Coffee & Café Conversations
Joe DeLozier / Pastor of Missions and Mobilization
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
I am continually amazed at how God uses the Kava Café and the wonderful team of volunteers each Sunday. The vision statement is “Breakfast with a Mission.”
Kava Café was established in 2020 with the primary purpose being to raise funds to print Bibles and distribute Bibles across Asia. Over the years its mission has grown to include other ministries and missionaries helping to grow God’s community locally and around the world.
What continues to amaze me is not only how the Café has grown in the number of sales we have each week, but just as importantly, the formation of the community that is occurring naturally each Sunday. Families are stopping by and purchasing their beverages, baked goods, and breakfast sandwiches. Then they sit at one of the tables to enjoy their time together. Sometimes, I will witness someone grabbing a coffee and quietly join an already established group of people. That person is welcomed, without hesitation, and immediately becomes part of their community for at minimum that morning, and in some cases well beyond. Additionally, I can see folks gather around someone to pray over them.
It makes me smile to witness how God takes a simple cup of coffee, a hashbrown, a baked good, or a breakfast sandwich to bring people together in a very special way. Oh, and did I mention that the proceeds help to grow God’s community in places around the world by supporting missionaries and ministries, both locally and abroad? So now “Breakfast with a Mission” represents community and ministry in the West Atrium, in addition to the missionaries and ministries in other locations.
Who knows, maybe one day we will have the ability to serve people during the week at the Kava Café and increase our mission field even more.