Monthly Archives

February 2017

Friday’s Five – 2-24-27

Dear Coastal,

We had a great start to our new series called, “UNITED WE STAND” this past Sunday!  4 people indicated on their Connect Card that they had given their life to Christ!  That’s 4 new lights to turn on!  4 people who crossed over from death to life!  4 people who once were lost, but now have been found!

My message this past Sunday was about how we can be the answer to Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17.  We talked about what unites us and how as Ambassadors for Christ have a deeper loyalty and a higher calling than any causes of this world.  We talked about how the true litmus test for being a follower of Jesus is not how you vote, but how we love one another.  This Sunday we’re going to narrow our focus a bit and talk about UNITY in our homes.  Because before unity can work out in the world, it’s got to work in our homes.  It’s got to work in our marriages and in our families.

This past Sunday, I also announced our church wide 40 Day period of Fasting & Prayer leading up to Easter Sunday.  The fast will begin this coming Wednesday, March 1st and continue until Sunday, April 9th, Palm Sunday, the week before Easter.  Jesus said, “When you fast . . .”  In other words, Jesus meant for fasting to be a regular part of the Christian lifestyle.  Fasting is simply denying yourself something physical for a set period of time for the spiritual purpose of focusing on prayer, the Word, and your relationship with God.  In fact Jesus said that God will reward you when you fast.  That’s a promise straight from the mouth of Jesus!  How will He reward you?  I don’t know, but I know He will.  Typically, for me, He rewards me with clarity on next steps, wisdom for decisions, breaking strongholds in my life, or simply a closer walk with Him.

So here’s the challenge:  Participate with your church family in an Easter fast.  From March 1st to Palm Sunday, Apirl 9th, choose something in your life that you can give up.  And when that thing comes to mind, use that as a little reminder to pray or read your Bible or memorize scripture.

What do you choose to fast?  Well, it’s different for different people.  It might be some form of technology or social media that seems to have control over you.  It could be television.  It might be some specific type of food – sugar, caffeine, sodas, meat, etc.  It could be drinking or smoking.  It could be time – where you get up earlier each day for 40 days and have a quiet time.  You pray.  You decide.  Read through Matthew 6:16-18.  Don’t make a big deal or a fuss about it.  Don’t post it on Facebook.

You can sign up on the back of your Connect Card on Sunday to let me know you plan on participating.  If you feel comfortable doing so, you can even share what you plan on fasting.  All this information will be kept private.  We’ll simply add you to an email group for a specific weekly encouragement.

I really feel that this will be an exciting time of spiritual growth for our church as we move into the Spring and prepare for Easter Sunday.  Pray for me, our staff, our leaders, and our volunteers.  Pray for Easter Sunday and everyone that will be invited.  Keep praying for your ONE!  Pray for our mailing that goes out the week before Easter.  Pray that as a church we stay focused on our mission, that we listen & obey the voice of God, that we walk by faith and trust Him.

Friday’s 5:

  1. There is a WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) House Party TONIGHT, February 24th at the Carolina Ice Palace!  Meet at the church at 8pm.  They will take a bus to the Ice Rink and skate from 9pm-11pm.  Cost $5.  Invite and bring your friends!
  2. There is a Security Team Meeting tomorrow morning, this Saturday, February 25th, at 9am in the new building (setting up chairs first).  This meeting is for all current team members and for those interested in serving.
  3. New to Coastal?  Want to learn more about the church and find out how to get connected?  Join us for  the next Newcomer’s Reception, Sunday, March 26th, immediately following the 11:15am service in the Welcome Center.  Meet other new people and our staff, enjoy a slice of pizza, and discover possible next steps.  Sign up online or on your Connect Card on Sunday.
  4. Interested in offically making Coastal your church home?  Our next Membership Class is Saturday, April 1st (no fooling), 9am-12noon.  Childcare and refreshments provided.  Sign up online or on your Connect Card on Sunday.
  5. SAVE THE DATE:  June 19th-23rd – Student Life Camp (6th-12th Grade) in Myrtle Beach, SC!  Cost: $250.  10% off of your total cost if you register by 3/15.  Deposit of $125 due by 4/16.

UNITED WE STAND!

Pastor Chris

P.S.  Go ahead and mark your calendar now, Coastal’s week of VBS will be July 17th-21st, 6pm-8pm!  This year’s theme is, “Maker Fun Factory – Created by God, Built for a Purpose!”  See Janet Rollins if you’re interested in serving – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!

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Friday’s Five – 2-17-17

Dear Coastal,

I hope you’re excited about the kickoff to our new series this weekend called, “UNITED WE STAND.”  The series is all about unity.  It could not come at a more needed time!  Use that to your advantage!  Leverage what’s happening in our world today for Kingdom purposes.  We mailed out a large postcard invitation for this series and already had several people come to church last Sunday because they received the card.  Do whatever it takes and get your friends to church this week!  Make that phone call, send those emails and social media invitations.  You never know the power and impact of a simple invitation!  I’ve been praying specifically this week for your ONE!  Don’t forget – each ONE of us, praying ONCE a day, for ONE minute, at ONEpm for ONE person – the power of ONE!

