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St Swithin's Curate Mike Wilkins Tells Us Why Their New Cafe Life Course Offers An Open Forum To Discover God

MIKE_CURATE_ST_SWITHINSCafe Life is a new course now in its third year - beginning this Sunday (13th November) at St Swithin's Church crypt from 4.00pm.  Running until 11th December, this course involves tea, cake, and open discussion on topics as varied as 'has science disproved God'... through to what actually happens in a church?!.. 

St Swithin's Curate, Mike Wilkins took time out of his busy schedule to tell us what we can expect if we go...  And also about his expectation to learn as much as he delivers! 

(PICTURES:  MIKE WILKINS, COFFEE, ARTIST'S IMPRESSION OF JESUS)

Why are you running Cafe Life?

For three years now we have been running a cafe from the crypt of our recently re-ordered church. It is a beautiful space, selling lovely coffee, and delicious cakes and light lunches. The cafe has been part of our vision for mission as we seek to open our doors to the community and welcome people in. The cafe can get very coffee_morningbusy, and is popular with all ages, especially parents as there is a room for young kids to play while parents enjoy a coffee.

We see Cafe Life as an extension of our cafe ministry really - inviting people (most of whom we have some relationship with, many through the cafe) who are spiritually seeking to come to an informal time for more intentional discussion about life, faith and for them to bring their questions.

Who is it aimed at? What do you hope people will get from it?

It is aimed at those who feel open to discuss issues of life and faith. We have discovered that most people have questions about this whole area and many are really on a journey towards God, but appreciate space to discuss some of their questions.

We are big fans of the Alpha Course and have just finished running a great Alpha course this term. However we recognise that Alpha has certain assumptions and is largely driven by the (brilliant) Alpha content.

With Cafe Life our hope is that the content for each session is derived from the guests rather than those of us who are there to help facilitate discussion - people come with their questions and we seek to open up a conversation about what they bring (although we have something up our sleeve if no-one quite knows where to start!). We hope that as we discuss together that people will be drawn to the truth and hope of Jesus who is the source of life.

Cafe Life runs for six weeks - we have run it twice before and many who have come in the past have started to coming to our Sunday morning service. One guest who came last time was baptised last Easter Sunday!

What will each session involve?

People arrive around 4.00pm on Sunday afternoon to the warmth of the cafe, where plenty of tea and cake awaits them. We chat together for a while, getting to know each other (one of the great things is seeing how guests become friends with one another too), and then one of us will open up the session for discussion.
Depending on numbers we tend to stay as one group in our sofa area. Discussion flows very easily - we try and call a halt to things by around 5.30pm. We have jesus_jpegdiscussed things like: has scienced disproved God? Are all religions the same? What is faith? How could God allow suffering? What's so special about Jesus? Does God still speak to us today? What's so special about the Bible?

Each week stands alone so it's not the end of the world if someone misses a week, and also means that people can join at any time.

Why is this course so relevant right now?

Hopefully it's meeting people where they are rather than assuming what they do and don't believe. I think people appreciate that they can come without having the 'i's dotted and 't's crossed and can come open to share their opinions and questions, knowing that they will be accepted and loved. It is more like a conversation, rather than a course with specific curriculum to cover. People seem to enjoy it.

Do you think lots of people have questions about God? Need to have their perception of Him de-mystified?

People definitely have lots of questions about God, as well as about how the church functions and what Christians believe. Of course some of these questions are borne from misunderstanding or misinformation. However, it must be emphasised that often those of us hosting Cafe Life feel that we are also learning from those who come as guests - even if they don't know it they can give us a new insight into who God is.

Do you feel people are a bit shy to ask questions normally?

Perhaps, and we hope that Cafe Life is another arena for questions to naturally flow. I guess the vital thing is that people feel comfortable and accepted, that they can ask whatever is on their heart. Just them being there is a sign to me that they are seeking something more - and we pray that Cafe Life will be another way for them to encounter Jesus.

All are welcome to come to Cafe Life - it runs from Sunday 13th November - Sunday 11th December from 4.00pm in the Crypt at St Swithin's Walcot. 


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