I love our volunteers here at Coastal – I do!  I love that people value serving here and that anyone can get involved.  I truly believe we have some of the best volunteers any church could imagine.  I believe that we have done a great job of both elevating the value of volunteering here at Coastal and valuing our volunteers.

Now over the years at Coastal, I’ve preached a lot of messages about serving.  We’ve had countless Ministry Fairs where we transformed our building into a Ministry Expo, where we highlight each and every ministry of our church with a booth and challenge you to find a place to serve and volunteer.  I’ve preached entire sermon series on serving, spiritual gifts, and plugging into ministry.

Now while I believe that we as a church have to constantly improve our systems in helping people take next steps in their spiritual journey, I don’t think the reason more people don’t serve in ministry or volunteer is because they didn’t go to a ministry fair.  I don’t think the reason more people don’t serve in ministry or volunteer is because they haven’t taken a spiritual gift assessment or personality test.  

I think the reason we have a high number of committed volunteers here at Coastal is two-fold.  People will serve when they fall more deeply in love with Jesus.  Service is an outflow of a love relationship with Jesus.  We serve because of our devotion to Jesus.  Sometimes, the danger of a sermon on serving and volunteering is that you can either feel guilty for not doing more or you can run like crazy into multiple ministries.  The key is to grow in your love for Jesus and when you do, you’ll understand who He has made you to be and then you’ll WANT to serve Him by serving others.  We don’t want to guilt you into serving or giving.  Instead we want to GRACE you into it, because of all that He has done for you.  You are loved more than you can imagine;  you are treasured more than you know, because you matter to God.  Let His love for you become the motivation for your serving and giving.

Here’s the other reason I believe we produce a lot of committed volunteers here.  We consistently teach that the Christian life is fundamentally a life of servanthood.  That’s our primary position – servant.  Jesus is our Master and we are His servants.  Whatever He says goes.  In our world where we are the center of the universe and everything revolves around me and my needs, we have to continually remind ourselves that we serve God by serving others, by putting others ahead of ourselves.  And even in the modern church where we have created a culture of finding a church that offers the best and the most and “I didn’t get anything out of that service” and “I’m burned out” and “I’m too busy” and “I’ve served my time,” somewhere in all of that we have forgotten that we are here to glorify God, reach out to people who are far from Him, and to be a servant to all.  It’s not about me and you.  It’s about Him.  Matthew 20:26-28, “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”   

We talk about life all the time here.  We exist to share and experience what?  The LIFE and LOVE of Jesus.  Jesus came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly.  Well, Jesus said something very interesting about LIFE in Luke 9:23-25, “Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me.  If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.  And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?”  Jesus is saying that we find our lives not by focusing on ourselves, but by giving away our lives for the sake of Jesus.

The month of August, as we move into the Fall and make plans to move into our new facility, we’ll be focusing on finding a place to serve in the family here at Coastal.  It’s real simple.  If you call Coastal your home, ask yourself this question – what is my ministry and where am I serving on Sunday mornings?  My wife Janet has a goal to see 40 new volunteers this year in Coastal Kidz.  Maybe that’s your ministry.  If so, either respond to this email or reach out to Janet directly and let her know that you’re in – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org or 843-442-8299.  But maybe it’s 1st Impressions, or our Cafe, or the Security Team, or the Tech Booth, or countless other opportunities.  This Sunday, stop by the LIFE Team Tables, check out all the different opportunities to serve, and sign up!  

