Café Ministry

A request was put out across presbytery in August to find out about church cafes running in our presbytery. Two very hard working but different cafes in Dundee invited me along to find out more about them. 

On Tuesdays between 11am-1pm a community café runs in the hall of Lochee Parish Church, offering all food and beverages for free. This includes popular items from Greggs, the bakers who donate surplus food to the project.

 This popular café is run alongside a food larder where it costs £1 for 20 essential items such a toilet roll, food and dog food. The café really is the embodiment of Matthew 25:35-37.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-37

The café has been on the go for 12 years and has built up a loyal customer base. Café and Larder users can queue over an hour to get into the church hall, where on average 70 people use this service per week. When I visited, I met people from all walks of life, local people, those who travel from further afield, university students, those seeking employment, and people overcoming addiction. 

When I was there, the oven wasn’t working, however that didn’t hinder the team of 10 fantastic volunteers made up from church members, young adult volunteers from PCUSA, and ex-café and larder users under the inspiring leadership of Parish Assistant Gavin Berry. Gavin took over as the café coordinator at the start of Covid. It’s clear he has made an impact on the those he works with. As I waited with people to come into the café and larder a person in the queue shared ‘Gav cheers everybody up’. 

This really is a special place that offers respect and dignity to all of the café and larder users, who commented:

“This is an absolute sanctuary, I don’t get paid until next week so it gets you by.”

“This place is brilliant, I love it. Everyone is really helpful and I come here every week.”

Matthew McKenzie the Youth & Family Worker has done a brilliant job of fundraising for the project and signposting people who need help and support with housing or fuel etc. A community nurse is on hand to offer support at the café too. It is clear why someone would share with me:

“Coming here is the highlight of your day.”

Just shy of 3 miles down the road from Lochee in Dundee’s West End is Roseangle Garden Café Arts, the café run by Dundee West Church. Open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm, it offers an extensive menu from sandwiches and toasties to full meals with vegetarian and vegan options. It also has a rage of delicious hot drinks and homemaking to satisfy any taste bud. 

I was invited to the café by the Session Clerk, Bill Garlan, who welcomed me alongside Ann, who is the official link on the session to the café. Their passion about the café was infectious. They shared that the previous minister of the church, Rev Andrew Greaves came up with the idea and the church got behind it and invested financially. Bill shared that this beautiful, homely café space had previously been the session room, a windowless, wooden panelled room filled with pictures of former ministers. The church worked hard in 2010 to transform this space into a modern artistic café with glass panelling and a sliding door, creating a bright, welcoming space that helps to create community. A number of groups use the café such as walking groups, Baby dance classes, university students and staff. Very recently, when the the staff at Dundee University were on strike they made use of the café and even spilled out into the big hall behind the café. They have 40-50 users a day and Bill remarked about the café:

"People feel comfortable in it…Groups visit, but also individuals come and it’s a second home to them.”

The café is run by 3 employees (1 full time and 2 part time) and volunteers, some of whom come from Scottish Autism. The church are incredibly supportive of the project and it is clear they are engaging their community and offering a well needed service. 

Although both cafe’s are in very different settings and offer very different things. at heart they share the same love for Jesus and a desire to meet and serve their communities.