I hope you and your family truly had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! Today is traditionally called “Black Friday.” And then next week we have “Cyber Monday” and “Giving Tuesday”! Regardless of what labels we assign these days, the reality is that more people will buy more STUFF online this weekend and over the next month than any other time of the year. That’s not a bad thing, BUT it isn’t eternal. Our church exists to share and experience the LIFE and LOVE of Jesus with Charleston & the world – and that IS eternal!
So, while you’re shopping online today and over the next month, why not consider doing one of 2 things. And here’s my CYBER OFFER: 100% of your investment will go to reaching people for Jesus!
- Go here and give to God through the local church from our website. The investment is eternal. It lasts way longer than a big screen, toy, or new shoes.
- Many people give to Coastal with their smartphone through TEXTING! After a one step, one time registration process (takes less than 2 minutes), you simply text any amount to 843-277-8337 and hit send. GIVE IT A TRY! You can give any amount, any where, any time, any place. It is not billed to your phone. It is through your Bank/Credit Card that you register. It is simple, safe, and secure.
Today would be a great time to start giving toward our Christmas Offering – simply use the keyword “Christmas” (see below). Each and every gift counts – small and large. We can’t all give the same amount, but we can each sacrifice. And when all of us do that together, that’s when God does a miracle.
As I look back over 2020, one of the Groups/Ministries that we started that I’m so very thankful for and excited about is our Grief Share Support Group (thanks Sue & Freeda)! Well, there are several other Support Groups/Ministries that we’re interested in seeing established at Coastal. Here are just a few: Divorce Care. Divorce Care is actually an established Ministry by the same folks who support Grief Share. It is a recovery support group where you can find help and healing for the hurt of separation and divorce. Celebrate Recovery. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12 step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind. Military Families. We don’t have a name for this, but with our large number of Military families in Charleston we’d like to create a support group for families with a spouse that is on deployment. Foster/Adoption Family Support Ministry. This might be a team of people who help organize help and support for Foster Families.
Now, for any Ministry/Group to get started and to grow and thrive, there has to be both a need and it has to have a leader who feels called to lead. Usually, it’s just a matter of timing. So, if you would be interested in any of these Ministries and most importantly, if you might possibly feel called to lead one, please respond to this email and let’s dream a little bit and start a conversation.
Happy Shopping (and Giving)!
Pastor Chris
Here are this week’s “Friday 5”:
- 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 their Emergency Grocery Distribution, Wednesday, December 2nd, from 9am until 12noon.
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 5th. 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, Friday, December 11th, 8am-1pm.
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. - We recently announced our Annual Christmas Offering! Our goal is $75,000! Now through the second Sunday of the New Year, January 10th (7 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 these 8 weeks 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 (Thursday, 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 $75,000? Mainly 3 things: 1. We’re going to fully fund our 2 current monthly Tailgate Parties where we feed hundreds of people each month. 2. We’re going to buy a “Box Truck”! We’re super pumped about all the outreach possibilities of this truck – equipment and supply transportation for the tailgate parties, advertising for the church, disaster relief, community events, and more. 3. We’re going to purchase indoor and outdoor playground equipment for our new Children’s facility. So, start praying about what you and your family can give toward this offering. 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 the keyword “Christmas” whenever and however you give toward the Christmas Offering. - As we quickly approach the end of our Fall Semester of LIFE Groups, we are beginning to prepare for the next semester in the new year. If you are possibly interested in leading or assisting a LIFE Group in 2021, please let us know. You don’t have to have it all figured out yet – study, day, time, location, style (in-person/online) – we’re just curious if you’re interested. If you are, please reach out to Pastor Scott Huff or simply respond to this email.
- Our “Christmas at Coastal” series kicks off on Sunday, December 6th! We’ll have 3 special Family Christmas Eve services with nursery provided on Thursday, December 24th at 3pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm. Coastal Volunteers make sure you reach out to your Ministry Team Leaders about signing up to serve. Most importantly, be praying about who you will invite and bring. Also, please make note that the Sunday after Christmas (December 27th), services will be online only – no in-person services.
- Christmas at the Suburban Hotel! On Saturday, December 19th, 9am-1pm, Coastal is going to throw an Outdoor Christmas Party & Traditional Holiday Meal for all the folks at the Suburban! We need your help to prepare, provide, and serve an outdoor meal for the transitional residents complete with a lit Christmas Tree, holiday music, wrapped gifts, and holiday themed blessing bags! Sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday or contact Pastor Chris Jones at 843-870-4613 for more details.
P.S. There is NO Coastal Kidz set up this Saturday (tomorrow) morning at 8:30am. We were able to leave it all up this week! However, we would LOVE for you to join us next Saturday! If you are interested in being a part of the Coastal Kidz Set-Up Team, respond to this email or reach out to Janet Rollins at 843-442-8299 or just show up on a Saturday morning (but not tomorrow). Volunteering even just once a month makes a huge IMPACT!
