Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour – “spring forward” – on Saturday night, March 8th!

Attention Coastal Women:  Don’t miss out on one of this semester’s most exciting Groups – our Yoga Group!  Each week, the group has averaged around 30 women of different skill level and experience – from 1st time beginner to seasoned veteran.  Bring a towel or mat.  Enjoy the fellowship, the prayer time, and the exercise!  Feel free to invite and bring a friend!  See Lori Huff, Tracy Gundy, or Jennifer Smith for more information.

Dear Coastal,

Make sure you check out our new website!  Our old website, though nice & effecient, was just that – a little old.  It was time for an update.  The new website is brighter & cleaner with a few new features and the potential to add others that we will need.  There are also several “behind the scenes” features that you wouldn’t notice.  It’s more secure.  It’s a WordPress site which makes the CMS (content management system) more manageable.  And yes, don’t worry, we will be adding more up to date pictures of our people and events.  That simply takes time.

This Sunday, March 2nd, we kick off a new series called, “Hello, My Name Is.”  We’re going to be looking at some of the lesser known characters in the Bible and how their stories intersect with ours and what their lives can teach us.

We’re going to kick off the series with something called, “Nametag Sunday.”  As you come into the service this week, there will be tables with sharpies and nametags!  We’re asking everyone to please wear a nametag!  It will be a fun way to kick off the series and a great way to invite your friends – because everyone is going to feel like a guest!  And who knows?  You might just meet someone new and remember their name!  So pray – invite – bring!

Here are 5 more things I want you to know about:

1. Our Children’s Director, Janet Rollins, is putting together a VBS Planning Team!  If you are interested in helping to plan and organize VBS this year, shoot Janet an email and let her know – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!
2. Parking!  One of the growing pains of a growing church is parking.  Very soon, instead of just greeting people, our 1st Impressions people in the parking lot (large field) will actually be directing traffic.  I need you to help the process by doing a couple of things.  One, follow their direction.  Two, please start parking along the tree line in the large field or over at Oakland Elementary School.  No on at Coastal has “their spot.”  We gladly, willingly give up our spots to make room for others.
3. Prayerfully consider making a contribution to your “All In” Campaign commitment on Easter Sunday!  If you are new to Coastal and would like more information about our New Building Campaign, check the box on the back of your Connect Card or respond to this email.
4. Attention all Students & Parents of Students:  Deposits ($100) for Student Llife Summer Camp are due this Sunday!  Camp dates are June 16-20 at Wake Forest University.  See Pastor Scott for more information.
5. The Peru Summer Mission Trip (June 21-28) deposit ($500) is due this Sunday!  If you don’t have the deposit or are new, but interested in going, please see Pastor Scott for more information.

Have a great weekend!  See you and your friends on Sunday!

Always & Forever All In!

Pastor Chris

One of Coastal’s longstanding LIFE Groups has been my Wednesday morning Men’s Group.  It is always one of my favorite groups and a great way to start the day!  We meet before work for just under an hour.  We read through a book of the Bible, discuss it, and apply it to our lives.  We drink coffee and eat biscuits.  We pray together.  We laugh together – a lot!  We answer 2 questions:  How are you doing?  How can we pray for you?  Iron sharpens iron in this group!  We’d love for you to join us!

Dear Coastal,

One of the marks of a growing, thriving church is change.  There are several changes coming for Coastal I want you to know about.  Some of those changes are small; some are big.  One small change coming is our new sign out front.  The previous sign was destroyed and replaced with a temporary banner.  Our new sign should be ready in about a week. It will be a simple, clean, contemporary look.

Sometime this Spring, we will be going to electronic child check-in for our Sunday morning Children’s Ministry.  Parents will be assigned a number and given a key card that they will swipe and their child’s sticker will be printed.  It is a faster, more efficient way of checking in our children.

Another change in March is really more of an addition.  We will be adding another option for giving to Coastal – texting.  After a very simple one step sign up process, anyone with a smart phone will be able to text any amount, any time, any where, and give to Coastal.  It is simple, safe, and secure.  It is not tied to your phone bill.  It is connected to your Bank/Credit/Debit card that you register.  It’s just another way to make it convenient for people to worship God through their giving.

Probably one of the biggest ways that people find and come to Coastal is through our website.  For a church our size, we have a pretty decent website.  However, we felt like it was time for a change.  Our current website was looking a little dark and dated, so we decided to give it an overhaul.  Look for the unveiling in about a week.

Wow!  Lots of exciting changes!  And those don’t even include our new building and our search for a new Worship Pastor.  Healthy things grow and growth means change.  I’m just excited to be a part of a church that values and embraces change as an asset and not a liability.

On Sunday, March 2nd, we kick off a new series called, “Hello, My Name Is.”  We’re going to be looking at some of the lesser known characters in the Bible and how their stories intersect with ours and what their lives can teach us.

