This Sunday I’ll be in week 5 of our “Hope in the Dark” series. And if you thought last week was intense as I talked about being faithful in suffering and submitting (the dreaded “S” word) to authority, just wait until this Sunday! I’m in 1 Peter 3:1-7 where in part Peter says, “Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands. . . Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner.” I’m pretty sure there are some women reading this who are worried that I’m going to say that in the original Greek language the word “submit” means “make me a sandwich.” Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean that, and I won’t be saying that (not if I value my life at least – haha)! But I will do my best to unpack this passage. I hope I’ve peaked your interest and that you’ll either join us in person or tune in online. The truth is families are hurting today, and just like in every area of life – God’s way works! It’s actually kind of interesting that we’re in this particular passage, because I’ve had 3 weddings this week!! The picture above was from one of them. Can anyone guess where it’s at? The first 5 people who respond with the correct answer will receive a card for a FREE ice cream from Baskin Robbins! Now I’ll see who really reads this thing – haha!
Last Sunday, we put our little “You’re Invited” cards in the bulletin, and I challenged our church to give them away to people and invite them to Coastal. I even challenged you to leave them (with a generous tip) for your server at any restaurant you might go to. I actually had two families either send me a picture or share a story about reaching out to their servers and leaving a generous tip! Pretty cool! Keep it up Coastal! People are hurting, and it’s those small acts of kindness done consistently that still make the biggest IMPACT!
Many of you might not be aware of this, but our church has a Grief Share Groupthat meets on Monday nights at the church, 6:30pm-8:30pm. Grief Share is a support group for people who are grieving the loss of a loved one and need support, encouragement, and hope. On Monday night, November 16th, 6:30pm-8:30pm our group is hosting a “Surviving the Holidays” seminar. This event will help you discover how to deal with emotions, give helpful tips on how to survive holiday social events, and discover hope for the future. Contact Sue Muoio at s.muoio@outlook.com to RSVP or for more information or register at www.griefshare.org. Spread the word – the Group and this event are open to the public!
LIFE & LOVE!
(We exist to share and experience the LIFE & LOVE of Jesus with Charleston & the world!)
Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:
- Upcoming Outreach Projects:
Coastal is constantly and continually engaged in being the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. Here are this week’s opportunities!
Suburban Hotel Tailgate – Let’s make an impact together by serving local veterans and persons transitioning from a local homeless shelter in Charleston into permanent housing at the Suburban Hotel in North Charleston! This Saturday (TOMORROW) from 10am until 1pm we’re sending a Tailgate Team who will provide grilled burgers and hot dogs for those in need. We meet at Coastal in the Welcome Center! This is a project that is suitable for the whole family.
Tricounty Family Ministries – We will be assisting with the Emergency Grocery Distribution Wednesday, October 21st, from 9am until 1pm.
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 has a long standing relationship with LOR, and next Friday (we’re actually there today as well), October 23rd from 9am-11am we’re sending a team to build emergency care kits for children in the community. We meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston
If you are interested in serving in any of these projects, you can sign up on your Connect Card this Sunday. If you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613. - Not only has construction started, but our Coastal Kidz Children’s Ministry has gone portable! During construction Coastal Kidz will be meeting across the street (where most of you park) at Orange Grove Middle School! We will be setting up Coastal Kidz every Saturday morning at 8:30am. We would LOVE for you to join us! If you are interested in being a part of the Coastal Kidz Set-Up Team, respond to this email or reach out to Janet Rollins at 843-442-8299.
- One of our favorite missions that we support here at Coastal is Operation Christmas Child (OCC) – sharing the love of Jesus and the Good News of the Gospel through gifts & supplies in a simple shoebox. What we are asking our church (YOU) is to simply pray and ask God how many shoeboxes He wants you to fill, take home the shoeboxes we provide, pack them as a family, and then bring back your completed boxes to the church between now and Sunday, November 15th. There will be a table in the back of our auditorium with shoeboxes ready to take home each Sunday. This would be a GREAT opportunity for you to teach your children about generosity, the true meaning of Christmas, and the love of Jesus. You can go to OCC’s website for a great list of suggested gifts/items for the shoeboxes. We believe that we still have an opportunity to pack hundreds and hundreds of shoeboxes and share the love of Jesus with children all around the world! Pray about how many boxes your family would be willing to pack, step out in faith, grab a few shoeboxes on Sunday, and help us do just that!
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, November 8th, in the Welcome Center immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm). This will also be available online! This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people. Childcare provided. RSVP online or on your Connect Card.
- Interested in officially making Coastal your church family by becoming a Member? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, November 14th, 9am-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. This Sunday there will be a Volunteer Insert in the Bulletin for our 1st Impressions Team and our Security Team. As more and more people make their way back to in-person worship, we’ve got to build back up our Volunteer Teams. If you’ve served in the past, we need you! If you’re new to Coastal, and haven’t started serving, we need you! But let me be clear, we don’t need you simply because there are spots to fill. We need you because Jesus said that you find LIFE by giving your LIFE away in service to others. You see, YOU need it! If you are interested and willing to serve, fill out the insert on Sunday or respond to this email. You can also reach out to Chris Ranew (706-941-2044) or Pastor Scott Huff (859-230-5129) if you’re interested in serving.