In His Service & Yours!
Pastor Chris 

1. Help provide school supplies for the families in the Ardmore/Sherwood Forrest neighborhoods!  Collect supplies from the list in your bulletin (or on our Social Media posts) and then drop them off at the Coastal Outreach Box Truck before any service THIS SUNDAY, August 1st or next Sunday, August 8th.  Supplies will then be distributed at the PINK House Tailgate on Saturday, August 14th!
2. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   Tricounty Family Ministries –  We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, August 4th, 9am-1pm.  Meet at: 2105 Cosgrove Ave. North Charleston.
   Saturday Serve –  The foundation of all of our serving opportunities at Coastal really starts with Saturday Serve – the first Saturday of every month.  The next Saturday Serve is Saturday, August 7th.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!  Make plans NOW to be there!
   Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, August 10th, 8am-1pm.
   PINK House –  The PINK House is a community center in the Ardmore subdivision in West Ashley.  We are going to be putting on a community Tailgate Party, Clothing Distribution, & BACK TO SCHOOL BASH, Saturday, August 14th, 10am-1pm. 
   If you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up now on our website.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
3. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Monday night, August 9th, 6-8:30pm. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
4. Our Annual BEACH BAPTISM out at Folly Beach County Park is Sunday, August 8th, at 5pm.  You can sign up for it on our website.  The only requirement for Baptism is that you have personally given your life to Jesus.  Baptism is a public profession of your faith.  At Coastal we call it “going public,” and it’s a great celebration!  It beautifully illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  If you’re unable to participate in our Beach Baptism, remember at Coastal we’re ready for you to get Baptized any service, any Sunday.  If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email or sign up on our website.  
5. If you haven’t already seen it, make sure you check out our WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) Summer Calendar.  They have a ton of events, activities, and service projects all summer!  There is a River Dogs Game TONIGHT, July 30th (be at the church at 6pm to catch the bus to the game)!  On Wednesday, August 4th, 6pm at the church there is a Guys/Girls Night!  Friday, August 6th, Frankie’s Fun Park (leave from the church at 6pm)! Go to our website, their Instagram page, or reach out to Ryan Spell for all the details. Oh and by the way, all the events are FREE!!  Bring your Student and invite a friend!
   
   P.S. Right now, we are in the process of planning out our Fall Semester of LIFE Groups!  If you are interested in possibly leading, assisting, or hosting a LIFE Group (in person or online), please sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday or respond to this email.  If you have any questions you can also reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.  

I’M BACK!  Janet and I got back from our vacation earlier this week.  We had a great time, but as always, it’s also good to be home.  I’m also excited to be preaching again for the next couple of weeks!  I’ll be kicking off our “Summer Reading” series this Sunday with the book, “Love Your Life, Not Theirs” by Rachel Cruze.  I hope to see you in church this Sunday!

Now, what I’m about to tell you is probably going to blow you away – it’s very possible that our new facility will be completed in about 6 weeks!  If everything continues to stay on schedule (and yes, that is a BIG if), we are hoping to get a temporary CO (Certificate of Occupancy) by Labor Day.  In other words, it’s about to get crazy busy on our campus over the next 6 weeks!  I’m asking you to commit this final stretch to prayer.  As it gets closer, and those dates get confirmed, we’ll let everyone know about an Open House Party, a “soft opening” (the first Sunday with Coastal Kidz in the new building), and a Grand Opening for our community.

But before we open the doors to our new multi-million dollar facility, I need to have a little Pastoral “heart to heart” conversation with you and just lay it on the line.  If you consider Coastal your church family, we need you serving in some Ministry on Sunday mornings.  This beautiful new facility brings with it a need for new volunteers in almost every Sunday morning LIFE Team – Coastal Kidz, Cafe, Security, 1st Impressions, Communion, Parking, Prayer Team, Worship, Tech.  From a purely practical standpoint, just think about how the enlarged facility will require more 1st Impressions Volunteers (more doors/entry points), more Security Volunteers (more space to cover), and more Coastal Kidz Volunteers (more classrooms/classes).

In fact, let’s talk about Coastal Kidz for a just a moment.  The truth is, the focus of this new facility really is on our Coastal Kidz Children’s Ministry.  We strongly believe that if a church is going to continue to grow, we must have a growing, thriving Children’s Ministry.  And when it comes to our facility (when we were portable or in our current building) our church has always done the very best we can with what we have.  But now Coastal Kidz (our Children’s Ministry – Birth to 5th Grade) is getting ready to move into a brand new, bigger, newly furnished facility.  There will be a secure indoor and outdoor playground.  The classrooms will be equipped with the latest technology and security.  In fact, parents will now be able to open an app on their phone and literally watch their child in their classroom, during the service (talk about peace of mind, especially for new parents).  And because of our additional classroom space we’ll be able to offer more age appropriate classes to better meet the needs of our children. 

