Check out the new “Christmas at Coastal” graphic above (thanks Carla Marchione – our Graphics Artist)! I love it! And yes, I LOVE Christmas at Coastal! So let’s talk about all things Christmas!
First of all, we’ll be decorating our campus on Monday, November 25th at 9am! If you are able and available, we could definitely use the help. However, please keep in mind that this is not a job for children. If you’ve seen the finished product or have helped before, you know there is a lot of lifting, moving, getting up and down on ladders, and some very detailed decorating. But again, we could definitely use the help!
Beginning this Sunday, you’ll be able to take a gift tag off of one of the Christmas Trees just outside the auditorium to help supply a Christmas gift for the residents of either Charleston Vets or Brighton Place. Once you sign out your tag, simply bring the gift back to the church, unwrapped, with the tag attached by Sunday, December 15th. The Double Christmas Party (two parties going on at the same time in two different locations) will be Saturday, December 21st!
Sunday, December 8th is “Ugly Christmas Sweater Day” at Coastal! Come to church with your “ugliest” or most festive Christmas attire! It’s going to be a lot of fun and we’ll even have a gfit for you!
And last, but not least, I am so excited to share with you our plans for our 12th Annual Christmas Offering! Over the years, this offering has made a huge IMPACT on our ministry! Well, beginning NEXT Sunday, November 24th, through Sunday, January 12th (8 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, online, or TEXTing (843-571-1777). You can give your gift during those 8 weeks (Nov. 24th – Jan. 12th) at any of our regular Sunday morning services, or anytime through TEXTing, or our website. You might also consider giving it all at once during one of our 4 Christmas Eve Services (Monday, December 23rd, 6pm; and Tuesday, December 24th, 2pm, 4pm, & 6pm). Our entire Christmas Eve offering will go toward our Annual Christmas Offering.
Why a Special Offering? It’s a way for us to grow in our faith and to prepare us for what God wants to do through our church in a bigger way in 2025. It’s a way for us to sacrifice together as a church family and give generously. Christmas is all about giving. Many people, during this time of year, are in fact looking for opportunities to give. And there is no better place to give than to your local church.
What is our goal and where is the money going? Our overall goal is $150,000! Is that a big goal? Yes! Can we reach it? Absolutely! As always, I am very excited about where this year’s money will be going and the potential Kingdom impact. The money will be used for another Box Truck for Disaster Relief & Outreach, another 15 Passenger Van, New Life Children’s Home in Peru, VBS, CSM Summer Camp Scholarships, & Soldier’s Angels Food Distribution. The money is also used for Benevolence & General Outreach.
Let me specifically explain each project for this year’s offering:
Box Truck. We now have 2 Tailgating Box Trucks and 2 Clothing Distribution Box Trucks. But what we quickly discovered this year, especially after the hurricanes came through the southeast, is that we need an empty box to help with relief projects!
15 Passenger Van. What’s the most consistently asked question from all the places that we serve around Charleston through our Outreach, especially after they get to know us and see us on a regular basis? Answer: “Do you provide any kind of transportation to your church?” We have one van that now does that, but we need another one. We also need another van to take volunteers to the different Outreach Projects on the same day. And then of course it would come in handy for Student Ministry and multiple other service opportunities.
VBS & CSM Summer Camp Scholarships. Coastal has made the strategic decision to invest in the next generation – children and students! VBS at Coastal is AWESOME! We see hundreds of children and don’t charge a thing. Each year Coastal subsidizes Summer Camp and even provides scholarships for students who can afford it. We don’t see these things as an expense. We see them as an investment – an investment in the next generation, an investment in the Kingdom.
Peru Mission – New Life Children’s Home. A portion of this year’s Christmas Offering will go to providing Christmas for all the children in the orphanage and their workers. It will also help cover expenses and salaries for the Children’s Home.
Soldier’s Angels Monthly Food Distribution. Through the Low Country Food Bank, Soldier’s Angels provides approximately 70lbs. of groceries to 200+ local veterans who find themselves facing food insecurity. Coastal already provides Volunteers each month who help with organizing, sorting, preparing, and loading the food. We will be footing the bill for half (6) of this year’s Food Distributions!
How much should you give? Prayerfully consider giving a gift that will stretch your faith and include your whole family. For some people, coming up with “extra” money is difficult. We’ve learned that as we give, God provides. Maybe you decide to give up eating out or buying coffee for 8 weeks and give that money to the Christmas Offering. Maybe you sell something or have a yard sale. For some people $1000 above your regular giving is a huge sacrifice. For others, it’s not. Someone might decide to cover the whole cost for the Box Truck, a Van, VBS, or any of our other projects.
Just like our Giving Campaigns over the years and all the other Christmas Offerings we’ve done in the past, we can’t all give the same amount, but TOGETHER, we can ALL make a sacrifice. That’s when God shows up and does a miracle, when together we ALL step out in faith.
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 to start. If you’re not tithing (10% of your gross income), step out in faith and start. Reaching this goal will be a celebration of what God can do through us as together we stretch our faith. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. The easiest and fastest way to give to the Christmas Offering is through TEXTing the word “GIVE” to 843-571-1777 and follow the simple instructions. Just make sure you designate your gift “Christmas.” I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love Christmas at Coastal!
Merry Christmas!
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: Friday, November 15th, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
Hope Center Tailgate: The Hope Center, managed by the city of Charleston, serves as a one-stop shop in downtown Charleston to assist those who are homeless or who are at-risk of being homeless. We’re sending a Tailgate Team to serve dinner to anyone who is hungry. We meet at Coastal on Tuesday, November 19th, 12noon-3pm.
VA Hospitality Project: This team serves at the VA Hospital in Charleston by providing a hospitality cart, greeting incoming patients and employees, visiting patients, and helping Volunteer Services with small sorting projects. Wednesday, November 20th, 8:30am-12pm. Meet at Coastal.
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, November 21st, 11:30am-1pm.
Patriot Villas Veterans Tailgate: We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Veterans at Patriot Villas on Thursday, November 21st, 6-8:30pm. Meet at Coastal.
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 22nd, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, November 22nd, 4-6:30pm. Meet at Coastal.
Brighton Place Tailgate: We will be putting on a Tailgate for the Brighton Place community (here in West Ashley – near Citadel Mall) on Wednesday, November 27th, 6-8:30pm, and Monday, December 2nd, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
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. - If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, December 8th, 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.
- 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. Sign up on your Connect Card or contact Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.orgif you are interested in leading a Group.
- Operation Christmas Child – This Sunday, November 17th, is the last Sunday to bring back your OCC Shoeboxes filled to overflowing with toys and supplies for children all around the world!
- Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Monday, December 9th, 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) on Sunday. Food & childcare provided!
P.S. 2025 PERU MISSION TRIP INFO MEETING! There will be informational meetings with Q&A between the 1st and 2nd services and between the 2nd & 3rd services in the Coastal Chapel THIS Sunday, November 17th. Please stop by to meet with Pastor Scott and hear about the trip, cost, and dates for our Peru Mission Trip in 2025!
