| SERVICES | COFFEE HOUR | CARE CIRCLES | FELLOWSHIP |
Everyone is welcomed to join in what many would call our third service, the Coffee Hour. Directly following the 11 O'clock worship service, the congregation is invited to the Steiff Room (to the left exiting the sanctuary) to meet each other and greet guest and visitors. There is always plenty of coffee, cookies and other snacks to celebrate the holy hospitality of the Coffee Hour.
This time provides a casual gathering where ministers, members, guests and visitors can informally echoing the spirit of Christian fellowship begun during the liturgy. Whether it is your first time or your one hundredth, no one is ever left standing alone for long. Parishioners make a special emphasis to welcome visitors to First English and introduce them to our congregation. So don't be in too much of a hurry to leave, the Coffee Hour provides a unique opportunity to catch up with old friends and even make new ones.
While many Lutherans feel a special, almost divine, association with the Coffee Hour, there is really no special ordination required to prepare the coffee. Volunteers are always needed, especially during the summer. Families are encouraged to host a Coffee Hour to celebrate an anniversary or other important event. Everything you need to know to host another flawless Coffee Hour is provided. If you are interested, please contact Jackie Marsalek at jmarsalek@home.com.
On the first Sunday of each month, we sell Equal Exchange Coffee. Few Americans realize that agriculture workers in the coffee industry often toil in what can be described as “sweatshops in fields.” Many small coffee farmers receive prices for their coffee that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt.
Fair Trade is a viable solution to this crisis, assuring consumers that the coffee we drink was purchased under fair conditions. To become Fair Trade certified, an importer must meet stringent international criteria; paying a minimum price per pound of $1.26, providing much-needed credit to farmers, and providing technical assistance such as help transitioning to organic farming. Fair Trade for coffee farmers means community development, health, education and environmental stewardship.
To learn more about Equal Exchange products, visit http://www.equalexchange.com