Easter Weekend is now 3 weeks away!  If you haven’t heard, we are having 6 services over 3 days – Friday, April 15th, 7pm;  Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm;  Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am.  Go to www.easteratcoastal.com right now and let us know which service you and your guests will be attending.  This helps us to know when a service reaches capacity.  The general rule of thumb is come to the service your friends can attend.  Historically, Sunday morning at 10am & 11:30am are the largest services.  Unless your guests are coming to one of those services, please try to attend one of the other services to make room.  Our goal is to have our Chapel ready for overflow.  

Just like last Sunday, be prepared to take home all the Easter Invite Tools – tickets, books, and now YARD SIGNS!  We’ll have 200 EasterAtCoastal.com yard signs that we want to saturate Charleston with this year!  Pick up several and then strategically place them in neighborhoods, shopping centers, high traffic areas, and intersections.  Take a picture of your sign and share it on social media with the hashtag:  #easteratcoastal.  While you’re on the Easter at Coastal page make sure you click on the “Download Shareable Easter Invite Images for Social Media” button.  A zip file containing a folder of different images will automatically download on your computer (like the one above).  Or you can simply click on this link and download them now!  Start using these images on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out and invite people to Coastal for Easter. 

I want to share with you the power of a simple invitation and leveraging Big Days like Easter to reach out and invite someone to church.  We had a man that was invited and came to one of our Christmas Eve services this past year.  He could not remember the last time he had been in church.  He LOVED it and kept coming!  About a month ago he started attending our Celebrate Recovery Group that meets at the church on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm.  Are you ready for this?  This past Tuesday night he gave his life to Jesus!  Because someone reached out to him, because we leveraged a Big Day, that man stepped from Death to LIFE, was forgiven of his sin, was adopted into God’s forever family, and now has a home secured for all eternity in heaven!  Coastal, that’s why we do what we do!  Don’t you dare tell me that a ticket, a yard sign, a postcard, a post on social media, a simple invitation can’t make a huge IMPACT!  So. . . who are you praying for, who are you inviting?  Let’s do this Coastal!  Let’s work, share, & invite like it all depends on us, pray like it all depends on God, walk by faith, trust God, and celebrate what God does in our midst!

This Sunday, we’ll be looking at the cross through the eyes of Mary Magdalene, a devoted servant.  Don’t miss it!  I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor and being a part of the special thing that God is doing here! 

LIFE & LOVE! 
Pastor Chris

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. 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, Friday (TODAY), March 25th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
   Clothing Team –  Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes Friday, April 1st & Friday, April 8th, 9am-11am.  Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
   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, April 2nd.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!  Two different Tailgate Parties go out from Saturday Serve!
   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, on Saturday, April 9th, 10am-1pm. Meet at Coastal.
   Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, April 12th, 8am-1pm.  Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
   Joseph Floyd Manor Tailgate –  Our Tailgate will be rolling and serving our friends downtown at the Joseph Floyd Manor –  Thursday, April 14th, 10am-1pm. Meet at the church.
   As always, 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. Student Ministry Summer Camp!  The deadline to sign your Student (6th-12th Grade) up for Summer Camp is April 1st!  All 6th-12th grade students are invited to join us for an amazing week at Student Life Summer Camp in Lakeland, Florida on June 27-July 1. There will be hundreds of students from all over the southeast joining us for amazing music, messages specifically for teenagers, and great games and recreation! Total cost is $300 per person and friends are invited to join us too! Sign up on www.coastalcommunitychurch.org/connect/students today!!  If you would like to sponsor a student or help provide a scholarship (full or partial), or if you have any questions about Camp, please reach out to Pastor Jacob Bonetti (our new Youth Pastor!) at 864-554-2371.
3. Homeschool educators and their kids of all ages are invited to a HOMESCHOOL HANGOUT on Wednesday, March 30th, 10am-12noon, to meet and network with other Homeschool families at Coastal.  We’ll have pizza for lunch and the Coastal Kidz playgrounds will be open for playtime.  RSVP on your Connect Card or respond to this email so we’ll know how much pizza to order!
4. New to Coastal? Join us in the Coastal Cafe or online Sunday, May 1st immediately following the 11:15am service for our next Newcomer’s Reception. Learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, and get plugged in. Lunch & childcare provided. RSVP online or on your Connect Card on Sunday!
5. Are you grieving the loss of a spouse or do you know someone who is?  You are invited to join our FREE “Loss of a Spouse” Seminar through our Grief Share Support Group on Thursday, May 5th, 6:30-8:30pm at Coastal.  Discover practical advice, support, prayer, and encouragement from others who’ve been there.  Learn what to expect in your grief and how to cope with life without your spouse.  Register at www.griefshare.org or call Freeda (540-903-5030) or Sue (616-443-6553).
   
