Gathering Grounds

Stop by and relax. Enjoy a cup of coffee. Meet friends around one of our tables—or, when the weather permits, check out our new outdoor seating! On Sundays and Wednesdays, Gathering Grounds is your spot to satisfy your coffee cravings or find a quick snack. Located in the WBC atrium, Gathering Grounds is a convenient place for informal get-togethers anytime the building is open. But Gathering Grounds is more than just a place to satisfy your coffee cravings. The café has developed into a three-pronged ministry.

Gathering Grounds Hours

*September to May Only

1. A unique service opportunity for volunteers. The staff is large in size, but the men and women—including volunteers from our English- and Spanish speaking congregations— have formed a close-knit team. Colleen focuses on encouraging couples to get involved, especially for the early Sunday-morning shifts. Diana McClow and her husband, Tom, are one of those couples. Diana says, “It is a privilege to serve at Gathering Grounds. I love to be where the action is, and working the coffee shop is the place to be… I enjoy seeing people of all ages step up to place their orders. I always greet them with a smile, but it is the smile in return that makes it worthwhile. My husband and I serve together, which just adds to the enjoyment of serving the Lord on Sunday morning.” Gathering Grounds also provides a service opportunity for some who haven’t served in a church before. They might be a little intimidated about taking that first step, and serving a cup of coffee is a good start.
2. A unique place for people to minister to one another. The volunteers know that many people stop by just to relax for a few minutes. On a recent Wednesday night, Sylvia Jesse was comfortably settled in one of the easy chairs at the cafe, enjoying her coffee and working on her laptop while waiting for her twins to get out of Awana Cubbies. “I love coffee,” she told me, “and I appreciate that Gathering Grounds has wifi (wireless Internet access). Sometimes I also hang out when my children are in preschool. When the weather is bad, moms can bring lunches and eat right here, and the kids can enjoy the Play Zone.” But others wander over to the café because they are lonely and need a listening ear. The first day Gathering Grounds was open, Mari noticed a lady who looked lost. She began a conversation with her and learned that this was the first Sunday the lady had visited the church. Mari was able to answer some of the lady’s questions and later introduce her to Pastor Bugh, who had stopped by to see how things were going. The lady began coming to church and trusted Christ as her Savior. You never know how God might use a simple word of welcome when someone stops by at the café.
3. A unique way to share with other WBC ministries. The Gathering Grounds has never had a profit goal; however, they have been blessed and able to share with other ministries. The first year, the café donated $6,000 to our Puente del Pueblo ministry. Last year the café donated $8,000 to WBC’s AIDS initiative in Kenya. 
   

Thank you for supporting Gathering Grounds! All profits support our ministries.