Woohoo! I’ve got GREAT NEWS! Our 2026 Fall Semester LIFE Group Catalog is officially available! You’ll receive a hard copy on Sunday, and it’s available online right now! And if we have your up-to-date contact information, you should even get one mailed to your home. If you end up with more than one, don’t throw it away – give it to a friend!
But let me tell you why I’m especially excited about LIFE Groups this Fall. We’re going to THRIVE together! Beginning Sunday, September 13th, I’ll be kicking off our new series, “Thrive: Expanding Our Reach, Deepening Our Roots.” And this semester, every one of our LIFE Groups will be studying the same material together, based on the Sunday messages. I absolutely LOVE that!
That means hundreds and hundreds of people all across our community will hear the same message on Sunday and then gather in homes and Groups throughout the week to talk about it, dig deeper into God’s Word, pray together, encourage one another, and figure out how to put what we’re learning into practice.
So this semester, choosing a LIFE Group is actually pretty simple. You’re not really choosing WHAT you want to study – you’re choosing WHERE, WHEN, and WITH WHOM you want to grow! Some Groups will still be geared toward a particular stage of life or group of people – Young Adults, Young Married, Senior Adults, Men, Women, etc. But we’re all going to be studying the same thing and moving in the same direction.
And here’s what I really want you to understand: Thrive is about so much more than a building. Yes, part of Thrive is about expanding our reach – making room for ONE more child, ONE more student, ONE more family, ONE more person who needs Jesus. But it’s also about deepening our roots. Because healthy things don’t just grow bigger. Healthy things grow deeper. That’s what I want for every person who calls Coastal home. I want us to grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. I want us to grow deeper in God’s Word. I want us to grow deeper in prayer. I want us to grow deeper in our relationships with one another. And LIFE Groups are one of the best environments we have for that kind of growth.
Remember, our LIFE Groups are for EVERYONE, whether you’re a member of Coastal, an occasional attender, brand new, or you’ve never even attended one of our Sunday services. We’re called Coastal COMMUNITY Church for a reason! Invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family to join you. You can view the catalog AND sign up for a Group online right now. In fact, that’s probably the easiest way to sign up. Once you register, your Group Leader will contact you before the semester begins. Unless otherwise noted in the catalog, Groups begin the week of September 13th and run for 10 weeks.
And don’t miss LIFE GROUP SUNDAY, August 30th! Join us at 8:30am, 10am, or 11:30am. Before and after all three services, you’ll be able to walk around, check out our 80 LIFE Groups, meet the Group Leaders, ask questions, and find the Group that’s right for you. Think Job Fair or College Fair, but for LIFE Groups! We’ll have snacks, lots of people to meet, and even FREE KONA ICE outside for everyone!
So go ahead and start looking through the catalog today. Pick a day. Pick a time. Pick a location. Pick some people to do life with. And sign up! Don’t just come to church this Fall. Get connected. Grow deeper. Make some friends. And let’s THRIVE together! I love you Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I can’t wait to see what God does in us and through us this Fall!
LIFE Is Better Together!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas: Join the team as we travel over to Patriot Villas, a veterans housing facility in North Charleston, to provide encouragement in the form of a fresh hot cup of Coastal coffee, a Krispy Kreme donut and community. We’ll spend the morning serving the veterans, fellowshipping, building relationships and thanking them for their service! TODAY, Friday, August 21st, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
The Boutique Sort & Stock: Come help sort & organize all the clothes we distribute! Monday August 24th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
JFM Fellowship Activity & Devotion: A fun project for kids! We’ll serve at Joseph Floyd Manor (JFM), a public housing facility in Downtown Charleston, playing BINGO with the residents. Monday, August 24th, 1:30pm-3:30pm. Meet at JFM.
Brighton Place Fellowship Activity & Devotion: This project will allow us to spend some time with the residents and get to know them better through a lively game of Chair Volleyball and devotion. Kid Friendly! Tuesday, August 25th, 1:30pm-3pm. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Brighton Place Grocery Distribution Set-Up: Come unload, sort, and stage supplies for our distribution the following day! Wednesday, August 26th, 9:30am-12noon. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Sweat & Serve: Come help unload the Coastal Box Truck filled with our weekly food pickup! Heavy lifting required (40+lbs). Wednesday, August 26th, 9:30am-12noon. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
The Market Organize & Prep: Come to The Outpost and help keep the Market stocked and organized (and have a lot of fun while you’re at it)! Wednesday, August 26th, 10am-12noon. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Brighton Place Tailgate & Clothing Distribution: Come help distribute clothes and put on a Tailgate for the wonderful residents of Brighton Place! Wednesday, August 26th,10am-12noon. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Brighton Place Grocery Distribution: Come help distribute food to the wonderful residents of Brighton Place! Thursday, August 27th,10am-12noon. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Serving in the Market & the Boutique at The Outpost: Coastal feeds and clothes an enormous amount of people. Come to The Outpost and help serve our community (and have a lot of fun while you’re at it)! Thursday, August 27th, 11am-1:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Downtown Charleston “Hotdog Ministry”: We will be grilling and serving hotdogs to the homeless and hungry downtown! Friday, August 28th, 4pm-6:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
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. - COASTAL STUDENT MINISTRY KICKOFF – THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 23RD, 5:30PM-7PM (DOORS OPEN AT 5PM)!! I can’t believe it’s finally here! We are so excited to kick off the Fall semester and all that God has in store for our students. I pray you’re as excited as I am! This semester, we’re challenging students to take their next step in their walk with Christ, and our amazing group of adult leaders are committed to discipling students and helping them grow in their faith.