   P.S. 6 Services over 3 days for Easter means that it’s “all hands on deck.” WE NEED YOU TO PULL OFF EASTER WEEKEND!  Make sure you reach out to your Ministry Leader NOW to let them know when you can serve over the Easter Weekend!  Attend one service and then serve in MULTIPLE services!  If you aren’t serving anywhere right now, Easter is a great time to start!  Go to our website right now and sign up to serve!  Or you can respond to this email or on your Connect Card on Sunday, and we’ll direct you to a Ministry.

Are you ready for this?  Easter Weekend is now officially less than one month away – 27 days to be exact!  This year we are having 6 services over 3 days – Friday, April 15th, 7pm;  Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm;  Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am.  This Sunday, be prepared to take home the first of several Easter Invite Tools – tickets & books.  The book is meant to be a gift for the people you’re inviting called, “At the Cross,” which corresponds to the series we’re starting this Sunday.  It’s a great tool for sharing the Gospel with someone.  

And then on the following Sunday we’ll have our yard signs!  We have 200 EasterAtCoastal.com yard signs that we want to saturate Charleston with this year!  Pick up several and then strategically place them in neighborhoods, shopping centers, high traffic areas, and intersections.  Take a picture of your sign and share it on social media with the hashtag:  #easteratcoastal.  All of this is designed for you to use to invite your friends to Easter at Coastal this year!  

By the way, the tickets are invite tools that we’ve used for many years now with our service times.  Obviously, you and your friends don’t need a ticket to attend a service.  They’re simply great little invite cards for you to give away.  We would however, like to know which of our 6 services you and your friends are planning on attending.  So, go to Easter at Coastal and sign up today!  Encourage your friends to do the same.  That way we can spread everyone out and let you know when a service is reaching capacity.  Start spreading the word and register today!

While you’re on the Easter at Coastal page make sure you click on the “Download Shareable Easter Invite Images for Social Media” button.  A zip file containing a folder of different images will automatically download on your computer.  Or you can simply click on this link and download them now!  Start using these images on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out and invite people to Coastal for Easter. 

Make sure you reach out to your Ministry Leader NOW to let them know when you can serve over the Easter Weekend!  Services like these require “all hands on deck.”  Consider attending one of the services and then serving at multiple services.  If you aren’t serving anywhere right now, Easter is a great time to start!  Respond to this email or on your Connect Card on Sunday, and we’ll direct you to a Ministry.

Also, I want to challenge you to give a sacrificial gift, above and beyond over the Easter Weekend.  Big days like this incur extra expenses.  At Coastal, however, we look at it as an investment – a Kingdom investment, planting seeds to reach our community for Jesus.  You might also consider giving towards your Daring Faith commitment.  We’re actually hoping that the chapel renovations are complete for Easter!  

So many people are hurting and searching for hope right now.  Let’s do everything in our power to leverage this Easter for Jesus!  And as always Coastal, let’s work, share, and invite like it all depends on us.  Let’s pray like it all depends on God. And then let’s walk by faith, trust God for outcome, and celebrate the results!  If together we do that, then this will be the best Easter ever!  I love you Coastal, and I love being your Pastor!

