Ministry Found in a Cup

Figure 1. The view out of my room the
day I arrived.

It was the first words I heard when I arrived to my new home (Figure 1) in Manchester after exchanging hellos, "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?" and I have not gone a day without hearing them since two months ago.

I think everyone who moves to England finds that a cup of tea is not just a drink to be consumed, but a type of communication shared within a group of people.  It's a sign of hospitality, welcome, and an invitation to start a conversation.   It's how you start and end your day; it's the middle of the day when you're tired after lunch, or when someone unexpectedly wanders into church (Figure 2).

Figure 2. The Church space I work in

It's this last part that I find so important.  You can never be sure of where someone is emotionally-wise when they walk through the front doors, but somehow tea is always the right way to start a conversation.  Whether it be celebrating joyous news, or working through some intense personal turmoil, or just to hydrate, having that cup in your hands helps to put life in perspective again.

These big revelations over cups of tea do not happen every day, nor am I probably aware of how important most of my cups of tea are; but it doesn't lessen the fact that sitting with someone and listening to what they have to say is so important.  That's one of the biggest lessons I have learned since moving to Manchester.  Fostering those relationships over a cup of tea allows for someone to find our church a safe space to be vulnerable and to talk to God, or just to each other.