Shoeboxes, Shoeboxes Shoeboxes! Don’t forget, all filled and completed shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child must be returned by this Sunday! 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.” Here’s the link https://sampur.se/3Ao3bXv. Together, with Christians all around the country, we get to be a part of reaching thousands of children all around the world! How exciting is that! None of this would be possible without YOU and your generosity!
And speaking of Christmas and generosity, I hope you saw my email yesterday about this year’s Annual Christmas Offering! Our goal is big – $125,000! But I believe that over the next 9 weeks, with God’s help, together we can reach it! Beginning this Sunday, November 14th, through the second Sunday of the New Year, January 9th (9 weeks), we are encouraging our entire Coastal family to give above and beyond their regular tithes and offering to this year’s Christmas Offering. To give, all you have to do is designate your gift “Christmas” on your check, offering envelope, card swiping “description”, online through Paypal, or TEXTing (843-277-8337). You can give your gift during those 9 weeks (Nov. 14th – Jan. 9th) at any of our regular Sunday morning services or anytime through TEXTing, our website, or our App. You might also consider giving it all at once during one of our 3 Christmas Eve Services (Friday, December 24th, 3pm, 4:30pm, & 6pm). Our entire Christmas Eve offering will go toward our Annual Christmas Offering.
So what are we going to do with that $125,000? Mainly 2 things: 1. We are going to be purchasing our SECOND “Box Truck”! Given the popularity of the tailgating outreach at Coastal, the number of volunteers who attend these types of events, and the impact made in the community, the deployment of a 2nd truck would potentially double the impact of our outreach efforts. 2. We’re going to remodel our old auditorium into a Chapel. As a Chapel, it will serve many purposes – not only for kids, but for students, overflow worship, LIFE Groups, community meeting space, weddings, and funerals. Specifically, we hope that this Christmas Offering will help purchase the flooring, paint, chairs, lighting & AV equipment.
So, start praying about what you and your family can give toward this offering and maybe make an initial gift this weekend. Remember, this offering should be over and above what you regularly give. If you’re not regularly giving (weekly, monthly), use this time of year and this offering to start. If you’re not tithing (10% of your gross income), step out in faith and start tithing. Reaching this goal will be a celebration of what God can do through our church as together we stretch our faith. Again, simply use the keyword “Christmas” whenever and however you give toward the Christmas Offering.
And speaking of generosity – I say it all the time – I want our church to be known in the community as a generous church. Well, you might be wondering what we did with all the cases and equipment that we were setting up for the past year for Coastal Kidz over at Orange Grove Middle School? WE GAVE IT AWAY to a new church plant in Roswell, GA! We probably saved them $50,000! Here’s a part of an email we got back from them:
- “I wanted to reach back out to you and tell you how incredibly thankful we are! We were able to open and go through everything today with our Children’s Director… and she was blown away! You guys are such a blessing to us and our mission to reach Roswell, GA. Thanks for being an example of radical generosity that we will be able to model in the future. We pray for blessings on your staff and church as you all enter into this new season of ministry! With the supplies you donated to us we are able to provide an incredible environment for our families and the children of the community! Again, I can’t say enough how thankful we are!”
Thank you Coastal for your continued generosity! I love you and I love being your Pastor! Have a great Friday! Can’t wait to see you over the weekend – Saturday: Membership Class 9am at the church (or Zoom – see below), chair set-up at 9:30am, Tailgating at the Pink House 10am (see below), or Sunday: Worship in-person or online, 9:30am & 11:15am! Oh and speaking of Sunday services, there will only be one in-person service on Sunday, November 28th (the Sunday after Thanksgiving) at 9:30am.
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Clothing Team – Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes on Friday, November 19h, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
Thanksgiving at Joseph Floyd Manor – Wednesday, November 24th, 9:30am-1pm, we’re going to be putting on a huge Thanksgiving Meal for the folks at Joseph Floyd Manor. The food is covered, but we really need volunteers to come and serve. Joseph Floyd Manor is public assistance housing and has a large number of low income elderly and disabled people. Meet at the church.
Neighbors Together (formerly Tri-County Ministries) – We will be assisting with their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, November 24th, 9:45am-12:30pm. Meet at: 2105 Cosgrove Ave. North Charleston.
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. - Our Divorce Care Support Group is having a “Surviving the Holidays” seminar on Tuesday 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. 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. Spread the word – the Group and this event are open to the public!
- Our Christmas at Coastal series kicks off on Sunday, December 5th! Our new facility will be beautifully decorated and a great place to get pictures! Sunday, December 19th is going to be “Ugly Christmas Sweater Day” at Coastal! We’re encouraging everyone to break out and wear that ugly Christmas sweater! We’ll have 3 special Christmas Eve Services on Friday, December 24th at 3pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm. Childcare (Birth-5th Grade) will be provided for all 3 Christmas Eve services with a Christmas Pajama Party for children 2 years old and up.
- Mark your calendars now! Coastal will be hosting a Night of Worshipon 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. This service will be in-person only. Don’t miss it!
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, December 5th, in the new Gather Space next to the cafe immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm). This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
P.S. SPRING LIFE GROUP LEADERS! If you are interested in Leading, Co-Leading, or Hosting a Spring 2022 LIFE Group in-person or online, sign up on your Connect Card. For more details or to answer any of your questions, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
