Woohoo! It’s hard to believe it’s finally here – Grand Opening Weekend! Can you believe it? I’m not sure I can! I don’t use the word “surreal” very often, because I think it’s way over used. But it feels appropriate for this moment. We’re having an Open House Party, TONIGHT, 6-8pm, and YOU ARE INVITED! There will be food, balloons, music, pictures of the past year, and you’ll be able to walk through all the classrooms, playgrounds, and office space! Don’t miss it! Come and celebrate with us! It’s a drop by, so even if you’ve got other plans, drop by and celebrate with us!
And then, THISSunday, October 31st will be our Grand Opening Sunday!! Our Coastal Kidz Children’s Ministry will be meeting in their new facility! It’s going to be a great day! Invite and bring your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors! If you serve in Coastal Kidz, Cafe, 1st Impressions, or Security, contact your LIFE Team Leaders and let them know you’re willing to jump in wherever needed. It’s going to be an “all hands on deck” kind of day! And if you’re interested in serving, there IS a place for you! Respond to this email, and we’ll get you connected. I hope to see you over the weekend!
On Sunday, please park as far away as possible to make room for our guests. If you have kids, please come early to help check-in go as smoothly as possible. While the new drive/road around the back of our building will be open, parking in the very back of our property will not be available yet. We need to wait on the grass to grow. You WILL be able to park immediately down the first drive and next to the old auditorium. Please try to come to the Open House. That’s really the time to walk around the entire new facility and check everything out. On Sunday morning, during services, Coastal Kidz will be a secure space and only parents, volunteers, and children going to class will be able to enter. Tonight you can park over at Orange Grove Middle School if our parking lot is full. If you have any questions, please reach out.
And one more thing, I don’t do this very often, but I’m asking everyone to give something above and beyond this weekend as a way to simply give thanks to God for everything He has done and provided for us through this new building. I don’t care about the amount, that’s between you and God, but let it serve as a tangible way to recognize your excitement, gratitude, and desire to leverage everything we have (including this new facility) for the Kingdom of God.
I love you Coastal, and I love being your Pastor! And I can’t wait to see you and your friends over the weekend! Together, let’s mark this moment in time and celebrate everything God has done in our midst!
- Just a couple more weeks to pick up and return your shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child! 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 14th. Our kiosk in the Welcome Center is filled with shoeboxes ready to take home! This is a GREAT opportunity for you to teach your children about generosity, the true meaning of Christmas, and the love of Jesus. You can also build and send these boxes directly through OCC’s website without even leaving your home! Go to Coastal’s Build a Shoebox Online Challenge Page and for only $25 you can build shoeboxes that are used to reach “the ends of the earth – hard to reach places” by abiding by strict custom regulations. Heres the link https://sampur.se/3Ao3bXv. Help us reach our goal of packing over 1000 shoeboxes this year and share the love of Jesus with children all around the world!
- Winter Retreat signups are open for all 6th-12th graders!Winter Retreat is Jan. 15-17 in Pigeon Forge, TN with worship led by Rush of Fools & concerts by Crowder & Kari Jobe. Speakers are: Scott Dawson, Ed Newton, KB, & Ben Stuart. The cost is $225. Students can sign up on their Connect Card or on www.coastalcommunitychurch.org/connect/students/
Sign up today for the best weekend of the year! - UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
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 6th. 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!
Soldier’s Angels – We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, November 9th, 8am-1pm.
Neighbors Together (formerly Tri-County Ministries) – We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, November 10th, 9:45am-12:30pm. Meet at: 2105 Cosgrove Ave. North Charleston.
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, November 12th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
PINK House – The PINK House is a community center in the Ardmore subdivision in West Ashley. We are going to be putting on a community Tailgate Party, Clothing Distribution, Saturday, November 13th, 10am-1pm.
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. - We’re serving our community by rolling up our sleeves – literally! As part of our November 6th Saturday Serve, Coastal is hosting a Blood Drive from 8:30am-12:30pm at the church. Every donor will receive a $10 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! You can easily sign up for a convenient time slot by clicking here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/179413.
- Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, November 13th, 9-11:30am. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. You can join us either in-person or online through Zoom.
- Two of our Support Groups – Grief Share & Divorce Care – are both having a “Surviving the Holidays” seminar. Grief Share’s seminar will be Thursday night, November 4th, 6:30pm-8:30pm. To RSVP or for more information on Grief Share contact Sue Muoio at s.muoio@outlook.com or register at www.griefshare.org. Divorce Care’s seminar will be Thursday night, November 16th, 6:30pm-8:30pm. To RSVP or for more information on Divorce Care contact Tracy Trunkle at tandttrunkle@aol.com or register at www.divorcecare.org/holidays. Both of these events 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. Spread the word – both of these Groups and this event are open to the public!
P.S. Mark your calendars now! Coastal will be hosting a Night of Worship on Friday night, November 19th, from 7-8:30pm. Invite your friends and family to join us for an evening of worship, prayer, and encouragement. Childcare will be provided for Birth to Kindergarten.
