As the new Green Bean was set to open, and a call went out for people to serve in a new capacity there, I felt that it was something I should do. It would be called the Ministry of Presence, and the purpose was… to be determined. Our instructions were quite open-ended. Go to the Bean, and Be Present. For shifts of an hour or two, we were to mingle, talk to customers, or the staff on duty. But mainly, be there, and make space to connect with people. As the first people to serve we would shape this effort, and help to determine its nature.
It was a bit harder for me than it seemed. Although I think of myself as a fairly outgoing person, I wasn’t prepared to actually have to engage, particularly in a coffee shop where sometimes people were clearly not open to being disturbed. Some are plugged into headphones; others focused on laptops and working intently; some just fiddling idly on their phones, but these were people intent on their corner of the world. Others were already engaged in conversations, minding their children, or focused elsewhere. I was unprepared for that ambiguity. Should I approach? Is it weird?
On one occasion, I was the lone person in the shop. I read the paper, chatted with the staff, and spent a quiet morning. On another, I ran into someone I had met recently and we talked about Sanctuary and the church community here. Many conversations were had with other members of the church, and often just for a few minutes or so. My time there was never quite what I had originally expected it to be. But through the commitment I had made to be there, I persevered and put in my time at the Bean.
What I eventually learned was that my being there became something familiar. Although I didn’t have any of the deep “ministerial” discussions I may have originally imagined, or made some kind of connection by being at the Green Bean, I felt a greater sense of ownership and belonging. Some of the people, even those I hadn’t spoken with, became familiar to me- and probably I to them. Being there every week gave me a glimpse into the weekly rhythms of the Green Bean, and more importantly, the neighborhood in which I live. As this venture continues, it will be interesting to see in what ways it will evolve and be shaped, and how it may shape those of us who participate.
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