LIFE & LOVE! 
Pastor Chris

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. 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, March 18th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
   Patriot Villas Veterans Tailgate –  We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Veterans at Patriot Villas on Thursday, March 24th, 6-8:15pm.  Meet at Coastal.
   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, Friday, March 25th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
   Clothing Team –  Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes Friday, April 1st, 9am-11am.  Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
   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, April 2nd.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!
   As always, 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. If you missed the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT last week, we hired a new Youth Pastor – Jacob Bonetti!  Jacob and his wife Hannah currently live in Greenville, SC.  Jacob will be joining us soon, commuting from Greenville, while his wife finishes out the school year teaching (she teaches 3rd Grade in a public school in Greenville).  Please add them to your Prayer List, praying for a smooth transition as they move to Charleston, join our Coastal family, and help lead our Students!  I simply ask you to do what you do best Coastal – love them!  Show them that Coastal hospitality, support them, encourage them, and welcome them to their new home!  In fact, if you would like to send them a text, email, or card, here is their current contact information:  Jacob & Hannah Bonetti / 65 Villa Rd Apt #408 / Greenville, SC 29615 / (864)554-2371 / jacob@coastalcommunitychurch.org.  Jacob will start commuting to Charleston on Saturday, March 26th – Wednesday night March 30th (for Student Ministry).  That will probably be his rhythm until Hannah joins him at the end of the school year. 
3. Homeschool educators and their kids of all ages are invited to a HOMESCHOOL HANGOUT on Wednesday, March 30th, 10am-12noon, to meet and network with other Homeschool families at Coastal.  We’ll have pizza for lunch and the Coastal Kidz playgrounds will be open for playtime.  RSVP on your Connect Card or respond to this email so we’ll know how much pizza to order!
4. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday (TOMORROW) morning, March 19th, 9am-11:30am. You can respond to this email or sign up on our website.  You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom (we’ll send you the link).
5. The easiest way to stay connected, see all the announcements, listen to our messages, and fill out a Connect Card, is through our App.  Yes, if you didn’t already know it, Coastal has a FREE App you can download for your phone or mobile device.  Download it today from your App Store!  If you’re searching for it, make sure you search for “Coastal Community Church of Charleston or Coastal CC Charleston” (There are other Coastal Community Churches around the country).
   
   P.S. Don’t miss our Night of Worship TONIGHT, March 18th, from 7-8:30pm!  Invite your friends and family to join us for an inspirational evening of worship, prayer, and encouragement.  Childcare will be provided for birth to kindergarten.  The theme for the evening will be, “At the Cross,” the same as the sermon series we’ll be starting this Sunday, preparing us for Easter.  It’s really going to be an awesome night!  Don’t miss it!  It’s in-person or ONLINE at all of the usual places – Facebook, YouTube, or at https://coastalcommchurch.churchonline.org.

Well, I’ve got some exciting news to announce!  We have officially hired our new Youth Pastor – Jacob Bonetti!  Hiring Staff can be a long, difficult, and sometimes painful process.  We have been actively searching for almost 2 years now (COVID didn’t help).  But after much prayer and many conversations, we truly believe that God has led us to the right person.  Instead of me telling you about Jacob, I’ve asked him to introduce himself and his wonderful wife Hannah (see picture above):

• Hello Coastal! On behalf of Hannah and myself, I am so pleased to be writing to you all as your new Youth Pastor! Words do not describe how excited we are to be a part of what God is doing in Charleston. So many events led to this moment that I cannot possibly elaborate them all during this brief introduction, but please know that I am so grateful to God for leading my family to Coastal. Hannah and I cannot wait to get to know you all, but for those who want to know a little about us, here is a brief explanation of our stories. I was born in the Republic of Georgia and was adopted when I was two years old. I grew up in Abbeville, SC as the youngest of seven children (six of which were adopted). I surrendered my life to Jesus as a seventh grader and shortly after I came to faith, God began to draw me to the call of Student Ministry. I accepted that call and have pursued it ever since. I went to North Greenville University and graduated with a degree in Youth Ministry. During my freshman summer of college, I met my wife here in Charleston while working together at a summer camp. Hannah’s story doesn’t have a true beginning “place.” Hannah grew up in a military household with her dad, mom, and sister, so home was always more about the people than the location. During her sophomore year of high school, she gave her heart to Jesus at a summer camp. Hannah loves children and students and has committed to equipping and educating the next generation. She’s currently a third grade teacher and loves every minute of it! We got married in 2020 and are closing in on two years being married! After graduating from North Greenville with a degree in Youth Ministry, my wife and I patiently worked and waited on God’s direction for where He would have us. We eventually found Coastal Community Church and through a friendship we had with Scott Huff, we began to seriously consider the possibility of coming to Coastal. In spending time with the staff and people of Coastal, God made it clear that we had indeed found home!  We are so excited to join the Coastal family to share the love of Jesus to students, to Charleston, and to the world! 

