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fresh expressions of church

through their common, day to day experience of the project

there is opportunity for discussion and the application of

theology to everyday experience. Many regular customers and

volunteers require additional support for their mental health

problems, frailty, physical disability or because they are in

danger of social exclusion. Open House provides natural,

positive opportunities for pastoral care and evangelism. 

In a recent survey of customers over half had spoken with

someone about the Christian faith and two thirds had picked

up Christian literature, wanting to know more.

The Christians involved in Open House see their work as

worship, Christian service and witness through hospitality and

love of neighbour. Several people have come to faith through

their involvement with the project. Open House is still evolving

and is on the edge of new expressions of `church'. It is an

exciting and challenging experience.

why use cafe style?

Cafe church is different from Seeker Services, because cafe church is

primarily about creating a sense of community, whereas Seeker Services

are often focused on creating an environment where life issues and

Christian insight can be considered. Cafe church is a fresh outworking 

of a long missionary instinct, cited by Gregory the Great in encouraging

Augustine of Canterbury to find what can be taken in the host culture

without fatal compromise, and transform it into ongoing Christian practice.

how radical is this expression of church?

It is fair to ask how far this is a fresh expression of church. People are

congregating in cafe church, but the dynamic of that meeting is modified.

The encounter with others is in small groups, around tables with drink and

some food, although this is linked to the experience of being part of a wider

community. Worship tends to be informal, although `informality' does not

necessarily mean dumbing down either spiritually or liturgically. The notion

of `table fellowship' in cafe church goes back to the ministry of Jesus, and

has the potential to create significant meeting between people, and to

encourage the exploration of life and of the gospel. Some have developed

simply `table liturgies'.

The mission style of cafe churches is relational. It narrows the gap between

what is encountered in an Alpha course and what is often negatively

experienced on a Sunday. In Alpha people sit around in groups, and a

sense of participation and response is more easily achieved. Cafe church

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