1 WEEK UNTIL EASTER! Obviously there has been a big build up for Easter weekend, but don’t think for a second that everything slows down and comes to a screeching halt after Easter at Coastal. In fact, just the opposite is true. Here are 6 things that I’m excited about that I want to share with you:
– The Outpost is almost ready to open! The Outpost is our off-site space to house and operate our Clothing Ministry and Food Pantry for the community! It’s 2500 square feet of commercial space located at 1050 St. Andrews Blvd. Honestly, for those in need of food and clothes it’s going to be more of a Market and Boutique! As soon as we’re ready to announce the Grand Opening, we’ll let you know! It also frees up much needed space in Coastal Kidz and allows us to create a room for children with special needs!
– A New Sermon Series kicks off Easter Weekend called, “What Would Jesus Say?” In a world full of voices begging for our constant attention, there is still one voice that matters most, the voice that made you, the voice that knows you, the voice that can save you, the voice that is still speaking. In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” The problem isn’t that Jesus is silent. The problem is that we’re saturated. So, what would Jesus say to me (Easter Weekend), to the religious, to the ashamed, to the greedy, to the deconstructing Christian, to the discouraged (Mother’s Day), to the addict, to the angry, and to the voter (yes, we’re going there)? I really believe it’s going to be a powerful series!
– Mother’s Day, May 10th, is going to be awesome! In fact, to make room for the anticipated crowd we’re having 4 services! We’re having the same four service times that we’re having on Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm. Take your Mom to breakfast/brunch and bring everyone to church! Ladies (all women, not just moms) will receive a gift from the church! And yes, there will be FREE Kona Ice for everyone, Giveaways, and a Photo Booth. But Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) also means Baby/Child Dedication at Coastal. If you would like your child to participate in the Dedication Service, sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. Include the child’s full name and the service you will be attending.
– SUMMER OF IMPACT! If you’ve been at Coastal over a Summer, you know what this is all about. It’s basically the Outreach/Serving projects we do during any given month ON STEROIDS for the month of June! This year there are over 70 different projects – something for everyone, almost every day of the month of June. You’ll get to see a calendar insert on Easter Sunday!
– BEACH BAPTISM! This is always a special highlight of the year! We usually have a Beach Baptism at the beginning of the Summer and the end of the Summer. Our first one will be Sunday, June 7th, 5pm, at Folly Beach County Park. If you are interested in getting Baptized at the Beach, you can go to our website and sign up today!
– VBS AT COASTAL! Mark your calendars now – July 13th-17th, from 6-8:15pm each night for children 4 years old – 5th Grade! This year’s theme is, “Rainforest Falls – Exploring the Nature of God!” You’ll be able to start registering your children and signing up to serve over Easter weekend!
Wow! And that’s just 6 of the things around the corner I’m excited about! It doesn’t even include our annual kick off of “At the Movies”, Father’s Day (WING FEST is coming back), Summer Camp for our Students, and a Missions Trip to Peru! And yes, keep reading below for all the information on Easter Weekend! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together! Can’t wait to see you Sunday! I’ll be wrapping up our series on 1 John this weekend. Don’t miss it!
Much, Much Love!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Before you check out the list of outreach projects below, please note that there will be NO SATURDAY SERVE on Saturday, April 4th. Don’t worry, there are plenty of outreach projects before and after Easter to choose from, but with 7 services over 3 days and all of the preparations leading up to Easter, it’s simply too much to put on our Volunteers.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! TODAY, Friday, March 27th, 4pm-6pm. Meet at Coastal.
Hollywood Free Laundry: Partnering alongside the owners of We-Fold-It, we are able to serve the community of Hollywood by getting to pay for their laundry! We will host a table with snacks, coffee and water for those who are waiting on their laundry, help people bring their laundry in and out of the facility, fold their laundry and use iPads to start the machines so that those we serve never have to open their wallets! TODAY, Saturday, March 28th, 8am-11am. Meet at We-Fold-It Laundromat, 6310 SC-162 Unit D, Hollywood, SC 29449.
