I drink coffee.  Every day.  Twice a day often.  I love nothing better than to sit at my desk with a homemade cappuccino, answer emails and sort out my thoughts for the day.  I always write in the mornings with a large mug precariously close to my mouse pad and flailing fingers, and I rarely hesitate when summoned by friends to meet for a tall, 2%, no foam latte at Starbucks.

But there’s a new game in town and it’s called Small Ritual Coffee Society and it just may well become my home away from home!  This coffee house is a not for profit venture set out to benefit…well, why should I talk about it when I can steal the words directly from the Church at Southpoint website…heeheeheee!

History of the Project

From April to December 2008, The Church at Southpoint began to re-imagine our church life in a Third Place context. Together, we explored the feasibility and attainability of a unique coffee house as a hub for life and faith and a centre for the expressive arts.

We applied for a grant from the Trinity Opportunity Fund (within our tribe of churches) and received the grant in December! In January, 2009 we began putting the pieces together to make this thing a reality.

Small Ritual Coffee Society is a non-profit, social enterprise located in the South Surrey/White Rock area. Our focus is: to promote ethically sourced premium coffee; to foster community interaction; and to provide a venue for local artists (music, word, visual). In this way, we hope to create a true ‘third place’.

‘Third Places’ are neither home nor workplace, but somewhere in between. They are places to meet, socialize, relax, hang out, and work away from the office. They are places to eat and drink without pressure to consume or move on. The ‘third place’ is epitomized by the modern coffee house.

Third places then are ‘hubs’ of community life and facilitate and foster broader, more creative interaction. All societies already have informal meeting places; what is new in our day is the intentionality of seeking them out as vital to our current societal and spiritual needs.

Ray Oldenburg, an urban sociologist from Florida, coined the term and suggests these hallmarks of a true “third place”:

1. Relatively inexpensive food and drink is critical
2. Must be highly accessible: proximate for many (walking distance)
3. Must involve regulars – those who habitually congregate there
4. Must be welcoming and comfortable

As a community hub and ‘third place’ Small Ritual will be more than just another coffee shop. It will be a place to serve, enjoy, express and act.

Now, not every neighbourhood has a Small Ritual Coffee Society yet, but wouldn’t it be great if they did?  I don’t know much about the Church at Southpoint but I have to say I’m loving what they’re doing! I can betcha that a large part of the proceeds from the coffee house will be going to support the many charities, both local and worldwide, in which they’re involved.  The concept of a business operating solely with the intention of serving the community is sooooo inspiring!  White Rock is a bit of a drive for me but I can promise I won’t be getting my lattes from Starbucks when I am down there.  I’ll be hanging out at the Small Ritual Coffee Society and enjoying the whole experience, top to bottom!

PS  I’m going to see if I can get my art displayed in the coffee house.  Don’t tell anyone in case it doesn’t work out. Shhhh! Right now you can see the work of Daniel Tibbits until Nov. 21st