Now, the saddest thing I could imagine is that we open up this new facility, and we literally don’t have enough volunteers in Coastal Kidz to pull it off.  Don’t let that happen!  If you used to serve in Coastal Kidz, but you took a break during the shut down and haven’t yet jumped back in – JUMP BACK IN!  If you’ve been thinking about serving, but just haven’t pulled the trigger, stop thinking about it and JUST DO IT!  If you’ve been coming on Sunday mornings, enjoying the service, maybe even sending your children to Coastal Kidz, it’s time for you to get involved and give back.  Honestly, if you come to Coastal and you don’t have a Sunday morning Ministry where you’re serving in some capacity (at least once a month), it’s time for you to get off your you know what and get involved.  And you should be serving, not just because there is a need (there is always a need), but you should be serving because this is your family, and we’re on a mission – to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world!  And Jesus said that you find LIFE by giving your life away in service to others.  And at Coastal we sincerely believe that if you change the life of a child, you change the world!  Join Coastal Kidz and be a world changer!

My wife Janet, our Children’s Director, has a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)!  She wants to see 40 new volunteers this year in Coastal Kidz (returning volunteers & brand new volunteers).  Those volunteers include Teachers, Assistants, Nursery, and Child Check In.  Will you be one of those new or returning volunteers?  If you’re currently serving, will you help recruit those new volunteers?  I believe that Coastal should have one of the best Children’s Ministry’s in town!  Let’s make that happen!  Stop what you’re doing right now and either respond to this email or reach out to Janet and let her know that you’re in – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org or 843-442-8299. You might not even know what you want to do or where you want to serve, but there is nothing Janet enjoys more than talking to people about Coastal Kidz and helping them find a place to serve (and if Coastal Kidz isn’t for you, she’ll even help you find another Ministry). She is having a Coastal Kidz Volunteer Training on Saturday, August 14, 10:00AM – 11:30AM, or Monday, August 23, 6:30PM – 8:00PM (all volunteers need to attend just one).  This will be a great time to pray, plan, and prepare for all that God has in store for Coastal KIdz (plus you’ll get a tour of our new facility).  Mark it on your calendar and tell Janet you’re coming!  Let’s do this Coastal!  

LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris 

1. Help provide school supplies for the families in the Ardmore/Sherwood Forrest neighborhoods!  Collect supplies from the list in your bulletin this Sunday and then drop them off at the Coastal Outreach Box Truck before any service on August 1st or August 8th.  Supplies will then be distributed at the PINK House Tailgate on Saturday, August 14th!
2. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   Lowcountry Orphan Relief –  Lowcountry Orphan Relief provides support services and aid to meet the needs of Lowcountry children identified as at-risk or suffering from abandonment, abuse and/or neglect. Coastal will be serving there, TODAY Friday, July 23rd, 10am-12noon. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
   Tricounty Family Ministries –  We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, August 4th, 9am-1pm.  Meet at: 2105 Cosgrove Ave. North Charleston.
   Saturday Serve –  The foundation of all of our serving opportunities at Coastal really starts with Saturday Serve – the first Saturday of every month.  The next Saturday Serve is Saturday, August 7th.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!  Make plans NOW to be there!
   If you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up now on our website.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
3. Our “Summer Reading” series starts THIS Sunday, July 25th.  “Summer Reading” is another favorite Summer tradition here at Coastal where we pick a group of books for you to read over the Summer and then the subject matter of each of those books becomes the sermon topic for that particular Sunday. Here are all the books and their links.  Happy Reading! 
   Love Your Life, Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze
   U-Turns by Tony Evans
   The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
   Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel
   Uncommon Ground by Timothy Keller
   Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund
   The Praying Life by Paul Miller
4. Our Annual BEACH BAPTISM out at Folly Beach County Park is Sunday, August 8th, at 5pm.  You can sign up for it on our website.  The only requirement for Baptism is that you have personally given your life to Jesus.  Baptism is a public profession of your faith.  At Coastal we call it “going public,” and it’s a great celebration!  It beautifully illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  If you’re unable to participate in our Beach Baptism, remember at Coastal we’re ready for you to get Baptized any service, any Sunday.  If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email or sign up on our website.
5. What are your Next Steps at Coastal?  If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception.  Our next Newcomers Reception is THISSunday, July 25th, in the Welcome Center immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm).  This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people.  You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or simply show up on Sunday.  
   Another next step is officially making Coastal your church family by becoming a Member. Our next Membership Class is Monday night, August 9th, 6-8:30pm. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
6. If you haven’t already seen it, make sure you check out our WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) Summer Calendar.  They have a ton of events, activities, and service projects all summer!  There is a Gaming Tournament TONIGHT at 6pm at the church and a River Dogs Game next Friday night, July 30th!   Go to our website, their Instagram page, or reach out to Ryan Spell for all the details. Oh and by the way, all the events are FREE!!  Bring your Student and invite a friend!
   