We’re going to kick off the series with something called, “Nametag Sunday.”  I don’t know about you, but we have so many new people each and every week that I have a hard time remembering everyone’s name.  Well, instead of asking only guests to wear Nametags, everyone is going to wear one!  It will be a fun way to kick off the series and a great way to invite your friends – because everyone is going to feel like a guest!  And who knows?  You might just meet someone new and remember their name!  Sunday, March 2nd, start praying and inviting!

Here are 5 more things I want you to know about:

1. Our Children’s Director, Janet Rollins, is putting together a VBS Planning Team!  If you are interested in helping to plan and organize VBS this year, shoot Janet an email and let her know – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!
2. Interested in joining Coastal’s Security Team?  Simply respond to this email or check the box on your Connect Card on Sunday.
3. Prayerfully consider making a contribution to your “All In” Campaign commitment on Easter Sunday!  If you are new to Coastal and would like more information about our New Building Campaign, check the box on the back of your Connect Card or respond to this email.
4. We are forming a new team to help serve, host, and clean up at our Newcomer’s Lunches (approx. 6 times a year). If you are interested, please respond to this email or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
5. Is Social Media – facebook, twitter, instagram – a part of your everyday life?  If the answer is yes, make sure you friend, follow, or add Coastal.  Coastal’s facebook.  Coastal’s twitter.  Coastal’s instagram (brand new).

Have a great weekend!  See you and your friends on Sunday!

Always & Forever All In!

(and yes, make sure you friend)Pastor Chris

This Sunday, February 23rd, Pastor Scott Huff, our Pastor of Student Ministries, will be delivering the message.  Pastor Scott will be closing out our “Collide” series with a message on the Parable of the Talents.  Read Matthew 25:14-30 to be better prepared.

Today is mine and Janet’s 27th Wedding Anniversary!  Our first date was on Valentine’s Day and we got married the next Valentine’s Day!  Janet is the only woman I’ve ever kissed.  So yes, I am a romantic and I love Valentine’s Day.  I told someone to “Have a Happy Valentine’s Day” this week and she snapped back, “You mean, ‘Happy Single Awareness Day’?”  I responded, “Wow!  Well after you feed your cats, mabye you can go out with some friends.”  I told someone else the same thing and got a lecture on a Hallmark/Flower Industry conspiracy.  Another married woman told me, “I told my husband, ‘You better not get me flowers or chocolate on Valentine’s Day!  I don’t want that stuff unless you do it all year long.'”

Okay I get it.  Not everyone feels the same way about Valentine’s Day that I do.  By the way, romance has very little to do with expensive candlelight dinners, flowers, or chocolates.  Romance is simply choosing to love someone exactly the way they need to be loved, expecting nothing in return.  It’s the little things, done consistently, over time.  It’s willingly sacrificing your needs for someone else.  And when you find someone who will do that with you – there’s nothing better.

If that’s the real definition of romance – then in many ways, God is the Great Romantic.  He knows exactly the way each of needs to be loved and He chooses to love us that way, expecting nothing in return.  He does the little things, consistently, over time.  Thank God today for His great love and ask Him to help you to be a better lover!

Don’t forget about the new series we’re kicking off on Sunday, March 2nd called, “Hello, My Name Is.”  We’re going to be looking at some of the lesser known characters in the Bible and how their stories intersect with ours and what their lives can teach us.  We’re going to kick off the series with something called, “Name Tag Sunday.”  I don’t know about you, but we have so many new people each and every week that I have a hard time remembering everyone’s name.  Well, instead of asking only guests to wear Name Tags, everyone is going to wear one!  It will be a fun way to kick off the series and a great way to invite your friends – because everyone is going to feel like a guest!  And who knows?  You might just meet someone new and remember their name!  Sunday, March 2nd, start praying and inviting!

Here are 5 more things I want you to know about:

1. Our Children’s Director, Janet Rollins, is putting together a VBS Planning Team!  If you are intersted in helping to plan and organize VBS this year, shoot Janet an email and let her know – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!
2. Our very own Pastor Scott Huff is now a published author!  He is a contributing author to “All Time Verses” a 90 Day Devotional Guide for Students (or adults).  The books are $12.  All proceeds from shirt sales help kids go to Summer Camp.  You can purchase them in the Welcome Center on Sunday.
3. Prayerfully consider making a contribution to your “All In” Campaign commitment on Easter Sunday!  If you are new to Coastal and would like more information about our New Building Campaign, check the box on the back of your Connect Card or respond to this email.
4. We are forming a new team to help serve, host, and clean up at our Newcomer’s Lunches.  If you are interested, please sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
5. Need Counseling or know someone who does?  Coastal provides affordable (donations only), professional, Christian Counseling through the Counseling Ministry of Kenny Hahn.  Contact him directly at 843-732-0245 or visit his website at burdenbearersccm.org for more intormation.

Have a great weekend!  See you and your friends on Sunday!

Always & Forever All In!

Pastor Chris