. If you are a little nervous about approaching someone to invite to church, this video may make it easier for you. In fact, I think it would be really cool to share this link on your facebook page or email someone you have been thinking of inviting to church. When you see this, remember that it hasn't even been a year yet. We're just getting warmed up, and there is still so much we have ahead of us in 2011. We will start 2012 off with a BANG with the 40 Days in the Word campaign! I am so humbled I get to be a part of this church. It's so awesome!

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You know if I had to pick one thing I have been asked the most about since we started almost a year ago, I would have to say it would be when are we starting Saturday night services? Well, the wait is finally over!!!

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Beginning this Saturday night, Saddleback Rancho Capistrano will have its very first Saturday night service!�

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When you come to the Saddleback Rancho Capistrano property, it is so hard to describe how amazing it is. It's one of those things you just have to see to experience. Well, at night time you really can't get to see much because it gets pretty dark. Well, for those of you who attended Trunk or Treat, you got a sneak peek of what we have planned to make Night Time at the Ranch something you just have to see to believe. The reason I say if you attended Trunk or Treat you got a sneak peek is because last weekend we hadn't quite had it all finished yet. I am excited to tell you that this Saturday we will be all ready for you to see what we have been working on to make Night Time at the Ranch something special!

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Since this will be our first Saturday night service we want to celebrate this historic event in true Rancho style...we're going to party! That's right, immediately after the service we are going to have dinner together in front of the worship center under the lights with our church family. It's going to be a blast!

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Services begin THIS Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and going forward will be every Saturday at 5:00 p.m.!

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CLASS 201 is THIS Sunday!�

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This class will give you amazing tools to grow in your faith! If you have not taken this Class yet this Sunday will be the perfect time! To register for CLASS 201 simply go to�www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano�and register today!

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Baptisms!

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We will continue to offer baptisms after every service including Saturday nights, so if you have accepted Jesus into your heart but have yet to be baptized, what are you waiting for! Let's do it this Saturday night at our first Saturday service! I said in January we will baptize 100 people, and I am not even close to backing down from that goal!�

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I love you and can't wait for this weekend!

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Pastor James

Campus Pastor

Saddleback Church Rancho Capistrano

pastorjames@saddleback.com

www.saddleback.com/ranchocapistrano

949-609-8029