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, April 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, April 2nd, 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, April 3rd, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! Friday, April 3rd; Monday, April 6th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
Ronald McDonald House Meals that Heal – Breakfast: 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, April 4th, 7:30am-9:15am. Meet at: 81 Gadsden St, Chas (Downtown Charleston).
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. - Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10th! As always, it’s going to be a great celebration at Coastal with a gift for all the women, fun giveaways at the end of each of our 4 services (8am, 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm), FREE Kona Ice for everyone, a Family Photo Booth, and YES Baby & Child Dedication during all 4 services! If you would like your family to participate in the Baby & Child Dedication, sign up on your Connect Card this weekend. Include your child’s full name and the service you will be attending. Baby/Child Dedication is a special time for parents to commit their children to the Lord and to renew their commitment as parents to raise their children in a Christ centered home.
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, April 19th, in our Chapel immediately following the 11:30am service (at approximately 12:45pm). 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. You can sign up on our website today!
- ALL THINGS EASTER:
– The most important way we can prepare ourselves and our church for Easter is prayer. We will be hosting a Prayer Walk at Coastal on Wednesday, April 1st, at 6:30pm. Come by yourself, with friends & family, or your LIFE Group, and walk our campus, stopping to pray at different stations for all God is going to do in and through our church. It will be a powerful experience! Sign up online today and let us know you’re coming.
– We’re also hosting a 24-hour Prayer Vigil from Thursday, April 2nd, beginning at 7pm, until Friday, April 3rd, at 7pm, right before our first of 7 Easter Services. Simply choose the 15 minute time slot(s) you’d like to pray and sign up! At your designated time, wherever you might be, simply pray. Go to our Sign-Up Genius Link, and pick a slot today!
– Make sure to pick up and take advantage of all the tools we give away to make it easy to invite someone to our Easter Services. We have tickets, invite cards, and postcards. Download our Easter shareable social media graphics to use on your Facebook or Instagram pages.
– And don’t forget to go to Easter at Coastal and let us know which service you plan on attending by reserving your spot! It lets us know when a service reaches capacity. I know we keep saying it, but we really want to encourage our people (YOU) to attend on Friday and Saturday, to make more room on Sunday. If you plan to come that Sunday, please try to come to the 8am or the 12:30pm service (go to Easter breakfast/brunch and then come to church). Whichever service you attend or serve, especially on Sunday, please park at Oakland. But most importantly, as we always say, come to the service that you can get your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to come to, yes, even if it’s Easter Sunday at 11am! And obviously, if you’re serving, come to the service that best suits your serving schedule. Here are the Easter service times: Friday, April 3rd, 7pm; Saturday, April 4th, 4:30pm, 6pm; Sunday, April 5th, 8am, 9:30am, 11am, 12:30pm.
– To pull off a big weekend like Easter with 7 services, we need 2 things to happen: 1. We need our current volunteers to serve multiple services. Please keep in mind that Sunday will need the most volunteers. 2. We need new volunteers to start serving! If you’ve never volunteered before, Easter weekend is a great time to start! Go to our website and sign up today! Our LIFE Team Leaders will follow up with you and get you started. - On Saturday, April 18th,11:30AM-2-30PM, Coastal Young Adults will be hosting a Kickball Game and Spring Picnic at First Baptist High School on James Island! We invite all men and women in their 20s and 30s to join us as we enjoy the spring weather, a picnic lunch, and friendly competition. If you have any questions or to sign up, email Dane Clark at youngadults@coastalcommunitychurch.org!
P.S. We are excited to announce that we will be having classroom Easter Egg Hunts on Friday, April 3rd and Saturday, April 4th ONLY in Coastal Kidz! Our 2-year-olds through 5th graders will enjoy a mini egg hunt in their rooms during the service time, along with other Easter activities, songs, a Bible lesson, and of course snacks. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend to come to church with you! You can help by donating pre-fill and sealed Easter eggs! NO NUTS and NO CHOCOLATE please! All eggs must be sealed. Drop off is at the child check-in desk on Sundays or during the week at the Coastal office Monday-Thursday, between 9am-4pm.
