So, are you ready for Christmas? Well, ready or not, it’s ALMOST here! Which means of course, that our Christmas Eve Services are almost here! This year we’re having 4 Christmas Eve services over 2 days – Tuesday, December 23rd, 6pm (a great service for those of you who might be going out of town or have obligations on the 24th); and Wednesday, December 24th, 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm! I hope you are ready to invite & bring your friends! Remember, it’s not too late to invite someone. Make the ask! What’s the worst thing that could happen? Better yet – what’s the BEST thing that could happen? Think through all your contacts – social media, work, neighbors, friends, family – and invite them to come!
By the way, we ARE having our normal service times THIS Sunday morning, December 21st: 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am. And it’s going to be a lot of fun! Our children in Coastal Kidz from 4yrs – 5th Grade will be singing on stage in “big church” during all 3 services! They have been practicing for the past month and it is going to be AWESOME! You’re not going to want to miss it! However, the following Sunday, December 28th, we will only have 2 Sunday morning services: 8:30am & 10am.
Christmas Eve services are one of those times where it is “all hands on deck.” In other words, if you serve in ministry and you’re not out of town, WE NEED YOU TO SERVE. Contact your Ministry Leader and let them know which services you are available ASAP! Every ministry needs plenty of volunteers (and extra volunteers) to pull off Christmas Eve and create a welcoming atmosphere.
Pray for me & my message. Pray that people give their lives to Jesus and get saved! Pray for our Worship Team that they would lead people to worship Jesus. Pray for all our Ministry Volunteers, that they would serve Jesus by serving others.
Here are a few other important reminders:
– Be helpful, friendly, and welcoming to all our guests!
– Introduce yourself & talk to people you don’t know.
– This is important: park over at Oakland to make more room for guests. The further away you park, the better.
– Fill out your Connect Card. This encourages others to do the same.
– Sit to the front & center of each section of the auditorium.
– Coastal Kidz (Birth-5th Grade) will be fully operational during all 4 Christmas Eve services.
– If you are serving during a service, PLEASE COME EARLY.
Don’t forget that our entire offering for Christmas Eve (all 4 services) will go toward our Christmas Offering! Prayerfully consider what you and your family can give. You might also consider making a year-end sacrificial gift.
Well, I think that’s about it. For those of you who are traveling or out of town – HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS! Safe travels and please keep us in your prayers! And remember, if you can’t make it in person, you will be able to watch all of our services live online. Can’t wait to see everyone else and all your friends and family over the weekend! Again, please note that we will have our normal service times this Sunday morning, December 21st: 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am. The following Sunday, December 28th, we will only have 2 Sunday morning services: 8:30am & 10am. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together!
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: TODAY, Friday, December 19th, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Ronald McDonald House Meals that Heal – Breakfast: (No new sign-ups. This project is full.) Ronald McDonald House provides a “Home-away-from-home” where families stay while their children undergo extensive medical treatment. The Meals that Heal program provides a much-needed support service to families taking care of their sick children, who often don’t have the time, funds, or energy to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. Ages 16+. Saturday, December 20th, 7:30am-9:15am. Meet at: 81 Gadsden St, Chas (Downtown Charleston).
Brighton Place Christmas Party: Our Annual Christmas Outreach Party is back! We are heading to Brighton Place, a low income public housing facility right here in West Ashley. We have amazing relationships with this community and want to be able to celebrate the holiday with them! Our church has supplied the sides, gifts, stockings and more! Come out and share a meal, pass out personalized gifts to the residents and more! This is not an event you’ll want to miss! TOMORROW, Saturday, December 20th, 10:30am-2pm. Meet at Coastal.
Christmas Bingo Party at Joseph Floyd Manor: A festive project for all ages, we’ll serve at Joseph Floyd Manor (JFM), a public housing facility in Downtown Charleston. Our church has a great relationship with JFM and the Charleston County Housing Authority. We will be meeting at JFM to play bingo, share a devotion, pass out stockings, have a holiday treat and spend time with the amazing residents at Joseph Floyd Manor! This is a great project to participate right before Christmas! Monday, December 22nd, 1pm-2:30pm. Meet at: Joseph Floyd Manor, 2106 Mt Pleasant St.
