On Monday of this week, we delivered over 900 Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child to the local OCC distribution site! Your love and generosity never cease to amaze me! On Tuesday, while our Volunteers were serving at Soldier’s Angels Food Distribution, I had the privilege of sharing with their organization’s leaders that, as a result of our Christmas Offering, our church was going to fully fund half of next year’s Food Distribution (6 of the 12). To say that they were excited and grateful is an understatement! Yesterday, we reached out to Mike Kennedy with the New Life Children’s Home in Peru and told him that we’re planning on sending them $10,000 from our Christmas Offering. Again, I wish you could hear the excitement and gratitude in his response!
So Coastal, it’s now time to start giving! 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 over the next 9 weeks (starting this Sunday, Nov. 19th – Jan. 14th) 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 (Saturday, December 23rd, 4pm & 6pm and Sunday, December 24th, 4pm & 6pm). Our entire Christmas Eve offering will go toward our Annual Christmas Offering. Again, this year’s goal is $125,000! The money will be going to purchase another Box Truck for Clothing Distribution, New Life Children’s Home in Peru, VBS, a Sudan Mission Trip, & Soldier’s Angels Food Distribution. The money is also used for Benevolence & General Outreach. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. 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.”
Tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 11am out at Folly Beach, I’ll be taking a “polar plunge” and Baptizing at least another 5 people (we’ve already Baptized 105 people this year)! Not only would I love for you to come out and celebrate with these people, but if you’d like to join them and get Baptized, please respond to this email and let me know. We’ll be at the Folly Beach County Park (not the pier). The only requirement for Baptism is that you’ve given your life to Christ. It is an act of obedience, a public declaration of your faith. It beautifully symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It also symbolizes new life and a washing away of our sins. Again, if this is your next step, what are you waiting on? If the beach in November is not your thing, we can be ready any Sunday, any service – just let us know!
If you haven’t heard yet, we’re having 4 Christmas Eve Services: Saturday, December 23rd, 4pm & 6pm and Sunday, December 24th, 4pm & 6pmI Please note, there will be NO SERVICES on Sunday morning of Christmas Eve, December 24th. Instead, there will be 4 identical Christmas Eve services spread out over 2 days – 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, both at 4pm & 6pm. Reach out to your Ministry Leader and start signing up to serve. Big Days and Special Services mean “all hands on deck.” Yesterday, we walked through the Christmas Eve Service itself with Pastor Ryan & Tim, our Music Director. I’ll just say it’s going to very powerful! You won’t want to miss it! Please start praying about who you will be inviting and bringing to Coastal! But don’t wait for Christmas Eve to invite your friends. This whole Christmas season is a great opportunity to reach out to friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family. I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE,
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS
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, TODAY, Friday, November 17th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
Coffee & Doughnuts at the “Giving Thanks to Veterans” Charity Match – Saturday, November 18th, 6am-9:30am. 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 21st, 12pm-3pm.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, November 24th, 4-6pm. Meet at Coastal.
Clothing Team: Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes, Friday, December 1st & Monday, December 4th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
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, December 2nd. We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas – Friday, December 8th, 8:30am-11am. 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 at 843-870-4613. - December is just around the corner! And it’s not too early to start planning for Coastal’s “Ugly Christmas Sweater Day!” That’s right, on Sunday, December 3rd, come to Coastal in your “ugliest” Christmas Sweater! It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we’ll even have a gift for you! We’re also having 4 Christmas Eve Services: Saturday, December 23rd, 4pm & 6pm and Sunday, December 24th, 4pm & 6pm (no Sunday morning services on the 24th).
- Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Thursday, December 7th, 6-9pm in the Chapel. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. Dinner & childcare provided!
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, December 3rd, 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!
- Oakland Elementary School Teacher Classroom Wishlist Tags! This Sunday, November 19th is the last day to bring back your gift items for Oakland Elementary School. You can drop off your items at the kiosk just outside the auditorium. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
P.S. 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.org if you are interested in leading a Group.