   P.S. I know it seems like a long way off, but we are in the process of thinking through and planning out our Fall Semester of LIFE Groups.  If you are interested in possibly leading, assisting, or hosting a LIFE Group (in person or online), please sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday or respond to this email.  If you have any questions you can also reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.  

Mountain Rest.  That’s actually where Janet and I are going next week on vacation – Chattooga Lake in Mountain Rest, SC (see picture above).  It’s located in Oconee County, the northwestern most corner of the state where South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina all meet.  We leave this Sunday after church and will be gone a little over a week.  Our daughter and her husband are even going to be joining us for a few days.  There will be no cell phone coverage and no internet – and we can’t wait!  This is actually the first vacation, where we’ve gotten out of town, away from Coastal, in over a year and a half.  Now some of that has been because of COVID and the shutdown and Coastal Kidz set-up and the new construction.  But it’s definitely been way too long and way overdue.  We don’t have a lot of plans other than resting, relaxing, and just having fun.  Janet’s bringing her sewing machine, so I’m sure she’ll be in undistracted sewing heaven.  We’ll take a few day trips to Highlands NC, various waterfalls, and the Holy City (Clemson).  I’ll be fishing, canoeing, and grilling.  Again, we can’t wait!

I tell you all of that, to ask you this question:  how are you doing at obeying the Sabbath Principle?  God’s word, the Bible, is filled with principles for life.  It is the owner’s manual for life.  You obey it, your life gets blessed.  If you ignore it, you do it to your own detriment.  When God puts a command in the Bible, He doesn’t do it capriciously.  He doesn’t do it because He wants to make your life miserable or limit your fun.  God puts a principle in the Bible because He knows what’s best for you.  It’ll save you a lot of heartaches and a lot of problems.  When you follow the owner’s manual, then life is a whole lot easier and a lot less stressful.  

Of all the commands in the Bible, the most famous are God’s Big Ten – the Ten Commandments.  One of God’s Ten Commandments is about rest.  Exodus 20:9-10, “Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God.”  Rest in your life as a human being is so important, God put it in the Big Ten, right up there with “Don’t steal”, “Don’t murder”, “Don’t commit adultery”.  He says every seven days you take a day off.  That’s how important He considers rest.

Many of you would say, “I’d never murder anybody; I’d never commit adultery,” but we violate the spirit of the fourth commandment all the time.  God says it’s just as important.  Six days you’re to work.  Every week you take one day off to recharge.  That’s the Sabbath principle.  Sabbath simply means a day of rest.  Sunday is not a Sabbath for me.  Sundays are workdays for me.  So I have to take my Sabbath some other day.  You may too.  For most of you, Saturday or Sunday is going to be your day off, your day of rest.  Now, what are you supposed to do on your Sabbath?  What we usually do is play catch up on all the work we didn’t get done.  That’s not taking a day off.  You should use your day off, your weekly Sabbath, for three things:  

1. Restyour body.  You’re not wired to go 24-7, every day, work, work, work, with no break.  Your brain, your body is not built for that.  You’re wired to rest your body.  Have you discovered that if you don’t take time off, your body will make time off?  It will shut down.

2. Rechargeyour emotions.  You can’t keep charging without recharging.  Eventually, you’re going to drain the battery.  You need to know what recharges your emotions.  And that’s different for different people.  For some people, solitude recharges their emotions.  When was the last time you were just by yourself without the computer or TV on?  For many people just being with people you love is recharging.  Different recreational activities can be rejuvenating for different people – a long walk on the beach, being outdoors, a good book, sewing, painting, fishing, hunting – as crazy as this sounds to me, some people are actually recharged by doing yard work.

