Okay Coastal, I need your help! This past Sunday we had 1488 people in-person in attendance! The 10am service was packed, so much so that we brought out extra chairs (actually we’ve had to do that the last two weeks). If you come to the 8:30am or 11:30am services, you know those are growing too. However, they’re not at capacity like the 10am service. So, if at all possible, I’m asking you 10am attenders to consider coming to the earlier or later service. Now obviously, if you’re bringing guests, you come to whichever service they want to attend. But if it really doesn’t matter to you, help us make room for others, by coming to the 8:30am or 11:30am. In our Membership Class we say that one mark of maturity is being willing to set aside your own preferences (like your preferred Service Time) for the sake of purpose (reaching more people for Jesus).
I’m also going to ask you to do a couple of other things as we continue to grow:
– Please park over at Oakland Elementary School, not on our campus or at Orange Grove. The Oakland parking lot is HUGE! It’s located on the right, immediately after you go over the Greenway, before you get to our campus. Yes, it’s a little further walk, however, the Golf Carts go there as well. This makes the dismissal and transition between services so much smoother. We’re actually going to pay another Police Officer to be on our campus just to assist with traffic duty.
– Please come to church and enter the auditorium EARLIER! Listen, I get it, it’s the deep South, you need your coffee, and you want to get your kids checked in (and they want their snack). However, it would GREATLY help finding and getting a seat if you entered the auditorium BEFORE the service actually started. The long line of people streaming in after the service has already started has been CRAZY long. And please do your best to sit toward the front, leaving no seats between you and other people. Our Ushers are doing the best they can, but this would greatly help.
Coastal, this is a great “problem” to have. We’re actually looking into buying a very nice (but smaller footprint) folding chair to help accommodate our growth. It allows us to add another 140-150 seats in the auditorium. This simply buys us some time before we add another service or build another building. And yes, that new building is coming! The plan all along was to start our next church-wide Giving Campaign next year this time. However, with the growth of our church, we believe that it’s time to start that campaign in the new year, leading up to Easter.
Now, why go to all of this effort, energy, planning, organizing, and expense? Because that’s what a church does when it’s willing to do whatever it takes to reach “one more,” to make room for the “one.” You see, at Coastal we believe that people, real people that you see and know right here in our community where we live, work, parent, and play, are dying and going to hell without Jesus. And therefore we are willing to do whatever it takes to reach them with the good news of the Gospel. Are you? Who is your “one”? When is the last time you invited them to join you at church? Coastal, I love you! I love being your Pastor! And I love beating down the gates of Hell with you!
Praying For Your One,
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, September 26th, 4pm-6pm. Meet at Coastal.
JFM Fellowship Activity & Devotion: A fun project for kids! We’ll serve at Joseph Floyd Manor (JFM), a public housing facility in Downtown Charleston, playing BINGO with the residents. Monday, September 29th, 1pm-2:30pm. Meet at JFM.
Sewing Project: Sewing experience not required! Come and acquire a new skill while helping others in the community. This team of volunteers will work on zippered pouches, lap quilts, and blankets. Meet at Coastal on Wednesday, October 1st, 5pm-8pm.
Food Pantry Sort & Stock: Coastal feeds an enormous amount of people. Come to the church and help keep our Food Pantry organized (and have a lot of fun while you’re at it)! Thursday, October 2nd, 11:30am-1pm.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: Friday, October 3rd, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! Friday, October 3rd, 9:30am-11:30am. 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, October 4th. We meet in the Auditorium at 8:30am, Project Leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we go out and 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. - If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people. Pizza and childcare provided. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, October 5th, in our Chapel immediately following the 11:30am service (at approximately 12:45pm). You can sign up on our website today.
- Attention Coastal Young Adults! We’re having a Fall Beach RetreatNovember 14th-16th at Folly Beach! We will meet there for check-in between 6pm-7pm Friday. We will have discussion, community, games, activities relating to our theme, food and more! Sign up now for the best price! The cost is $50/person. Register here now! Contact Morgan Rainey with additional questions at morgan@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
- One last Fall Volunteer Training for our Coastal Kidz Volunteers is this Sunday and it’s for our Elementary Volunteers. The training is held after services from 12:45pm-2pm. Childcare and pizza provided.
Click on the link below to sign up for the Training:
9-28: Elementary Volunteers - If you know Dustin and Rachel Speer, then you know they are not the kind of people who want to be brought up on the stage and made a big deal over. But I can’t let the Speer family leave Charleston and Coastal without simply recognizing and thanking them – so this “stage” will have to do. If you talk to Dustin and Rachel, you quickly discover that they’re not so much “leaving Charleston & Coastal” as they have the opportunity to join all their family together in Arkansas, which we completely understand and appreciate. But they will be missed. They’ve been a part of our church for about a decade. Rachel has been on Staff at Coastal for 8 years, most recently as our Director of Operations, which simply means she’s the “Wizard behind the curtains.” She’s had a hand in everything we do at Coastal and we’re all better because of her. Dustin was recognized and set aside as an Elder here at Coastal, which means he’s helped lead, teach, care for, and guard our church. Together they are leaders, good friends, and more than that, they have become family. We will miss them dearly, but we are truly excited for them and their family. They’ll still be around for about another month, and I know Charleston visits are on their future agenda, but when you see them, make sure you hug their neck and show them some love!
P.S. For our Ephesians series this Sunday we’ll be in Ephesians 2:1-10. Sign up on your Connect Card or text the keyword DEVO to (843) 571-1777 to receive the Ephesians Devotional delivered to your email inbox weekly during the series.