Brighton Place Fellowship Activity & Devotion: This project will allow us to spend some time with the residents and get to know them better through a lively game of Chair Volleyball, a meal, and devotion. Kid Friendly! Tuesday, December 23rd, 1:30pm-3pm. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, December 26th, 4pm-6pm. Meet at Coastal.
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)! Tuesday, December 30th, 11:30am-1pm.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: Join the team as we travel over to Patriot Villas, a veterans housing facility in North Charleston, to provide encouragement in the form of a fresh hot cup of Coastal coffee, a Krispy Kreme donut and community. We’ll spend the morning serving the veterans, fellowshipping, building relationships and thanking them for their service! Friday, January 2nd, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! Friday, January 2nd, 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, January 3rd. 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. - We’re excited to announce that starting January 1st, 2026 we’re going to be reading through the Bible together this year at Coastal! We’ll be following the One Year Bible reading plan (a daily reading of the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs). We sold out the limited number of One Year Bibles we had at the church, but you can purchase them online. You can also simply choose the One Year Bible reading plan through the YouVersion Bible app. You can sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday, and we’ll add you to an email list for regular encouragement and Study notes throughout the year! If you’ve never read through the Bible, this would be a great way to get started!
- CSM Winter Retreat – January 16–19! Our Students (Middle & High School) are heading to Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters in the mountains of North Carolina for a weekend packed with cabin life, awesome activities, and powerful, Gospel-centered teaching and worship! It’s a chance for Students to unplug (limited phone usage) and have fun, build meaningful friendships, and grow in their walk with Jesus. The cost is $250, and scholarships are available for families who need assistance. Click this link to register your student for an unforgettable weekend!
Drop-off: Friday evening at Coastal @5pm
Pickup: Monday at Coastal around 4pm
A full itinerary and packing list is provided upon registration. If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Jacob. This is an event your Student won’t want to miss! - I know it’s hard to believe, but we are in the planning stages for our SPRING LIFE GROUPS! LIFE Groups are the primary vehicle at Coastal for community – learning, friendships, fellowship, and care. We typically have all different types of Groups – Bible studies, book studies, activity groups, support groups, men’s/women’s groups. Would you possibly be interested in leading, assisting, or hosting a LIFE Group this new year? The Spring Semester begins in February and depending on the Group, lasts for 8-12 weeks. Text the word LIFEGROUPLEADER to 843-571-1777 and click on the return link to let us know you are interested in being a Life Group Leader in Spring 2026. If you have any questions about LIFE Groups, please contact Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
- Membership Class: Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Thursday, January 8th, from 6pm-9pm, in the Chapel. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card (let us know if you need childcare). Dinner & childcare provided!
P.S. Here are a few exciting things happening at Coastal during the month of December:
– On Saturday, December 20th, we’re hosting a CHRISTMAS PARTY at Brighton Place! It’s basically a huge Christmas Party with music, a home-cooked meal, Christmas gifts, and stockings!
– On Sunday, December 21st, our 4 year olds – 5th Grade Coastal Kidz will be singing two Christmas songs on stage during all 3 services! If you have any questions, please see Aly. Don’t miss it as our children help lead us in worship!
– Make plans to now to attend, SERVE (contact your Ministry Leader now), and invite someone to one of our 4 Christmas Eve Services: Tuesday, December 23rd, 6pm; and Wednesday, December 24th, 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm. Pick up “You’re Invited” cards and start inviting people now!
– On Sunday, December 28th (the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day) we will only have 2 Sunday morning worship services: 8:30am & 10am.
– And finally, during all of this, don’t forget to give to this year’s Annual Christmas Offering! As you can see, there is so much Outreach that happens at Coastal. Much of it is funded every year through our Christmas Offering. Our goal is $200,000. What we’ve discovered is that we reach our goal when EVERYONE participates. We can’t all give the same amount, but together we can all make a sacrifice. Every gift counts, every gift matters. When you give, simply use the keyword, “Christmas.”
