As you read this, my guess is that you’re “hunkered down” to weather whatever has become of Hurricane Ian. Please know that the Pastors, Staff, and Prayer Team are all praying for you and your family, for your safety and protection. I’m also praying that we can show the world around us the practical love of Christ through it all, whether we’re at the grocery store or the gas station. During times of uncertainty, people are on edge. Let’s make sure that as followers of Jesus we exude a calming, joyful presence.
Right now, all indications are that Saturday is going to be a beautiful day. That means that we are going to move forward with Saturday Serve! Truthfully, it’s a perfect opportunity to love and serve our community when people might just need it most. I hope you’ll join us! Chair Set-Up will be at 7:30am (yes, we’re still planning on having church services on Sunday) and Saturday Serve will be at 8:30am.
Speaking of showing the practical love of Christ to those who need it most, I want to share some exciting news with you. As a church, we’ve been praying about taking several of our more consistent Outreach Projects to the next level spiritually. So we started a little “LIFE Group Pilot Project.” What is that you ask? Well, we decided to offer a LIFE Group to good folks at Charleston Vets. Honestly, during the planning stages we weren’t really sure how many of the Veterans would be interested and would show up. 17 Veterans so far have joined the LIFE Group (see the picture above)!! WOW!! Our plan is to launch another LIFE Group next semester at another Outreach location. If you’re interested in being a part of it, please let Chris Jones know.
I know that last Sunday’s message on Romans 1:18-32 evoked a lot of conversations (that’s a good thing). It’s interesting to hear different people’s take on the message depending on where they are at spiritually and what’s going on in their lives. Some people seem to think that I preached an entire message on the sinfulness of homosexuality (I did not). The real point of my message and I believe the real point of the passage is that the good news of the Gospel of Jesus has no meaning, no real impact, until it’s set against the back drop of being under God’s wrath and judgment because of our sin. Ultimately, it’s about our need for a Savior. Just know that at Coastal, especially when we are working our way through a book of the Bible, that we are never going to shy away from hard or difficult subjects. Even the Apostle Peter said this about Paul’s writings, “Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) At Coastal, we are always going to stay true to the Word of God, but we are going to do so with grace and love. And are you ready for this? Two people gave their lives to Jesus on Sunday and were saved!! That’s the power of God’s Word and the power of the Gospel!! And like I said Sunday, no matter your struggle, we are here for you, and we will walk with you through it. And if you would like to talk about any of these issues and if you need some resources to help you walk through them in 2022, please let me know. I love you Coastal, I love being your Pastor, and I love what we get to do together!
LIFE & LOVE!
Pastor Chris
- UPCOMING OUTREACH PROJECTS:
Chair Set-Up: Come help set up all the chairs in the auditorium this Saturday (tomorrow), October 1st, at 7:30am.
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 Saturday, October 1st. We meet in the Welcome Center/Cafe at 8:30am, project leaders make a “pitch” for their serving opportunity, and then we serve!
Clothing Team: Our Coastal Clothing Team will be organizing and sorting clothes, Friday, October 7th, 9am-11am. Meet at 2952 Old Pond Road on Johns Island.
Double Tailgate Day – Charleston Vets & Joseph Floyd Manor: Saturday, October 8th, 10am-1pm. 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, October 11th, 8am-1pm. Meet at 1113 Sam Rittenburg Blvd. (The Elks Lodge).
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, October 14th, 9:30am-11:30am. Meet at 1850 Truxton Ave in North 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 at 843-870-4613. - For countless mothers, having enough diapers is a constant struggle. Without diapers, children cannot attend daycare, which may prevent parents from making an income. Diapers are not funded by WIC and SNAP programs, and without this financial assistance, babies are left in their diapers longer, leading to severe diaper rash that could lead to other medical problems. We are partnering with the Junior League of Charleston Diaper Bank. They collect, package and work with partner organizations to distribute diapers to those in need throughout the Lowcountry. We’re collecting diapers and pullups of all sizes this Sunday, October 2nd. The goal is to collect 1000 diapers! Drop off donations at the Junior League of Charleston Barrel located in the foyer near the auditorium this Sunday!
- If you’re fairly new to Coastal, a great next step is our Newcomers Reception. Our next Newcomers Reception is Sunday, October 30th, in our Chapel immediately following the 11:15am service (at approximately 12:30pm). This is a great way to learn more about Coastal, meet staff and key volunteers, as well as meet some other new people. You can sign up on our website, or sign up on your Connect Card on Sunday.
- Attention Coastal! Our church is collecting large bags of individually wrapped candy to help with Oakland Elementary School’s Trunk or Treat. Their Trunk or Treat is Thursday, October 20th, 5pm-7pm, and we are collecting candy beginning this Sunday through, Sunday, October 16th. You can drop your candy off at the bin on the kiosk in front of the auditorium.
- To be the best stewards of your giving, Coastal is consolidating our multiple giving platforms under the single umbrella of Church Teams (our new Church Management Platform). Online Giving and Text Giving through Church Teams is simple, safe, and secure. It will save the church time and money. Through Church Teams Online Giving you can set up automated/recurring giving through a Credit/Debit Card or through your Bank Account. You can even see a report of your giving! So, if you have already set up recurring giving online through PayPal, Kindrid/Texting, or our Coastal App, we are encouraging you to make that transition now to Church Teams Online Giving. You can do so at this link, or you can text the keyword “Give” to 843-571-1777 to get started. If you need any help, our office would be happy to assist. Contact us at 843-571-1777. Thank you again for your generosity and making an IMPACT here in Charleston AND the world!
P.S. It might seem like a long way off, but we wanted to go ahead and put on your calendar our next Coastal Night of Worship – Friday night, November 11th, 7-8:30pm! Invite your friends and family to join us for a night of prayer, worship, and encouragement. RSVP now for childcare (birth-kindergarten) on your Connect Card.
