Finally – Easter Weekend is here!Our first of 19 online services starts tonight at 7pm! You can watch services on Facebook LIVE but the best, easiest place to connect, fill out a Connect Card, Give and interact with others is at https://coastalcommchurch.churchonline.org. Now, it’s definitely not the Easter anyone imagined, but you know what? It’s probably a lot closer to that very first Easter than any other Easter we’ve ever experienced.
(Someone shared this with me – I want to share it with you.) “Think about it. The very first Easter was not in a crowded worship space with singing and praising. On the very first Easter the disciples were locked in their house. It was dangerous for them to come out. They were afraid. They wanted to believe the good news they heard from the women, that Jesus had risen. But it seemed too good to be true. They were living in a time of such despair and such fear. If they left their homes, their lives and the lives of their loved ones might be at risk. Could a miracle really have happened? Could life really had won out over death? Could this time of terror and fear really be coming to an end? Alone in their homes they dared to believe that hope was possible, that the long night was over, and morning had broken, that God’s love was the most powerful of all, even though it didn’t seem quite real yet. Eventually, they were able to leave their homes, when the fear and danger had subsided. They went around celebrating and spreading the good news that Jesus was risen and love was the most powerful force on the earth. This year, we might get to experience a taste of what the first Easter was like – still in our homes daring to believe that hope is on the horizon. Then, after a while, when it is safe for all the people, when it is the most loving choice, we will come out, gathering together, singing and shouting the good news that God brings life even out of death, that love always has the final say!”
Our service times over the next 3 days are as follows:
- TONIGHT, Friday, April 10th: 7pm
- Saturday, April 11th: 9am, 10:30am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm, 6pm, 7:30pm, 9pm
- Sunday, April 12th: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 5:30pm, 7pm
There will be plenty of opportunities for you to catch a service and to invite your friends to do the same. Send out those emails, texts, and phone calls now! Check-in each time you watch a service and share our social media posts.
If you’re a parent don’t forget to check out our new web page for your children: “Coastal Kidz Online.” There you will find lesson videos for kids of all ages, parent guides to help you discuss the Bible lesson with your children, reinforcement activities, and a Youtube playlist of worship songs. For the elementary grades, there are several days worth of reinforcement activities. We will update this page every week! If you have any questions, please reach out to our Children’s Director, Janet Rollins.
Not only are we celebrating Easter this weekend, but Easter also marks our church’s Anniversary! Our first service was Easter Sunday, 1990, which means that this Easter we are 30 YEARS OLD! In some ways it feels like just yesterday that we were getting ready for that very first service downtown at the Old Exchange Building. Yes, for the first year of our church we met at one of the most historic buildings in Charleston. I used to tell people that George Washington, Prince Charles, and Pastor Chris have all spoken at the Great Hall. 30 years of sharing and experiencing the LIFE & LOVE of Jesus with Charleston and the world! 30 years of loving and serving our community! 30 years of relationships! 30 years of stories from just doing life with people! It has been the adventure of a lifetime, and Janet and I are beyond blessed for having lived it! And you know what Coastal? We are just getting started! I truly believe that. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like a great marriage. I am more passionate and more in love and more committed to what God has called us to do through Coastal, than I could have ever understood 30 years ago! Coastal is not just a church I attend or preach at – it’s my family! I love you Coastal and I love being your Pastor! But hold on to your fork – the best is yet to come! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! (I promise we’ll celebrate together when this is all over!)
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
- Our 100 Day Challenge is now officially over! Honestly, I don’t know if it could have come at a better time leading us into this period of staying at home, social distancing, and Easter. I hope the challenge spurred on your faith in greater ways. Well, how would you like to continue to read through the New Testament for the rest of the year? Come on, what else are you going to do? Binge watch “Tiger King” on Netflix? Instead of daily reading schedule, we’ve given you a block of chapters to read for the week at your own pace (see above). But we would encourage you to try to break it up and read a little portion each day. Enjoy!
- Operation Christmas Child has grown so much at Coastal that it is now a YEARLONG Mission of our church! Each month we will feature a “donation of the month” to help us better prepare for the thousands of boxes we will pack and wrap in the Fall. This month (April) we are encouraging everyone to bring stuffed animals that will fit in a shoebox. Even though our Sunday morning Services are online right now, you can still drop off OCC items during the week at the church. If you have any questions, please reach out to Teresa Spell.
- All of our LIFE Groups have now gone online! Join a Group and experience community, connection, and prayer each week. You can go to our website and sign up today! If you might be willing to start/lead a new online Group, please respond to this email or reach out to Pastor Scott. Let us equip you to help keep our church connected.
- Did you know that we have 5 Blessing Boxes in the community! Consider choosing a Blessing Box as a family and restock it with non-perishable food, toiletries, and even notes & cards of encouragement. This can be done by going directly to the Blessing Box. Here are the addresses to our Boxes:
413 Geddes Avenue, Charleston
928 Savage Road, Charleston
2758 East Surrey Drive, North Charleston
1998 Hugo Avenue, North Charleston
1050 St. Andrews Blvd., Charleston
If you have any questions about the Blessing Boxes, please reach out to Chris Jones. - Don’t forget to take advantage of your FREE membership to RightNow Media! It is an amazing resource that Coastal pays for everyone to have access to. You can watch some amazing Bible study videos, devotionals, etc. by just searching the topic you’re interested in. There’s great stuff for kids too! It might give you some great stuff to watch while you’re stuck at home “social distancing!” Here is the link: https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Invite/COASTALSC.
P.S. For those of you who normally give to Coastal on Sunday mornings by check, cash, or card swiping, we want to help you to continue to be faithful with your generosity. If you would like us to mail you offering envelopes or step you through online giving, please respond to this email or call the church office (843-571-1777). Your weekly gifts are a vital resource that allows us to continue the work that God has called us to do. When you continue to give during this crisis, your gifts allow us to maintain critical ministries that many depend on. Thank you so much for your faithfulness!
