Java Connection

November 2010 Update

2010-11-05T13:13:00.000-04:00

October 2010

Java Journey is an ebb and flow, innovative missional ministry in Hickory, North Carolina formed from mutual visions of Jeff & Teena Stewart, Dennis & Jeannie Cheuvront in January 2010. We are categorically an Evangelical Covenant church, but do not operate conventionally. There are very few “members” and “attendance” is not taken.

When people ask us to describe our ministry it is often difficult to put into words since we are “cut out of a different cloth.” I usually default to sharing a recent experience I had.

I drove by a church once and noticed the marquee. It said: "Free Ticket to Heaven. Details Inside." As I thought about someone who may take a serious interest, I couldn't help but also notice that there were no cars in the parking lot and the doors were more than likely locked - being a Friday morning. I guess the person(s) who put up the letters imagined someone looking at the service times on Sunday and writing it down in their calendar.

George Barna wrote an article in 2006: "Spirituality May Be Hot in America, But 76 Million Adults Never Attend Church." In the article he presents statistics from various people with differing spiritual backgrounds. Despite the variety, the main point is that a majority of people are going about their day on Sunday as if it were any other day of the week.

This fuels the passion we want to pursue as we go about the vision of Java Journey. We are not in a westernized "competition" with local parishes or even coffee shops. We hope to compliment both endeavors, especially the former.

By our combined ministry experiences, we’ve discovered that opportunities have a daily - even hourly frequency. One building on one day at one location for an hour or so will not satisfy the demand presented with such a frequency in our current culture. Java Journey’s hope is to fill a 6-day gap. Leonard Sweet, with great insight, stated in his book “SoulTsunami” (1999): “The only church that can afford to be indifferent to trends is a church that is not on a mission...the ticking sound's of the church's clocks tend to lull rather than alarm, partly
because they have a dated ring, sounding the ring of a culture that is rapidly disappearing.”

Two stories illustrate who we are and want to be.

Two men came walking into the shop on a Sunday morning, thinking we were open for “business” (we’re closed on Sunday but have an open participation gathering from 10:30 – Noon). They wanted some tea and then asked about who we were since they had dropped in on Friday night during our live music. When I told them we were “a church disguised as a coffee shop” they became intrigued. It was sort of like the woman at the well, where conversation naturally flowed from basic need to spiritual matters. They wanted to talk about "Spirituality, energy and Jesus." We willingly shook off the tension of closing the conversation with them so we could commence our own group gathering. Both of them had been raised in a church environment, but felt that the church was too narrow and judgmental. We were able to have free flowing 45 minute discussion about the teachings and message of Jesus without historic tension. Prior to leaving, one said, "I'm a New York cynic (about organized religion), but this place is a good place. We'll be back."

Two “regulars” came into the coffee shop about an hour before closing one night. It has been reported to me by more than one that they are friends beyond casual friendship. The conversation quickly turned to “God-talk” – by them. It gladdened my heart to hear one of them proclaim the supremacy of Christ and his grace- especially from what he accomplished on the cross. In the conversation, the person courageously stated to me: “I am a weak man. I don’t know what I would do without grace. I’m a very weak man.”

That's part of what we want to provide through Java Journey. We're “out there” where the everyday world lives. We are looking for the higher frequency of opportunities to point to Christ as “The Unknown God” so that people will discover a 24/7 loving, caring, redeeming God. We have seen remarkable transformation take place before our eyes in many peoples’ lives since launching in January 2010.

Scooting to the Top

2010-05-13T12:13:00.001-04:00

Two stories to share here.

Story # 1
When we lived in Colorado, we would periodically drive up to the top of Pike’s Peak in the summer. You obviously can’t do it in the winter as the grated road is covered under several feet of snow above the tree line.

Back then (around 2000) we would pay about $10 per carload and travel the 19 miles of windy road to the 14,155-foot summit. I don’t remember how long it took, but it seemed like an eternity for going less than 20 miles. It always felt like a feat when we would finish the climb and get out of the car into the cold, thin air.

Story # 2
About 10 years ago, my brother’s father-in-law acquired a Vespa when he was in his 70’s. If you don’t know what that is, it’s one of those little Italian scooters that became more popular when gasoline peaked at 4+ dollars a few years ago.

His family called it “Hardly a Davidson.” He even had a helmet with the HD logo on it. The Vespa got him from point A to point B, but not with the same speed and comfort of a car, truck or even the real HD. Besides the lethargic pace it provided, he also had to endure a lot of people pointing and laughing.

