Keeping Current with Local Outreach – Green Plow Coffee
July 1, 2009
(Originally named “Plowshare” but the
name was changed to avoid copyright infringement).
. . .
Years ago, while leading a student “serve trip” for George Fox University to World Impact in Fresno, we asked the staff how they began relationships with their neighbor kids and families. They told us, “Never do anything alone. If you go to the grocery store, invite the mom without transportation. Are you washing your car? Ask the neighbor kid to help.” This has been the underlying thought behind our ministry ever since.
When we were recently married youth group leaders, this worked. As our family has grown, however, it doesn’t work as well. Our car is already full, and our schedules are crowded. So instead, we filled our house. Sometimes with worship gatherings, sometimes for celebrations of all kinds: birthdays, garage sale day, science exploration day, too-many-leftovers-come-help-us-eat-them-day, I’m-tired-of-my-leftovers-what’s-in-your-fridge-day. Lately, we’ve even celebrated homework by creating Homework Club. Monday afternoons the table is filled with neighborhood kids eating a snack and trying to complete as much of the week’s homework as possible, so they can play afterwards.
Through all of this, we try to see these friends through Christ’s eyes…looking for the things that make each person a wonderful and lovable creation, but also seeing the pain that each person carries. As these friendships deepen, we are often given the opportunity to listen and offer a prayer and encouragement as someone lays out their struggles.
This approach works fairly well for us, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. Keeping the house constantly in “guest condition” is hard. This approach becomes nearly impossible when you throw in a very confusing work schedule. So we are making some big changes in our life.
We are trying to cut out the uncontrollable aspects of our life and gain a better sense of 
balance and focus for our family. Right now we are in the middle of a huge transition: starting a coffeehouse ministry/business and renovating an old downtown building to become a gathering space for this community. But even within this transition, we have continued our pattern of “outreach by celebration.” On May 17, we invited all of our friends and family who have journeyed this far with us to come to the future home of Green Plow Coffee Roasters to celebrate our move into this new space and into this next part of our journey. We roller-bladed and scootered on the soon-to-be ripped out tile floor, served coffee and Italian soda, and had a big potluck. We shared thoughts on our sacred spaces (the places where God meets us) and prayed together that God’s presence would be felt by those who enter the coffeehouse.
Hopefully by the end of the summer, Green Plow Coffeehouse will be up and running. We’re looking forward to finding more ways to gather our community, hear hearts, and serve great coffee in our new space. But until then….construction celebration, anyone?
Pat and Mandy Schmidt
Green Plow Coffee
Redmond, OR
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Contact Information:
- Email or call to order your favorite coffee. 1/2 lb bags for $5.
Pat & Mandy Schmidt
greenplowcoffee.com
www.greenplowcoffee.blogspot.com
Please feel free to stop by the Yearly Meeting Office and taste some Green Plow Coffee. They serve it exclusively!