On Sunday, please do your part and park over in the school parking lot – as far away as possible to make room for guests.  Warmly welcome and greet everyone.  Go out of your way to be helpful.  If you’re serving, come early and be prepared.  Fill out a Connect Card.  Sit toward the front and center of each section of chairs.

Woohoo – LIFE Groups started this past week!  And from all reports so far, it’s been an awesome kickoff for this semester of LIFE Groups! If you didn’t make a Group this week, there is still plenty of time to sign up. Remember there are 3 different ways to sign up, but you only have to sign up one way, one time.  You can sign up any time online, on your Connect Card on Sunday, or at the LIFE Group Sign-Up Tables at the back of our auditorium on Sunday.  Right now we have well over 300 adults in LIFE Groups!

Friday’s 5:

  1. Join our entire church for a 40 Day period of Fasting & Prayer leading up to Easter Sunday.  The fast will begin Wednesday, March 1st and continue until Sunday, April 9th, Palm Sunday, the week before Easter.  Begin praying and thinking now about what you will choose to fast.
  2. There is a WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) House Party on Friday, February 24th at the Carolina Ice Palace!  Meet at the church at 8pm.  We will take a bus to the Ice Rink and skate from 9pm-11pm.  Cost $5.  Invite and bring your friends!
  3. There is a Security Team Meeting on Saturday, February 25th, at 9am in the new building.  This meeting is for all current team members and for those interested in serving.
  4. New to Coastal?  Want to learn more about the church and find out how to get connected?  Join us for  the next Newcomer’s Reception, Sunday, March 26th, immediately following the 11:15am service in the Welcome Center.  Meet other new people and our staff, enjoy a slice of pizza, and discover possible next steps.  Sign up online or on your Connect Card on Sunday.
  5. Go ahead and mark your calendar now, Coastal’s week of VBS will be July 17th-21st, 6pm-8pm!  This year’s theme is, “Maker Fun Factory – Created by God, Built for a Purpose!”  See Janet Rollins if you’re interested in serving – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!

UNITED WE STAND!

Pastor Chris

P.S.  We could have used a few more people this past Saturday for Chair Set-Up!  Chair Set-Up is every Saturday morning at 9am in our new building.  With 6 or more people, it only takes 30 minutes or less!  If you’ve never done it before, join us tomorrow!  It’s a great way to serve God, by serving others!

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Friday’s Five – 2-10-17

Dear Coastal,

Wow – taIk about an AWESOME Superbowl Sunday!  And I’m not even talking about the football game!  I’m talking about the fact that last Sunday we Baptized 9 people and 1 more person gave their life to Christ which means that we now have 22 of our 52 lights already lit up on our ONE sign and it’s just February!  In fact, we’ve moved over to the “N” on the sign!  Maybe my faith goal was too small!  Coastal we are a part of an amazing move of God in our community!  And we are just getting started!

This Sunday is our last week of our “I Will” series and then on Sunday, February 19th (Presidents Weekend), we kick off a new series called, “UNITED WE STAND.”  The series is all about unity – unity in our home, in the church, and in our community.  We’ll be mailing out a large postcard invitation to all of West Ashley, Johns Island, & James Island (let me know when and if you get yours).  I really feel like that with what’s happening in our world today this is going to be a powerful and much needed series.  As always, invite & bring your friends and pray for your ONE!  We’ll have an extra postcard in your bulletin this Sunday for you to give away.

This coming Tuesday is Valentine’s Day!  I know a lot of people are pretty down on Valentine’s Day, calling it either “Single Awareness Day” or just another corporate, made up holiday for Hallmark, candy companies and florists to make a lot of money.  However, for me, it holds a special place in my heart.  Valentine’s Day was mine and Janet’s very first date!  I told her I loved her on that first date!  And then, we got married the next Valentine’s Day!  This Valentine’s Day will be our 30th Wedding Anninversary!  It’s hard to believe 30 years have come and gone – it all goes by so quickly!

While romance, cards, flowers, and special occasions are all fun and exciting, real love is so much more.  Love is a commitment, a decision to treat someone better than you want to be treated, regardless of how you feel and regardless of how they respond.  It’s the little things, done consistently, over time that build a relationship.  And the power and the strength to do that every day and over the long haul has to come from somewhere other than yourself.  It only comes from God.  And when both husband and wife are growing in their walk with God and loving each other sacrificially through His strength, it is a beautiful and special thing!  If you have that, thank the Lord, thank your spouse, keep it up and remain faithful.  If you’re single, don’t settle for anything less!  If you’re married and you don’t have what I’m talking about, pray, seek Godly counsel, and remember, the only thing you can change is yourself.  You can still practice Godly, sacrificial love.  It’s not dependent on their response or your feelings.  Godly, sacrificial love is the fertile soil in which miracles grow!

