I love coffee. I don’t mind tea. But I love coffee. Those who know me well, know that it would be rare for me to turn down a refill. (Yes, literally as I am typing this, someone just knocked on my door and asked if I wanted a refill.)
For a few years I helped run a diocesan summer camp. By the end of the second week, I bought a small coffee-maker with a timer. It was conveniently placed within arms’ reach of my bed and began brewing a few minutes before the alarm went off. Those who have worked in leadership at camp will understand the value of that.
I’m not sure if it’s the smell of the coffee, of the beans, the taste or just holding a warm cup that helps people relax, think and chat. I started going to church as a teenager – I was fighting the current trend of teens leaving the church. I remember that after church every Sunday there was a team of people who put out coffee, tea, juice, cookies (sometimes a cake). People intentionally came downstairs after the service for fellowship and many stayed for a least another hour, catching up, laughing, talking…holding a cup.
I wonder if even the act of ‘holding a cup’ is enough to slow us down to relate to each other. I’ve tried running and drinking coffee (okay…a brisk walk); it doesn’t work. Does the taking of that sip enable us to pause long enough to catch-up with each other.
Does your church still do coffee/fellowship after church? Or are we too busy now? I was visiting a church two weeks ago and everyone was gone after the last song. I asked someone if that was normal…turns out that it was their first Sunday at the Church of the Exodus, too. The visitors were left behind.
Can the power of a cup help us to connect and engage with each other? What is your experience?
By Angela Woods November 6, 2014 - 3:17 pm
We have gone from having 2 tables with chairs set out for coffee hour, to now having 4 as more people want to sit with a cup and chat after church.
By Lee Hazelwood-Lynn November 6, 2014 - 4:18 pm
Our congregation still has “coffee time” after church. Most stay for at least an extra half hour after the service. It is one of our favourite ways to welcome newcomers to our church.
By Chris Hollingworth November 6, 2014 - 5:17 pm
The Edmonton area churches should stop hitting their top donors up for more money. My parents are 79 and 82 and are still pissed off that the church is pimping out their priests like tax collectors to ask them for more money. My parents give over $6000 plus to the church, $2000 to the inner city mission and send kid’s to camp each summer. They also sponsor a child in Peru. That’s why they’ve stopped going to coffee time.
By Randa Speller November 6, 2014 - 10:17 pm
Coffee hour is alive and well at Holy Trinity Chatham Ontario. We also have juice for kids. We often have kids sharing their energy and outreach activities with the grown ups, like baking for everyone.
By Heather Rose Russell November 7, 2014 - 7:18 am
We have “coffee hour” after the morning service every Sunday. It’s a GREAT way to fellowship.