I can’t wait for you to meet Jacob and Hannah as well!  They are a sweet, humble, gifted couple, who love the Lord, love Students, and already love Coastal! Jacob will be joining us soon, commuting from Greenville, while his wife finishes out the school year teaching.  Please add them to your Prayer List, praying for a smooth transition as they move to Charleston, join our Coastal family, and help lead our Students!  I simply ask you to do what you do best Coastal – love them!  Show them that Coastal hospitality, support them, encourage them, and welcome them to their new home!  In fact, if you would like to send them a text, email, or card, here is their current contact information:

Jacob & Hannah Bonetti
65 Villa Rd Apt #408
Greenville, SC 29615
(864)554-2371
thejbonetti12@gmail.com

LIFE & LOVE! 
Pastor Chris

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   Clothing Team –  Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes Friday (TODAY), March 11th, 9:30am-11:30am.  Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
   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, on Saturday, March 12th, 10am-1pm. Meet at Coastal.
   Joseph Floyd Manor Tailgate –  Our Tailgate will be rolling and serving our friends downtown at the Joseph Floyd Manor –  Thursday, March 17th, 10am-1pm. Meet at Coastal.
   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, Friday, March 18th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
   Patriot Villas Veterans Tailgate –  We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Veterans at Patriot Villas on Thursday, March 24th, 6-8:15pm.  Meet at Coastal.
   As always, 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. Student Ministry Summer Camp!  All 6th-12th grade students are invited to join us for an amazing week at Student Life Summer Camp in Lakeland, Florida on June 27-July 1. There will be hundreds of students from all over the southeast joining us for amazing music, messages specifically for teenagers, and great games and recreation! Total cost is $300 per person and friends are invited to join us too! Sign up on www.coastalcommunitychurch.org/connect/students today!!  If you would like to sponsor a student or help provide a scholarship (full or partial), or if you have any questions about Camp, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at 859-230-5129.
3. Multiple churches (including Coastal) have partnered financially to help completely remodel the PINK House kitchen. In preparation for a professional demolition of the old kitchen, a few handymen (and women) from Coastal are needed to help move the refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher out of the kitchen and in to the living room. Volunteers are also needed to help pack the kitchen supplies for temporary storage in other rooms of the house. If you’d like to help, we’ll be meeting at Coastal on Saturday (TOMORROW), March 12th at 10am, as a part of our regular Tailgate/Clothing Distribution at the Pink House.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
4. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, March 19th, 9am-11:30am. 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. Easter Sunday is April 17th!  Coastal is having 6 identical Easter Services over 3 days this year:  Friday, April 15th, 7pm;  Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm;  Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am!.  Start praying NOW about who you’re going to invite and bring.  And with 6 services, keep in mind that it’s ALL HANDS ON DECK!  In other words, we need everyone serving and volunteering multiple services!  Check with your LIFE Team Leader and go ahead and sign up now!  If you are not yet serving, indicate your interest on your Connect Card on Sunday and we will find you a place to serve God by serving others!
   
   P.S. Make sure you mark your calendars and plan to attend our next Night of Worship on Friday night, March 18th, from 7-8:30pm (one week from today).  Invite your friends and family to join us for an inspirational evening of worship, prayer, and encouragement.  Childcare will be provided for birth to kindergarten (RSVP for Childcare on your Connect Card).  The theme for the evening will be, “At the Cross,” the same as the sermon series we’ll be in, preparing us for Easter.  It’s really going to be an awesome night!  Don’t miss it!

So many exciting things going on at Coastal right now or coming up.  First of all, it’s just awesome that several hundred people from our church are reading through the Bible together! Each week of my Men’s Group, I just love hearing the stories of Men reading their Bibles and talking about what they’ve read!  Keep it up everyone!  If you haven’t joined with us, start today!  And then, to go along with that, we’ve had a great start signing people up for our 40 Day Easter Fast which starts THIS MONDAYMarch 7th and goes through Good Friday, April 15th!  Fasting is simply denying yourself something physically for a set period of time for the spiritual purpose of focusing on prayer, the Word, repentance, and your relationship with God.  Just think about it – 100’s of people reading their Bibles and Fasting together!  It gives me goose bumps!  As a Pastor, I can’t wait to see how God uses all of this for our good, our growth, and His glory!!  If you’d like to sign up for the Fast, respond to this email or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday!  

Tomorrow is one of my FAVORITE days of the month – SATURDAY SERVE!!  Be at the church at 8:30am, sign-in, get some coffee, get a Coastal t-shirt if you don’t have one, listen to a “pitch” from one of our GREAT Leaders, pray, and then GO SERVE!  It’s that simple and that AWESOME!  If you know, you know.  If you’ve never been, join us this Saturday and experience it for yourself!