3. Refocusyour spirit.  There’s a word for that in the Bible.  It’s called “worship” – refocusing my spirit on God.  It’s reconnecting with God.  You need that.  One of the benefits of worship is it helps give you a bigger perspective on life.  You can have a problem and it starts to overwhelm you.  Your life becomes smaller and smaller, and it starts caving in.  Then you worship and think about how big God is, and all of a sudden the problem isn’t as big anymore.  Nothing else in life can give you that kind of perspective like worship.

So, how about you?  How are you doing at obeying the Sabbath Principle.  Did you know that God wants you to enjoy your rest?  Psalm 127:2, “It is useless to rise up early and go to bed late and work your worried fingers to the bone.  Don’t you know that God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?”  Mountain Rest.  Moses had to go to a mountain to be reminded just how important it is to rest – I guess I do too.

LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris 

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. Attention all Young Adults (college to 30ish)!  We’ll be gathering at Frankies Fun Park on Saturday, July 17th at 6pm.  Spread the word – invite and bring a friend!  Email Pastor Scott scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org with any questions. Also, text @yacoastal to 81010 to receive text updates about this event and other young adult events and opportunities.
2. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   PINK House –  The PINK House is a community center in the Ardmore subdivision in West Ashley.  We are going to be putting on a community Tailgate Party and Clothing Distribution, (TOMORROW) Saturday, July 10th, 10am-1pm. 
   Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, July 13th, 8am-1pm.
   Tricounty Family Ministries –  We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, July 21st, 9am-1pm.
   If you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up now on our website.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
3. Our “Summer Reading” series starts Sunday, July 25th.  “Summer Reading” is another favorite Summer tradition here at Coastal where we pick a group of books for you to read over the Summer and then the subject matter of each of those books becomes the sermon topic for that particular Sunday.  There will be a very small number of the books available for purchase (at a discounted price – $10 each) at the church.  Here are all the books and their links.  Happy Reading! 
   Love Your Life, Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze
   U-Turns by Tony Evans
   The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
   Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel
   Uncommon Ground by Timothy Keller
   Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund
   The Praying Life by Paul Miller
4. Our Annual BEACH BAPTISM out at Folly Beach County Park has been RESCHEDULED to Sunday, August 8th, at 5pm.  You can sign up for it on our website.  The only requirement for Baptism is that you have personally given your life to Jesus.  Baptism is a public profession of your faith.  At Coastal we call it “going public,” and it’s a great celebration!  It beautifully illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  If you’re unable to participate in our Beach Baptism, remember at Coastal we’re ready for you to get Baptized any service, any Sunday.  If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email or sign up on our website. 
5. What are your Next Steps at Coastal?  If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception.  Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, July 25th, in the Welcome Center immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm).  This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people.  You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  
   
   Another next step is officially making Coastal your church family by becoming a Member. Our next Membership Class is Monday night, August 9th, 6-8:30pm. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
6. If you haven’t already seen it, make sure you check out our WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) Summer Calendar.  They have a ton of events, activities, and service projects all summer!  Tonight, 8-10pm, they are having a Movie Night (seeing “Black Widow”) at Citadel Mall Theater. This coming week the Middle School Students will be going to Summit Park on Wednesday, July 14th, 10am-12noon.   Go to our website, their Instagram page, or reach out to Ryan Spell for all the details. Oh and by the way, all the events are FREE!!  Bring your Student and invite a friend!
   
   P.S. I know it seems like a long way off, but we are in the process of thinking through and planning out our Fall Semester of LIFE Groups.  If you are interested in possibly leading, assisting, or hosting a LIFE Group (in person or online), please sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday or respond to this email.  If you have any questions you can also reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org. 

First of all, I just want to thank everyone for all the love you’ve shown me, your Pastor, this week!  My Birthday was yesterday (I turned 54), and I was overwhelmed by all the expressions of love!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Coastal is not just a church that I attend or a job where I work.  It’s a family that I’m a part of!  I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor!  

This Sunday is 4th of July (WE’LL ONLY HAVE 1 SERVICE: 9:30am)!  I realize we are facing a lot of problems in our country today and that the divisions seem to be greater and deeper than ever before, but I believe we still have much to be grateful for in our great country.  I am so thankful to God for the birth of America and the privilege that was mine to be born here in the land of the free and home of the brave. As we celebrate our independence may we as individuals, families, and as a church recognize our dependence on God. He alone is our source of blessing, and let us prayerfully humble ourselves in obedience to God and His Holy Word.  Ultimately, the hope of the world is not and never has been a President, a Political Party, or a Platform – it’s in the person of Jesus Christ.  And it’s our mission to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world!  Maybe it’s time we spent less time complaining on social media and more time praying and being the light of the world that Jesus talked about in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.”  The truth is, the darker this world gets, the greater our opportunity to shine!

