Our church is GROWING! You can track it, and see it in every measurable category – attendance, Baptisms, serving, giving, and Groups. And if what we’re seeing, even over the Summer, is any indication of what’s to come, this Fall is going to be CRAZY exciting! I believe we’re going to start seeing over 1,000 people in-person on a regular basis each Sunday (we’re already seeing that on special days)! One such example of growth – we’ve gone from 38 LIFE Groups last semester (our biggest number ever) to 54 LIFE Groups this Fall! I’ve already made the call to our architects at LS3P to begin the process of preparing the plans for our next building phase on our campus – an 800-1000 seat auditorium! Now, we’re not ready to start building just yet, but what we’ve learned is that in the City of Charleston, it’s best to get “all your ducks in a row” and be prepared as early as possible so that you’re ready when it’s time to pull the trigger. We also need to pay down our current loan and get prepared financially (eventually another Giving Campaign). So if you’ve got a few million (or thousand) dollars laying around, and you want to make a Kingdom IMPACT, let’s talk! You think I’m joking – haha!
But as we prepare for the Fall and all that God is doing here at Coastal, here’s what I really want you to do: ask yourself this question – what is my ministry and where am I serving on Sunday mornings? For the month of August, we’re focusing on everyone, who calls Coastal home, finding a place to serve on Sunday mornings. At Coastal, we call our Ministries – LIFE Teams. Simply put, with the growth of our church – we need you (and you need this too)!
Sunday morning is still the primary way in which new guests get connected to our church. And to create an environment where those people feel like our welcomed, expected guests in our home, it requires a large and growing volunteer army. Are you serving in that army? Now, we don’t want to guilt anyone into serving. Instead we want to “grace” you into it. I want you to be so overwhelmed and blown away by the undeserved love, grace, and blessing of God that you are begging us for a place to serve on Sunday morning!
Over the next month, you’ll see a LIFE Team insert with all the different ministries in the bulletin, you’ll hear from different LIFE Team volunteers on stage, in the pre-show, and online. There will be sign up sheets on the kiosk outside the auditorium, and you can sign up on your Connect Card. But the simplest way to enlist in that LIFE Team army is to go to our website, check out all the different LIFE Teams, and click on the ones that interest you! I promise our Leaders will quickly follow up with you, and you’ll experience the joy of serving! It’s that easy to get started! Just one person, one service, once a month, makes a HUGE impact! I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together in our community, our world, and right here in our church on Sunday mornings! See you over the weekend!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Clothing Team: Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes, TODAY Friday, August 4th (and Monday, August 7th & Friday, August 11th), 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 tomorrow, Saturday, August 5th. We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!
Soldier’s Angels: We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, August 8th, 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, August 10th, 11:30am-1pm.
Coffee & Doughnuts with the Vets at Patriot Villas – Friday, August 11th, 8:30am-11:30am. Meet at Coastal.
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 Friday, August 11th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North Charleston.
Double Tailgate Day: Charleston Vets & Joseph Floyd Manor: Saturday, August 12th, 10am-1pm. Meet at the church and then pick which Tailgate you’d like to serve.
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. - If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, August 27th, 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!
- Interested in officially making the Coastal church family, your church family? Our next Membership Class is Saturday morning, August 19th, 9am-11:45am in the Chapel. You can respond to this email, sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday. Breakfast & childcare provided!
- CSM (Coastal Student Ministry – 6th-12th Grade) is returning on Sunday, August 27 from 5:30PM-7:00PM (doors open at 5PM). We are kicking off this year’s CSM in STYLE! We will have a fun filled introductory night where students will be able to fellowship together and have a great time! There will be pizza, the gym will be full of fun stuff to do, we will have a game truck, and there will be bubble soccer! We pray this will be a great time for students to reconnect with each other as well as their leaders after a long summer. We’d love for your student to be there, and we encourage them to invite a friend! They won’t want to miss it! If you have any questions, you can email Pastor Jacob at jacob@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
- All of our FALL LIFE GROUP information is in and our new catalog will be available on Sunday, August 27th! Training for new Fall Life Group Leaders will be offered in-person on Monday, August 21st, 6:30-8pm or Saturday, August 26th, 9-10:30am. Returning Leaders’ Training will be online on Thursday, August 24th from 8-8:45pm. All Leaders only need to attend one session. RSVP on your Connect Card. If you have any questions, please email Pastor Scott Huff at scotth@coastalcommunitychurch.org.
P.S. We are planning our 2nd BEACH BAPTISM of the Summer out at Folly Beach County Park on Sunday, August 20th, at 5pm. You can sign up for it on our website. The only requirement for Baptism is that you have personally given your life to Jesus. Baptism is a public profession of your faith, and it’s a great celebration! It beautifully illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. If you’re unable to participate in our Beach Baptism, remember at Coastal we’re ready for you to get Baptized any service, any Sunday. If you are interested in getting Baptized, simply respond to this email, sign up on your Connect Card, or sign up on our website.
