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Early Worship 8:15 

COFFEE WITH GOD

“Good News to the last drop”

First Christian Church of Deland has started a pilot project at the 8:15 Sunday morning hour to serve more people who are looking for a non-traditional worship experience.  Participants receive an email during the week offering them a link to see a five-minute sample of the Sunday message.  A few pertinent questions are provided to stimulate additional thought and study.  Sunday morning participants gather at 8:15 around tables for the one-hour casual experience with coffee and sweet roles available. 

Each session opens with an informal observance of communion every Sunday to “get in touch with Jesus” and open thoughts to a living Jesus as the starting point. There is no music or ceremony. Pastor Jim shares a five-minute message as he sits at the table and opens the discussion for others to ask their questions and express their thoughts. Jim invites people to get up and refill their coffee anytime during his message or discussion.  The last ten minutes of the session are reserved for prayer time when specific needs are shared and prayer is offered for those who request it. Pastor Jim says he starts the sermon and the people finish it with discussion that often becomes one-sentence sermons.

The interactive style is allowing people to ask the deeper questions and probe deeper faith issues in an open forum style.  Some comments were, “I like being able to ask my questions when I want to probe deeper into a subject.  I can’t do that in the regular church worship” and “I feel inspired by the deep faith of several of the people.”  This experience of informal style may be new to people in our day but it was typical of worship in the earliest church settings when the early Christians starting church after Pentecost met in homes around the dinner table.  They also celebrated the Lord’s Supper in casual style and there were no formal sermons.  People shared faith and questions as they learned together and prayed deeply.  “Coffee With God” is, in a sense, a throw-back to the ancient church that grew so boldly. 

Need a faith lift. Stop by on your way to the soccer game, beach or other event, dressed as you are for a faith fill up.