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Where coffee shop meets cathedral |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Wednesday, 12 April 2006 |
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Page 1 of 3 The aroma of coffee permeates the room. Artwork splashed with color hangs on the wall. The urban-style coffeehouse is packed with people lounging on couches and conversing at tables.
Two passersby peer through the window, curious about what’s going on. One turns to the other and says, "It’s a Christian thing. Look, it says God on the screen."
For many, the scene at the coffee house is church. Many post-modern churches are redefining worship by replacing pews, choirs and Sunday best with sofas, Christian rock bands and jeans and T-shirts. Some don’t even have church in a church at all.
Sean Cherry, a program director with young adult ministry at Timberline Church in Fort Collins, said twenty- and thirtysomethings are craving something different, something "real."
"I think a lot of the churches of the baby-boomer generation are pretty slick operations, where everything is put together and people are expected to show up with a big smile on their face," Cherry said. "Sometimes you walk into those churches and everything is shinny and happy and that’s not real. It’s OK to be real in church. I think this generation wants people to be real and genuine, not smile and say we love Jesus and go home and cry."
Timberline Church has been at the forefront with its Friday night service, Flip the Switch, for the last two and a half years. GAP, which stands for Graduates and Professionals, is a newer division of Flip the Switch, which meets once a month at Everyday Joe’s Coffee House in Fort Collins. This service is geared toward young adults rather than college students, because so often this age group gets left out. About 50 people come together each month to worship in a casual setting, with live music and a message delivered over noisy coffee machines.
"I think a lot of young people just connect better with a band that sounds like the music they like listening to," Cherry said.
Sarah Higgens, 26, of Fort Collins said there is a real need for her age group to have a community of people for fellowship. She said the coffee-shop atmosphere fits her demographic better.
Blue Sky Church in Loveland doesn’t meet in an actual coffee shop, but Joe Schimmels, the lead pastor, described the church as "coffee shop meets ancient cathedral."
The church was born in his own living room when he decided to throw out what he commonly knew about church and start with a clean slate. Four other families shared his vision and eventually the group grew big enough to rent a storefront. Now, Blue Sky Church has about 175 members.
But Schimmels wasn’t raised in a church. In fact, he didn’t set foot into one until he was 17. Until then, he always looked at Christians as kind of weird. Eventually, he embarked on a spiritual journey. He attended a Christian liberal arts school and a pretty traditional conservative church.
"When I looked at the church, I thought, 'Gosh, can we do this a different way?' " he said.
The answer was yes.
A typical service at Blue Sky Church includes people sitting on couches and the floor, music, a message. One more thing that sets this church apart is the interactive artistic element. At the end of the service, people have an opportunity to express themselves through writing and drawing.
"I can’t think of doing church any other way," Schimmels said.
Many people who find post-modern churches appealing have done church the traditional way for a long time.
David Godinez, 26, of Fort Collins was raised Catholic and was always active in the church. After moving to Fort Collins for a job, he had a hard time connecting and making friends. He searched the Internet for a nondenominational church and came across The Rock, a worship service for college students and twentysomething singles at Summitview Community Church in Fort Collins.
Godinez said the more traditional Catholic services felt dry — to the point that he questioned if even the priest believed his own words. The energy at The Rock was a welcomed refreshment, but telling his mother about his new-found church wasn’t easy.
“She was really upset, but as time went by she understood,” Godinez said. “I think she’s seen what this church has done for my heart and is more appreciative. What’s amazing for me is I came out of college an anti-social engineer. I’ve been able to have relationships with people I never thought I’d have.”
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