Combining 2 Stories
Lately at Java Journey people ask us how we are doing. They most often mean that they want to know how business is progressing. I tell them that we are indeed making progress, but it is gradual and slow. Being non-profit and depending on volunteers and donations to operate, does not provide the means of quickly creating a cash flow that will bolster our endeavor. But that does not mean that we are not experiencing an ascent in our momentum. So I communicate this to the people who ask by way of illustration.

The only way I can give them a visual of Java Journey’s progress is to inform them that our pace is sort of like climbing Pike’s Peak with a Vespa scooter. We’re moving from point A to point B and we’re gaining altitude as we progress. But it’s hard to notice when the rest of the world expects rising to the top to happen with much more speed.

Paul Cummings Benefit Event

2010-05-12T08:19:00.001-04:00

Mazel Tov!

2010-04-14T09:41:00.000-04:00

The reality of the busy-ness of life delayed the anticipated arrival of the Conti Twin Star 2, but Christmas morning came yesterday afternoon at 2149 N Center St.

I kept watching for a proverbial pot to boil out the front door waiting for a semi to pull up with our new toy. All of the sudden, I hear a very loud banging on the back steel door about 100 feet away. It's a good thing I got my new hearing aid for my "good" ear last week since I actually detected the initial hand to door engagement.

I did a quick jog to the door and opened it. The man started to ask "Java Jo..." when I said "Yeah! You've got our espresso machine."

Rhett Mullinax (our new super volunteer) and Ben showed up in time to help me move it to a table (200+ lb) until we could move the old machine over. It took us about an hour to get it hooked up and powered up (in NC lingo: "cut on.") The boilers filled up and achieved proper temperature in about 25 minutes. After filling up the new grinder (which came with the package) and flushing the system a bit, we started pulling shots.

I had the first consumed latte from it (which is pictured above) and found it delightfully smooth. Not that the old machine did not produce a good flavor, but this one created a "new and improved" version.

Over the next few days, we will become familiarized with it and train our volunteers how to use it. It should not be much of a challenge since this one is easier to use than the old Conti machine. It's also faster and will help us expedite the making of espresso-based beverages during rush times (like Friday night live music).

We will use the old one for remote purposes since it is portable and uses 110v.

If you're local, come and check out our "new arrival."

A Post From 2 Years Ago.

2010-04-01T09:37:00.002-04:00

Thought this was worth reposting for those who may not have seen it or haven't scrolled back with this blog.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Your Mind on Caffeine
A good friend of ours (Tom Lindholtz) passed this along from a good friend of his (John Fischer). He describes very well what we've been conveying to others about the passion we have in our vision.

Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have released a recent study showing that caffeine makes people more open to logical argument, even when it runs counter to their previously held opinions. The caffeine group, across the board, tested out as being consistently more open-minded than the decaf group. This would definitely lend new credibility to the belief that conversations over coffee are a good thing. An open mind is necessary for any relationship to grow. You have to be open to another way of thinking to relate to someone, because we are all different – we have different backgrounds, different gifts, and we see things from different points of view. Lasting relationships grow out of accepting one another's differences. We appreciate each other more through consensus than through conformity. This kind of open-mindedness in relationships is important for more reasons than just our differences. It is important because we are always changing, and since we are all in process, we have to remain open to that process in each other. My road will not be yours; yours will not be mine, even if we walk together. God has different plans for each of us. Jesus Christ did not die to create clones. He died so He could fill each one of our unique natures with Himself. And finally, part of who we are becoming involves those closest to us. We are not who we are in a vacuum. We are a product of the people we know and how we have grown together. We shape each other. When this aspect is strong, there is a healthy push and pull at work. "As iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend." (Proverbs 27:17 NLT) Belief has commonly been associated with a closed mind. This is unfortunate because nothing could be further from the truth. Belief opens you up to God and gives you his Spirit to help reinterpret the world around you. Belief is all about discovery, and just as our relationships with each other are not static, neither is our relationship with God. We are constantly discovering more about God and his world, and we are constantly discovering more about ourselves and those around us. So pour another cup of brew for you and that friend. Open your hearts and minds to each other, and get ready for a surprise.

Wow! Very profound that "We appreciate each other more through consensus than through conformity." And all these years we've been working with the premise that inviting them to come to a place we like to gather for one hour a week will cause them to reconsider whether God cares and actually lives or not.

This is why we are rethinking "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

Jeff and Teena

About a Year Ago

2010-03-19T12:28:00.003-04:00

I'm reposting this to illustrate the "Present/Future" principle. That is - how God comes through when we struggle with our "now" situation by reviewing how progress was made.

GPS "God Possesses Sovereignty"

"Recalculating route. Make the next legal U-turn."

For those of you who have been following our very deliberate process, you will recall how we wrestled with the issue of either going non-profit or for-profit. We initially chose the latter.

