About 3 years ago I began a mom’s coffee group. It started as a monthly gathering, but now we gather most weeks for coffee and to talk about anything and everything. We talk about Jesus and the bible, Erik Estrada, our families, the election, the big things ahead of us like moving or kids changing schools or finding our own purpose and the small things like what tv shows are good to watch while folding laundry. It’s the place where we come together and share about our lives and help each other find a way forward grounded in love. That sounds like a pretty darn good church to me. Plus coffee and baked goods.
Some weeks I can’t be there. Up until recently that meant that the event was canceled. Lately some of the moms have decided to hold the space open for others while I’m not there. This week I was away, so a group gathered together. They decided that they would rather go at a different coffee shop each week, so that is where they met this time. They talked to the owner of the new place and arranged for her to reserve tables for us each week. They got her card and said all I needed to do was text her the dates. I was thrilled.
This isn’t my group, it’s our group. I’m not in charge here, we all contribute to make a meaningful experience that matters enough to folks to keep it going no matter who can make it that week. This is the goal of my ministry, of my life’s work, to create spaces for folks to experience God in the beloved community and for those spaces to be held open by the people over time. Our way of being church means I am constantly working myself out of a job.
I’ll keep going to mom’s coffee, not because I’m responsible to keep it going, but because it is a life giving place for me.
-Eilidh
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