Well, we’re getting real close to having all the inside demolition work done on our old facility!  There are still a few more projects to complete, but I think you’ll notice some progress on our campus this week.  In the next 10 months you’ll probably get sick of all of the building illustrations I’ll share, but with everything going on around here, it’s hard not to see the parallels.  To build something great, something strong, sometimes you’ve got get back to the foundation.  And to do that, you’ve got to do some demo work – you’ve got to be willing to tear some stuff out and throw some stuff away.  

Maybe at first you don’t notice the structural weakness; you can’t see how big the problem really is.  All you can see is a small crack in the wall, a water stain on the ceiling, a sag in the roof.  You hope if you just throw some paint on it, or hide it with some well placed furniture or pictures (or buy something online, or take a vacation), that the problem will just go away.  But as we all know, it doesn’t work that way in homes, cars, finances, or marriages.  And once you start pulling up that carpet, peaking behind that plumbing, going up in that attic (or having those hard conversations), you discover that the problem is bigger than you ever realized, and you can’t neglect it any longer.  You’ve got to do the hard and dirty demo work of getting back to the foundation.  But if you’ll put in the sweat equity and do the hard work, you’re able to move forward with confidence that the foundation is strong, the problem has been cleaned out, and the home, the relationship, or the marriage is stronger than ever!  

Maybe COVID-19 has revealed a weakness in your spiritual life, your marriage, or a relationship.  Don’t mask it.  Don’t conceal it.  Don’t neglect it.  Instead, confess it, repent of it. Cooperate with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and do the hard work of cleaning up the mess.  But I promise you this: if you’ll build on the rock solid foundation of a personal and growing relationship with Jesus and put His words into practice, you’ll build something strong and beautiful that will last a lifetime and beyond!  It will truly be even better and stronger than before!

Jesus said it like this, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”     

Laying a Strong Foundation for Future Generations With You!
Pastor Chris

Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:

  1. 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! 
    Tricounty Family Ministries –  We will be assisting with the Emergency Grocery Distribution Wednesday, November 4th, from 9am until 12:30pm.
    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, November 7th.  We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!  Make plans NOW to be there!
    Blood Drive –  We’re serving our community by rolling up our sleeves! As part of our November 7th Saturday Serve, Coastal is hosting a blood drive from 8:30am-1:30pm at the church. You can easily sign up for a convenient time slot by clicking here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/152069. Every donor will receive a $20 gift card. You can use that gift card to meet your own needs or you can donate the gift card back to the church where we’ll use it to help struggling neighbors in our community. Let’s come together as a church and donate life
    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.
  2. Not only has construction started, but our Coastal Kidz Children’s Ministry has gone portable!  During construction Coastal Kidz is meeting across the street (where most of you park) at Orange Grove Middle School! We set 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 Rollinsat 843-442-8299 or just show up on Saturday morning.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.
  5. 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. Many of you might not be aware of this, but our church has a Grief Share Group that meets on Monday nights, 6:30pm at the church.  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!