I continue to be amazed at the buzz our coffeehouse is creating. I “over hear” people walking by 201 F Street, NE all the time commenting on the coffeehouse. “I can’t wait till it opens.” “I wonder if they’ll serve breakfast.” “It’s going to be so cool to have a place to hang out.”

What’s ironic to me is this: if we were building a “church building” we probably would have experienced opposition. And I seriously doubt there would have been the positive buzz we’ve experience. That isn’t a commentary on anything. It’s just an observation I’ve made. By building a coffeehouse we’ve gotten into the good graces of our neighborhood. And we’ll still have Saturday night services They’ll just be in a coffeehouse environment instead of a “church.” Maybe we’ve confused the building for the church? I know this is ecclesiology 101, but the church isn’t a building. Maybe God can use any building to serve his purposes? Including theaters, coffeehouses, and clubs

Anywho.

Here’s the email we got notifying us of an award we’ve won.

On behalf of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, I am delighted that the Visions Selection Committee has chosen to recognize the work that the National Community Church is undertaking in the transformation of the property at 201 F Street, NE. A formal description will be prepared for the program, but the Committee wanted to acknowledge the adaptive re-use that will turn an eyesore into a vital facility in the neighborhood, supporting the broader work of the church.

Since we bought this property on February 7, 2002, we’ve claimed Isaiah 58:12: “You will be called repairer of broken walls.” This award we’ve receiving is a confirmation of that calling.

Praise God.