Café in west Norfolk serves the water of life
A new church plant in Ingoldisthorpe, West Norfolk, is serving is offering quality coffee and an accessible way to hear about living water.
“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4
“I love a cup of good quality coffee myself,” writes Rev Dave Cossey. “There’s something very satisfying about drinking coffee that is well prepared, and this especially true when it is consumed alongside friends. But even more than that, I love the knowledge that the good news we help to share with our community provides satisfaction in a way that nothing else does.”
At the new church plant in Ingoldisthorpe, people have recognised that café culture is widely accepted as a known and approachable quantity – but for many, the life-giving waters of Jesus Christ feel out of reach because traditional church formats often feel unapproachable and intimidating.
Out of the desire to make the living water of Jesus more readily available, and to reach out to the community, the church has launched ‘The Well’. This is a two-fold approach to loving and serving the surrounding community – both by serving professional quality drinks and also providing an informal Sunday afternoon worship gathering.
In June 2022 Dave and his team launched their new mid-week café (‘Café at The Well’) that runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8.30am-12pm. Here, welcomed by a Barista, people can get a range of hot and cold beverages to different taste preferences, and find a comfortable environment in which to relax, catch-up, and converse.
“We pray for people to experience the welcome of God as they enter into this space,” writes Dave. “Importantly, the café also offers a place for the surrounding community to gather after several years of separation and disruption to key relationships due to Covid.”
The new plant is not just about good drinks though. It is the vision and mission of the church to see the café as an open door into their Sunday afternoon gathering (‘Sundays at The Well’). Here the team has created a form of accessible church, utilising the café culture model, to be a place of open discussion for those curious about the Christian faith – leaving no stone unturned.
“When Jesus approached the woman at the well, he seized the opportunity to provide for her when society would have instead have otherwise shunned her away,” comments Dave. “It is our hope and prayer that The Well continues to grow into a place of warm welcome that provides satisfaction, firstly through the living waters of Jesus Christ, without barrier or hindrance. A good cup of coffee can always help to process along. Do come grab a drink with us soon!”
To learn more, and find The Well in Ingoldisthorpe, West Norfolk, please visit www.atthewell.org.uk.
Pictured above is Dave Cossey at The Well.
Eldred Willey, 01/09/2022
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