Dear Coastal,
I hope you’re having a great day! I’ve been out of town all this week. The first part of the week I’ve been in my Pastor’s Coaching meeting and then on Wednesday our staff joined me for a small conference associated with my Coaching. Approximately 6 times a year (every other month) I meet together with about 25 other Pastors from around the country for time of learning, accountability, and growth. I very affectionately call it my “Pastoring for Dummies” meetings. We typically meet in Orlando, but this week we’ve been in Charlotte. And then usually twice during the year, our staff joins me for a conference at the end of those weeks with other churches. It’s always a great time of learning, growing, and team building. We really do have a great staff at Coastal! They are each very gifted, they love the Lord, they love you, and we love each other!
I’m praying for all of you who are participating in our Easter Fast (March 1st – April 9th-Palm Sunday). Right now we have over 150 people who are fasting and praying! I’m so excited to see how God is going to use this time in your life and in the life of our church. By the way, if you haven’t started yet, don’t think you can’t join in. Just start today.
One of the things that I definitely want everyone to pray about over these 40 days, whether you’re fasting or not, is Easter Sunday, April 16th and everything that goes along with our Easter Services. Pray for your ONE, pray for everyone we’ll be inviting, pray that people will get saved and that we’ll turn on many more lights on our ONE sign, pray for our Ministry Leaders, pray for our Volunteers, pray for our Staff, pray for me, pray for my message. I’ll be starting a new series Easter Sunday on Forgiveness. I would also encourage you to give a special Easter Offering on Easter Sunday. Special services require extra expenses. Marketing, mailings, signage, postage, advertising all cost money. However at Coastal we consider these investments worth making. As a part of your Easter Fast, pray about how you might be able to make a financial sacrifice on Easter Sunday.
Last year on Easter Sunday we had our largest attendance in the history of our church – 958. I believe that this Easter we can break 1000! Do you? I believe that God is up to something at our church and that He is using us to draw people to Himself. The easiest way for our church to break 1000? Each person at our church invites and brings a friend. But no matter what our attendance is on Easter Sunday, our attitude is always: pray like it all depends on God, work and invite like it all depends on us, walk by faith, trust God with the results, and celebrate the outcome! We’ll be having 3 services on Easter Sunday: 8am, 9:30am, 11:15am. The rule of thumb is to come to the service that your friends will attend. However, if it doesn’t matter to you, consider coming to the 8am or 11:15am service. We’ll have the auditorium filled with chairs but the 9:30am service is by far already the fullest service. So make room for more people and plan on coming to the early or late service. And plan on volunteering now! Contact your Ministry Leader and let them know that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to do your part to make Easter a success!
This Sunday is our last Sunday of “UNITED WE STAND.” So far we’ve talked about unity in our country, in our families, and on Sunday we’ll finish up this series by talking about unity within our church. On March 12th (Time Change Sunday) we start a series called “Joy.” My messages will be coming from the book of Philippians. You might consider reading through the book of Philippians during your 40 Day Fast.
Friday’s 5:
- Remember to pray ONCE a day, for ONE minute, at ONEpm, for ONE person – the power of ONE! If you’re new to Coastal, ONE represents that one person in your life that needs a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We all have a ONE in our life. Most of us have many ONE’s – friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, people who aren’t connected to a church family and who don’t know Jesus.
- New to Coastal? Want to learn more about the church and find out how to get connected? Join us for the next Newcomer’s Reception, Sunday, March 26th, immediately following the 11:15am service in the Welcome Center. Meet other new people and our staff, enjoy a slice of pizza, and discover possible next steps. Sign up online or on your Connect Card on Sunday.
- Interested in offically making Coastal your church home? Our next Membership Class is Saturday, April 1st (no fooling), 9am-12noon. Childcare and refreshments provided. Sign up online or on your Connect Card on Sunday.
- SAVE THE DATE: June 19th-23rd – Student Life Camp (6th-12th Grade) in Myrtle Beach, SC! Cost: $250. 10% off of your total cost if you register by 3/15. Deposit of $125 due by 4/16.
- Go ahead and mark your calendar now, Coastal’s week of VBS will be July 17th-21st, 6pm-8pm! This year’s theme is, “Maker Fun Factory – Created by God, Built for a Purpose!” See Janet Rollins if you’re interested in serving – janet@coastalcommunitychurch.org!
UNITED WE STAND!
P.S. As always, Chair Set-Up tomorrow morning at 9am at the church!
