How many of you made your annual New Year’s resolution of not making any resolutions? I’m sure many of you have a love/hate relationship with resolutions. I get it. I prefer the word goals. Over the next several days, I would encourage you to set some goals for 2026 and share them with a friend. There is tremendous power in simply writing them down and then sharing them with someone else. And as you’re praying about goals and changes you want to make in 2026, can I encourage you to include making Coastal a priority? Jesus called the church His Body, His Bride. Jesus died for the church. Jesus started the church. The church is the Family of God and the only thing that will last on into eternity. The church is the hope of the world, and when done right, there is nothing greater or more powerful than the local church.
However, there is no perfect church – because the church is made up of real people, just like you and me. However, God uses all of that to help us become a little bit more like Jesus. Church attendance/involvement is just like any other habit – it’s easy to make excuses and get out of the habit. So, my advice, make a commitment and push through. If it’s been a while, get back in the habit this Sunday, the first Sunday of the New Year. If you already attend regularly, maybe it’s time you started serving. I promise, there is a place for you. This Saturday, tomorrow at 8:30am, is the first Saturday Serve of the New Year! I can’t think of a better way to start serving and to kick off the New Year than to come to Saturday Serve (see below). Maybe this is the semester that you join a LIFE Group. How does your giving reflect your commitment to the church? Is it consistent? Generous? Maybe this is the year you step out in faith and obedience and start tithing. Maybe this is the year you officially become a Member of Coastal. Our next Membership Class is Thursday night, January 8th, 6-9pm. Maybe Baptism is your next step? As we always say, we’re ready any Sunday, any service. And how about this – invite and bring someone with you to church! You never know the power of a simple invitation.
Don’t forget that we are back to our normal service times this Sunday: 3 services – 8:30am, 10am, and 11:30am. And seriously, don’t miss this Sunday! It’s one of my favorite messages of the year and gives me a chance to cast some vision for the new year! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love marching forward into the new year with you! Hold on to your fork – the best is yet to come!
Happy New Year!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
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! TODAY, Friday, January 2nd, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! TODAY, Friday, January 2nd; Monday, January 5th; Friday, January 9th, 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 TOMORROW, 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!
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, January 8th, 11:30am-1pm.
NHC Fellowship & Activity: Those in skilled-nursing centers are arguably some of the most neglected people in our society. Many in these facilities rarely, if ever, receive visitors. The hope of this project is to send a reminder to the residents of the facility, in which we are serving, that they are not alone. This kid-friendly project will consist of loving on the staff and residents through words of encouragement, quality time and hot chocolate! This project is a great way to serve those who are in always in need of a little extra love! Friday, January 9th, 10am-12pm. Meet at: NHC Skilled Nursing Facility, 2230 Ashley Crossing Dr, Charleston, SC 29414.
2nd Saturday Meal: Saturday, January 10th, 9am-11am. Come serve with us as we prepare a hot meal in the Coastal kitchen and then deliver those meals to one of our awesome ministry partners – organizations like Charleston Vets, S.C. Strong, Brighton Place, Joseph Floyd Manor and more!
Double Tailgate Day – Meeting Street & Joseph Floyd Manor: Saturday, January 10th, 10:30am-1:30pm. Meet at the church and then pick which Tailgate you’d like to serve.
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, January 12th, 1pm-2:30pm. Meet at JFM.
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 are “un-decorating” our campus on Tuesday, January 6th and could use your help! That’s right, Tuesday, January 6th, at 9am, we’ll be taking down all of the Christmas trees and decorations and packing them away. If you are available, please come over and lend a hand.
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, February 1st, 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!
- 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. As you know, Coastal is known for all of the Outreach we do throughout our community and beyond. Much of it is funded every year through our annual Christmas Offering. This year’s goal is $200,000. The money will be used for New Life Children’s Home in Peru, Soldier’s Angels Food Distribution, Summer of IMPACT, VBS, CSM Summer Camp Scholarships, & Auditorium Lighting. The money is also used for Benevolence & General Outreach. What we’ve discovered is that we reach our goal when EVERYONE participates. We can’t all give the same amount, but we can all make a sacrifice. Every gift counts, every gift matters. No gift is too small, and no gift is too large. To give, all you have to do is designate your gift “Christmas” on your check, offering envelope, online, or TEXTing (843-571-1777). You can give your gift any time until January 11th (next Sunday) at any of our regular Sunday morning services, or anytime through TEXTing or our website.
