Dear friends,
When my wife Jenell and I first walked into First Christian Church of Oceanside last May, we were welcomed with open arms. You may know this, but not every church is like that. We noticed.
We soon learned that your hospitality stretches beyond Sunday mornings. On Tuesday nights you welcome homeless neighbors for worship and a hot meal. On Thursday nights you invite local musicians to share their gifts. Every summer, you welcome local children to a free Vacation Bible School. The list goes on!
Not every church is so gracious or so welcoming.
Then we learned that First Christian Church has been serving Oceanside for 140 years, enduring the tides and seasons of time during some of the most turbulent in history. Feeding hungry people during the Great Depression. Coordinating a diaper ministry during the Vietnam War. Helping to establish an ecumenical team to provide social services in Oceanside in the 1990’s.
Not every church has impacted generations of people in their community!
Clearly, First Christian is not just any church. It’s your church. Clearly, you care deeply for it’s past and its future, and it shows in your infectious hospitality and compassion. You have faithfully stewarded God’s plans over the decades while family after family have settled here and made it their home.
And now, for my family and myself, First Christian is our home too.
I am sincerely humbled to have been chosen as your new pastor, and I am incredibly excited to join with you as we seek to discover the shape of God’s mission at First Christian Church for the next generation. I hope each and every one of you will join me in that effort.
But before we roll up our sleeves and get started, let’s take time to celebrate the 140th anniversary of this amazing church.
Please join us on November 14th at 12 PM for a free barbecue lunch, kids carnival, and open house to mark this truly momentous occasion.
Then, we invite you to join us the very next morning, Sunday, November 15th, for a fun pancake breakfast at 9:00 AM (cooked by me!), followed immediately by a special anniversary worship service at 10:30 AM.
Invite your friends, your family, your neighbors! This is a great opportunity to share the incredible legacy of First Christian with those you love. If you know someone who was once connected to our church, invite them to come too. They deserve to celebrate the legacy they helped build. Just be sure to RSVP by calling (760) 722-8522 so we know how many people to feed.
God bless,
Jason A. Coker
Senior Pastor
PS: Don’t forget to RSVP for the free anniversary lunch on Saturday, November 14th! We need to know how much barbecue to make! Call (760) 722-8522.