New York Church Launches Coffee House to Share the Gospel, Fund Global Missions
A congregation based in New York state has launched a coffee house that looks to spread the Gospel and raise money for missions and charities worldwide.
First Assembly of God of Binghamton opened a coffeehouse named "City Light Coffee" two months ago, with the facility being open for limited hours Sunday through Thursday.
"The mission of City Light Coffee is to connect with our community, in particular, the surrounding students that live nearby," said J.J. Hefley, associate pastor for outreach at First Assembly, in an interview with The Christian Post on Monday.
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"Our prayer is that City Light Coffee will act as a modern day well where we will be able to engage the community and communicate the Gospel."
Hefley went on to describe a few of the "outreach and mission efforts" that First Assembly does, which also benefit from the coffee house's proceeds.
"The church supports many Assembly of God missionaries who are serving throughout the U.S. and the world," said Hefley, who added that First Assembly also "serves two community meals a week to 450 people."
Likewise, the church "has adopted Binghamton High School and East Middle School and has partnered with the [school district's] administration."
City Light Coffee's Facebook page further explains: "We give back 100 percent of our sales to social justice needs and projects around the world. These projects fall under the following categories: freedom from human trafficking, life for those suffering through disease, future through education, and victory over extreme poverty. Each month we highlight what we call 'our common cause' — causes we believe we all should be fighting for."
City Light Coffee is not the only church-based coffee house operating in the U.S. Back in 2004, a Texas-based United Methodist Church congregation also founded a similar charitable business.
Known as The Loft, it is based in Spring Branch, Texas, and is a ministry of the UM-affiliated congregation Riverside Community Church.
"Visitors are enveloped by the warmth of a wood fire and the smell of fresh-ground coffee and cinnamon rolls. Cushy leather sofas frame the stone hearth, and a wooden staircase leads to a loft with work stations," reported Faith and Leadership in 2010.
"Though it wears its identity lightly, The Loft coffeehouse is a core ministry of Riverside, a church community planted by San Antonio's Alamo Heights United Methodist Church."
