One of the things I love most about Coastal is that we’re not just a church that people attend. We’re a church that people take real ownership. Every single Sunday, before most of us even arrive, hundreds of volunteers have already been serving. They’ve set up and prayed over classrooms, set up chairs, brewed coffee, parked cars, greeted guests, run cameras, held babies, led worship, checked in children, prepared communion, welcomed first-time guests, and served in dozens of ways that most people never even notice. They don’t do it for recognition. They do it because they love Jesus and they love people. In fact, listen to just part of an email I received this week from one of our awesome volunteers, “I feel incredibly blessed to be part of such a wonderful church family. I thank God for Coastal and for allowing me to play even a very small part in what He is doing in and through you and this church. It is a joy and a privilege to serve alongside such faithful and caring people.” Wow!
As many of you know, our theme this year is THRIVE. We’ve been saying that healthy things grow, healthy things expand their reach, and deepen their roots. I think that’s true spiritually as well. One of the greatest ways we deepen our roots in Christ is by serving others.
It’s interesting that the deeper your roots go, the less your life revolves around you. Our culture constantly tells us to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Jesus taught us to ask a different question, “How can I serve?” In fact, Jesus said of Himself, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) If our Savior came as a servant, it shouldn’t surprise us that one of the primary ways we become more like Him is by serving others.
I’ve watched this happen over and over again through the years. Someone begins serving because there’s a need. But before long, they discover friendships they never expected, purpose they never knew they were missing, and joy that comes from making an eternal difference. They don’t just help Coastal grow – they grow themselves. That’s how God’s Kingdom works. As we give ourselves away, God deepens our roots.
As we head into the Fall, I’d encourage everyone who calls Coastal home to ask and answer one simple question, “Where am I serving?” If you’re already serving, thank you, thank you, thank you! You truly are making an eternal difference every single week. You are a link in the chain of people coming to faith and growing in their faith. If you’re not serving yet, maybe this is the time to take that next step. Whether it’s Coastal Kidz, Students, First Impressions, the Café, Production, Safety, Prayer, Parking, or one of our many other ministry teams, there is a place for you. It’s so simple at Coastal to jump in and start serving. Sign up on the back of your Connect Card this Sunday or go to our website and sign up today!
Healthy things grow. Healthy things expand their reach. Healthy things deepen their roots. One of the best ways to put down deeper roots at Coastal is to stop simply attending and start serving. I love you, Coastal! I love being your Pastor! And I love serving alongside of you!
In His Service & Yours!
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 7th, 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! TODAY, Friday, August 7th; Monday, August 10th, 10:30am-12:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
2nd Saturday Meal: Saturday, August 8th, 9am-12noon. Come serve with us at the church as we prepare a hot meal in the Coastal kitchen and then deliver those meals to one of our awesome ministry partners – organizations like Charleston Vets, S.C. Strong, Brighton Place, Joseph Floyd Manor and more!
Double Tailgate Day – Meeting Street & Joseph Floyd Manor: Saturday, August 8th, 10:30am-1:30pm. Meet at The Outpost and then pick which Tailgate you’d like to serve. 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 10th, 1:30pm-3:30pm. Meet at JFM.
Soldier’s Angels: We’ll be helping with the Veteran’s Mobile Food Distribution, Tuesday, August 11th, 8am-12pm. Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
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 Bingo and devotion. Kid Friendly! Tuesday, August 11th, 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 12th, 9:30am-12noon. Meet at: Brighton Place, 1429 Orleans Road.
Unload the Box Truck at Brighton Place: Come help unload the Coastal Box Truck filled with our weekly food pickup for residents of Brighton Place! Heavy lifting required (40+lbs). Wednesday, August 12th, 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 12th, 10am-12noon. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
Charleston Vets Fellowship: Charleston Vets is home to 35 struggling, local veterans who have sacrificed so much in service to our nation. Join us as we head out to connect with these veterans, share an evening meal, laugh alongside them, play some lively rounds of Bingo and share a devotion to help them grow closer to the Lord! Wednesday, August 12th, 5:30pm-8pm. 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 13th,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 13th, 11am-1:30pm. Meet at The Outpost – 1050 St. Andrews Blvd.
NHC Fellowship & Hospitality Project: Those in skilled-nursing centers are arguably some of the most neglected people in our society. The hope of this project is to send a reminder to the residents of the facility, in which we are serving, that they are not alone. This kid-friendly project will consist of loving on the staff and residents through words of encouragement, quality time and snacks and more! Friday, August 14th, 10am-12noon. Meet at: NHC Skilled Nursing Facility, 2230 Ashley Crossing Dr, Charleston, SC 29414.
Ronald McDonald House Meals that Heal – Breakfast: Ronald McDonald House provides a “Home-away-from-home” where families stay while their children undergo extensive medical treatment. The Meals that Heal program provides a much-needed support service to families taking care of their sick children, who often don’t have the time, funds, or energy to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. Ages 16+. Saturday, August 15th, 7:30am-9am. Meet at: 81 Gadsden St, Chas (Downtown Charleston).
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. - All LIFE Group leaders are required to complete a training session each semester. You only need to attend 1 of the 3 options. Please sign up for your choice on the links below. LIFE Group Sunday is on Sunday, August 30th and LIFE Groups will begin the week of September 13th-19th.
– New Leaders Training, Thursday, August 13th, 6:30pm-8pm
– New Leaders Training, Saturday, August 15th, 9am-10:30am
– Returning Leaders Training, Sunday, August 16th, 8pm-9pm ONLINE
Contact Pastor Scott Huff if you have any questions. - 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 45+ families at The Outpost! As a result, we are always in need of food to restock “The Market” and clothes for “The Boutique”!
Right now “The Market” could use: canned chicken and tuna (OUR BIGGEST NEED), cereal, jelly, corn, and pasta sauce. “The Boutique” is in need of school uniforms, men’s shirts (larger sizes), and men’s pants (all sizes). If you’re cleaning out your closet or making a store run, we’d love for you to keep The Outpost in mind. Every donation goes directly to someone in our community in need. Drop your donations in the bin/shopping cart at Coastal on Sunday mornings, or Monday-Thursday, 9-4 (church office on the side). Your donations, big or small, make a huge impact on families in need in our community. - We are having our 2nd BEACH BAPTISM of the Summer out at Folly Beach County Park THIS Sunday, August 9th, 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.
- Newcomer’s Reception: If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. 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. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, August 16th, in our Chapel immediately following the 11:30am service (at approximately 12:45pm). You can sign up on our website today.
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)
