Friends,
The Green Bean, Sanctuary’s front porch / living room / kitchen to Greenwood, has been in our current location for almost 5 years. As the end of our current lease drew near we put together a transition team to help our council assess all our potential options – considering everything from continuing our current model in our current space to shutting down and asking God to show us what’s next. We have received word from our landlord that our lease will not be extended, and will expire in October.
Our landlord, MCD Properties, recognized all the good we’ve done in the community, but they are seeking fair market value for their prime retail space. Additionally, we have been struggling (as many coffee shops have) to make ends meet over the past year. While we’ve been able to pay our rent and keeps the lights on, there are additional taxes, insurance fees, and charges required to run a business. Landlords generally pay those charges up-front, and expect their tenants to pay them back throughout the year. We have not been able to pay down that ongoing debt, despite a number of extensions. Considering the whole picture: the amount of outstanding debt and the troubling business outlook, it was clear that renewing our lease was not going to be a good decision for either the Green Bean, or for our landlord.
We imagine this news carries with it a variety of emotions for anyone that has been connected to Sanctuary and the Green Bean, and while our council is in the midst of discerning what is next, we too are feeling both sadness and hope. Sadness, because change is hard, and we’ve seen so much beauty, goodness, hospitality, community, and grace in 8525 Greenwood Ave. Hope, because the God who is the giver of all that beauty, goodness, hospitality, community, and grace, is able to do that anywhere.
We do not yet know what is next. But we are listening – to Scripture, to the Holy Spirit, to each other, to this neighborhood, and to you. We will host a town-hall meeting this Sunday, May 20th, immediately following the service at Taproot (starting a few minutes after 11am). We’ll give a short status update, and then we want to hear from you – questions, thoughts, hopes, etc. Please join us. And continue to frequent the Green Bean as it continues to provide jobs for our managers, bakers, and baristas; space for community and connection, and really good coffee for this neighborhood.
As I (Mark) said on Sunday, The Green Bean has never been our mission. Our mission is loving our neighbors as ourselves, creating a hospitable space to embody the love of Christ in this neighborhood. The Green Bean has been the best vehicle we could find for that mission. And it may be the best one we have moving forward in a new location. Or it may be time for a new vehicle. But our mission – or more accurately – God’s mission in this neighborhood has not changed.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to any of the elders. See you on Sunday.
In hope,
Mark Mohrlang, Pastor
Peter Kraker, Green Bean Elder
Tammie Haulter, Council President
Steve Geelhood, Green Bean Team Lead