It’s now just 3 WEEKS UNTIL EASTER! It’s time – time to start making those phone calls, sending those texts, extending those invitations! Go to Easter at Coastal and download our shareable graphics to use on Social Media. And while you’re there please don’t forget to let us know which service you plan on attending by reserving your spot! It lets us know when a service reaches capacity. We really want to encourage our people (YOU) to attend on Friday and Saturday, to make more room on Sunday. If you plan to come that Sunday, please try to come to the 8:30am or the 11:30am service. Typically, the 10am service is PACKED! But most importantly, as we always say, come to the service that you can get your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers to come to. And if you’re serving, come to the service that best suits your serving schedule. Here are the Easter service times: Friday, March 29th, 7pm; Saturday, March 30th, 4:30 & 6pm; Sunday, March 31st, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am!
Speaking of serving, please talk to your Ministry Leaders now and VOLUNTEER FOR MULTIPLE SERVICES! 6 services means that it’s “All Hands On Deck.” We need everyone! If you’re not serving on Sunday morning yet, Easter is a great time to start. Sign up to volunteer on your Connect Card this Sunday, and we’ll get you plugged in. It will be one of the most worthwhile things you do, being used by God to be a link in the chain of people taking next steps and coming to know Jesus! If you’re not sure where to volunteer, 1st Impressions and Coastal Kidz is a great place to start.
Hopefully you’ve heard by now, but this Sunday at Coastal, as a part of our “Financial Freedom” series, we’re doing a “Reverse Offering.” We’re going to pass our blue offering buckets around and instead of putting anything in, we want everyone in the room to take one envelope out. Inside the envelope you’ll find somewhere between $5 and $100. Now, if you need the money, keep it. But what we’re encouraging everyone to do is to use the money as a start, to possibly add to it, and use it as a small seed of blessing, for someone else. Maybe you do something as simple as pay for the meal of the next person in the drive through, or leave an extra large tip for your server. Maybe you make and take a meal to a shut-in or to the firemen at a fire station. Maybe you help pay for someone’s mission trip. Maybe you and your friends or your LIFE Group pool your money together and pay a bill for a single mom struggling to make ends meet. You pray about it, get creative, and see what God does through you. Make it something for the whole family to do together. And then send us an email, or post something on social media, using the hashtag #coastalgivesback, telling us about your experience. Are you ready for this? We’re giving away a total of $10,000 in cash for our church to be a blessing. I can’t wait to hear all about your experience and what God led you to do!
The most important thing we can do to prepare our hearts and minds for Easter is to PRAY! Hopefully you’ve already been praying during our 40 Day Easter Fast. To help mobilize our church even further in prayer, our Prayer Team is organizing two events that you can participate in. We’re conducting a Prayer Walk on Wednesday, March 27th at 5pm at Coastal – everyone welcome. We’re also conducting a 24-hour Prayer Vigil (from your home). We’re praying in 15-minute increments for a continuous 24-hour period beginning at 6:30pm on Thursday, March 28th until 6:30pm on Friday, March 29th. If you’d be interested in joining in the Prayer Vigil, click on this linkand sign up for a time slot.
And finally, I want you to welcome Tracy Gundy and Natalie Faust to our Coastal Staff Team! Tracy will be serving as our Nursery/Toddler Coordinator and Natalie will be serving as our Elementary Coordinator in Coastal Kidz. Janet and Aly are building an AMAZING Team! And God is building an AMAZING Family here at Coastal! I’m just humbled and honored to be a part of it! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor and leading alongside such wonderful people! 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, March 8th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
Clothing Team: Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes, TODAY Friday, March 8th & Monday, March 11th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
Double Tailgate Day: Meeting Street & Joseph Floyd Manor: Tomorrow, Saturday, March 9th, 10:30am-1:30pm. Meet at the church and then pick which Tailgate you’d like to serve.
Soldier’s Angels: We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, March 12th, 8am-1pm. Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
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, March 14th, 11:30am-1pm.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas – Friday, March 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, March 19th, 12pm-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, March 20th, 8:30am-12pm. 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. - At Coastal, we believe in making an impact one life at a time. We’re hosting an Impact Evangelism Seminar THIS Sunday, March 10th, 5pm- 8pm, in the Coastal Chapel. Come learn practical tools to help build your confidence to share your faith without fear. Sign up online or RSVP on your Connect Card, and let us know if you’ll need childcare! Dinner provided.
- Coastal Community Church’s Internship Program is an eight-week, Summer Ministry experience designed to give participants (ages 16-26) a glimpse into life in ministry. Passionate & gifted participants will gain valuable experience while working alongside Coastal staff members in areas of Administration, Outreach, Worship Arts, Production & Communications, Children’s, or Student Ministries. If you’re interested in providing housing for out of state interns, please contact the church office. Find out more by visiting our internship program page at www.coastalcommunitychurch.org/connect/internships.
- Coastal Day at the Riverdogs! Join us on Sunday, April 21st, at 5pm at the Charleston Riverdogs baseball game! Reserve your FREE tickets by texting TICKETS to 843-571-1777. Tickets will be distributed digitally to your email. Questions? Contact Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
- On Saturday, March 23rd, from 4-7pm, our church will be participating in the Carolina Bay Spring Fling/Easter Egg Hunt! We’ll be providing a craft area for all the children. We’ll have our Coastal tents, tables, and supplies for 300+ children! Here’s what we need – VOLUNTEERS! Now, there are A LOT of Coastal people who live in Carolina Bay. If you would be willing to be a volunteer and simply welcome and greet people, help children at a craft table, help set up / break down, and be a Coastal Ambassador, please sign up online. Even if you can help for an hour or two, just let me know. Set up begins at 3:00PM. And you don’t have to live in Carolina Bay to help – anyone is welcome!
P.S. Coastal’s Young Adults (College-30ish) are invited to join us at the SC Stingrays hockey game at the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday, March 16th, at 6pm. Tickets are $10 per person. Email Pastor Scott at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org to reserve your spot by Sunday, March 10th.
P.S.S. Mark your calendars now – Coastal’s VBS is July 8th-12th, 6-8:15pm for children 4 years old – 5th Grade. This year’s theme is, “SCUBA – Diving Into Friendship With God!” Registration for Volunteers and children will open Easter weekend!
