Coffee hour creates space for strengthening bonds of friendship and for strangers to be welcomed into the community. Fellowship and hospitality are ingrained in church culture. We seek a space for community, deeper connection, and comfort with our siblings in Christ.
Scripture tells us we cannot neglect each other by not meeting up, but we need to carve out space for each other. “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25).
My congregation asked if we could return to coffee hour a few months back. They missed each other. For them, attending church and leaving wasn’t enough. The community piece was absent and left them wanting more. They weren’t spiritually fed, at least not fully, because there was no community. To gather with one another is sacred because when that space is carved out, you bridge the gap between church and community.
This message is excerpted from “The power of coffee hour” by Ralen Robinson in the August 2022 Café online magazine.
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