Coffeehouse Award
I continue to be amazed at the buzz our coffeehouse is creating. I "over hear" people walking by 201 F Street, NE all the time commenting on the coffeehouse. "I can't wait till it opens." "I wonder if they'll serve breakfast." "It's going to be so cool to have a place to hang out."
What's ironic to me is this: if we were building a "church building" we probably would have experienced opposition. And I seriously doubt there would have been the positive buzz we've experience. That isn't a commentary on anything. It's just an observation I've made. By building a coffeehouse we've gotten into the good graces of our neighborhood. And we'll still have Saturday night services :) They'll just be in a coffeehouse environment instead of a "church." Maybe we've confused the building for the church? I know this is ecclesiology 101, but the church isn't a building. Maybe God can use any building to serve his purposes? Including theaters, coffeehouses, and clubs :)
Anywho.
Here's the email we got notifying us of an award we've won.
On behalf of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, I am delighted that the Visions Selection Committee has chosen to recognize the work that the National Community Church is undertaking in the transformation of the property at 201 F Street, NE. A formal description will be prepared for the program, but the Committee wanted to acknowledge the adaptive re-use that will turn an eyesore into a vital facility in the neighborhood, supporting the broader work of the church.
Since we bought this property on February 7, 2002, we've claimed Isaiah 58:12: "You will be called repairer of broken walls." This award we've receiving is a confirmation of that calling.
Praise God.
What's ironic to me is this: if we were building a "church building" we probably would have experienced opposition. And I seriously doubt there would have been the positive buzz we've experience. That isn't a commentary on anything. It's just an observation I've made. By building a coffeehouse we've gotten into the good graces of our neighborhood. And we'll still have Saturday night services :) They'll just be in a coffeehouse environment instead of a "church." Maybe we've confused the building for the church? I know this is ecclesiology 101, but the church isn't a building. Maybe God can use any building to serve his purposes? Including theaters, coffeehouses, and clubs :)
Anywho.
Here's the email we got notifying us of an award we've won.
On behalf of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, I am delighted that the Visions Selection Committee has chosen to recognize the work that the National Community Church is undertaking in the transformation of the property at 201 F Street, NE. A formal description will be prepared for the program, but the Committee wanted to acknowledge the adaptive re-use that will turn an eyesore into a vital facility in the neighborhood, supporting the broader work of the church.
Since we bought this property on February 7, 2002, we've claimed Isaiah 58:12: "You will be called repairer of broken walls." This award we've receiving is a confirmation of that calling.
Praise God.
8 Comments:
That's amazing!
Especially when I think about how different that attitude is from when we had to go the city meetings to get approval to build!
It's cool how God has given NCC favor through building this. It's become a win-win for everybody.
cool stuff!
Mark,
Enjoyed your sessions at NCPLC last week. Our church plant is currently trying to purchase an old one screen theatre across the street from Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth, TX. We want to use it as a coffee house during the week and a meeting place on Sundays. This would be a strategic location in reaching the campus and the community. Please pray for favor with the owner. Again, thanks for your words of encouragment and wisdom at the conference.
Thanks Randel.
Love to have you come up for Buzz--especially the theater church forum if things work out for you. Be praying and believing with you!
Mark
When does it open???
We've had a few delays like all constructions projects :) We are targeting the first weekend of February, but that's a tenative date right now.
The other day as I was walking out of the church office, a lady who lived nearby came up to me and said, "So, what do you think about having a coffee house right next to your house?" She thought I lived there, but I told her I work for the church and that's our offices. She was excited to hear that the coffee house was being built by a church! She said she came to NCC a while ago for a baby dedication, and she enjoyed it, but she hasn't been back. She really liked your preaching, Pastor Mark. She was raised Catholic, but is drawn to more contemporary services, like NCC. She doesn't currently go to church, so I encouraged her to come and she said she may. Let's pray she does! I was so glad I had a change to talk to her about the church.
I hope you will have some non-coffee drinks for us non-coffee drinkers!
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