We want your student to attend kickoff because so many of those life-changing conversations begin with something simple: a student showing up, having fun, and building relationships with other students and their leaders. That’s a big part of why we make Kickoff such a big night!
This year’s kickoff is themed as a Glow Night. The doors open at 5pm. We’ll have a night packed with glow-themed games and activities, food & prizes, bubble soccer outside, glow face paint, glow sticks, and more. There are plenty of opportunities for students to connect with friends and CSM leaders.
Students are encouraged to wear white, neon, or other bright colors so they can glow under the black lights! Don’t worry if they don’t have anything glow-themed—we’ll have plenty of glow supplies for them to use. Kickoff is also the perfect opportunity to invite a friend! We want students to start the school year connected to CSM and surrounded by people who will encourage them as they follow Jesus.
Please register by clicking the link below so we can plan for food and activities: REGISTER FOR GLOW NIGHT
Pastor Jacob Bonetti - Grieving the death of a spouse? Or do you know someone who is? Find help at a “Loss of a Spouse Seminar.” The loss of a spouse can change someone’s life forever. The daily emotions and challenges can seem too hard to bear. Join this encouraging and free seminar and let us help. Monday, August 24th, 2pm OR 6pm (2 different sessions), in the Coastal Cafe area. Register online at Griefshare.org.
- We have officially opened our new Kindergarten & 1st Grade room! Opening this new classroom means we can spread our children out a little more, create a better environment for learning, improve safety, and make room for the continued growth God has been bringing our way. This new classroom ALSO creates new opportunities to serve! As more children come through our doors, we need more and more loving, caring volunteers who are willing to invest in the next generation. We are looking for both Leaders and Assistants in our classrooms.
To learn more or to set up a time to observe a class, contact our Children’s Director, Aly Huggins, at aly@coastalcommunitychurch.org, or stop by the Child Check-In desk on any given Sunday and ask for Aly. - Just a friendly reminder to always be thinking about bringing Food & Clothes for The Outpost. Since opening The Outpost, the number of families we are helping in our community has multiplied exponentially! While we used to see approximately 6 families on any given Thursday at our church at the Food Pantry, we are now serving 50+ families at The Outpost! As a result, we are always in need of non-perishable food to restock “The Market” and clothes for “The Boutique”! Drop your donations in the bin/shopping cart at Coastal on Sunday mornings, or Monday-Thursday, 9-4, at the church office. Your donations, big or small, make a huge impact on families in need in our community.
P.S. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up to attend one of our Thrive Campaign Information Meetings. To make it easy for everyone who calls Coastal home to attend one of these meetings, Pastor Chris is leading 12 different meetings (with childcare and refreshments), over the course of 2 weeks, at different times. Pastor Chris will share:
– Why we’re launching THRIVE.
– The vision God has placed on our hearts.
– What we’re planning to build and why.
– How much it is expected to cost.
– How we believe God will provide.
– And he’ll answer any questions you may have.
No one will be asked to make a financial commitment at these meetings. You’ll simply have the opportunity to hear the vision and discover how you can be a part of it.
Here is a list of those 12 meetings. Sign up online, or sign up on your Card on Sunday. Just pick one! Click the link below and sign up today.
1 – Friday, August 21st, 6:30pm-8pm, Auditorium (childcare – pizza)
2 – Saturday, August 22nd, 9am-10:30am, Auditorium (childcare – refreshments)
3 – Sunday, August 23rd, 12:45-2:15pm, Auditorium (childcare – pizza)
4 – Sunday, August 23rd, 5:30pm-7pm, Chapel (childcare – pizza)
5 – Wednesday, August 26th, 9am-10:30am, Chapel (no childcare – refreshments)
6 – Wednesday, August 26th, 6:30pm-8pm, Chapel (childcare – refreshments)
7 – Thursday, August 27th, 6:30pm-8pm, Chapel (childcare – refreshments)
8 – Saturday, August 29th, 10am-11:30am, Auditorium (childcare – refreshments)
9 – Sunday, August 30th, 5:30pm-7pm, Chapel (childcare – pizza)
10 – Young Adults, Monday, August 31st, 6:30pm-8pm, Chapel (no childcare – refreshments)
11 – Tuesday, September 1st, 12pm-1:30pm, Chapel (no childcare – lunch)
12 – Wednesday, September 2nd, 6:30pm-8pm, Chapel (childcare – refreshments)