What can I say about Sunday’s at Coastal!  Each and every week, God is moving in powerful ways – lives changing, people giving their lives to Jesus, signing up to serve, and signing up to get Baptized!  This week we have a Baptism in each service!  In our Staff Meeting this week, we talked about bringing in more chairs for the 9:30am service.  Between in-person and online, our attendance was over 1200 last Sunday!  This week the name of God that I’ll be talking about is El Shaddai – our Almighty, All-Sufficient, Sustaining God!  Don’t miss it!  Also, there will be a potential new Youth Pastor and his wife at Coastal this weekend – Jacob and Hannah Bonetti.  Make sure you introduce yourself and welcome them.  We haven’t offered him the position yet, but we are pretty far down the road with them.  If and when it happens, we’ll tell you all about them!  Student Ministry & Children’s Ministry have always been and always will be a priority at Coastal!  If a church is not constantly trying to reach and disciple the next generation for Jesus, that church will die!

And then, of course, there is Easter Weekend!  We’ll be having 6 services over 3 days – Friday, April 15th, 7pm;  Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm;  Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am!  Start praying now about who you’re going to invite (and where you’re going to strategically place that Easter Yard Sign – haha!). Before you know it, Summer will be here and that means “Summer of IMPACT”, Student Camp, VBS (July 11th-15th, 6-8pm), Beach Baptisms, “At the Movies”, “Summer Reading”, and so much more!!  Like I said, so much is going on and coming up!  Don’t miss it!  Be a part of what God is doing here at Coastal!

I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor (hopefully one of five soon)!  On a personal note, I want to share something from my life that I’m very excited about.  I’m now a Substitute Teacher here in Charleston County.  Now, don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere – haha!  Most of you know about my heart for and our involvement with Oakland Elementary School (one of the schools across the street).  Well, one of the big needs, especially over the last couple of years has been Subs.  The only day I really have available is Friday (most of our Staff take the day off on Friday or a half day), and that just happens to be one of the biggest days where there is need.  I’ve been talking about going through the process for a while now, and finally decided to do it.  In fact, I have my first classroom assignment today!  Pray for me that I can be a blessing to the class that I’m in, the Teacher, and the school!

LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

1. UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
   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 THIS Saturday (tomorrow), March 5th.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!
   Tailgate at Charleston Vets –  As a part of Saturday Serve, we’re going to host a tailgating event at Charleston Vets, THIS Saturday, March 5th.  Meet in the Welcome Center at Coastal at 8:30am.  Coastal Vets is a transitional housing facility for veterans in North Charleston.
   Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, March 8th, 8am-1pm.  Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
   Clothing Team –  Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes Friday, March 11th, 9:30am-11:30am.  Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
   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, on Saturday, March 12th, 10am-1pm. Meet at the church.
   Joseph Floyd Manor Tailgate –  Our Tailgate will be rolling and serving our friends downtown at the Joseph Floyd Manor –  Thursday, March 17th, 10am-1pm. Meet at the church.
   As always, 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. Student Ministry Summer Camp!  All 6th-12th grade students are invited to join us for an amazing week at Student Life Summer Camp in Lakeland, Florida on June 27-July 1. There will be hundreds of students from all over the southeast joining us for amazing music, messages specifically for teenagers, and great games and recreation! Total cost is $300 per person and friends are invited to join us too! Sign up on www.coastalcommunitychurch.org/connect/students today!!  If you would like to sponsor a student or help provide a scholarship (full or partial), or if you have any questions about Camp, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at 859-230-5129.
3. Multiple churches (including Coastal) have partnered financially to help completely remodel the PINK House kitchen. In preparation for a professional demolition of the old kitchen, a few handymen (and women) from Coastal are needed to help move the refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher out of the kitchen and in to the living room. Volunteers are also needed to help pack the kitchen supplies for temporary storage in other rooms of the house. If you’d like to help, we’ll be meeting at Coastal on Saturday, March 12th at 10am, as a part of our regular Tailgate/Clothing Distribution at the Pink House.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613.
4. Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, March 19th, 9am-11:30am. 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. Coastal has a Care Team that’s all about “Compassion in Action.” This team sends cards and hand-written notes, delivers CARE baskets, and provides meals for those in our church and community experiencing significant life events. The CARE Team ministers to those dealing with chronic illness or hospitalization, coping with loss or welcoming a new baby. The Care Team also contacts shut-ins within our church. If you are part of Coastal Community Church and cannot attend in-person services or know someone who is unable to attend, please reach out to us with current contact information. The CARE Team would love to bridge the gap. If you’d like to join the CARE Team, email rachel@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
   
