Dearest Christ Church Family,

As I reflect on all that God has done for, in, and through Christ Church Presbyterian over the past 7.5 years, what immediately comes to mind are the Psalmist’s stirring words—
“This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” — Psalm 118:23

From the very first worship service on June 9th, 2013, in the historic chapel of First Scots Presbyterian, God has faithfully blessed the preaching of His Word, the administration of the sacraments, and the prayers at Christ Church. Our blessed triune God, through His ordinary and powerful means of grace, has rooted, established, and unified us in Christ. This Gospel unity has withstood the divisions associated with the pandemic and the social justice revolutions. Praise God! It’s a wonderful reminder that a strong gospel foundation is not easily broken, especially when we hold fast to the truth and mutually encourage one another in the Lord.

By God’s grace we have emerged from 2020 stronger and more unified than ever. We’ve stayed focused on our mission to make disciples in the Charleston low country and to the ends of the earth. Even so, we must not let down our guard. We must not get complacent in this new and exciting season of ministry. Satan is very active these days. And let’s not forget — he hates God. He hates the gospel. He hates the church. He hates the Lord’s Day. He hates Christians. And he hates our marriages and our children. His wicked and insidious lies have recently gained much traction in our society, and they’ve been seeping into the churches. Therefore, members of Christ Church, we need to devote ourselves to the ministry, mission, and fellowship of the church now more than ever before. God is faithful. He will prepare and strengthen us for the task ahead.

DEDICATION SERVICE | THIS SUNDAY (5:00 PM)

Join us this Lord’s Day at 5:00 p.m. at Christ Church for a special service of dedication for our new facility at 486 Wando Park Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. In addition to the joyful singing and prayers, we will sit under the faithful ministry of Rev. Dr. Richard D. Phillips. Pastor Phillips is the senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina. He will preach God’s Word from Revelation 4. We will also hear a word of greeting from Mr. Mel Duncan, and also express thanks to those who gave extraordinary amounts of time and energy to the year-long renovation project. Immediately following the service there will be an outdoor cake reception, with various finger foods and refreshments. Don’t miss this special celebration of God’s faithfulness! You may want to arrive early to get a seat! Many out of town guests are planning to attend.

SUNDAY SCHOOL RELAUNCH

Thanks to Pastor Michael Bauer and our faithful team of teachers, Christ Church’s Sunday school program got off to a great start this past Lord’s Day. Since we have not had our own space for morning worship for almost a year, Sunday school has been on pause. But not anymore! I think every square inch of our building was being used for classroom space this past Sunday morning. Praise the Lord! The adult class launched with an introductory message on the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the children’s classes returned to the excellent curriculum from Great Commission Publications. We praise God that this ministry of Christ Church has started once again.

Please take note that our Sunday school classes are offered for ages two and above. Due to space and personnel limitations we are unable to provide a nursery for children under 2 during the Sunday school hour. We encourage young parents, however, to attend the adult class with your “under two’s” as much as possible. The front foyer area and outdoor space may be utilized if or when children get fussy.

CHRIST CHURCH | GIVING UPDATE

The Bible states, “Honor the LORD with your wealth, and with the first fruits of all your produce” (Prov. 3:9). All that we have is from the LORD, and we are privileged to give back to Him the first fruits of our income. The deacons have informed me that with all of the new families and individuals attending and joining Christ Church recently we have seen an uptick in our giving. We thank and praise the Lord for this news! Nevertheless, our 2021 monthly offerings continue to fall significantly short of our budgetary needs. Currently we are running about 23k short per month this year. We are thankful for our healthy reserves, but we don’t want to see those wither over time. I want to encourage you to make tithing a priority; and, if possible, to give generously beyond the tithe. One thing I know for sure — we cannot out give God.

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

On Friday, April 2nd, at 7:00 p.m., we will have our annual Good Friday service. The service will take place at our new location— 486 Wando Park Blvd. in Mount Pleasant. Join us as we remember the passion and propitiatory death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is worthy!

THE HOLINESS OF GOD | MEN’S & WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDIES

The Thursday morning men’s and women’s Bible studies are off to a great start! Using RC Sproul’s modern classic The Holiness of God as a resource, we are growing in our understanding and appreciation of this glorious divine attribute. We’ve had an average of a dozen people at each study, and the subject matter has been profoundly edifying. If you are not presently attending, please join us if and when your are able. We have plenty more books available. The men’s study begins at 7:00 a.m., and the women’s study at 9:30 a.m. (childcare for 3 and under is available). Join us for this rich time of weekly study, prayer, and fellowship.

THE GOSPEL REFORMATION NETWORK CONFERENCE

The Gospel Reformation Network is holding an important and timely conference at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama on May 5-6th. The conference is entitled— “O Church, Arise: A Passionate Plea for Biblical and Confessional Fidelity.” It is designed to encourage reform in our denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Speakers include Kevin DeYoung, Joel Beeke, Harry Reeder, David Strain, and others. Perhaps you would like to make a road trip and attend? It’s gonna be a great and memorable time of learning and fellowship! You can register at gospelreformation.net.

Since most from our church will not be able to attend in-person, we have purchased a virtual church registration ticket and are planning to livestream the conference at our new church building. If you are interested in attending please contact Pastor Michael Bauer.

CHRIST CHURCH PODCAST | BETWEEN THE TIMES

In case you didn’t know, we have a podcast called “Between the Times.” It’s a podcast of Christ Church for Christ Church. Yes, it’s for you! The podcast is hosted by Pastor Michael Bauer, Dr. Gabriel Williams, and me. We discuss various topics related to doctrine, history, church life, and current issues facing the wider church. From time to time we also conduct interviews with missionaries, members, and friends of our congregation. The podcast is meant to be an encouragement to our members and others who might want to listen in. We currently have over 100 episodes available on a wide range of topics. You can subscribe to “Between the Times” on Apple Podcasts or download it from our website.

Dearest members of Christ Church, these are exciting times for our congregation. Don’t let the anger, division, fear, and constant negativity from our culture (and the media) cause you to forget just how blessed you really are. By grace, through faith, we are united to Jesus Christ. He rescued us from the depths of hell by paying for our sins on the cross and rising from the dead on the third day. Walk in the Spirit, therefore, and make no provision for the flesh.

Your Pastor, Servant, and Friend,

Pastor Jon