Now that we've hit a giant stone wall of the banking industry freezing loans (we applied to 6), we've discovered that in the time-period, we saw community and like-minded vision develop with different fellowships. This was a surprise we did not anticipate or foresee. Our organic (house) church has been fortified by the strength of trust and intimacy that we did not have the first 12 months of living here. The support of what we want to do has flourished into the hearts of those who are part of our bi-weekly gatherings. Other followers are hearing the heartbeat too. On Sunday, May 24th, we will share our vision with Trinity Fellowship Church in Hickory. Our prayer is that we will appeal to those who can help us upfit the location for reaching out to the community through Java Journey.

So as it stands presently, we are going establish Java Journey under the umbrella of Living Hope Church (an established non-profit). LH will eventually buy the equipment we have purchased and will oversee the JJ ministry and operation.

We will provide more details as we travel down this artery.

I'm amazed at what has happened in the last 11 months. God is gracious.

We're Expecting

2010-03-05T17:34:00.011-05:00

From one of my favorite Broadway musicals:

Rabbi! Rabbi! Did you hear the news?
More bad news?
No, good news. At Motel's and Tzeitel's, a new arrival.
A new arrival at Motel's!
We just heard the good news!
Mazel tov!
Thank you very much.
- It's a nice thing.
- Yes, it is. Very nice.
What is it?
It's a sewing machine!

We rejoice in the news that Ben and Rebekah are anticipating an addition to their family in less than 9 months. But we also are eager about an added piece of equipment as well - a major piece.

If you scroll backward to our post from December 4, 2007, you'll see that we were excited about a super automatic espresso machine that we had purchased. At the time, we didn't realize that it would sit for 2 years before being used. Once we got the service area prepared and had 2 men (making karate noises - it weighs about 200 LB) move it into place, we plugged it in the the 220v plug and hooked up the water supply. The machine powered up and looked ready to go when we noticed a growing puddle forming on the surface below it.

It seems that sitting (even though it was in a climate controlled environment) is not good for a machine with seals and o-rings that need to be pressurized and working. So we took it to our newly found roaster and machine techs in Asheville. Making a long story short, it was very difficult to find the needed parts. So we set up what we thought would be our "back-up" (The "Conti Bar") as our main machine. It has performed very well for us.

Somehow we hooked up with an automatic espresso machine specialist in the Denver, CO area. Making a long story short again, he said he was confident he could find a buyer. He also politely told us (not being the first either) that the machine was too productive for our setting. There are 2 machines like it serving Denver International Airport adequately. So 2 at Denver's airport and 1 on a main drag in Hickory, NC - ? You get the picture.

As he was preparing to send an offer by e-mail, he quickly followed the message up with another one suggesting another possibility. He had a relatively new 2-group espresso machine that had limited use as collateral for a coffee shop that did not succeed. Would we consider an even trade - he would pay for all shipping. He leveled with us and stated that what we had was worth more, but he would make sure the machine we were getting was in top working order and we could ship our machine "as is."

We realize that on paper, people may consider us naive for being on "the short end" but we're all comfortable with the prospect. It's God's money anyway - is it not?

We are now in the process of shipping our machine (in 2 pieces) and he is tweaking his machine and will ship it in a few days.

So - we're preparing to say mazel tov! when the new arrival gets here.

Opening was Grand

2010-01-31T10:35:00.003-05:00

Friday and Saturday - Jan 22 & 23 - were major networking days for us. Since then, we have had people coming on a more frequent basis. It's not enough for us to be self-sustaining, but it is progressing in that direction.

We were able to raise close to $400 for Covenant World Relief's efforts in Haiti. We hope that this will also create the segue for many more benevolent causes we can partner with.

I'm attaching a video from Paul Cummings concert on the 23rd. As you can see, it was very helpful in raising the awareness of our existence.

Volunteer Baristas? A Coffee Shop of a Different Flavor

2010-01-13T20:45:00.002-05:00

After two years of planning, praying, and persevering, Jeff and Teena Stewart’s brainchild, Java Journey, is finally ready for its grand opening. The event is scheduled for January 22 and 23rd. The coffee shop is a product of many back-breaking hours put in by the Stewarts and countless volunteers. The Stewarts made a radical decision to leave traditional church ministry in California to pursue their dream of doing something out-of-the-box that would impact the lives of the people in their community in a positive way using Christian principles as its foundation.

Jeff says he’s objective when he calls it “the warmest coffee shop in town.” Java Journey’s tag line is ‘where coffee, caring, and community connect. From the moment you walk into the store, you know it’s different. “We want people to care about the environment, about people and about the community,” says Teena. The counter, built by volunteer labor and covered with recycled maps and electricians copper, reflects these core values.

