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Richard Littledale

Richard Littledale's
Views on the News: February 2009

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cafechurch logo

Make mine a latte...

cafechurch logo

This month sees the launch in Teddington of a cafechurch, sponsored by all the local churches, meeting in our local Costa Coffee shop (click for event details).

cafechurch logoCafechurch is a new venture, trialling at different Costa stores up and down the country. It gives people the opportunity to discuss important issues, such as love, debt, family and work, in the relaxed setting of a local coffee shop. Each evening session includes a quiz, a personal story and a thought provoking insight, as well as the opportunity to chat over the obligatory (and welcome) cup of coffee. Some people describe the coffee shop in post-modern jargon as a third space - in other words a place which is neither home, nor work. These third spaces, whether they are the gym, the shopping centre, or the church, are an important part of all our lives. Very often it is in the third space that we contemplate life's deepest meanings and most intractable problems.

cafechurch logoSo, is it selling out to de-camp from the church to the coffee shop in order to ensure a relaxed setting? Should we be worried that church coffee and church premises are too unappealing, and that we must think again? It seems to me that in taking the Gospel to the local coffee shop, we are doing nothing more unusual than Jesus was in taking his stories onto the street, or his teaching round to the tax collector's house for dinner. The church serves the gospel, rather than the other way round - and if this is a good way to get people to think about the gospel, then the church must wait in line. This is one of the reasons that local churches have agreed to work on the project together. They are far more interested in sowing thoughts in minds than putting bums on seats.

cafechurch logoAnother concern is that this might actually be a business venture, a ploy which allows Costa to sell more coffees. It is indeed a business venture. Our friends in Costa get to sell coffees when the shop would usually be shut, and we get to meet in a relaxed setting with a range of coffee combinations which would be beyond most church kitchens! The fact that a venture makes good business sense as well as good spiritual sense should not concern us one bit. In fact, there are plenty of examples from the history of the Christian church where the two can go hand in hand.

cafechurch logoPerhaps someone will want to ask whether Jesus would turn up to a cafechurch, instead of waiting in line for a church coffee. The Jesus we see in the Gospels would surely be quite at home on a leather sofa in a coffee shop - weaving his stories and captivating his listeners over a steaming cup of coffee? But what would he drink? Would it be a cappuccino - all froth and no body? Would it be an espresso - piping hot, very strong and bound to have an impact? Would it be a skinny latte... or would he go for full cream milk? Personally, my money is on a mocha - after all, wouldn't the Son of God want the best that coffee and chocolate have to offer?

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