Here's a letter I received a few weeks ago. It serves, for me, as a good reminder of why the hard times of blending life and ministry within the church and a community coffee house is worth the effort.
Dear Tim & Bree,
Rarely do I find myself at a loss for words, but after a recent visit to your Coffee House I was totally dumbstruck.
As a father it is difficult at best to "give wings" to a daughter (even a capable, fiercely independent & overachieving one). Balancing that with a protective instinct from 3,000 miles away has proven to be difficult for me.
Weekly conversations with my daughter contained countless references to time she was spending at a coffee house studying and interacting with the couple who ran it. I assumed it to be a commercial establishment and was always curious about how they would allow someone to spend hours at a time taking up space reading or studying. It did not compute with me but I was happy that she had found an oasis so far from home. My wife and I would like to thank you for the kindness and consideration you have extended to our daughter.
Suffice it to say, the Mosaic Community Coffee House bears little similarity to coffee houses I experienced during my college years.
I will never be mistaken for a religious person but I am thankful to the "Power" that directed my daughter to your community center. Your ministry has reinforced my faith in the goodness of people.
Respectfully
This letter truly takes the form of a letter of encouragement. Through the hardships that come with a business model ministry, the stories of surprise and thanksgiving continue to bring life to the daily functions.
It is from letters like this – right or not – that remind me the hard work is worth it.
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