Speaking of being the light of the world – another Summer of IMPACT is in the books!  As I said last week, it’s been the BEST SUMMER OF IMPACT EVER!  Here are just a few examples of what I mean:  Last Saturday over 30 volunteers boxed, delivered, and gave away 867 meals in our “Grab & Go Meal Drive-Thru!”  On Monday night almost 80 volunteers met at Coastal to pack 140 “On the Go Meal Kits” for the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston (and they did it in less than 40 minutes!).  Every Wednesday night a large group of Volunteers has been sewing pillowcases for the kids at’ MUSC Children’s Hospital.  They’ve now sewn over 100 pillowcases!  Seriously, I could go on and on and on.  This year’s Summer of IMPACT projects had 531 volunteer serving 1,455 hours!  And 75 brand new volunteers!  In the days ahead, be on the lookout for a little slide show of the various projects.  And make sure that you reach out to Chris Jones, our Outreach Pastor, and tell him what an awesome job he did of leading and organizing this year’s Summer of IMPACT.  I know what he’ll tell you – that it could not have been done without all the awesome Project Leaders and Volunteers.  And most importantly, continue to pray for all the seeds of love that were planted, that they will bear much fruit for years to come!

Making An IMPACT With You!
Pastor Chris 

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   Tricounty Family Ministries –  We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, July 7th, 9am-1pm.
   PINK House –  The PINK House is a community center in the Ardmore subdivision in West Ashley.  We are going to be putting on a community Tailgate Party and Clothing Distribution, Saturday, July 10th, 10am-1pm. 
   Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, July 13th, 8am-1pm.
   If you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday or sign up now on our website.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
2. Our “Summer Reading” series starts Sunday, July 25th.  “Summer Reading” is another favorite Summer tradition here at Coastal where we pick a group of books for you to read over the Summer and then the subject matter of each of those books becomes the sermon topic for that particular Sunday.  There will be a very small number of the books available for purchase (at a discounted price – $10 each) at the church.  Here are all the books and their links.  Happy Reading! 
   Love Your Life, Not Theirs by Rachel Cruze
   U-Turns by Tony Evans
   The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
   Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel
   Uncommon Ground by Timothy Keller
   Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund
   The Praying Life by Paul Miller
3. Our Annual BEACH BAPTISM out at Folly Beach County Park has been RESCHEDULED to Sunday, August 8th, at 5pm.  You can sign up for it on our website.  The only requirement for Baptism is that you have personally given your life to Jesus.  Baptism is a public profession of your faith.  At Coastal we call it “going public,” and it’s a great celebration!  It beautifully illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.  If you’re unable to participate in our Beach Baptism, remember at Coastal we’re ready for you to get Baptized any service, any Sunday.  If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email or sign up on our website. 
4. What are your Next Steps at Coastal?  If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception.  Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, July 25th, in the Welcome Center immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm).  This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people.  You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  
   Another next step is officially making Coastal your church family by becoming a Member. Our next Membership Class is Monday night, August 9th, 6-8:30pm. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.  You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
5. If you haven’t already seen it, make sure you check out our WAVES Student Ministry (6th-12th Grade) Summer Calendar.  They have a ton of events, activities, and service projects all summer!  This coming week the High School Students will be going to Top Golf on Wednesday, July 7th, 10am-4pm;  Movie Night “Black Widow” at Citadel Mall Theater on Friday, July 9th, 8-10pm. Go to our website, their Instagram page, or reach out to Ryan Spell for all the details. Oh and by the way, all the events are FREE!!  Bring your Student and invite a friend!
   
   P.S. I know it seems like a long way off, but we are in the process of thinking through and planning out our Fall Semester of LIFE Groups.  If you are interested in possibly leading, assisting, or hosting a LIFE Group (in person or online), please sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday or respond to this email.  If you have any questions you can also reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.