The coffee shop will host a variety of activities. A portion of its proceeds go back into the community to help various charities and causes. The store even has an electronics recycling program.

The Stewart’s original plan was to use a portion of the proceeds from the sale of their California home (sold just before the housing market tanked) to open the store and secure a loan for the rest. But they ran into a snag because of the spiraling economy. Banks were no longer willing to lend to start ups. However, with a little creativity and a lot of faith, they skirted the roadblock and purchased used furniture and fixtures and accepted items as donations. They enlisted volunteers to work in a variety of capacities including counter help, and found much of the furniture and equipment at auctions, thrift stores, and yard sales.

Planned activities include recovery group options, life-equipping and spiritual formation classes, Sunday gatherings, wholesome secular and Christian music, video nights, and more. Sinai Vessel is slated to play the evening of Friday, January 22 from 7-9 pm during the grand opening. The event is free to the public.

Grand Opening

2010-01-13T11:56:00.003-05:00

Our official Grand Opening will take place on Friday and Saturday - January 22 & 23. We'll be open 6 am to 10 pm on Friday and 7 am to 10 pm on Saturday.

There will be some fun give-aways and free sample beverages given out on both days. We'll offer a 10% discount to all students who present an official school ID.

On Friday evening at 7 pm "Sinai Vessel" (a local group) will preform in concert.

Come and check out the warmest and most inviting Coffee Shop in town!

New Website

2009-12-29T07:56:00.003-05:00

Java Journey's website has been updated by co-manager Ben Curfman. Check it out (unless, of course, you linked from there).

This week, we will have an incremental (a consistent JJ pace) "soft opening." We hope to have our POS system up and running and baristas trained. We are still awaiting the service and repair of our main super automatic espresso machine. The delay is related to the ordering and shipping of parts via CA, via Spain. Since it was idle for 2 years, some gaskets and o-rings dried up.

We had a successful Christmas Eve candlelight gathering and a concert on the 26th. We had a nice group of people for both.

Spread the word that Java Journey is in first gear and letting out the clutch.

We Are Ready to Open!

2009-12-19T08:24:00.003-05:00

On Thursday, December 17, 2009, Java Journey passed final inspection by the city of Hickory, NC and received a certificate of occupancy. We are rejoicing. However, we've still got some tasks to complete before we can open.

The espresso machines are still in Asheville being serviced for operation. The single group machine (Conti) is ready, but still in the possession of co-manager Ben Curfman in Asheville as an uncharacteristic snow storm hit our area yesterday and he is snowbound. The fully automatic machine (Azkoyen Xpression) is awaiting parts for the heat exchange boiler (o-ring leaking). We will have a "soft opening" beginning Monday (Christmas week) and serve regular brewed coffee, tea and baked good. We will also have bulk coffee for sale.

Momentum is building, but as is typical in our joint pilgrimage - it is incremental (sometimes emphasizing "mental").

A Lot of Little Things to do

2009-11-18T07:42:00.004-05:00

Most of the major elements of the build-out are completed. We began our lease July 1 hoping to be open by September 1st. Typically, it didn't happen as the "everything takes more time than expected" factor was introduced. Now we turn our attention to moving equipment in (making certain that everything operates as designed), business license, submission of IRS stuff, inventory and other matters.

We still seek financial support, but emphasize that once we get started, we will not ask for any more capital resources. We are praying for an additional $5000 at this time. If you can help, please contact Jeff (javajourney -at- embarqmail -dot- com or 707-980-1783).

Shalom!

The Future Has Become Present

2009-11-06T14:42:00.004-05:00

We have had conversations with many people who resonated to various degrees to what Teena and I envision. There has often been a need to explain or clarify some of what makes our hearts beat. Never have we had such free-flowing conversation until we met Ben and Rebekah Curfman. God has bent our mutual paths so that they are now crossed. We are excited and joyful.

Ben posted this on Facebook and I am putting here for other friends and the reading community may see.

Nine years ago I had a unique experience in my relationship with God. Many people interpret their experience as a “call to full-time Christian service/ministry.” The experience is different for everyone. For me, it was at a Christian summer camp during a worship service. I was thirteen years old at the time. I did not hear the audible voice of God. I was not visited by an angel. I just simply became extremely aware of the pain and confusion in this world and my responsibility to share the hope that I had.

