A whole new coffee hour
By: Connie Lyons, Fauquier Weekend Contributing Writer
09/14/2007
It is common practice for churches to host a coffee hour for hungry members who, in
their rush to get to the services on time, have had to skip breakfast. Very few, however,
offer the sort of full-scale culinary gratification that Chris Pierce, rector of St. James
Episcopal Church, is providing his parishioners.
As the father of four children, Pierce is no stranger to the Sunday morning stress of getting
everyone fed, dressed, and out the door.
"We recently rescheduled our morning services, keeping the 8 o'clock, but moving the
10 to 10:45. The café will give harried families the time to come in, eat a leisurely meal
together, and then attend services. Children can go on to Sunday school classes while
their parents enjoy a respite over coffee and the newspaper," said Pierce, adding that
the Sunday papers are delivered to the café.
He is considering offering valet parking, to make access to the café easy and quick,
and to avoid everyone getting soaked in rainy weather.
"Any way we can offer full service to help people, that's what we want to do," he said.
café St. James opened its doors for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 9. Meals are served
from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Breakfast is $5 per person or $12 per family.
Pierce hopes that bringing parishioners together for meals will strengthen bonds in the
church and community.
Over time, Pierce has observed that the church was, in effect, housing two separate
congregations ¯ one for each service. Those who attended each regularly were virtually
unknown to each other, he commented.
"Recently two of our families who had been next door neighbors for years accidentally
discovered that they were all members here, but because they attended different
services, no one knew. Hopefully people will come in for breakfast between the services
and get to know each other," Pierce said.
The café is also part of Pierce's larger initiative to invite the Fauquier community into the
church. "We are eager here to reach out into the community; to be hospitable to our
neighbors," he said. "Everyone is welcome here for breakfast, not just our congregation."
In order to make the café a first-class eating experience, Pierce interviewed a number
of professional chefs and eventually hired Gary Allee, who has 10 years of experience in
culinary arts. He will be assisted by another professional, Megan O'Neill. Both Allee and
O'Neill are employed at Airlie Conference Center. The breakfast buffet includes
pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh fruit and yogurt, and specialty items.
Pierce has long-range and wider ambitions for the café. "We're thinking about inviting
the community in for lunch at some point," he said. A series of noon-time Lenten services
and lunches is another possibility, as are Lenten dinners.
"We've just added a kindergarten to our preschool, and an open lunch might be an
option," he said. He plans to utilize the chef throughout the parish activities, such as
dinners for the men's and women's organizations.
Pierce is confident that the café will succeed. He expects 80 to 100 café guests a week.
"We're not doing away with the traditional coffee hour; that will still be in place after
the 10:45 service. Some people don't like change; they tell me it can't work. But
generally, the response from the congregation has been very positive. Lots of folks are
really excited about this. Including me."
Email the reporter: lyonsc_2000@yahoo.com
©Times Community Newspapers 2007
By: Connie Lyons, Fauquier Weekend Contributing Writer
09/14/2007
It is common practice for churches to host a coffee hour for hungry members who, in
their rush to get to the services on time, have had to skip breakfast. Very few, however,
offer the sort of full-scale culinary gratification that Chris Pierce, rector of St. James
Episcopal Church, is providing his parishioners.
As the father of four children, Pierce is no stranger to the Sunday morning stress of getting
everyone fed, dressed, and out the door.
"We recently rescheduled our morning services, keeping the 8 o'clock, but moving the
10 to 10:45. The café will give harried families the time to come in, eat a leisurely meal
together, and then attend services. Children can go on to Sunday school classes while
their parents enjoy a respite over coffee and the newspaper," said Pierce, adding that
the Sunday papers are delivered to the café.
He is considering offering valet parking, to make access to the café easy and quick,
and to avoid everyone getting soaked in rainy weather.
"Any way we can offer full service to help people, that's what we want to do," he said.
café St. James opened its doors for the first time on Sunday, Sept. 9. Meals are served
from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Breakfast is $5 per person or $12 per family.
Pierce hopes that bringing parishioners together for meals will strengthen bonds in the
church and community.
Over time, Pierce has observed that the church was, in effect, housing two separate
congregations ¯ one for each service. Those who attended each regularly were virtually
unknown to each other, he commented.
"Recently two of our families who had been next door neighbors for years accidentally
discovered that they were all members here, but because they attended different
services, no one knew. Hopefully people will come in for breakfast between the services
and get to know each other," Pierce said.
The café is also part of Pierce's larger initiative to invite the Fauquier community into the
church. "We are eager here to reach out into the community; to be hospitable to our
neighbors," he said. "Everyone is welcome here for breakfast, not just our congregation."
In order to make the café a first-class eating experience, Pierce interviewed a number
of professional chefs and eventually hired Gary Allee, who has 10 years of experience in
culinary arts. He will be assisted by another professional, Megan O'Neill. Both Allee and
O'Neill are employed at Airlie Conference Center. The breakfast buffet includes
pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, fresh fruit and yogurt, and specialty items.
Pierce has long-range and wider ambitions for the café. "We're thinking about inviting
the community in for lunch at some point," he said. A series of noon-time Lenten services
and lunches is another possibility, as are Lenten dinners.
"We've just added a kindergarten to our preschool, and an open lunch might be an
option," he said. He plans to utilize the chef throughout the parish activities, such as
dinners for the men's and women's organizations.
Pierce is confident that the café will succeed. He expects 80 to 100 café guests a week.
"We're not doing away with the traditional coffee hour; that will still be in place after
the 10:45 service. Some people don't like change; they tell me it can't work. But
generally, the response from the congregation has been very positive. Lots of folks are
really excited about this. Including me."
Email the reporter: lyonsc_2000@yahoo.com
©Times Community Newspapers 2007
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