The last two weeks we’ve averaged almost 750 people in-person (and another 623 online)! The 9:30am service is just about at capacity in-person. You know the drill – I need some people who are willing to be “missionaries” and start attending the 11:15am service to make room. We’re not quite ready to add a 3rd service. . . yet. But it’s coming. But before we do, we need to leverage the two services we have. And as always, please, please sit the front and center of each section. This makes it easer on our ushers (Chris Ranew & Scott Huff – haha) trying to find seats for people during the first service. And please park as far away as possible. Start utilizing Oakland Elementary School’s parking lot (down the first drive just past the Greenway). That’s where I park. These are all great “problems” to have. Honestly, they’re not problems at all – they’re opportunities. They’re opportunities for God to see where our priorities are at – ourselves, or the Kingdom.
The only real barrier right now to adding a 3rd service is volunteers. If you’re not serving right now, it’s time to start. But the reason to serve is not because there is a slot to fill. Don’t serve out of guilt or pressure. Serve out of love. Serve out of gratitude. We serve because that’s where we find and experience LIFE! Jesus said that we find true life when we give our lives away in service to others. It’s also through serving that we become a link in the chain that leads people to Christ. It’s also through serving that we get connected and grow in fellowship with our church family. My point is, if you’re not serving, it’s time to start. And don’t ever think that ANY ministry is “full” or doesn’t have room for you. There is always room for more! So, go to our website and sign up to serve today!
One of the reasons we need to start making these service adjustments is that a new series is coming up, and then Easter is just around the corner! I’m super excited about this next series kicking off on February 12th. It’s called, “Relationship Rescue.” If there is one area of our lives that we constantly need help with, it’s in our relationships. And I believe that the church ought to be a safe place where we can come and talk about love and sex and dating and marriage and parenting! It’s here that we ought to be able to take an honest and uncensored look at what the Bible has to say about these things. I truly believe that during this series we’re going to see marriages restored and relationships rekindled. We’re going to help people find new hope to cope with the relationship pressures that we all face. And most importantly, I believe that people are going to find Jesus! Make a commitment now to be here for the entire series and to invite someone to come with you.
Psalm 144:7 is kind of a theme verse for this series. It says, “Reach down from heaven and rescue me; rescue me from deep waters.” It’s a prayer of rescue. Have you ever found yourself in deep waters when it comes to a relationship? We all have. Maybe at some time in your life, you prayed a prayer like this, “God, reach down and take away this relationship pain. God, reach down and restore my marriage. God, reach down from heaven and take away my loneliness, deliver me and give me hope.” Well, each week of the series we’re going to look at some principles from God’s Word (our “lifeline”) and discover what you should know and do when you’re in the middle of a relational storm. We’re going to talk about friendships, dating, marriage, sex, and parenting. So, whether you’re single, married, or single again, old, young, kids or no kids, this series is for you! And most importantly, start praying about who you’re going to invite and bring to the series!
And finally, I’ve got some more GREAT NEWS! We reached and surpassed our Christmas Offering Goal – $137371.63! Wow! Just WOW! Your generosity never ceases to amaze me Coastal! It is your consistent (not just at Christmas or special occasions), generous (above and beyond) giving that enables our church to do all that it does here, in the community, and around the world! And speaking of around the world, we just found out that a large portion of our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes were delivered to Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire (both in Western Africa)! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
VA Hospitality Project: This team serves at the VA Hospital in Charleston by providing a hospitality cart, greeting incoming patients and employees, visiting patients, and helping Volunteer Services with small sorting projects. Wednesday, January 25th, 8:30am-12pm. Meet at Coastal.
Hope Center Tailgate (Adults Only Project): The Hope Center, managed by the city of Charleston, serves as a one-stop shop in downtown Charleston to assist those who are homeless or who are at-risk of being homeless. We’re sending a Tailgate Team to serve dinner to anyone who is hungry. We meet at Coastal on Wednesday, January 25th, 3pm-6pm. 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, January 27th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry” – We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, January 27th, 4-6:30pm. Meet at Coastal.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas – Friday, February 3rd, 8:30am-11am. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes, Friday, February 3rd, 9am-11am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
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. - Save the Date! Coastal’s Daddy Daughter Dance will be on Friday night, February 10th, 6-8pm! The cost is a suggested donation of $10 per person (all proceeds are being generously donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). Go to this link and register today! It’s going to be a night to remember with great music, dancing, food, pictures, and fun!
- Grieving or know someone who is? Our GriefShare support group begins its 13 week cycle on Monday night, February 6th, 6-7:30pm. Contact Sue Muoio for more information.
- Attention Coastal – our 2023 SPRING LIFE GROUP CATALOG will be available in just a couple of weeks! You’ll be able to check out all the different Groups offered this semester and start signing up! Also, for those of you who are leading Groups this semester, don’t forget that LIFE Group Leader Training will be offered in person on Monday, January 23rd, 6:30-8pm or Saturday, January 28th, 9-10:30am. Returning Leader Training will be online on Thursday, January 26th, 8-8:30pm. ALL Leaders need to attend one session. RSVP on your Connect Card. For more details or to answer any of your questions, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff.
- Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is THIS Saturday morning (tomorrow), January 21st, 9-11:30am. You can respond to this email or sign up on our website. You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
P.S. Parents – save the date and mark your calendars NOW! Coastal’s 2023 VBS dates are July 10th-14th, Monday-Friday, 6-8:15pm! VBS is for children ages 4 years old through 5th grade. This year’s theme is a space theme – “Stellar – Shine Jesus’ Light.” If you would be interested in leading any part of VBS, or if you have any questions, contact Janet Rollins.