Since that time, it has been an interesting road. Because of my religious background, I felt that I needed to find a position or description of what God had set my heart toward. I pursued this calling through bible studies and heavy church involvement in high school, two years of religious education in a liberal arts college, and another two years of religious education at the school I will soon graduate from. During that time the question had been burning in my mind: “What is it I am supposed to do? How will I define myself?” I am finding more and more that God has defined my ministry of His Gospel precisely how he wanted to – namely by creating me the way He did. I am my own definition.

Knowing this, I began to ask myself, “If there were no limitations on where or what I could do to accomplish the mission placed in my heart, where would I go and what would I do?” Sometimes the right answers are discovered only through the right questions. I soon found that I was not most effective in a traditional church setting both because of growing convictions about traditional church practice and limitations on the scope of ministry I felt let to do. I decided that an atmosphere most conducive to ministry was a coffee shop.

After prayer, I began considering opening a coffee shop in Asheville, North Carolina in order to minister one-on-one with individuals who need personal attention and mentoring in their spiritual lives. After all, coffee and Christianity are two of my greatest passions. My wife and I began praying, along with others, that God would open the right opportunity for this ministry to take place. I specifically began praying for someone to handle the shop from a business perspective, so I could focus on my strengths – coffee and ministry.

A few weeks later I was visiting my parents near Hickory, North Carolina where I grew up. The Lord showed me then that the Hickory area is in desperate spiritual need. I had never realized that such a need existed in my hometown. The next question came: “Lord, would you have us begin the coffee shop ministry here in Hickory?” So we prayed again for a few weeks. The next time I visited my parents we went out to eat. Before sitting at our table, however, I recognized a good friend that I used to attend church with. I had shared our vision for a coffee shop ministry with him a couple of months prior to this meeting. He told me about a place called Java Journey that was opening soon. He said that their vision seemed similar to ours and that I should get in touch with them. So I did.

We contacted Jeff and Teena Stewart, one of the key couples involved in the ministry of Java Journey. I offered my services in the coffee industry and my ministry experience to them as a way of "throwing out the fleece" as Gideon did. “Surely they already had help and wouldn't need someone such as myself,” I thought. Nevertheless, we felt that we needed to at least get in contact in case the Lord was making a way for us. He has.

After some great conversations and a sharing of passions, Rebekah and I have agreed to relocate to the Hickory area and make a serious effort to change the community with the Gospel through Java Journey. We believe that this is what God has been preparing us for. We will be seeking financial and prayer support in order to make this a reality, with the faith that God will provide our every need as He has done in the past. I will be continuing school until the spring of next year when I graduate in addition to helping Jeff and Teena manage Java Journey. We ask for your prayers, gifts, and encouragement as it is an exhilarating and terrifying experience at the same time. We will also be seeking part-time jobs to take care of our living expenses until Java Journey gets off the ground financially.

News from Java Journey

2009-10-15T08:05:00.002-04:00

The Word is Spreading

One thing we have learned is that our ministry isn't necessarily going to wait until we have Java Journey up and running. It's happening now. People keep popping in to ask when the store front will open. Others are curious about the ministry. Quite a few people have inquired about jobs behind the coffee bar. In a couple of cases we were able to "hire" helpers for peanuts in order to keep the work going and help out those who are unemployed. In the process we are building bridges. That's pretty much what we are all about.

In the marketing realm of things, our exterior sign is officially up and it is drawing attention. In addition, Jeff and Teena each have magnetic Java Journey signs on the sides of their vehicles and this has captured the attention of folks. Some construction guys who saw the sign on Teena's car were ready to come down to the store and buy a coffee. We had to break the news--"Sorry, guys, you'll have to wait a little while longer."

We've also been talking with people who are in music groups who might want to perform at the coffee shop.

Ministry Happenings

* We are still holding Christian community gatherings on Sunday mornings at 10:30. You are welcome to attend these informal, interactive gatherings that typically include short prayer and singing times, and a scripture based lesson that allows attendees to ask questions and share insights. We also share prayer requests.
* Teena recently attended a planning session for a birthday party for Foster children. Many Foster children have never had a birthday party. Though we don't have the free time at present to help plan this event which will be held February 5th most likely at the local YMCA, Java Journey still hopes to support this event by selling raffle tickets which will be $5 and possibly helping man booths the evening of the event.Funds collected from the raffle will help pay for this party.

How You Can Help

The opening of Java Journey is just weeks away! Thanks to everyone who has torn down walls, scraped paint off the floor, installed conduit/wiring, framed walls, put up dry wall, painted walls, reupholstered chairs and provided professional services, etc. in support of the Java Journey mission. Even during this time of renovating the space, the "spirit" of Java Journey is being experienced through building new relationships, ministering among people (in expected and unexpected ways), building of community, etc. The stories have been shared through blogs, Facebook posts, conversations as people work side-by-side, gatherings, etc. When open as a coffee shop, this mission will continue with a new chapter being written and new stories being shared as Java Journey serves our community as envisioned!

