Over the years at Coastal the ministry that we have been most consistently involved in is the Crisis Ministries Homeless Shelter. For several years we have been buying, preparing, and serving the meal on the first Tuesday of every even month. We have also added other nights to our “standing date.” Small Groups, the Youth Group, and probably most of the church at one time or another has served at Crisis Ministries. We have donated clothing, supplies, Easter Baskets, Christmas toys, and food. We have even picked up children and brought them to our VBS. To make it easier to serve at the shelter, Crisis Ministry has added an online calendar to their website. We will no longer have the first Tuesday of every even month as our “standing date.” The reality is that while we never missed a date, sometimes another time would be more convenient. So here’s the challenge Coastal – let’s continue to sign up and serve at the shelter and do it more often. Now you can go on their calendar yourself and pick a date convenient for you, your family and friends, and your small group. If you have any questions, please contact Tom Macklin. He leads this ministry at Coastal.

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:37, 40

We literally need thousands of these – candy filled Easter Eggs! Bring them to church this Sunday. Immediately after our second service on Easter Sunday, April 8th, we will have our annual Easter Egg Hunt. We jokingly call it our Easter Egg Gathering because our entire front lawn will be covered with eggs. At the appointed time we sound the alarm and then release the kids. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes, but it’s a lot of fun.

Wow – this “Freak of the Week” segment really went over big last week (my mom got 6 comments). If you’ve not followed my blog, then let me update you. The “Freak of the Week” designation goes to someone of my choosing who is serving here at Coastal. It’s a chance to give props to our volunteers, to highlight someone who knocks it out of the park!

What a busy weekend it’s been! Saturday I met with Cindy Tighe to go over her mom’s funeral and get some pictures to scan and put together for a presentation at her funeral. It’s going to be quite a service – crying and laughing and worship. Then Jeremiah and I went over to the Oakland Elementary School Carnival to volunteer a couple of hours. Golf & Popcorn were our booths. It was actually a good opportunity to invite people to Coastal. Then I continued to work on the presentation and go over my message for Sunday.

Well, here goes! My first official Freak of the Week goes to………drum roll please……….my mom! I know, I know, but hear me out. Twice a month on Friday night from 7-10PM, my mom, who is 61 by the way (sorry mom), comes and hangs out with 10-20+ Jr. & Sr. High Students for Friday Night Bash. She helps with the food, plays cards, and can dance with the best of them on Dance Revolution! She’s known around here as Miss Nancy. She also leads our 1st Impression Team and over the years has served in just about every area imaginable. If you’re new to Coastal she probably handed you a bulletin or loved your babies in the Nursery. So here’s to you mom – thanks for your servant heart. I am the servant leader I am today partly because of you. (There’s a little bit of ‘Momma’s Boy’ in every son.)

Seven words. One question. One response that changed the course of a family, friends, and generations to come. Cindy Tighe started coming to Coastal a little over a year after our beginning – almost 16 years ago. She was a recently divorced single mom searching for something more to life. What she found was a family. What she found was her way back to God.

Kids are important at Coastal! Our Children’s Ministry is called Promiseland and it is one of the priorities of our church. It is a priority in time, effort, money, creativity, and resources. As we continue to grow as a church and make plans for the future, our Children’s Ministry must continue to grow and change with us. Well, this Sunday immediately after church we are having a lunch and meeting for all our Promiseland volunteers. If you are in this ministry and not working, in the hospital, or home vomiting – you need to be there! If you can’t be there for one of those reasons (or other acceptable reason), make sure you contact Janet. Even tonight in my Small Group, someone commented on what a difference our Children’s Ministry had made in the lives of their children. For those of you who already serve in this Ministry – keep up the great work! What you do is of eternal significance! Let’s continue to improve and grow together. For those of you reading this who are not involved in this Ministry because you think you’re not needed and you don’t teach – think again. Talk to Janet and let her share our vision for Promiseland and all the ways you can volunteer without teaching. You ARE needed! The greatest window of opportunity we have to make an eternal difference in someone’s life is when they are a kid. If we really believe that, then help us make that a reality. One way you can serve this Sunday is helping with childcare during the meeting. If you’d be willing to serve in that way, give me a call. See you Sunday!

Well, it’s Sunday night, the kids are at WAVES and I’m relaxing with my laptop. I married an awesome woman (no – not my laptop)! We came home from church and I forgot a few things and Janet said, “You stay home and relax, I’ll go get them.” And then when it was time to take the Lydia and Christopher back to church for WAVES, Janet said, “Why don’t you just stay home and relax, I’ll take them.” Weekends are busy for me, Sunday is very draining, but it is for my wife as well. She takes care of our family, teaches our kids, leads worship, leads Promiseland, but she still looks out for me. I am a blessed man. I definitely married “up.”

I know it’s been a few days since my last post, but it’s been kind of a hectic week. Just the regular stuff, but when I know I’m going to be out of town, even for a day, I’m usually scrambling around to make sure I don’t get too behind. Anybody else like that? Or is it just me?

Let me just say it up front – I hate Time Change Sunday – especially “Spring Forward.” In fact, I’m probably speaking for all Pastors when I say that. Typically it’s one of our lowest attendance days and today was no exception for Coastal. Truthfully, that just bugs the crap out of me! We are such a spoiled culture and church here in America. “Oh no, I lose an hour of sleep. I can’t make it to my church.” Or, “Oh, it’s time change Sunday – I forgot. I didn’t hear or see all the announcements in the bulletin or at the end of the service for 3 weeks straight. I didn’t see the reminder in my email, in the paper, or the local news. Never mind that the Son of God died on the cross for my sin, an hour less of sleep is just too big a sacrifice and too confusing for me to figure out.” When we got home I told Janet that next year we ought to advertise – “Time Change – Not at Coastal!” and then just have our service at 11:30AM instead of 10:30AM. She didn’t think it would work. Okay, okay enough of my rant.