Janet, thank you for the best 30 years of my life!  Sometimes it’s hard to remember my life without you in it.  You make loving you so easy and natural and fun and exciting!  If God allows it, I look forward to the next 30 years and every day in between with YOU!  Happy Early Anniversary and Happy Early Valentines Day!

Friday’s 5:

  1. LIFE Groups start this coming week!  But there is still plenty of time to sign up.  Remember there are 3 different ways to sign up, but you only have to sign up one way, one time.  You can sign up any time online, on your Connect Card on Sunday, or at the LIFE Group Sign-Up Tables at the back of our auditorium on Sunday.  Right now we have over 300 adults in LIFE Groups!
  2. Unless otherwise noted, don’t forget that Chair Set-Up is every Saturday morning at 9am in our new building.  With 6 or more people, it only takes 30 minutes or less and it’s a great exercise and believe it or not it’s great fun!
  3. Looking for a place to serve at Coastal and are available on Monday Mornings?  Consider joining the Monday Morning Follow-Up Team!  Each Monday morning, 9am-11am, we have a group of volunteers who help us follow up with all of our guests from Sunday.  They also help with a variety of administrative tasks.    Snacks, coffee, and childcare provided.  Respond to this email or contact Ashley Hojnacki directly at ashley@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
  4. There is a WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) House Party on Friday, February 24th at the Carolina Ice Palace!  Meet at the church at 8pm.  We will take a bus to the Ice Rink and skate from 9pm-11pm.  Cost $5.  Invite and bring your friends!
  5. There is a Security Team Meeting on Saturday, February 25th, at 9am in the new building.  This meeting is for all current team members and for those interested in serving.

I Will!

Pastor Chris

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Friday’s Five – 2-3-17

Dear Coastal,

I can’t say enough good things about LIFE Group Sunday this past Sunday at Coastal!  All of our LIFE Group Leaders did such an awesome job of creatively promoting their Groups.  And most importantly, a ton of people signed up for a Group.  In fact, right now over 250 people have already signed up for a Group!

Our LIFE Groups start the week of February 12th (not this coming week, but the following week), so you still have plenty of time to sign up.  Remember there are 3 different ways to sign up, but you only have to sign up one way, one time.  You can sign up any time online, on your Connect Card on Sunday, or at the LIFE Group Sign-Up Tables at the back of our auditorium on Sunday.

Please begin praying for our, “UNITED We Stand” sermon series that we’ll be kicking off on Sunday, February 19th (Presidents Weekend).  We’re going to be talking about the importance of unity – unity in our home, in the church, and in our community.  We’ll be mailing out a large postcard invitation to all of West Ashley, Johns Island, & James Island.  I really feel like that with what’s happening in our world today this is going to be a powerful and much needed series.  As always, invite & bring your friends and pray for your ONE!

Friday’s 5:

  1. WOOHOO!  We’re having a Baptism Service this Sunday, February 5th in both services!  If you’ve given your life to Jesus, this is your next step – going public with your faith through Baptism!  Or, maybe you’ve never been Baptized by immersion in the example of Jesus.  If you haven’t already signed up and you’d like to participate and be Baptized this Sunday, please respond to this email!
  2. Have a heart for people and are comfortable praying with people?  Then maybe you would be interested in serving on our Sunday morning Prayer/Decision Team.  Each week, during each service we have people who either make decisions or would like for someone to pray with them.  Respond to this email or contact Billy Burnett at billy.burnett@grsi.com.
  3. Looking for a place to serve at Coastal and are available on Monday Mornings?  Consider joining the Monday Morning Follow-Up Team!  Each Monday morning, 9am-11am, we have a group of volunteers who help us follow up with all of our guests from Sunday.  They also help with a variety of administrative tasks.    Snacks, coffee, and childcare provided.  Respond to this email or contact Ashley Hojnacki directly at ashley@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
  4. There have been some exciting changes in our WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) this semester!  They’ve moved their main weekly gathering (6.2.SIX) from the old auditorium to the new auditorium.  And begining this coming Wednesday night (6pm-8:15pm) they will have a full band leading them in worship every week!  This is an intentional investment that we’re making in our Students!  Do everything in your power to get your Student and his/her friends there!
  5. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you download our church’s app – it’s FREE!  Just go to your app store and search for Coastal Community Church of Charleston or Coastal CC and look for our logo.  Make sure you allow for push notifications.  It’s a great tool to keep up with all things Coastal (upcoming events, Friday’s 5, announcements) and listen to our weekly messages.  (The first two people who respond to this email will receive a $5 Starbucks Gift Card – just checking to see who reads this to the end!)

I Will!

Pastor Chris

P.S.  Give TEXT Giving a try!  It’s simple, safe, and secure.  Text any amount to 843-277-8337.  After a quick sign up process, it’s a great way to give any time, any place, any amount as God blesses.  Try it today!

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Online Connect Card

  • If this is your 1st or 2nd time joining us, we'd love to mail you a little more information about Coastal along with a thank you for tuning in today.