To open in November, current and new volunteers and professionals, providing services at reduced or no cost, will continue to work together to complete the build out. For those who are not able to be "physically" on-site to assist with the build out, and/or for those who have a desire to contribute beyond their labor, right now there are some immediate financial needs. We cannot do this without your help. Once open, the first two expenses listed below will be met by the coffee shop ministry. The immediate needs are:

Monthly Rent - $1,300.00
Monthly Electric - $100.00
Building Materials - $4,000
Acid Wash Stain - $500 (Lowes gift cards are great!)
Paint - $250
Food & Beverage Inventory (First Month) $1,500

If you wish to contribute financially to Java Journey please send contributions to:
Living Hope Covenant Church ("Java Journey" - memo)
c/o Dennis Cheuvront
573 30th Avenue Circle NE
Hickory, NC 28601

or you can pay online via Pay Pal by going to http://javajourney.org/Supportus.html

All contributions are tax deductible through Living Hope Covenant Church. Additionally, contributions may be made anonymously, at the request of the donor. If you know of someone who might be interested in investing or knowing more about Java Journey, please encourage them to contact Dennis Cheuvront at dennis.cheuvront@gmail.com or 828.270.9877. If you cannot contribute financially at this time, please continue to pray for the ministry.

We also have an Wish List contributors can help with. To view the most current list
visit http://www.javajourney.org/wishlist.html

Thank you and God Bless
Jeff and Teena Stewart and the rest of the Java Journey Ministry Gang

Cleared for Drywalling

2009-09-29T16:30:00.003-04:00

I got to Java Journey shortly before 8 am to let 82-year old volunteer, Joe Guthrie, in so he could frame the doorway for the French doors. I knew the city inspector was coming later and I had to finish what he was going to review. We met Joe when he stopped by on a Saturday morning on July 18th when the youth from Trinity Church in Greensboro were volunteering. He told me he loved to work on things as a volunteer and gave me his number. After he finished the French door frame he asked: "What else you got?" I told him the other 3 door frames needed wood added, so he did that!

The inspector arrived while Joe was working on the other doors. I fully expected that we would be told to make a few adjustments and then call for a subsequent inspection. I was making haste taking into account the work to tweak everything and then be ready by the end of the week to be given a green light. The concern was brought on by the fact that 20-30 volunteers are scheduled to gather at 2149 N Center St on Sunday to put up sheetrock.

What a joyful surprise when the inspector spent about a total of fifteen minutes before saying: "I'll let you move on with this." Part of the time he looked at plans, wiring and plumbing, and asked a few questions. The rest was filled by conversation of our mutual enjoyment of music (I told him he looked like Peter Yarrow and found out he plays the drums).

Today was another big mile-marker day.

Great People

2009-09-25T07:40:00.003-04:00

How blessed we are with the new friends we have made. In another context of "building" I would merely consider the people who are involved on a professional level as - well "mere professionals."

But God has brought some special folks our way who possess gifts and talents that are enhancing the actuality of our vision and dream.

Here (in cinematic format) are the names of some great people.

Architect - Ed Lunow
Contractor/Plumber - Mike Taylor
Construction Specialist - Matt Taylor
Electrician 1 - Vernon Moyer
Electrician 2 - Mitch Hollifield
Men's Group Leader - Eddie Broussard
Framers - The Men's group of Trinity Fellowship - Hickory
Painter 1 - Amber Abel
Painters 2-5 The Women of Safe Harbor
Scrapers - The youth of Trinity Church - Greensboro
Material Liaison - Jeff Hines

Forgive me if I missed others - but these are those who stand out in my recollection.

In More Ways Than One

2009-09-17T05:12:00.003-04:00

People often ask what Java Journey is. And we stammer and mumble as we try to find the words to describe this hybrid of day to day ministry via a "business."

We are a coffee shop and being such we are dependent on the element of H2O in order to operate. What does that have to do with the tea...? nevermind. I think it will click.

Our chief "M.O." is developing rapport with society in order to establish relationship and community. Once we do, we believe we are free to minister the purpose of God among the masses. We believe that folks will discover the love and grace of Jesus Christ and experience the redemptive transformation God intended for all people.

So what is Java Journey? Thanks to a book I'm reading, I can now say with confidence that we are a "Liquid Church."