   P.S. Make sure you mark your calendars and plan to attend our next Night of Worship on Friday night, March 18th, from 7-8:30pm.  Invite your friends and family to join us for an inspirational evening of worship, prayer, and encouragement.  Childcare will be provided for birth to kindergarten (RSVP for Childcare on your Connect Card).  The theme for the evening will be, “At the Cross,” the same as the sermon series we’ll be in, preparing us for Easter.  It’s really going to be an awesome night!  Don’t miss it!

It’s that time of the year again – preparing our hearts and minds for Easter!  I really believe that this is going to be an Easter Weekend to remember at Coastal!  It will be our first Easter in our new facility.  And we’re hoping that our new Chapel will be open as well for overflow.  But one of the ways that we prepare ourselves spiritually for Easter at Coastal is by participating in an Annual 40 Day Easter Fast! The Fast begins this coming Monday, March 7th and goes through Good Friday, April 15th!  Fasting is simply denying yourself something physical for a set period of time for the spiritual purpose of focusing on prayer, the Word, repentance, and your relationship with God. Jesus said, “When you fast . . .”  In other words, Jesus meant for fasting to be a regular part of the Christian lifestyle.  I would encourage you to get your whole family involved and make it a powerful spiritual experience.  

What do you choose to fast?  It’s different for different people.  It’s probably the thing that first comes to mind when you start considering to fast. It might be some form of technology or social media that seems to have a stronghold in your life.  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.  It could be gossip or negative words.  You decide that for 40 days nothing negative will come out of your mouth.  It could be worry.  You pray.  You decide.  Read through Matthew 6:16-18.  Don’t make a big deal or a fuss about it.  If you are interested in participating, respond to this email or sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday.

Begin praying now for your “ONE”, the people in your life you will be inviting to church over Easter weekend, and the people our church will be reaching out to through personal invitations, advertising, email, yard signs, postcard, etc.  We’ll be having 6 services over 3 days – Friday, April 15th, 7pm;  Saturday, April 16th, 4:30pm, 6pm;  Sunday, April 17th, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am!

Sometimes the first few days of a fast are the most difficult.  Satan will plant seeds in your mind that it’s really no big deal, no one will know if you really do it, or that it really doesn’t make any difference.  Remember, Satan is a liar and the Father of Lies!  Jesus promises in His Word that the Father will reward you!  How will He reward you?  I don’t know, but I know that He will!  So – keep it up and don’t give up!  What you are doing has eternal consequences and God is using it to do a work in you.  But remember the focus is not on the actual thing you are giving up, it’s to be directed on prayer, your relationship with God, repentance, service, scripture reading, and scripture memorization.
For those of you who like to read and research, here are some scriptures references and books on fasting:

Examples:
Moses (Exodus 34:28; Deut. 9:9,18), David (2 Samuel 12:16), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8),  Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4); Esther (Esther 4:16), Daniel (Daniel 1:12), Anna (Luke 2:37), Paul (Acts 14:23), Jesus (Matthew 4:1-2), the early church (Acts 13:2-3).

Jesus on Fasting:
Example: Matthew 4:1-2
Teaching: Matthew 6:1-18; Matthew 9:15
Paul on Fasting:  1 Corinthians 7:5
Purposes of Fasting:  Zechariah 7:5; 1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Samuel 12:16; Acts 14:23; Acts 13:2; Daniel 1:12

Fasting Bibliography:
The Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060628391/epic03/

The Power of Prayer and Fasting: 10 Secrets of Spiritual Strength by Ronnie W. Floyd
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805401644/epic03/

Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer L. Towns
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0830718397/epic03/

A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer by John Piper
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0891079661/epic03/

Hope this helps!  See you on Sunday!

LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris

P.S. Join us this Saturday, March 5th, 8:30am at the church for Saturday Serve!  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am (come at 7:30a, if you want to help with chairs), project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!  It’s a great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus right here in our community, where we live, work, parent and play!  I promise you’ll be glad you came!