Here is what Tony & Felicity Dale/George Barna have observed in the book "The Rabbit and the Elephant - Why Small is the New Big for Today's Church"

"Liquid church happens when we stop inviting others to come to church and instead we go out into every sphere of society as the Lord leads. We reach out to our neighbors or our coworkers, and instead of asking them to come to church, we get together with those people right where they live and work. In this way, segments of society that might never have experienced church life are affected by the Kingdom of God."

That's what Java Journey is!

Actually "Moving Along"

2009-09-14T17:30:00.007-04:00

The new door is in; the sign is up and the framing is nearly completed.

It was a very joyful thing for me to hear someone energetically say at our organic gathering yesterday (which is gaining momentum itself): "This vision is becoming a reality!"

Awaited Milestone

2009-09-02T19:42:00.001-04:00

A very busy day today.

In the midst of all my activity was a phone call I received from Hickory city planning department. They called to inform me that our plans had been approved but they needed an estimate on the cost of the project. I basically wet my finger and pointed up in the air and came up with a number. They also informed me that I had to have a licensed contractor sign the application. I didn't think we needed one as I was told that only a licensed plumber and licensed electrician had to sign off on the mechanical requirements of the build out.

I called one of our friends (Matt Taylor - the worship leader at Trinity Fellowship) whose father is a licensed contractor and had looked at our space in the past to offer advice. He told me to call his father and that he would call him to let him know I would contact him. Mike (his name) agreed to sign the application and will meet me tomorrow morning at the city planning office.

So after tomorrow - we are cleared to start the major work to transform the space into an operational Coffee Shop and intentional ministry. We are rejoicing.

If you can lend your support in any way by locally volunteering, supplying materials or supporting us financially (tax deductible) we would be very grateful. Please contact one of us so we can give you further information.

Thanks and keep up your prayers. Blessings!

Plans Resubmitted

2009-08-27T16:18:00.003-04:00

They went to the city yesterday with 4 days left of free rent.

We're hoping that we can still pull off launching before the end of October.

Please keep us in your prayers. Thanks!

I Think We Pass the Muster On This One

2009-08-23T08:24:00.003-04:00

From Andrew Hetzel's blog

What's in a Coffee Shop Name?

What should I name my coffee shop?!? It’s one of the most popular questions that I am regularly asked and surfaces with alarming frequency and urgency on online discussion boards like CoffeeForums.com and Specialty Coffee Retailer’s Online Forum. First things first: don’t panic!

The trend in coffee shop names these days from “cutesy” to outright absurd – are you naming a business or a boat? I suggest that rather than come up with the latest coffee pun, consider something that more appropriately captures the essence of your business and tells potential customers what they are likely to expect when they walk through your doors.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular categories of coffee shop names and their representative examples (these are REAL):

Medical Side Effects

* Trembling Cup
* Permanent Addiction
* Jitters (also, Jitter Bean, Jitter Java, Jumpin’ Jitters, etc.)
* Diuretic Delights (okay, so I made that one up)

The Puns

* Bean Around the World
* Daily Grind (also Back to the Grind, Nose to the Grind Stone, Breaking Ground, Sacred Grounds and so on)
* Brewed Awakenings
* Brews Brothers
* He Brews (a Christian Coffee Shop – this one is growing on me)

The Crowd that Misspells Espresso with an “X”

* Premium Expresso
* Heavenly Expresso

The Unfortunately Named

* Mud Puddle
* River Brew
* Java Trout Expresso Internet Bar & Gifts (I attempted to contact this company and congratulate them on their naming achievement, but alas, they were out of business or perhaps operating under a different name)

All of the frustration associated with naming a business is probably the result of competing in an escalating battle of wits; let’s think about this rationally, consider:

* Who are your customers? With proper business planning, this one should come rolling off your toungue. Are your customers morning commuters? Students? Couples out for an evening of entertainment? Office workers? All of the above? Knowing who your customer is will help you to understand how your name will be perceived.
* What is your business identity? What do you want your customers to think about when they read your name? (coffee – doh!) we’ll get to that in a moment: IN ADDITION TO COFFEE, what do you want your customers to think about? This is a question only you can answer: is it an emotion? a place? a memory? There are plenty of words other than “bean” or “cup” or “java” that you can use to get your point across.
* Now we can tell them it’s coffee. You should always keep the image of coffee present so that customers can quickly identify what you do. Picture driving by a business at 40 MPH and seeing the name or logo – in the blink of an eye it should be readily apparent that you serve coffee as a primary business. On the topic of that logo make certain that the logo is clear, not overly elaborate and has a crisp and easily identified color scheme.
* Make it unique – Unless it is your intention to masquerade as part of some large chain (such as a coffee shop I once visited named “Starbean,” written in bold green and white text), you’re going to want a brand name that can be uniquely associated with your company and product. Do a little search on Google for “Daily Grind.” Go ahead – I’ll wait. At the time of writing this article there are over 1.4 million mentions of the words Daily and Grind, and nearly 700,000 for the phrase “Daily Grind”; I can identify about 150 unique listings that are coffee shops or other coffee and tea related businesses. How will your business possibly be identified, recognized or remembered through all of that noise and confusion? Also consider possible legal setbacks to having such a similar name; Daily Grind-A is not going to be very happy when Daily Grind-B opens up down the street and will probably have something to say about (or, more likely, their lawyer will do the actual talking). Always have your attorney research your prospective name(s) for possible infringement on another’s trademarks or business names – you can do a cursary search through the US Patent and Trademark Office website and the corporation or business division of your Secretaries of State offices.

Oh, there’s one more category that I failed to mention above:

Popular Culture and Literature Names

* Bean Me Up
* Hill of Beans
* and Starbucks

So I Didn't Set Myself Up for Disappointment - and it Worked.

2009-08-20T13:32:00.003-04:00

So the architect was correct. The city has to justify its existence. Got an e-mail from the city. IOW: "Planning and Zoning - Approved;" "Fire Status - Approved;" Building Status - Disapproved." Round 2.

11 more days of free rent anyway.

Java Journey will be a “Third Place” and “Social Condenser” -or- The Mars Hill Approach Continues

2009-08-12T09:12:00.005-04:00

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) – Acts 17:19-21

The Cheers song has been overused for illustrative purposes, but for good reason. The part of the lyrics that states “You wanna go where people know, people are all the same, You wanna go where everybody knows your name…” is, without question, resonant to a majority. “Cheers” (the fictional tavern itself) is a “social condenser.” It is a “third place.”

Below is an excerpt from A Multi-Site Church Road Trip (Zondervan 2009) edited by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon and Warren Bird. “Third place” is very well defined.

Ray Oldenburg is credited with coining the term “third place” in his book The Great Good Place. A third place is somewhere outside the first two spaces in our life: work and home…

Ray Oldenburg believes that bars, coffee shops, general stores, and other third places are central to developing a vital community. Some call such places “social condensers” – places where community is developed, cohesion is retained, and a sense of identity is created. In the business world, the third place concept has become a buzzword for retailers as a “place to aspire to become.”

Oldenburg lists the following eight characteristics of third places:

1. They are located on “neutral” ground.
2. They are “levelers” where rank and status don’t matter.
3. Conversation is a main activity.
4. They are easy to access and accommodating.
5. They have a core group of influential regulars.
6. They have a low profile instead of being showy.
7. The mood is playful.
8. They feel like a home away from home.

Ed Stetzer, president of research with LifeWay Research, in a February 2008 study conducted for Cornerstone Knowledge Network, asked, “What kind of places do the unchurched like to come to?”…

According to the survey, the reason why people choose particular locations to meet with their friends is because these places are relaxing, casual, and fun. When asked to describe in their own words design features of the kind of place where they’d like to meet a friend, responders mentioned a quiet environment, comfortable seating, and a spaciousness and openness.

This is precisely what drives the vision that Teena and I share, along with a “core group influential regulars.” Our design is purposeful so that folks will walk into the place to meet a friend, of just sit comfortably. Our mission is stated as being a place which: “provides hope and restoration to the hurting and broken by sharing Christ's story, showing His love and by empowering the restored to serve others.” We believe deeply that the only way to do this is to gain a trust and a rapport with fellow human beings – and the means to establish that is provided by an environment that maintains “a low profile instead of being showy.”

We grow more and more excited each day.

Plans Dropped Off

2009-08-10T09:58:00.011-04:00

The Architect completed the plans with the details requested by the city. I dropped the required 5 sets off Thursday morning. When he handed them to me, he gave me a heads-up about what the city seems obligated to do (being elected/assigned folks). "It most likely will be rejected at first" says he. "I've never seen anything fly through in one try."

It takes wisdom in knowing how to follow up. Do we become pests if we call too much? Do we risk the left hand and right hand not communicating if we lay back? We have 3 weeks left of free rent, but are not allowed to build anything until the city says "ok." I'm looking for heart here since we are non-profit and dependent on donations and volunteers. But reality and a few places in a book I read often suggests that it's not to be expected.

The last word used there has been a lesson in faith for us. The depth of faith nearly always challenges our "expectations." Everything to this point has clearly been a result of divine design. The reason we can say that is because almost nothing we imagined has taken place. Yet, the development and process that has led us to this present point is far superior to anything we could have envisioned or schemed.

Thanks for your prayers. Continue to pray for patience and resources. Feel free to contact us if you have questions or would like to support us.